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Texts:
Duryodhana
Humiliated
Text
1-2
The
honorable king said: 'All the human divinity, o brahmin, that
assembled at the Râjasûya sacrifice of
Ajâtas'atru [he whose enemy was never born, or
Yudhishthhira], were delighted with the great festiveness
they saw: the kings, the sages and the godly, thus I heard my
lord, except for Duryodhana; please enlighten us on the reason
for that.'
Mahârâja
Parîkshit said: O brâhmana, according to what I
have heard from you, all the assembled kings, sages and
demigods were delighted to see the wonderful festivities of
King Ajâtas'atru's Râjasûya sacrifice,
with the sole exception of Duryodhana. Please tell me why
this was so, my lord. (Vedabase)
Text
3
The son of
Vyâsa said: 'At the Râjasûya sacrifice of the
great soul of your grandfather were the family members who were
bound in divine love, engaged in humbly serving
him.
S'rî
Bâdarâyani said: At the Râjasûya
sacrifice of your saintly grandfather, his family members,
bound by their love for him, engaged themselves in humble
services on his behalf. (Vedabase)
Text
4-7
Bhîma was
in charge of the kitchen, Duryodhana supervised the finances,
Sahadeva did the reception and Nakula procured the needed
items. Arjuna served the preceptors, Krishna washed the feet,
the daughter of Drupada served the food and the magnanimous
Karna handed out the gifts.
Yuyudhâna,Vikarna,
Hârdikya, Vidura and others like the sons of
Bâhlîka headed by Bhûris'ravâ and
Santardana, were, eager to please the king, willing to engage
in the diversity of duties at the time of the elaborate
sacrifice, o best of kings.
Bhîma
supervised the kitchen, Duryodhana looked after the
treasury, while Sahadeva respectfully greeted the arriving
guests. Nakula procured needed items, Arjuna attended the
respectable elders, and Krishna washed everyone's feet,
while Draupadî served food, and generous Karna gave
out the gifts. Many others, such as Yuyudhâna;
Vikarna, Hârdikya; Vidura; Bhûris'ravâ and
other sons of Bâhlîka; and Santardana, similarly
volunteered for various duties during the elaborate
sacrifice. They did so because of their eagerness to please
Mahârâja Yudhishthhira, O best of kings.
(Vedabase)
Text
8
The priests,
the prominent officials, the highly learned and all the best
well-wishers, being well honored with pleasing words,
auspicious offerings and gifts of gratitude, executed, after
the king of Cedi had entered the feet of the master of the
Sâtvatas, the avabhritha bathing in the river of
heaven [the Yamunâ].
After
the priests, the prominent delegates, the greatly learned
saints and the King's most intimate well-wishers had all
been properly honored with pleasing words, auspicious
offerings and various gifts as remuneration, and after the
King of Cedi had entered the lotus feet of the Lord of the
Sâtvatas, the avabhritha bath was performed in
the divine river Yamunâ. (Vedabase)
Text
9
To
begin with the avabhritha celebration sounded the music
of a variety of gomukha horns, kettledrums, large drums,
mridangas, smaller drums and conchshells.
During
the avabhritha celebration, the music of many kinds
of instruments resounded, including mridangas,
conchshells, panavas, dhundhuris, kettledrums and
gomukha horns. (Vedabase)
Text
10
Women
dancers danced and singers sang joyfully in groups as the loud
sound of their vînâs, flutes and hand
cymbals touched the heavens.
Female
dancers danced with great joy, and choruses sang, while the
loud vibrations of vînâs, flutes and hand
cymbals reached all the way to the heavenly regions.
(Vedabase)
Text
11
The
kings with necklaces of gold took off [to the
Yamunâ] with footsoldiers, flags and banners of
different colors, excellent majestic elephants, chariots and
horses that were finely caparisoned.
All
the kings, wearing gold necklaces, then set off for the
Yamunâ. They had flags and banners of various colors
and were accompanied by infantrymen and well-adorned
soldiers riding lordly elephants, chariots and horses.
(Vedabase)
Text
12
The
Yadus, Sriñjayas, Kâmbojas, Kurus, Kekayas and
Kos'alas with their armies, headed by [the king,] the
performer of the sacrifice, made the earth
tremble.
The
massed armies of the Yadus, Sriñjayas,
Kâmbojas, Kurus, Kekayas and Kos'alas made the earth
tremble as they followed Yudhishthhira Mahârâja,
the performer of the sacrifice, in procession.
