Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच इत्युक्त्वानुययौ पार्थो हयं तं कामचारिणम् न्यवर्तत ततो वाजी येन नागाह्वयं पुरम्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Having said these words, Partha started, following the horse which roamed at will. The sacrificial horse then turned towards the road leading to the city of Hastinapur.
Supplementary Passages:
14.86.1 After 1b, S (except G3) ins.: *159 ते न्यवर्तन्त गान्धारा हतशिष्टाः स्वकं पुरम्
तं निवृत्तं तु शुश्राव चारेणैव युधिष्ठिरः श्रुत्वार्जुनं कुशलिनं स च हृष्टमनाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira heard from his intelligencebearers that the horse had turned back. And hearing also that Arjuna was hale and hearty, he became filled with joy.
विजयस्य च तत्कर्म गान्धारविषये तदा श्रुत्वान्येषु च देशेषु स सुप्रीतोऽभवन्नृपः
M. N. Dutt: Hearing also the feats, performed by Vijaya in the country of the Gandharas as also in other kingdoms, the king became highly pleased.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु द्वादशीं माघपाक्षिकीम् इष्टं गृहीत्वा नक्षत्रं धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः
AI Translation: At this time, the twelfth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha, Having chosen an auspicious constellation, Yudhiṣṭhira, the king of Dharma,
समानाय्य महातेजाः सर्वान्भ्रातॄन्महामनाः भीमं च नकुलं चैव सहदेवं च कौरवः
AI Translation: The immensely radiant and great-minded one summoned all his brothers, and the Kaurava, with Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva,
प्रोवाचेदं वचः काले तदा धर्मभृतां वरः आमन्त्र्य वदतां श्रेष्ठो भीमं भीमपराक्रमम्
AI Translation: At that time, the best of the upholders of dharma spoke these words to him. Having addressed him, the best of speakers, to the one of terrible prowess, to Bhima,
आयाति भीमसेनासौ सहाश्वेन तवानुजः यथा मे पुरुषाः प्राहुर्ये धनंजयसारिणः
M. N. Dutt: Your younger brother (Arjuna), O Bhimasena, is returning with the horse. I have learnt this from those men who had followed Arjuna.
उपस्थितश्च कालोऽयमभितो वर्तते हयः माघी च पौर्णमासीयं मासः शेषो वृकोदर
M. N. Dutt: The time is come. The sacrificial horse is near. The day of full moon of the month of Magha is also near. The month is about to expire. O Vrikodara.
तत्प्रस्थाप्यन्तु विद्वांसो ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः वाजिमेधार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं देशं पश्यन्तु यज्ञियम्
M. N. Dutt: Let, therefore, learned Brahmanas knowing the Vedas look for a sacrificial spot for the celebration of the Horse-Sacrifice.
इत्युक्तः स तु तच्चक्रे भीमो नृपतिशासनम् हृष्टः श्रुत्वा नरपतेरायान्तं सव्यसाचिनम्
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed, Bhima obeyed the royal command He became very glad upon hearing that Arjuna of curly hair was about to retum.
ततो ययौ भीमसेनः प्राज्ञैः स्थपतिभिः सह ब्राह्मणानग्रतः कृत्वा कुशलान्यज्ञकर्मसु
M. N. Dutt: Then Bhimna went out with a number of men knowing the rules of laying out sacrificial grounds and constructing buildings. And he took with him many Brahmanas well-versed in all the rites of sacrifices.
Supplementary Passages:
14.86.11 After 11, T2 ins.: *160 यज्ञश्लाघ्यं तदा स्थानं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्
तं सशालचयग्रामं संप्रतोलीविटङ्किनम् मापयामास कौरव्यो यज्ञवाटं यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: Bhima selected a beautiful place and caused it to be duły measured out for laying the sacrificial compound. Numberless houses and mansions were constructed on it and high and broad roads also were laid cut.
Supplementary Passages:
14.86.12 After 12, K1 B1.3-5 Dc1 D2-6 T1 ins.: *161 प्रासादशतसंबाधं मणिप्रवरकुट्टिकम्
सदः सपत्नीसदनं साग्नीध्रमपि चोत्तरम् कारयामास विधिवन्मणिहेमविभूषितम्
AI Translation: He had a hall built with a wife's chamber, a fire chamber, and an upper chamber, adorned with jewels and gold, in accordance with the rules.
