तं देशं धीवरग्रामं सप्रतोलिविटङ्किनम् कारयाम् आस विप्रो ऽसौ यज्ञवाटं यथाविधि
In that region, the village of fishermen with its lanes and alleys, that Brahmin began to construct the sacrificial enclosure according to prescribed rules.
प्रासादशतसंबाधं मणिप्रवरशोभितम् इन्द्रसद्मनिभं रम्यं हेमरत्नविभूषितम्
Crowded with hundreds of palaces, adorned with precious gems, splendid like Indra’s mansion, embellished with gold and jewels.
स्तम्भान् कनकचित्रांश् च तोरणानि बृहन्ति च यज्ञायतनदेशेषु दत्त्वा शुद्धं च काञ्चनम्
He placed pillars decorated with gold and grand gateways, and pure gold in the areas designated for the sacrificial site.
अन्तःपुराणि राज्ञां च नानादेशनिवासिनाम् कारयाम् आस धर्मात्मा तत्र तत्र यथाविधि
He caused the inner chambers for the kings from various regions to be constructed, righteous in conduct, each according to proper custom.
ब्राह्मणानां च वैश्यानां नानादेशसमीयुषाम् कारयाम् आस विधिवच् छालास् तत्राप्य् अनेकशः
He also arranged, in accordance with the rules, numerous halls for Brahmins and merchants who had come from different regions.
प्रियार्थं तस्य नृपतेर् आययुर् नृपसत्तमाः रत्नान्य् अनेकान्य् आदाय स्त्रियश् चाययुर् उत्सवे
For the king’s pleasure, eminent rulers arrived, bringing many jewels, and women also came for the festival.
तेषां निर्विशतां स्वेषु शिबिरेषु महात्मनाम् नदतः सागरस्येव दिविस्पृग् अभवद् ध्वनिः
As those great souls entered their own camps, the sound arose like the roar of the ocean, reaching the heavens.
तेषाम् अभ्यागतानां च स राजा मुनिसत्तमाः व्यादिदेशायतनानि शय्याश् चाप्य् उपचारतः
For those who had arrived, the king, foremost among sages, assigned dwellings and beds for their comfort.
भोजनानि विचित्राणि शालीक्षुयवगोरसैः उपेत्य नृपतिश्रेष्ठो व्यादिदेश स्वयं तदा
The best among kings personally arranged various foods made from rice, sugarcane, barley, and cow’s milk.
तथा तस्मिन् महायज्ञे बहवो ब्रह्मवादिनः ये च द्विजातिप्रवरास् तत्रासन् द्विजसत्तमाः
Likewise, at that great sacrifice, many expounders of Brahman and distinguished twice-borns were present, O best of Brahmins.
समाजग्मुः सशिष्यास् तान् प्रतिजग्राह पार्थिवः सर्वांश् च तान् अनुययौ यावद् आवसथान् इति
They arrived with their disciples; the king received them all and accompanied them as far as their lodgings.
स्वयम् एव महातेजा दम्भं त्यक्त्वा नृपोत्तमः ततः कृत्वा स्वशिल्पं च शिल्पिनो ऽन्ये च ये तदा
The king of great splendor, having renounced pride, personally performed his own craft, and so did other artisans at that time.
कृत्स्नं यज्ञविधिं राज्ञे तदा तस्मै न्यवेदयन् ततः श्रुत्वा नृपश्रेष्ठः कृतं सर्वम् अतन्द्रितः हृष्टरोमाभवद् राजा सह मन्त्रिभिर् अच्युतः
They presented the entire sacrificial procedure to the king; hearing it, the foremost king, diligent and accompanied by his ministers, became thrilled, his hair standing on end.
तस्मिन् यज्ञे प्रवृत्ते तु वाग्मिनो हेतुवादिभिः हेतुवादान् बहून् आहुः परस्परजिगीषवः
When the sacrifice commenced, eloquent debaters engaged in many arguments, each striving to prevail over the other.
देवेन्द्रस्येव विहितं राजसिंहेन भो द्विजाः ददृशुस् तोरणान्य् अत्र शातकुम्भमयानि च
O Brahmins, they saw gateways there made of pure gold, as if arranged by Indra himself for the lion-like king.