(Vedabase)
Text
13
The ones
officiating, the priests and the brahmins of excellence loudly
vibrated the vedic mantras, while the gods and sages, the
forefathers and singers of heaven recited praises and rained
down flowers.
The
assembly officials, the priests and other excellent
brâhmanas resoundingly vibrated Vedic mantras, while
the demigods, divine sages, Pitâs and Gandharvas sang
praises and rained down flowers. (Vedabase)
Text
14
Men and women
nicely adorned with sandalwood paste, garlands, jewelry and
clothes, smeared and sprinkled each other playing with various
liquids.
Men
and women, all adorned with sandalwood paste, flower
garlands, jewelry and fine clothing, sported by smearing and
sprinkling one another with various liquids.
(Vedabase)
Text
15
The courtesans
were by the men playfully smeared with yogurt and perfumed
water with plenty of turmeric and vermilion powder, and so
smeared they in return [*].
The
men smeared the courtesans with plentiful oil, yogurt,
perfumed water, turmeric and kunkuma powder, and the
courtesans playfully smeared the men with the same
substances. (Vedabase)
Text
16
The queens
guarded by soldiers went, just as did the wives of the gods in
their celestial chariots in the sky, out to witness this
firsthand and as they by their cousins and friends were
sprinkled, was it a beautiful sight to see their faces
blossoming with shy smiles.
Surrounded
by guards, King Yudhishthhira's queens came out on their
chariots to see the fun, just as the demigods' wives
appeared in the sky in celestial airplanes. As maternal
cousins and intimate friends sprinkled the queens with
liquids, the ladies' faces bloomed with shy smiles,
enhancing the queens' splendid beauty. (Vedabase)
Text
17
They, their
brothers-in-law, their friends and so on, all squirted with
syringes to which their arms, breasts, thighs and waists due to
the excitement became visible with their dresses drenched and
loosened, and the braids of small flowers in their hair
slipped; and so did they in the process of their charming play
agitate the ones impure of mind.
As
the queens squirted water from syringes at their
brothers-in-law and other male companions, their own
garments became drenched, revealing their arms, breasts,
thighs and waists. In their excitement, the flowers fell
from their loosened braids. By these charming pastimes they
agitated those with contaminated consciousness.
(Vedabase)
Text
18
He, the emperor
mounted his chariot with excellent horses and shone, hung with
gold, forth with his wives as the king of sacrifices, the
Râjasûya with all its rituals, in person.
The
emperor, mounted upon his chariot drawn by excellent horses
wearing golden collars, appeared splendid in the company of
his wives, just like the brilliant Râjasûya
sacrifice surrounded by its various rituals.
(Vedabase)
Text
19
After having
executed the patnî-samyâja-
[*]
and avabhritha ceremonies, made the priests him perform
the âcamana of sipping water for purification, and
bathe in the Ganges together with
Draupadî.
The
priests led the King through the execution of the final
rituals of patnî-samyâja and
avabhrithya. Then they had him and Queen
Draupadî sip water for purification and bathe in the
Ganges. (Vedabase)
Text
20
The
kettledrums of the gods resounded together with those of the
human beings while the godly, the sages, the forefathers and
the humans created a rain of flowers.
The
kettledrums of the gods resounded, along with those of human
beings. Demigods, sages, forefathers and humans all poured
down showers of flowers. (Vedabase)
Text
21
After
this bathed all humans of all classes and orders in that place
where even the greatest sinner can instantly be freed from all
contamination.
All
the citizens belonging to the various orders of varna and
âs'rama then bathed in that place, where even the most
grievous sinner can immediately be freed from all sinful
reactions. (Vedabase)
Text
22
The
king next putting on a new set of silken garments, nicely
ornamented honored the priests, the ones officiating and the
brahmins with jewelry and clothing.
Next
the King put on new silken garments and adorned himself with
fine jewelry. He then honored the priests, assembly
officials, learned brâhmanas and other guests by
presenting them with ornaments and clothing.
(Vedabase)
Text
23
In diverse ways
went the king, devoted to Nârâyana, at lengths in
proving his respects to the kings, his friends, well-wishers,
direct family, more distant relatives as also to
others.
In
various ways King Yudhishthhira, who had totally dedicated
his life to Lord Nârâyana, continuously honored
his relatives, his immediate family, the other kings, his
friends and well-wishers, and all others present as well.
