The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Sabha Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Sabha Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"And Narada, beholding the fortunate Yudhisthira's prosperity that was
born of that sacrifice, became highly gratified. Beholding that vast
concourse all the Kshatriyas, the Muni Narada, O king of men, became
thoughtful. And, O bull amongst men, the Rishi began to recollect the
words he had heard of old in the mansion of Brahma regarding the
incarnation on earth of portions of every deity. And knowing, O son of
the Kuru race, that that was a concourse (of incarnate) gods, Narada
thought in his mind of Hari with eyes like lotus-petals. He knew that
that creator himself of every object one, that exalted of all
gods--Narayana--who had formerly commanded the celestials, saying,--'Be
ye born on earth and slay one another and come back to heaven'--that
slayer of all the enemies of the gods, that subjugator of all hostile
towns, in order to fulfil his own promise, had been born in the
Kshatriya order. And Narada knew that the exalted and holy Narayana,
also called Sambhu the lord of the universe, having commanded all the
celestials thus, had taken his birth in the race of Yadus and that
foremost of all perpetuator of races, having sprung from the line of
the Andhaka-Vrishnis on earth was graced with great good fortune and
was shining like the moon herself among stars. Narada knew that Hari
the grinder of foes, whose strength of arm was ever praised by all the
celestials with Indra among them, was then living in the world in human
form. Oh, the Self-Create will himself take away (from the earth) this
vast concourse of Kshatriyas endued with so much strength. Such was the
vision of Narada the omniscient who knew Hari or Narayana to be that
Supreme Lord whom everybody worshipped with sacrifice. And Narada,
gifted with great intelligence and the foremost of all persons and
conversant with morality, thinking of all this, sat at that sacrifice
of the wise king Yudhisthira the just with feelings of awe.
"Then Bhishma, O king, addressing king Yudhisthira the just, said, 'O
Bharata, let Arghya (an article of respect) be offered unto the kings
as each of them deserveth. Listen, O Yudhishthira, the preceptor, the
sacrificial priest, the relative, the Snataka, the friend, and the
king, it hath been said are the six that deserve Arghya. The wise have
said that when any of these dwell with one for full one year he
deserveth to be worshipped with Arghya. These kings have been staying
with us for some time. Therefore, O king, let Arghyas be procured to be
offered unto each of them. And let an Arghya be presented first of all
unto him among those present who is the foremost.'
"Hearing these words of Bhishma, Yudhishthira said--'O Grandsire, O
thou of the Kuru race, whom thou deemest the foremost amongst these and
unto whom the Arghya should be presented by us, O tell me.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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