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सभाक्रियापर्वन् (sabhAkriyAparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
Sabhākriyāparvan (“the section relating to the building of the palace, ” the 20th of the minor parvans of the Mhbhr. Cf. Sabhākriyā). § 261: Maya said he was a great artist (mahākavi), the Viśvakarman of the Dānavas, and asked Arjuna to tell him what he was to do for him, because he had been rescued by him. Arjuna told him to do something for Kṛshṇa (lokanāthaḥ Prajāpatiḥ, v. 9), who asked him to build a palace for Yudhishṭhira. Maya was introduced to Yudhishṭhira, and recited the history of the Asura (pūrvadeva-caritaṃ), i.e. of Vṛshaparvan (so Nīl.). Then on an auspicious day, after the initiatory rites, and having gratified thousands of brahmans, he measured out a piece of land 10, 000 kishkus square (II,
1). --§ 262: Kṛshṇa departed for Dvārakā (v. Bhagavadyāna).--§ 263: To the north of Kailāsa, near Maināka, there is a huge mountain named Hiraṇyaśṛṅga, consisting of jewels. Near this mountain is situated the lake Bindusaras, where King Bhagīratha had dwelt for many years, desiring to behold the Gaṅgā. There the lord of all beings (i.e. Prajāpati, Nīl) had performed 100 sacrifices, where, for the sake of embellishment, though not according to rule (dṛshtāntataḥ), the sacrificial stakes were made of gems and the altars (caityāḥ) of gold. There the 1, 000-eyed Śacīpati had become perfect (siddhiṃ gataḥ) by sacrifice. There Bhūtapati (= Mahādera, Nīl.) took up his abode after having created all the worlds, and there he dwells, worshipped by thousands of spirits (bhūtaiḥ). There Nara and Nārāyaṇa, Brahmán, Yama, and Sthāṇu perform their sacrifices at the expiration of 1, 000 yugas. There Vāsudeva has performed sattras for many years, and placed thousands and tens of thousands of sacrificial stakes adorned with golden garlands and altars of great splendour. There Maya, when the Dānavas wished to perform a sacrifice on the bank of the Bindusaras, had made utensils of gems from the house of Vṛshaparvan. That wealth, which was guarded by Yakshas and Rākshasas, he brought away, and thereof constructed the palace of Yudhishṭhira. A club with which Vṛshaparvan had slain all foes in battle, and which had been placed in Bindusaras, Maya gave to Bhīmasena
the conch-shell Devadatta, that came from Varuṇa, and was also there, he gave to Arjuna
at its sound all creatures trembled in awe. The palace surpassed the Sudharmā of Kṛshṇa and the palace of Brahmán, and covered an area of 10, 000 kishkus square. Eight thousand Rākshasas, called Kiṅkaras, guarded and supported the palace. In it was a tank, whose lotuses were of dark-coloured gems, etc.
many kings mistook it for solid ground, and fell into it. The palace was constructed in seventeen months (II, 3).--§ 264: Enumeration of ṛshis () and kings () from various countries, who were present when Yudhishṭhira, after having fed 10, 000 brahmans. etc., entered the palace. Also Tamburu, the friend of Dhanañjaya, and the Gandharva Citrasena with his ministers, and many other Gandharvas and Apsarases and Kinnaras came there (II, 4).