Bhagavata Purana

राजसूये भगवतोऽग्रपूजनं ततो रुष्टस्य दुर्वदत्तः शिशुपालस्य भगवता वधश्च - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) एवं युधिष्ठिरो राजा जरासन्धवधं विभोः । कृष्णस्य चानुभावं तं श्रुत्वा प्रीतस्तमब्रवीत्

Śrī Śuka said: Thus, King Yudhishthira, having heard of the slaying of Jarasandha by the mighty Krishna and his wondrous deeds, was pleased and spoke to him.

श्रीयुधिष्ठिर उवाच - ये स्युस्त्रैलोक्यगुरवः सर्वे लोकमहेश्वराः । वहन्ति दुर्लभं लब्ध्वा शिरसैवानुशासनम्

Śrī Yudhishthira said: Those who are the teachers of the three worlds, the great lords of all beings, even after attaining what is difficult to obtain, accept instruction upon their heads.

स भवान् अरविन्दाक्षो दीनानां ईशमानिनाम् । धत्तेऽनुशासनं भूमन् तदत्यन्तविडम्बनम्

You, O lotus-eyed one, bear rule over those who consider themselves masters among the distressed; O great one, this is indeed a profound mystery.

न ह्येकस्याद्वितीयस्य ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः । कर्मभिर्वर्धते तेजो ह्रसते च यथा रवेः

For the one Supreme, the Absolute, the Paramātman, who is without a second, neither does his glory increase nor diminish through actions, just as the sun is unaffected.

न वै तेऽजित भक्तानां ममाहमिति माधव । त्वं तवेति च नानाधीः पशूनामिव वैकृती

O unconquered one, O Mādhava, among your devotees there is no division of 'mine' and 'yours'; such distinctions are like the differences among animals.

श्रीशुक उवाच - इत्युक्त्वा यज्ञिये काले वव्रे युक्तान् स ऋत्विजः । कृष्णानुमोदितः पार्थो ब्राह्मणान् ब्रह्मवादिनः

Śrī Śuka said: Having spoken thus, at the proper time for the sacrifice, he chose the priests who were qualified, the brāhmaṇas learned in the Veda, with Krishna's approval.

द्वैपायनो भरद्वाजः सुमन्तुर्गोतमोऽसितः । वसिष्ठश्च्यवनः कण्वो मैत्रेयः कवषस्त्रितः

Vyāsa, Bharadvāja, Sumantu, Gotama, Asita, Vasiṣṭha, Cyavana, Kaṇva, Maitreya, Kavaṣa, and Trita—

विश्वामित्रो वामदेवः सुमतिर्जैमिनिः क्रतुः । पैलः पराशरो गर्गो वैशम्पायन एव च

Viśvāmitra, Vāmadeva, Sumati, Jaimini, Kratu, Paila, Parāśara, Garga, and Vaiśampāyana as well—

अथर्वा कश्यपो धौम्यो रामो भार्गव आसुरिः । वीतिहोत्रो मधुच्छन्दा वीरसेनोऽकृतव्रणः

Atharvā, Kaśyapa, Dhaumya, Rāma of the Bhārgavas, Āsuri, Vītihotra, Madhucchandā, Vīrasena, and Akṛtavraṇa.

उपहूतास्तथा चान्ये द्रोणभीष्मकृपादयः । धृतराष्ट्रः सहसुतो विदुरश्च महामतिः

Others were also invited, such as Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Kṛpa and the rest; Dhṛtarāṣṭra came with his sons, and Vidura, the wise one.

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्रा यज्ञदिदृक्षवः । तत्रेयुः सर्वराजानो राज्ञां प्रकृतयो नृप

Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras, all desiring to witness the sacrifice, came there, along with all the kings and the subjects of the rulers, O King.

ततस्ते देवयजनं ब्राह्मणाः स्वर्णलाङ्‌गलैः । कृष्ट्वा तत्र यथाम्नायं दीक्षयां चक्रिरे नृपम्

Then the brāhmaṇas, using golden ploughs, prepared the sacrificial ground according to tradition, and initiated the king for the rite.

हैमाः किलोपकरणा वरुणस्य यथा पुरा । इन्द्रादयो लोकपाला विरिञ्चिभवसंयुताः

The sacrificial implements were all made of gold, just as in ancient times for Varuṇa; the guardians of the worlds, beginning with Indra, accompanied by Brahmā and Śiva, were present.

सगणाः सिद्धगन्धर्वा विद्याधरमहोरगाः । मुनयो यक्षरक्षांसि खगकिन्नरचारणाः

With their retinues came siddhas, gandharvas, vidyādharas, great serpents, sages, yakṣas, rākṣasas, birds, kinnaras, and cāraṇas.

