Maya Builds the Assembly Hall

Verse 1 (2.3.1)

अथाब्रवीन्मयः पार्थमर्जुनं जयतां वरम् । आपृच्छे त्वां गमिष्यामि पुनरेष्यामि चाप्यहम् ॥

athābravīnmayaḥ pārthamarjunaṃ jayatāṃ varam | āpṛcche tvāṃ gamiṣyāmi punareṣyāmi cāpyaham

Then Maya said to Partha Arjuna, best of victors: "I take my leave of you. I shall go, and I shall come back again.

Note on the text: Corrected पार्थमर्युनं → पार्थमर्जुनं (misprint in Wikisource; य for ज; the critical edition reads pārtham arjunaṃ).

Verse 2 (2.3.2)

विश्रुतां त्रिषु लोकेषु पार्थ दिव्यां सभां तव । प्राणिनां विस्मयकरीं तव प्रियविवर्धिनीम् । पाण्डवानां च सर्वेषां करिष्यामि धनञ्जय ॥

viśrutāṃ triṣu lokeṣu pārtha divyāṃ sabhāṃ tava | prāṇināṃ vismayakarīṃ tava priyavivardhinīm | pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ kariṣyāmi dhanañjaya

Partha, for you and for all the Pandavas, Dhananjaya, I shall build a divine hall famed in the three worlds, one that will fill all creatures with wonder and add to your delight.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Removed the stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the verse. Speaker: Maya's speech fills verses 2–9 without a printed heading.

Verse 3 (2.3.3)

उत्तरेण तु कैलासं मैनाकं पर्वतं प्रति । यियक्षमाणेषु पुरा दानवेषु मया कृतम् ॥

uttareṇa tu kailāsaṃ mainākaṃ parvataṃ prati | yiyakṣamāṇeṣu purā dānaveṣu mayā kṛtam

North of Kailasa, near Mount Mainaka, long ago when the Danavas were about to hold a sacrifice, I made

Verse 4 (2.3.4)

चित्रं मणिमयं भाण्डं रम्यं बिन्दुसरः प्रति । सभायां सत्यसन्धस्य यदासीद्वृषपर्वणः ॥

citraṃ maṇimayaṃ bhāṇḍaṃ ramyaṃ bindusaraḥ prati | sabhāyāṃ satyasandhasya yadāsīdvṛṣaparvaṇaḥ

a wonderful and lovely store of jewelled materials near Lake Bindusaras, which was kept in the assembly hall of Vrishaparvan, true to his word.

Note on the text: Corrected बिन्दुसारः → बिन्दुसरः (misprint in Wikisource; the lake is Bindusaras; the critical edition reads bindusaraḥ).

Verse 5 (2.3.5)

आगमिष्यामि तद्गृह्य यदि तिष्ठति भारत । ततः सभां करिष्यामि पाण्डवस्य यशस्विनीम् ॥

āgamiṣyāmi tadgṛhya yadi tiṣṭhati bhārata | tataḥ sabhāṃ kariṣyāmi pāṇḍavasya yaśasvinīm

If it is still there, O Bharata, I shall bring it back, and then I shall build for the Pandava a glorious hall,

Verse 6 (2.3.6)

मनः प्रह्लादिनीं चित्रां सर्वरत्नविभूषिताम् । अस्ति बिन्दुसरस्युग्रा गदा च कुरुनन्दन ॥

manaḥ prahlādinīṃ citrāṃ sarvaratnavibhūṣitām | asti bindusarasyugrā gadā ca kurunandana

one that gladdens the heart, bright with colour and adorned with every kind of gem. And in Bindusaras, joy of the Kurus, there lies a formidable mace,

Note on the text: Corrected बिन्दुसारस्युग्रा → बिन्दुसरस्युग्रा (misprint in Wikisource; locative बिन्दुसरसि; the critical edition reads bindusarasy).

Verse 7 (2.3.7)

निहिता यौवनाश्वेन राज्ञा हत्वा रणे रिपून् । सुवर्णबिन्दुभिश्चित्रा गुर्वी भारसहा दृढा ॥

nihitā yauvanāśvena rājñā hatvā raṇe ripūn | suvarṇabindubhiścitrā gurvī bhārasahā dṛḍhā

laid there by King Yauvanashva after he had slain his enemies in battle; it is studded with golden dots, heavy, able to bear great strain, and strong.

