rifices with large presents to
the Brahmanas--these holy royal sages of grand achievements and great
knowledge of the Sastras, wait upon, O King, and worship the son of
Vivaswat in that assembly house. And Agastya and Matanga, and Kala, and
Mrityu (Death), performers of sacrifices, the Siddhas, and many Yogins;
the Prtris (belonging to the classes--called Agniswattas, Fenapa,
Ushampa, Swadhavat, and Verhishada), as also those others that have
forms; the wheel of time, and the illustrious conveyer himself of the
sacrificial butter; all sinners among human beings, as also those that
have died during the winter solstice; these officers of Yama who have
been appointed to count the allotted days of everybody and everything;
the Singsapa, Palasa, Kasa, and Kusa trees and plants, in their embodied
forms, these all, O king, wait upon and worship the god of justice in
that assembly house of his. These and many others are present at the
Sabha of the king of the Pitris (manes). So numerous are they that I am
incapable of describing them either by mentioning their names or deeds. O
son of Pritha, the delightful assembly house, moving everywhere at the
will of its owner, is of wide extent. It was built by Viswakarma after a
long course of ascetic penances. And, O Bharata, resplendent with his own
effulgence, it stands glorified in all its beauty. Sannyasis of severe
ascetic penance, of excellent vows, and of truthful speech, peaceful and
pure and sanctified by holy deeds, of shining bodies and attired in
spotless robes, decked with bracelets and floral garlands, with ear-rings
of burnished gold, and adorned with their own holy acts as with the marks
of their order (painted over their bodies), constantly visit that Sabha
(Assembly). Many illustrious Gandharvas, and many Apsaras fill every part
of that mansion with music; both instrumental and vocal and with sounds
of laughter and dance. And, O son of Pritha, excellent perfumes, and
sweet sounds and garlands of celestial flowers always contribute towards
making that mansion supremely blest. And hundreds of thousands of
virtuous persons, of celestial beauty and great wisdom, always wait upon
and worship the illustrious Yama, the lord of created beings in that
assembly house. Such, O monarch, is the Sabha, of the illustrious king of
the Pitris! I shall now describe unto the assembly house of Varuna also
called Pushkaramalini!"

SECTION IX

'Narada said--O Yudhishthira, the celestia