स्तम्भान्कनकचित्रांश्च तोरणानि बृहन्ति च यज्ञायतनदेशेषु दत्त्वा शुद्धं च काञ्चनम्
M. N. Dutt: Columns were raised, ornamented with bright gold an high and wide triumphal arches also were made on that sacrificial compound. All these were made of pure gold.
अन्तःपुराणि राज्ञां च नानादेशनिवासिनाम् कारयामास धर्मात्मा तत्र तत्र यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: The righteous-souled prince also caused apartments to be duly constructed for the accommodation of ladies and of the numerous kings who, coming from many kingdoms, were expected to grace the sacrifice with their presence.
ब्राह्मणानां च वेश्मानि नानादेशसमेयुषाम् कारयामास भीमः स विविधानि ह्यनेकशः
M. N. Dutt: The son of Kunti also caused many palaces to be duty erected for Brahmanas who were expected to come from various kingdoms.
तथा संप्रेषयामास दूतान्नृपतिशासनात् भीमसेनो महाराज राज्ञामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम्
M. N. Dutt: Then the mighty-armed Bhimasena, at the command of the king, sent out messengers to the great kings of the Earth.
ते प्रियार्थं कुरुपतेराययुर्नृपसत्तमाः रत्नान्यनेकान्यादाय स्त्रियोऽश्वानायुधानि च
M. N. Dutt: Those best of kings came to the HorseSacrifice of the Kuru king for doing what was agreeable to him. And they brought many gems with them and many female slaves and horses and weapons.
तेषां निविशतां तेषु शिबिरेषु सहस्रशः नर्दतः सागरस्येव शब्दो दिवमिवास्पृशत्
M. N. Dutt: The sounds which arose from those great kings who lived within those pavilions touched the very heavens and resembled the noise made by the roaring ocean.
Supplementary Passages:
14.86.19 After 19, T G ins.: *162 प्रत्युद्गम्य नमस्कृत्य ब्राह्मणांश्च न्यवेदयत्
तेषामभ्यागतानां स राजा राजीवलोचनः व्यादिदेशान्नपानानि शय्याश्चाप्यतिमानुषाः
M. N. Dutt: King Yudhishthria, the delighter of the Kurus, assigned to the monarchs who thus came to his sacrifice various kinds of food and drink, and beds also of celestial beauty.
वाहनानां च विविधाः शालाः शालीक्षुगोरसैः उपेताः पुरुषव्याघ्र व्यादिदेश स धर्मराट्
M. N. Dutt: The chief of the Bharatas, viz., king Yudhishthria the just, assigned several stables well-filled with different kinds of corn and sugar-cane and milk to the animals.
Supplementary Passages:
14.86.21 After 21, T G ins.: *163 वर्णाः पृथक्संनिविष्टा ह्युत्तरोत्तरपूजिताः
तथा तस्मिन्महायज्ञे धर्मराजस्य धीमतः समाजग्मुर्मुनिगणा बहवो ब्रह्मवादिनः
M. N. Dutt: To that great sacrifice of king Yudhishthira the just who was gifted with high intelligence, there also came a large number of ascetics all of whom were utterers of Brahma.
ये च द्विजातिप्रवरास्तत्रासन्पृथिवीपते समाजग्मुः सशिष्यांस्तान्प्रतिजग्राह कौरवः
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, O king, all the foremost ones among the twice born class that were then alive, came to that sacrifice, accompanied by their disciples. The Kuru king received them all.
सर्वांश्च ताननुययौ यावदावसथादिति स्वयमेव महातेजा दम्भं त्यक्त्वा युधिष्ठिरः
M. N. Dutt: King Yudhishthira of great energy, renouncing all pride, himself followed all his guests to the pavilions that had been assigned for this residence.
ततः कृत्वा स्थपतयः शिल्पिनोऽन्ये च ये तदा कृत्स्नं यज्ञविधिं राजन्धर्मराज्ञे न्यवेदयन्
M. N. Dutt: Then all the mechanics and engineers, having completed the arrangements of the sacrifice, informed king Yudhishthira of it.
तच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मराजः स कृतं सर्वमनिन्दितम् हृष्टरूपोऽभवद्राजा सह भ्रातृभिरच्युतः
M. N. Dutt: Hearing that everything was ready, king Yudhishthira the just, full of alertness and attention, became highly pleased along with his brothers all of whom honoured him duly.
Supplementary Passages:
14.86.26 After 26c, D1 ins.: *164 श्रीमन्नामा च भवतु जनानां पुण्यदः प्रभुः