शय्यासनविकारांश् च सुबहून् रत्नसंचयान् घटपात्रीकटाहानि कलशान् वर्धमानकान्
They saw many beds, seats, and couches, heaps of jewels, jars, vessels, bowls, and ever-increasing pitchers.
नहि कश्चिद् असौवर्णम् अपश्यद् वसुधाधिपः यूपांश् च शास्त्रपठितान् दारवान् हेमभूषितान्
No king beheld anything impure; the sacrificial posts, adorned with gold, were made of wood as prescribed in the scriptures.
उपक्षिप्तान् यथाकालं विधिवद् भूरिवर्चसः स्थलजा जलजा ये च पशवः केचन द्विजाः
All the animals, both land-dwelling and aquatic, that were to be offered, radiant and in due season, were brought forth according to proper rites, O twice-born ones.
सर्वान् एव समानीतान् अपश्यंस् तत्र ते नृपाः गाश् चैव महिषीश् चैव तथा वृद्धस्त्रियो ऽपि च
There, those kings saw all the gathered beings: cows and buffaloes, as well as elderly women.
औदकानि च सत्त्वानि श्वापदानि वयांसि च जरायुजाण्डजातानि स्वेदजान्य् उद्भिदानि च
They saw aquatic creatures, wild beasts, birds, those born from womb, egg, sweat, and sprout.
पर्वतान्य् उपधान्यानि भूतानि ददृशुश् च ते एवं प्रमुदितं सर्वं पशुतो धनधान्यतः
They also beheld mountains, heaps of grain, and all beings, all rejoicing in abundant cattle, wealth, and grain.
यज्ञवाटं नृपा दृष्ट्वा विस्मयं परमं गताः ब्राह्मणानां विशां चैव बहुमिष्टान्नम् ऋद्धिमत्
Seeing the sacrificial enclosure, the kings were filled with utmost wonder at the abundance of food offered to the Brahmins and the people.
पूर्णे शतसहस्रे तु विप्राणां तत्र भुञ्जताम् दुन्दुभिर् मेघनिर्घोषान् मुहुर्मुहुर् अथाकरोत्
When a full hundred thousand Brahmins were feasting there, drums resounded again and again with the roar of thunderclouds.
विननादासकृच् चापि दिवसे दिवसे गते एवं स ववृधे यज्ञस् तस्य राज्ञस् तु धीमतः
Day after day, the sacrificial ground echoed with continuous sounds; thus, the sacrifice of that wise king flourished.
अन्नस्य सुबहून् विप्रा उत्सर्गान् निर्गतोपमान् दधिकुल्याश् च ददृशुः पयसश् च ह्रदांस् तथा
The Brahmins saw countless heaps of food, streams of curds, and lakes of milk.
जम्बूद्वीपो हि सकलो नानाजनपदैर् युतः द्विजाश् च तत्र दृश्यन्ते राज्ञस् तस्य महामखे
Indeed, the entire Jambudvipa, filled with many peoples, and Brahmins as well, were seen at that king’s great sacrifice.
तत्र यानि सहस्राणि पुरुषाणां ततस् ततः गृहीत्वा भाजनं जग्मुर् बहूनि द्विजसत्तमाः
There, thousands upon thousands of men, each taking a vessel, departed—many excellent Brahmins.
श्राविणश् चापि ते सर्वे सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः पर्यवेषयन् द्विजातीञ् शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः
All of them, adorned with polished jeweled earrings, served the twice-born in hundreds and thousands.
विविधान्य् अनुपानानि पुरुषा ये ऽनुयायिनः ते वै नृपोपभोज्यानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददुः सह
Various drinks were given by the king’s attendants to the Brahmins, along with the king’s own share.
समागतान् वेदविदो राज्ञश् च पृथिवीश्वरान् पूजां चक्रे तदा तेषां विधिवद् भूरिदक्षिणः
He honored those assembled—knowers of the Veda and rulers of the earth—with proper worship and abundant gifts.