“And desirous of beholding that sacrificial mansion, as also king Yudhishthira the just, none came there with tribute less than a thousand (in number, weight or measure).  Everyone honoured the king Yudhishthira the just with large presents of jewels.  And each of the kings made a present of his wealth, flattering himself with the proud belief that the jewels he gave would enable the Kuru king Yudhisthira to complete his sacrifice.  And, O monarch, the sacrificial compound of the illustrious son of Kunti looked extremely handsome—­with the multitude of palaces built so as to last for ever and crowded with guards and warriors.  These were so high that their tops touched the cars of the gods that came to behold that sacrifice; as also with the cars themselves of the celestials, and with the dwelling of the Brahmanas and the mansions made there for the kings resembling the cars of the celestials and adorned with gems and filled with every kind of wealth, and lastly with crowds of the kings that came there all endued with beauty and wealth.  Yudhisthira, as though vying with Varuna himself in wealth, commenced the sacrifice (of Rajasuya) distinguished by six fires and large gifts to Brahmanas.  The King gratified everybody with presents of great value and indeed with every kind of object that one could desire.  With abundance of rice and of every kind of food, as also with a mass of jewels brought as tribute, that vast concourse consisted of persons every one of whom was fed to the full.  The gods also were gratified at the sacrifice by the Ida, clarified butter, Homa and libations poured by the great Rishis versed in mantras and pronunciation.  Like the gods, the Brahmanas also were gratified with the sacrificial gifts and food and great wealth.  And all the other orders of men also were gratified at that sacrifice and filled with joy.”

SECTION XXXV

(Arghyaharana Parva)

“Vaisampayana said,—­On the last day of the sacrifice when the king was to be sprinkled over with the sacred water, the great Brahmana Rishis ever deserving of respectful treatment, along with the invited kings, entered together the inner enclosure of the sacrificial compound.  And those illustrious Rishis with Narada as their foremost, seated at their ease with those royal sages within that enclosure, looked like the gods seated in the mansion of Brahma in the company of the celestial Rishis.  Endued with immeasurable energy those Rishis, having obtained leisure, started various topics of conversation.  ‘This is so,’ ‘This is not so,’ ‘This is even so.’  ’This cannot be otherwise,’—­thus did many of them engage in discussions with one another.  Some amongst the disputants, by well-chosen arguments made the weaker position appear the stronger and the stronger the weaker.  Some disputants endued with great intelligence fell upon the position urged by others like hawks darting at meat thrown up into the air,