तदाहृत्य च तां चक्रे सोऽसुरोऽप्रतिमां सभाम्। विश्रुतां त्रिषु लोकेषु दिव्यां मणिमयीं शुभाम्
Having brought it, that Asura made an incomparable assembly hall, renowned in the three worlds, divine, adorned with jewels, and auspicious.
गदां च भीमसेनाय प्रवरां प्रददौ तदा। देवदत्तं चार्जुनाय शङ्खप्रवरमुत्तमम्
Then he gave the excellent mace to Bhīmasena, and the supreme conch, Devadatta, to Arjuna.
यस्य शङ्खस्य नादेन भूतानि प्रचकम्पिरे। `स कालं कञ्चिदाश्वस्य विश्वकर्मा विचिन्त्य च
At the sound of whose conch all beings trembled—he, having considered for some time, entrusted it to Visvakarma for repair.
सभां प्रचक्रमे कर्तुं पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। अभिप्रायेण पार्थानां कृष्णस्य च महात्मनः
set about building an assembly hall for the great-souled Pāṇḍavas, according to the wish of the sons of Pṛthā and the great-souled Kṛṣṇa.
सर्वर्तुगुणसम्पन्नां दिव्यरूपामलङ्कृताम्। तर्पयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान्पायसेन सहस्रशः। सभा च सा महाराज शातकुम्भमयद्रुमा
Endowed with all virtues, divine in form and adorned, after satisfying thousands of excellent Brāhmaṇas with milk-rice, that assembly hall, O great king, had trees of gold.
दशकिष्कुसहस्राणि समन्तादायताभवत्। यथा वह्नेर्यथार्कस्य सोमस्य च यथा सभा
It extended on all sides for ten thousand bows in length, like the assembly halls of Agni, Sūrya, and Soma.
भ्राजमाना तथाऽत्यर्थं दधार परमं वपुः। अभिघ्नतीव प्रभया प्रभामर्कस्य भास्वराम्
Shining exceedingly, it possessed supreme splendor, its radiance striking like the brilliant light of the sun.
प्रबभौ ज्वलमानेव दिव्या दिव्येन वर्चसा। नवमेघप्रतीकाशा दिवमाकृत्य विष्ठिता। आयता विपुला रम्या विपाप्मा विगतक्लमा
It blazed as if on fire, with divine brilliance; resembling a new cloud, it stood reaching the sky, vast, wide, delightful, flawless, and free from fatigue.
उत्तमद्रव्यसम्पन्ना रत्नप्राकारतोरणा। बहुचित्रा बहुधना सुकृता विश्वकर्मणा
Abounding in the finest materials, with gateways and walls of jewels, richly decorated, wealthy, and skillfully made by Viśvakarmā.
न दाशार्ही सुधर्मा वा ब्रह्मणो वाथ तादृशी। सभा रूपेण सम्पन्ना यां चक्रे मतिमान्मयः
Neither the Dāśārha’s Sudharmā nor even Brahmā’s was such an assembly hall in form as the wise Maya made.
तां स्म तत्र मयेनोक्ता रक्षन्ति च वहन्ति च। सभामष्टौ सहस्राणि किङ्करा नाम राक्षसाः
There, as told by Maya, eight thousand attendants called Rākṣasas guard and serve that assembly hall.
अन्तरिक्षचरा घोरा महाकाया महाबलाः। रक्ताक्षाः पिङ्गलाक्षाश्च शुक्तिकर्णाः प्रहारिणः
Moving through the sky, fierce, of great size and strength, with red and tawny eyes, shell-shaped ears, and skilled in combat.
तस्यां सभायां नलिनीं चकाराप्रतिमां मयः। वैदूर्यपत्रविततां मणिनालमयाम्बुजाम्
In that assembly hall, Maya created an incomparable lotus pond, its leaves fashioned from beryl, its lotus stalks and blossoms made of jewels.
पद्मसौगन्धिकवतीं नानाद्विजगणायुताम्। पुष्पितैः पङ्कजैश्चित्रां कूर्मैर्मत्स्यैश्च काञ्चनैः। चित्रस्फटिकसोपानां निष्पङ्कसलिलां शुभाम्
It was fragrant like lotuses and blue water-lilies, teeming with various flocks of birds, adorned with blooming lotuses, golden tortoises and fish, with splendid crystal stairways and pure, clear water.