Verse 8 (2.3.8)

सा वै शतसहस्रस्य सम्मिता शत्रुघातिनी । अनुरूपा च भीमस्य गाण्डीवं भवतो यथा ॥

sā vai śatasahasrasya sammitā śatrughātinī | anurūpā ca bhīmasya gāṇḍīvaṃ bhavato yathā

That foe-slaying mace is equal to a hundred thousand others, and it is as fit for Bhima as the Gandiva is for you.

Verse 9 (2.3.9)

वारुणश्च महाशङ्खो देवदत्तः सुघोषवान् । सर्वमेतत्प्रदास्यामि भवते नात्र संशयः ॥

vāruṇaśca mahāśaṅkho devadattaḥ sughoṣavān | sarvametatpradāsyāmi bhavate nātra saṃśayaḥ

There too is Varuna's great conch Devadatta, with its mighty sound. All this I shall give you; of that there is no doubt."

Verse 10 (2.3.10)

इत्युक्त्वा सोऽसुरः पार्थं प्रागुदीचीं दिशं गतः । अथोत्तरेण कैलासान्मैनाकं पर्वतं प्रति ॥

ityuktvā so'suraḥ pārthaṃ prāgudīcīṃ diśaṃ gataḥ | athottareṇa kailāsānmainākaṃ parvataṃ prati

Having said this to Partha, the Asura went off toward the north-east, to Mount Mainaka, north of Kailasa,

Verse 11 (2.3.11)

हिरण्यशृङ्गः सुमहान्महामणिमयो गिरिः । रम्यं बिन्दुसरो नाम यत्र राजा भगीरथः ॥

hiraṇyaśṛṅgaḥ sumahānmahāmaṇimayo giriḥ | ramyaṃ bindusaro nāma yatra rājā bhagīrathaḥ

a vast mountain of golden peaks, made of great gems, where lies the lovely lake called Bindusaras. There King Bhagiratha

Verse 12 (2.3.12)

द्रष्टुं भागीरथीं गङ्गामुवास बहुलाः समाः । यत्रेष्टं सर्वभूतानामीश्वरेण महात्मना ॥

draṣṭuṃ bhāgīrathīṃ gaṅgāmuvāsa bahulāḥ samāḥ | yatreṣṭaṃ sarvabhūtānāmīśvareṇa mahātmanā

lived for many years in order to see the Ganga, who is called Bhagirathi after him. There the great-souled Lord of all beings

Note on the text: Corrected द्रुष्टुं → द्रष्टुं (misprint in Wikisource; wrong vowel sign).

Verse 13 (2.3.13)

आहृताः क्रतवो मुख्याः शतं भरतसत्तम । यत्र यूपा मणिमयाश्चैत्याश्चापि हिरण्मयाः ॥

āhṛtāḥ kratavo mukhyāḥ śataṃ bharatasattama | yatra yūpā maṇimayāścaityāścāpi hiraṇmayāḥ

performed a hundred great sacrifices, O best of the Bharatas. There the sacrificial posts were made of gems and the altars of gold,

Verse 14 (2.3.14)

शोभार्थं विहितास्तत्र न तु दृष्टान्ततः कृताः । यत्रेष्ट्वा स गतः सिद्धिं सहस्राक्षः शचीपतिः ॥

śobhārthaṃ vihitāstatra na tu dṛṣṭāntataḥ kṛtāḥ | yatreṣṭvā sa gataḥ siddhiṃ sahasrākṣaḥ śacīpatiḥ

set up there for the sake of beauty and not because the rites prescribed them. There the thousand-eyed lord of Shachi sacrificed and attained success.

Verse 15 (2.3.15)

यत्र भूतपतिः सृष्ट्वा सर्वाँल्लोकान्सनातनः । उपास्यते तिग्मतेजाः स्थितो भूतैः सहस्रशः ॥

yatra bhūtapatiḥ sṛṣṭvā sarvām̐llokānsanātanaḥ | upāsyate tigmatejāḥ sthito bhūtaiḥ sahasraśaḥ

There the eternal Bhutapati, Lord of beings, of fierce splendour, having created all the worlds, abides among thousands of his attendant beings and is worshipped.

Note on the text: Corrected अपस्यते → उपास्यते (misprint in Wikisource; अपस्यते is not a word; the critical edition reads upāsyate).