(Vedabase)
Text
24
All the men,
jeweled with earrings, wearing flowers and turbans, jackets and
silks as well as the most precious pearl necklaces, shone like
the demigods; just as did the women who with the beauty of
their faces adorned with pairs of earrings and locks of hair
wearing golden belts, radiated brilliantly.
All
the men there shone like demigods. They were adorned with
jeweled earrings, flower garlands, turbans, waistcoats, silk
dhotîs and valuable pearl necklaces. The lovely faces
of the women were beautified by their matched earrings and
locks of hair, and they all wore golden belts.
(Vedabase)
Text
25-26
Then,
with his permission, did the priests of great standing, the
officials, the vedic experts, the brahmins, the kshatriyas,
vais'yas, s'ûdras and the kings who had come and, o
king, along with their followers, the local rulers, the
spirits, the forefathers and demigods had been worshiped, go
back to their own abodes.
Then
the highly cultured priests, the great Vedic authorities who
had served as sacrificial witnesses, the specially invited
kings, the brâhmanas, kshatriyas, vais'yas,
s'ûdras, demigods, sages, forefathers and mystic
spirits, and the chief planetary rulers and their followers
- all of them, having been worshiped by King Yudhishthhira,
took his permission and departed, O King, each for his own
abode. (Vedabase)
Text
27
Like
mortal men drinking the amrita had they never enough of
glorifying the great celebration of the Râjasûya
sacrifice of the saintly king, the servant of Lord
Krishna.
As
they all glorified the wonderful
Râjasûya-yajña performed by that great
saintly King and servant of Lord Hari, they were not
satiated, just as an ordinary man is never satiated when
drinking nectar. (Vedabase)
Text
28
In
pain because of being separated from Krishna had king
Yudhishthhira as said
[in 10.74:
48]
in
his love for his family members and relatives difficulty
letting them go.
At
that time Râjâ Yudhishthhira stopped a number of
his friends, immediate family members and other relatives
from departing, among them Lord Krishna. Out of love
Yudhishthhira could not let them go, for he felt the pain of
imminent separation. (Vedabase)
Text
29
My
dear, in order to please him stayed the Supreme Lord there. The
Yadu heroes who for that purpose were headed by Sâmba he
sent off to Dvârakâ.
My
dear Parîkshit, the Supreme Lord remained there for
some time to please the King, after first sending
Sâmba and the other Yadu heroes back to
Dvârakâ. (Vedabase)
Text
30
This way was
the king, the son of Dharma [Yamarâja or Dharma, the
lord of the duties] successfully crossing over the so
difficult to overcome ocean of his desires, by Krishna freed
from the fever [see also 10.63:
23].
Thus
King Yudhishthhira, the son of Dharma, was at last relieved
of his burning ambition, having by the grace of Lord Krishna
successfully crossed the vast and formidable ocean of his
desires. (Vedabase)
Text
31
Duryodhana
was pained when he saw within the palace the opulence of the
Râjasûya and the greatness of him
[Yudhishthhira] whose very soul was
Acyuta.
One
day Duryodhana, while observing the riches of King
Yudhishthhira's palace, felt greatly disturbed by the
magnificence of both the Râjasûya sacrifice and
its performer, the King, whose life and soul was Lord
Acyuta. (Vedabase)
Text
32
In
it were brought together all the different opulences of the
kings of men, the kings of demons and the kings of the godly.
Being provided by the cosmic architect [Maya
Dânava], served that wealth the daughter of king
Drupada with her husbands [the Pândavas]. Himself
also attracted to her lamented the heart of the
Kuru-prince.
In
that palace all the collected opulences of the kings of men,
demons and gods were brilliantly manifest, having been
brought there by the cosmic inventor, Maya Dânava.
With those riches Draupadî served her husbands, and
Duryodhana, the prince of the Kurus, lamented because he was
very much attracted to her. (Vedabase)
Text
33
The
thousands of queens of the lord of Mathurâ were at the
time there present, most attractive with their waists and heavy
hips, moving around slowly with their feet charmingly tinkling,
with their pearl necklaces reddened by the kunkuma from their
breasts and with their beautiful faces richly adorned with
earrings and locks of hair.
