“Vaisampayana continued, ’When the great sacrifice of Yudhishthira commenced, many eloquent dialecticians started diverse propositions and disputed thereon, desirous of vanquishing one another.[203] The (invited) kings beheld the excellent preparations of that sacrifice, resembling those of the chief himself of the deities, made, O Bharata, by Bhimasena.  They beheld many triumphal arches made of gold, and many beds and seats and other articles of enjoyment and luxury, and crowds of men collected at different sports.  There were also many jars and vessels and cauldrons and jugs and lids and covers.  The invited kings saw nothing there that was not made of gold.  Many sacrificial stakes also were set up, made, according to the directions of the scriptures of wood, and adorned with gold.  Endued with great effulgence, these were duly planted and dedicated (with scriptural Mantras).  The king saw all animals, again, which belong to land and all those which belong to water, collected there on the occasion.  And they also beheld many kine and many buffaloes and many old women, and many aquatic animals, many beasts of prey and many species of birds, and many specimens of viviparous and oviparous creatures, and many that are filth-born, and many belonging to the vegetable kingdom, and many animals and plants that live or grow on mountains.  Beholding the sacrificial compound thus adorned with animals and kine and corn, the invited kings became filled with wonder.  Large heaps of costly sweet-meats were kept ready for both the Brahmanas and the Vaisyas.  And when the feeding was over of a hundred thousand Brahmanas, drums and cymbals were beat.  And so large was the number fed that the sounds of drums and cymbals were repeatedly heard, indeed, from day to day those sounds continued.  Thus was performed that sacrifice of king Yudhishthira of great intelligence.  Many hills of food, O king, were dedicated on the occasion.  Many large tanks were seen of curds and many lakes of ghee.  In that great sacrifice, O monarch, was seen the entire population of Jamvudwipa, with all its realms and provinces, collected together.  Thousands of nations and races were there.  A large number of men, O chief of Bharata’s race, adorned with garlands and wearing bright ear-rings made of gold, taking innumerable vessels in their hands, distributed the food unto the regenerate classes by hundreds and thousands.  The attendants of the Pandavas gave away unto the Brahmanas diverge kinds of food and drink which were, besides, so costly as to be worthy of being eaten and drunk by kings themselves.’”

SECTION LXXXVI