Verse 16 (2.3.16)

नरनारायणौ ब्रह्मा यमः स्थाणुश्च पञ्चमः । उपासते यत्र परं सहस्रयुगपर्यये ॥

naranārāyaṇau brahmā yamaḥ sthāṇuśca pañcamaḥ | upāsate yatra paraṃ sahasrayugaparyaye

There Nara and Narayana, Brahma, Yama and, fifth, Sthanu worship the Supreme at the close of a thousand ages.

Verse 17 (2.3.17)

यत्रेष्टं वासुदेवेन सत्त्रैर्वर्षगणान्बहून् । श्रद्दधानेन सततं धर्मसम्प्रतिपत्तये ॥

yatreṣṭaṃ vāsudevena sattrairvarṣagaṇānbahūn | śraddadhānena satataṃ dharmasampratipattaye

There Vasudeva, full of faith, sacrificed without pause in long sacrificial sessions for many years, to establish dharma.

Verse 18 (2.3.18)

सुवर्णमालिनो यूपाश्चैत्याश्चाप्यतिभास्वराः । ददौ यत्र सहस्राणि प्रयुतानि च केशवः ॥

suvarṇamālino yūpāścaityāścāpyatibhāsvarāḥ | dadau yatra sahasrāṇi prayutāni ca keśavaḥ

There Keshava bestowed, by thousands and by millions, sacrificial posts wreathed in gold and altars of dazzling brightness.

Verse 19 (2.3.19)

तत्र गत्वा स जग्राह गदां शङ्खं च भारत । तस्माद्गिरेरुपादाय शिलाः सुरुचिरावहाः । स्फाटिकं च सभाद्रव्यं यदासीद्वृषपर्वणः ॥

tatra gatvā sa jagrāha gadāṃ śaṅkhaṃ ca bhārata | tasmādgirerupādāya śilāḥ surucirāvahāḥ | sphāṭikaṃ ca sabhādravyaṃ yadāsīdvṛṣaparvaṇaḥ

Going there, O Bharata, Maya took the mace and the conch, and, taking from that mountain stones of great beauty, he also took the crystal materials for the hall that had belonged to Vrishaparvan.

Note on the text: Second line not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Removed the stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around it.

Verse 20 (2.3.20)

किङ्करैः सह रक्षोभिर्यदरक्षन्महद्धनम् । तदगृह्णान्मयस्तत्र गत्वा सर्वं महाऽसुरः ॥

kiṅkaraiḥ saha rakṣobhiryadarakṣanmahaddhanam | tadagṛhṇānmayastatra gatvā sarvaṃ mahā'suraḥ

That great treasure, which the Kinkaras guarded together with other Rakshasas, the great Asura Maya went there and took, all of it.

Note on the text: Second line not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 21 (2.3.21)

तदाहृत्य च तां चक्रे सोऽसुरोऽप्रतिमां सभाम् । विश्रुतां त्रिषु लोकेषु दिव्यां मणिमयीं शुभाम् ॥

tadāhṛtya ca tāṃ cakre so'suro'pratimāṃ sabhām | viśrutāṃ triṣu lokeṣu divyāṃ maṇimayīṃ śubhām

Bringing it back, the Asura built that matchless hall, renowned in the three worlds, divine, made of jewels and beautiful.

Verse 22 (2.3.22)

गदां च भीमसेनाय प्रवरां प्रददौ तदा । देवदत्तं चार्जुनाय शङ्खप्रवरमुत्तमम् ॥

gadāṃ ca bhīmasenāya pravarāṃ pradadau tadā | devadattaṃ cārjunāya śaṅkhapravaramuttamam

He then gave the excellent mace to Bhimasena, and to Arjuna Devadatta, the finest and best of conches,

Verse 23 (2.3.23)

यस्य शङ्खस्य नादेन भूतानि प्रचकम्पिरे । स कालं कञ्चिदाश्वस्य विश्वकर्मा विचिन्त्य च ॥

yasya śaṅkhasya nādena bhūtāni pracakampire | sa kālaṃ kañcidāśvasya viśvakarmā vicintya ca

at whose sound all creatures trembled. After resting for a while and reflecting, that master builder

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The second line repeats adhyaya 1's verse 29 (critical edition 2.1.16a). Removed a stray wiki quote mark (`) before it.

Verse 24 (2.3.24)

सभां प्रचक्रमे कर्तुं पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । अभिप्रायेण पार्थानां कृष्णस्य च महात्मनः ॥

sabhāṃ pracakrame kartuṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | abhiprāyeṇa pārthānāṃ kṛṣṇasya ca mahātmanaḥ

began to build the hall for the great-souled Pandavas, in keeping with the wishes of the Parthas and of great-souled Krishna.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). These lines repeat adhyaya 1's verses 29–30 (critical edition 2.1.16c–17a).

