a's son Devala, standing before performed the
ceremony of sprinkling the sacred water over the king. And the great
Rishis with cheerful hearts sat where the sprinkling ceremony was
performed. And other illustrious Rishis conversant with the Vedas, with
Jamadagni's son among them, approached Yudhishthira, the giver of large
sacrificial presents, uttering mantras all the while, like the seven
Rishis, approaching the great India in heaven. And Satyaki of unbaffled
prowess held the umbrella (over the king's head). And Dhananjaya and
Bhima were engaged in tanning the king; while the twins held a couple of
chamaras in their hands. And the Ocean himself brought in a sling that
big conch of Varuna which the celestial artificer Viswakarman had
constructed with a thousand Nishkas of gold, and which Prajapati had in a
former Kalpa, presented unto India. It was with that conch that Krishna
bathed Yudhishthira after the conclusion of the sacrifice, and beholding
it, I swooned away. People go to the Eastern or the Western seas and also
to the Southern one. But, O father, none except birds can ever go to the
Northern sea. But the Pandavas have spread their dominion even there, for
I heard hundreds of conches that had been brought thence blown (in the
sacrificial mansion) indicative of auspicious rejoicing. And while those
conches blew simultaneously, my hair stood on end. And those among the
kings, who were weak in strength fell down. And Dhrishtadyumna and
Satyaki and the sons of Pandu and Kesava,--those eight, endued with
strength and prowess and handsome in person, beholding the kings deprived
of consciousness and myself in that plight, laughed outright. Then
Vibhatsu (Arjuna) with a cheerful heart gave, O Bharata, unto the
principal Brahmanas five hundred bullocks with horns plated with gold.
And king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, having completed the Rajasuya
sacrifice, obtained like the exalted Harishchandra such prosperity that
neither Rantideva nor Nabhaga, nor Jauvanaswa, nor Manu, nor king Prithu
the son of Vena, nor Bhagiratha, Yayati, nor Nahusha, had obtained its
like. And beholding, O exalted one, such prosperity, in the son of Pritha
which is even like that which Harishchandra had, I do not see the least
good in continuing to live, O Bharata! O ruler of men, a yoke that is
tied (to the bullock's shoulders) by a blind man becomes loosened. Even
such is the case with us. The younger ones are growing while the elder
ones a