राजानश्च समाहूता राजपत्‍न्यश्च सर्वशः । राजसूयं समीयुः स्म राज्ञः पाण्डुसुतस्य वै

Kings were summoned, along with all their royal consorts, and they came to the rājasūya sacrifice of the son of Pāṇḍu.

मेनिरे कृष्णभक्तस्य सूपपन्नमविस्मिताः । अयाजयन् महाराजं याजका देववर्चसः । राजसूयेन विधिवत् प्रचेतसमिवामराः

Amazed, they considered it fitting for one devoted to Kṛṣṇa; priests of divine radiance performed the rājasūya for the great king, properly, just as the gods did for Pracetasa.

सूत्येऽहन्यवनीपालो याजकान् सदसस्पतीन् । अपूजयन् महाभागान् यथावत् सुसमाहितः

On the day of the sacrifice, the lord of the earth, with full attention, honored the priests and the masters of the assembly, who were greatly fortunate, as was proper.

सदस्याग्र्यार्हणार्हं वै विमृशन्तः सभासदः । नाध्यगच्छन् नन्ननैकान्त्यात् सहदेवस्तदाब्रवीत्

The members of the assembly, deliberating on who was most worthy of the highest honor, could not reach a unanimous decision; then Sahadeva spoke.

अर्हति ह्यच्युतः श्रैष्ठ्यं भगवान्सात्वतां पतिः । एष वै देवताः सर्वा देशकालधनादयः

Indeed, Acyuta, the Lord, master of the Sātvatas, deserves the highest honor; for in him are all the gods, places, times, wealth, and so forth.

यस् आत्मकमिदं विश्वं क्रतवश्च यदात्मकाः । अग्निराहुतयो मंत्राः साङ्ख्यं योगश्च यत्परः

He is the self of this entire universe, and the sacrifices are based in him; the fire offerings, the mantras, Sāṅkhya and Yoga—all are directed toward him.

एक एवाद्‌वितीयोऽसौ अवैतदात्म्यमिदं जगत् । आत्मनात्माश्रयः सभ्याः सृजत्यवति हन्त्यजः

He alone, without a second, is this universe of non-duality; by his own self, O assembly, the unborn one creates, sustains, and destroys the worlds.

विविधानीह कर्माणि जनयन् यदवेक्षया । ईहते यदयं सर्वः श्रेयो धर्मादिलक्षणम्

He, observing, brings about the various actions here; whatever is sought—supreme good marked by dharma and the rest—arises from him.

तस्मात् कृष्णाय महते दीयतां परमार्हणम् । एवं चेत्सर्वभूतानां आत्मनश्चार्हणं भवेत्

Therefore, let the highest honor be given to the great Kṛṣṇa; by this, the honoring of all beings and of the self will be accomplished.

सर्वभूतात्मभूताय कृष्णायानन्यदर्शिने । देयं शान्ताय पूर्णाय दत्तस्यानन्त्यमिच्छता

To Kṛṣṇa, who is the soul of all beings, who sees nothing else, who is peaceful and complete, should honor be given by one desiring the infinite fruit of giving.

इत्युक्त्वा सहदेवोऽभूत् तूष्णीं कृष्णानुभाववित् । तच्छ्रुत्वा तुष्टुवुः सर्वे साधु साध्विति सत्तमाः

Having spoken thus, Sahadeva, knowing Kṛṣṇa’s greatness, fell silent; hearing this, all the best of men praised him, saying, 'Excellent, excellent!'

श्रुत्वा द्‌विजेरितं राजा ज्ञात्वा हार्दं सभासदाम् । समर्हयद्‌धृषीकेशं प्रीतः प्रणयविह्वलः

Hearing the words of the brāhmaṇa and understanding the hearts of the assembly, the king, delighted and overwhelmed with affection, honored Hṛṣīkeśa.

तत्पादाववनिज्यापः शिरसा लोकपावनीः । सभार्यः सानुजामात्यः सकुटुम्बो वहन्मुदा

He washed the purifying water from Kṛṣṇa’s feet and, with his wives, brothers, ministers, and family, bore it on his head with joy.

वासोभिः पीतकौषेयैः भूषणैश्च महाधनैः । अर्हयित्वाश्रुपूर्णाक्षो नाशकत् समवेक्षितुम्

Having honored him with garments of yellow silk and precious ornaments, with eyes full of tears, he could not bear to look upon him.

इत्थं सभाजितं वीक्ष्य सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो जनाः । नमो जयेति नेमुस्तं निपेतुः पुष्पवृष्टयः

Seeing him thus honored, all the people, with joined palms, bowed to him, exclaiming, 'Victory! Salutations!' and showers of flowers fell upon him.