Verse 25 (2.3.25)

सर्वर्तुगुणसम्पन्नां दिव्यरूपामलङ्कृताम् । तर्पयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान्पायसेन सहस्रशः । सभा च सा महाराज शातकुम्भमयद्रुमा ॥

sarvartuguṇasampannāṃ divyarūpāmalaṅkṛtām | tarpayitvā dvijaśreṣṭhānpāyasena sahasraśaḥ | sabhā ca sā mahārāja śātakumbhamayadrumā

Having satisfied thousands of the best of brahmins with milk-rice, he made it endowed with the virtues of every season, divine in form and richly adorned. That hall, great king, had trees of gold,

Note on the text: First two lines not in the critical edition at this point (they echo adhyaya 1, critical edition 2.1.19a and 2.1.18a; vulgate recension).

Verse 26 (2.3.26)

दशकिष्कुसहस्राणि समन्तादायताभवत् । यथा वह्नेर्यथार्कस्य सोमस्य च यथा सभा ॥

daśakiṣkusahasrāṇi samantādāyatābhavat | yathā vahneryathārkasya somasya ca yathā sabhā

and it stretched ten thousand kishkus on every side. Like the hall of Fire, or of the Sun, or of the Moon,

Verse 27 (2.3.27)

भ्राजमाना तथाऽत्यर्थं दधार परमं वपुः । अभिघ्नतीव प्रभया प्रभामर्कस्य भास्वराम् ॥

bhrājamānā tathā'tyarthaṃ dadhāra paramaṃ vapuḥ | abhighnatīva prabhayā prabhāmarkasya bhāsvarām

it blazed exceedingly and wore a supreme form. With its radiance it seemed to overpower even the shining light of the sun.

Verse 28 (2.3.28)

प्रबभौ ज्वलमानेव दिव्या दिव्येन वर्चसा । नवमेघप्रतीकाशा दिवमावृत्य विष्ठिता । आयता विपुला रम्या विपाप्मा विगतक्लमा ॥

prababhau jvalamāneva divyā divyena varcasā | navameghapratīkāśā divamāvṛtya viṣṭhitā | āyatā vipulā ramyā vipāpmā vigataklamā

Divine, it shone as if ablaze with heavenly lustre. Like a fresh rain-cloud it stood, filling the sky: long, wide and delightful, free from every flaw and from all weariness.

Note on the text: Corrected दिवमाकृत्य → दिवमावृत्य (misprint in Wikisource; आकृत्य gives no sense here; the critical edition reads divam āvṛtya).

Verse 29 (2.3.29)

उत्तमद्रव्यसम्पन्ना रत्नप्राकारतोरणा । बहुचित्रा बहुधना सुकृता विश्वकर्मणा ॥

uttamadravyasampannā ratnaprākāratoraṇā | bahucitrā bahudhanā sukṛtā viśvakarmaṇā

It was furnished with the finest materials, with walls and gateways of jewels, full of many wonders and great riches, and finely made by that master builder.

Verse 30 (2.3.30)

न दाशार्ही सुधर्मा वा ब्रह्मणो वाथ तादृशी । सभा रूपेण सम्पन्ना यां चक्रे मतिमान्मयः ॥

na dāśārhī sudharmā vā brahmaṇo vātha tādṛśī | sabhā rūpeṇa sampannā yāṃ cakre matimānmayaḥ

Neither Sudharma, the hall of the Dasharhas, nor the hall of Brahma was as rich in beauty as the hall that wise Maya built.

Verse 31 (2.3.31)

तां स्म तत्र मयेनोक्ता रक्षन्ति च वहन्ति च । सभामष्टौ सहस्राणि किङ्करा नाम राक्षसाः ॥

tāṃ sma tatra mayenoktā rakṣanti ca vahanti ca | sabhāmaṣṭau sahasrāṇi kiṅkarā nāma rākṣasāḥ

At Maya's command, eight thousand Rakshasas called Kinkaras guarded that hall and carried it.

Verse 32 (2.3.32)

अन्तरिक्षचरा घोरा महाकाया महाबलाः । रक्ताक्षाः पिङ्गलाक्षाश्च शुक्तिकर्णाः प्रहारिणः ॥

antarikṣacarā ghorā mahākāyā mahābalāḥ | raktākṣāḥ piṅgalākṣāśca śuktikarṇāḥ prahāriṇaḥ

They roamed the sky; they were terrible, huge of body and of great strength, red-eyed and tawny-eyed, with ears like oyster shells, and ready to strike.