मन्दानिलसमुद्धूतां मुक्ताबिन्दुभिराचिताम्। महामणिशिलापट्टबद्धपर्यन्तवेदिकाम्
Its waters were gently stirred by a soft breeze, scattered with drops of pearls, and its borders were lined with platforms of great gem slabs.
मणिरत्नचितां तां तु केचिदभ्येत्य पार्थिवाः। दृष्ट्वापि नाभ्यजानन्त तेऽज्ञानात्प्रपतन्त्युत
Some kings, approaching that jewel-adorned pond, even after seeing it, did not recognize it as artificial out of ignorance, and indeed fell in.
तां सभामभितो नित्यं पुष्पवन्तो महाद्रुमाः। आसन्नानाविधा लोलाः शीतच्छाया मनोरमाः
Around that hall always stood great flowering trees of many kinds, swaying gently, offering cool shade and delight.
काननानि सुगन्धीनि पुष्करिण्यश्च सर्वशः। हंसकारण्डवोपेताश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः
There were fragrant groves and lotus ponds everywhere, filled with swans and cranes, beautified by chakravaka ducks.
जलजानां च पद्मानां स्थलजानां च सर्वशः। मारुतो गन्धमादाय पाण्डवान्स्म निषेवते
The wind, carrying the fragrance of all the aquatic and terrestrial lotuses, would serve the Pandavas.
ईदृशीं तां सभां कृत्वा मासैः परिचतुर्दशैः। निष्ठितां धर्मराजाय मयो राजन्न्यवेदयत्
Having constructed such a hall in fourteen months, Maya reported its completion to King Yudhishthira.
तां तु कृत्वा सभां श्रेष्ठां मयश्चार्जुनमब्रवीत्। भूतानां च महावीर्यो ध्वजाग्रे किङ्करो गणः
After building that excellent hall, Maya spoke to Arjuna, the mighty one among beings, about the banner and its retinue at the tip of the flagstaff.
तव विष्फारघोषेण मेघवन्निनदिष्यति। अयं हि सूर्यसङ्काशो ज्वलनस्य रथो महान्।। 2
At the sound of your bowstring's thunder, the sky will resound; for here is the great chariot of fire, shining like the sun.
इमे च दिविजाः श्वेता वीर्यवन्तो हयोत्तमाः। मायामयः कृतो ह्येष ध्वजो वानरलक्षणः
And here are the divine, white, powerful, excellent horses; this banner, marked with a monkey, is fashioned by magic.
असज्जमानो वृक्षेषु धूमकेतुरिवोच्छ्रितः। बहुवर्णं हि लक्ष्येत ध्वजं वानरलक्षणम्
It does not get caught in trees, rising high like a smokey banner; the monkey-marked banner will be seen in many colors.
ध्वजोत्कटं ह्यनवमं युद्धे द्रक्ष्यसि विष्ठितम्। एव वीरः सव्यसाचिन्ध्वजस्यान्ते भविष्यति
You will see this banner, towering and unrivaled in battle, standing firm; thus, O hero, the left-handed archer will be at the end of the banner.
इत्युक्त्वाऽऽलिङ्ग्य वीभत्सुं विसृष्टः प्रययौ मयः
Having spoken thus and embraced Vibhatsu (Arjuna), Maya departed.
ततः प्रवेशनं तस्यां चक्रे राजा युधिष्ठिरः। अयुतं भोजयित्वा तु ब्राह्मणानां नराधिपः
Then King Yudhishthira held an inauguration in that hall, and after feeding ten thousand Brahmins, the lord of men—
साज्येन पायसेनैव मधुना मिश्रितेन च। भक्ष्यैर्मूलैः फलैश्चैव मांसैर्वाराहहारिणैः। कृसरेणाथ जीवन्त्या हविष्येण च सर्वशः
—with ghee and sweet rice mixed with honey, with roots, fruits, and meats of boar and deer, with krisara, jivanti, and all kinds of sacrificial food—
मांसप्रकारैर्विविधैः खाद्यैश्चापि तथा नृप। चोष्यैश्च विविधै राजन्पेयैश्च बहुविस्तरैः
—with various kinds of meat dishes, and also with many kinds of chewables and drinkables in great abundance, O king—
अहतैश्चैव वासोभिर्माल्यैरुच्चावचैरपि। तर्पयामास विप्रेन्द्रान्नानादिग्भ्यः समागतान्
—and with garments, both fine and coarse, and with garlands, he satisfied the best of Brahmins who had gathered from all directions.