tions to all the gods to erect the hall of assembly, and a thousand
well-furnished excellent rooms looking grand as in a picture, and
speedily to complete the staircase massive and durable, for the ascent of
the Gandharvas and Apsaras and to furnish that portion of the sacrificial
ground reserved for the dance of the Apsaras, like unto the palace of
Indra in the heaven. O king, thus directed, the renowned dwellers of
heaven speedily fulfilled the directions of Sakra. And then, O king,
Indra well-pleased and adored, thus said to king Marutta,--'O prince, by
associating with thee at this sacrifice, thine ancestors who have gone
before thee, as well as the other gods have been highly gratified and
have accepted the oblations offered by thee. And now, O king, let the
foremost of regenerate beings offer on the sacrificial altar a red bull
appertaining to the Fire-god and a sacred and duly consecrated blue bull
with a variegated skin, appertaining to the Viswedevas.' Then, O king, the
sacrificial ceremony grew in splendour, wherein the gods themselves
collected the food, and Sakra, the lord of the gods, possessed of horses,
and worshipped by the Brahmanas, became an assistant at the sacrifice.
And then the high-souled Samvarta ascending the altar, and looking
radiant as the second embodiment of the blazing fire, loudly addressing
the gods with complaisance, offered oblations of clarified butter to the
fire with incantation of the sacred hymns. And then the slayer of Vala
first drank the Soma juice, and then the assembly of other gods drank
Soma. And then in happiness and with the king's permission they returned
home and well-pleased and delighted. Then that monarch, the slayer of his
enemies, with a delighted heart, placed heaps of gold on diverse spots,
and distributing the immense wealth to the Brahmanas, he looked glorious
like Kuvera, the god of wealth. And with a buoyant heart, the king filled
his treasury with different kinds of wealth, and with the permission of
his spiritual preceptor, he returned (to his kingdom) and continued to
rule the entire realm extending to the borders of the sea. So virtuous in
this world was that king, at whose sacrifice such an enormous quantity of
gold was collected, and now, O prince, thou must collect that gold and
worshipping the gods with due rites, do thou perform this sacrifice."

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the Pandava prince Yudhishthira was
delighted on hearing this speech of the