Lord
Madhupati's thousands of queens were also staying in the
palace. Their feet moved slowly, weighed down by their hips,
and the bells on their feet tinkled charmingly. Their waists
were very slender, the kunkuma from their breasts reddened
their pearl necklaces, and their swaying earrings and
flowing locks of hair enhanced the exquisite beauty of their
faces. (Vedabase)
Text
34-35
In
the assembly hall constructed by Maya it so happened that the
son of Dharma, the emperor in person, accompanied by his
attendants, his family and also Krishna, his Very Eye, was
seated on a throne of gold as if he, with the opulences of
supreme rulership, was Indra, joined and being praised by the
court poets.
It
so happened that Emperor Yudhishthhira, the son of Dharma,
was sitting just like Indra on a golden throne in the
assembly hall built by Maya Dânava. Present with him
were his attendants and family members, and also Lord
Krishna, his special eye. Displaying the opulences of
Brahmâ himself, King Yudhishthhira was being praised
by the court poets. (Vedabase)
Text
36
There,
o King, then entered Duryodhana surrounded by his brothers.
Proud as a peacock wearing a crown and necklace, had he
constantly his hand on his sword while angrily insulting
[the doorkeepers].
Proud
Duryodhana, holding a sword in his hand and wearing a crown
and necklace, angrily went into the palace in the company of
his brothers, O King, insulting the doorkeepers as he
entered. (Vedabase)
Text
37
Bewildered
by the magic of Maya taking the solid floor he saw for water,
held he the end of his garment high, but further up fell he in
water which he took for a solid floor.
Bewildered
by the illusions created through Maya Dânava's magic,
Duryodhana mistook the solid floor for water and lifted the
end of his garment. And elsewhere he fell into the water,
mistaking it for the solid floor. (Vedabase)
Text
38
Bhîma
seeing it laughed out loadly as also did the women, the kings
and the rest, who, my dear, even though they were checked by
the king, had the approval of Krishna.
My
dear Parîkshit, Bhîma laughed to see this, and
so did the women, kings and others. King Yudhishthhira tried
to stop them, but Lord Krishna showed His approval.
(Vedabase)
Text
39
He
[Duryodhana], burning with anger, embarrassed holding
his face low, went hurt inside off to Hastinâpura to
which from the saintly rose a very noisy 'Alas alas!'
Ajâtas'atru [the king] felt somewhat disheartened
while the Supreme Lord, from whose glance the bewilderment
rose, kept silent, being prepared to remove the burden from the
earth [see
also 1.15:
25-26,
10.2:
38 and
10.63:
27].
Humiliated
and burning with anger, Duryodhana turned his face down,
left without uttering a word and went back to
Hastinâpura. The saintly persons present loudly cried
out, "Alas, alas !" and King Yudhishthhira was somewhat
saddened. But the Supreme Lord, whose mere glance had
bewildered Duryodhana, remained silent, for His intention
was to remove the burden of the earth. (Vedabase)
Text
40
I've
now spoken about what you've asked me, o King, regarding the
depravity of Duryodhana during the great Râjasûya
sacrifice.
I
have now replied to your question, O King, concerning why
Duryodhana was dissatisfied on the occasion of the great
Râjasûya sacrifice. (Vedabase)
*: Present day India knows the tradition of the Holi
celebrations, the festival of colors once a year on the
morning after the full moon in early March every year, where
one plays this game. It celebrates the arrival of spring and
the death of the demoness Holika. Holika was the sister of
Hiranyakas'ipu who fighting Prahlâda couldn't succeed in
killing him [see 7.5].
She, said to be fire resistant, sitting with him in a fire
couldn't harm him. He remained unscathed, but she burned in the
fire to ashes. Thus are with Holi the night before great
bonfires lit to commemorate the story. Although Holi is
observed all over the north, it's celebrated with special joy
and zest at Mathurâ, Vrindâvana, Nandgaon, and
Barsnar (the places where Lord Krishna and S'ri
Râdhâ grew up). Lord Krishna, while growing up in
Vraja, popularized the festival with His ingenious pranks. The
gopîs of Vraja responded with equal enthusiasm and
the festivities have continued ever since. Role reversal with
travesty, feminism etc. are accepted customs for the duration
of the festival. Men and women of Vraja clash in a colorful
display of a mock battle of the sexes. A naturally occurring
orange-red dye, Kesudo, is used to drench all
participants.
**:
The patnî-samyâja ritual is the ritual
performed by the sponsor of the sacrifice and his wife,
consisting of oblations to Soma, Tvashthâ, the wives of
certain demigods, and Agni.