Verse 33 (2.3.33)

तस्यां सभायां नलिनीं चकाराप्रतिमां मयः । वैदूर्यपत्रविततां मणिनालमयाम्बुजाम् ॥

tasyāṃ sabhāyāṃ nalinīṃ cakārāpratimāṃ mayaḥ | vaidūryapatravitatāṃ maṇinālamayāmbujām

In that hall Maya made a matchless lotus pool, spread with leaves of beryl, its lotuses on stalks of gems,

Verse 34 (2.3.34)

पद्मसौगन्धिकवतीं नानाद्विजगणायुताम् । पुष्पितैः पङ्कजैश्चित्रां कूर्मैर्मत्स्यैश्च काञ्चनैः । चित्रस्फटिकसोपानां निष्पङ्कसलिलां शुभाम् ॥

padmasaugandhikavatīṃ nānādvijagaṇāyutām | puṣpitaiḥ paṅkajaiścitrāṃ kūrmairmatsyaiśca kāñcanaiḥ | citrasphaṭikasopānāṃ niṣpaṅkasalilāṃ śubhām

full of lotuses and fragrant saugandhika lilies, thronged with birds of many kinds, bright with blossoming lotuses and with golden tortoises and fish, with steps of many-hued crystal and clear water free of mud, lovely to see,

Note on the text: Third line not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 35 (2.3.35)

मन्दानिलसमुद्धूतां मुक्ताबिन्दुभिराचिताम् । महामणिशिलापट्टबद्धपर्यन्तवेदिकाम् ॥

mandānilasamuddhūtāṃ muktābindubhirācitām | mahāmaṇiśilāpaṭṭabaddhaparyantavedikām

stirred by gentle breezes and strewn with drops like pearls, its bordering ledges set with slabs of great gems.

Note on the text: Second line not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 36 (2.3.36)

मणिरत्नचितां तां तु केचिदभ्येत्य पार्थिवाः । दृष्ट्वापि नाभ्यजानन्त तेऽज्ञानात्प्रपतन्त्युत ॥

maṇiratnacitāṃ tāṃ tu kecidabhyetya pārthivāḥ | dṛṣṭvāpi nābhyajānanta te'jñānātprapatantyuta

Some kings who came up to that pool, set with gems and jewels, did not recognise it for what it was even when they saw it, and in their ignorance they would fall in.

Verse 37 (2.3.37)

तां सभामभितो नित्यं पुष्पवन्तो महाद्रुमाः । आसन्नानाविधा लोलाः शीतच्छाया मनोरमाः ॥

tāṃ sabhāmabhito nityaṃ puṣpavanto mahādrumāḥ | āsannānāvidhā lolāḥ śītacchāyā manoramāḥ

All around that hall stood great trees of many kinds, always in flower, swaying, cool in their shade and pleasing to the mind.

Verse 38 (2.3.38)

काननानि सुगन्धीनि पुष्करिण्यश्च सर्वशः । हंसकारण्डवोपेताश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः ॥

kānanāni sugandhīni puṣkariṇyaśca sarvaśaḥ | haṃsakāraṇḍavopetāścakravākopaśobhitāḥ

On every side there were fragrant groves and lotus ponds, frequented by swans and karandava ducks and graced by chakravaka birds.

Verse 39 (2.3.39)

जलजानां च पद्मानां स्थलजानां च सर्वशः । मारुतो गन्धमादाय पाण्डवान्स्म निषेवते ॥

jalajānāṃ ca padmānāṃ sthalajānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ | māruto gandhamādāya pāṇḍavānsma niṣevate

The breeze, bearing from every side the scent of lotuses born in water and of those born on land, came to wait upon the Pandavas.

Verse 40 (2.3.40)

ईदृशीं तां सभां कृत्वा मासैः परिचतुर्दशैः । निष्ठितां धर्मराजाय मयो राजन्न्यवेदयत् ॥

īdṛśīṃ tāṃ sabhāṃ kṛtvā māsaiḥ paricaturdaśaiḥ | niṣṭhitāṃ dharmarājāya mayo rājannyavedayat

Having built such a hall in fourteen months, Maya reported to the King of Dharma, O king, that it was finished.