decked with ornaments, and costly robes and such other presents as were agreeable to them.  And making unto them presents also of kine yielding milk whenever touched, with calves and having their horns decked with gold and their hoofs with silver, the son of Pandu circumambulated them.  And then seeing and touching Swastikas fraught with increase of good fortune, and Nandyavartas made of gold, and floral garlands, water-pots and blazing fire, and vessels full of sun-dried rice and other auspicious articles, and the yellow pigment prepared from the urine of the cow, and auspicious and well-decked maidens, and curds and clarified butter and honey, and auspicious birds and diverse other things held sacred, the son of Kunti came into the outer chamber.  Then, O mighty-armed one, the attendants waiting in that chamber brought an excellent and costly seat of gold that was of a circular shape.  Decked with pearls and lapis lazuli, and overlaid with a very costly carpet over which was spread another cloth of fine texture, that scat was the handiwork of the artificer himself.  After the high-souled monarch had taken his seat, the servants brought to him all his costly and bright ornaments.  The high-souled son of Kunti put on those begemmed ornaments, whereupon his beauty became such as to enhance the grief of his foes.  And when the servants began to fan him with white yak-tails of the bright effulgence of the moon and all furnished with handles of gold, the king looked resplendent like a mass of clouds charged with lightning.  And bards began to sing his praises, and panegyrists uttered his eulogies.  And singers began to sing unto that delighter of Kuru’s race, and in a moment the voices of the panegyrists swelled into a loud noise.  And then was heard the clatter of car-wheels, and the tread of horse-hoofs.  And in consequence of that noise mingling with the tinkle of elephants’ bells and the blare of conchs and the tread of men, the very earth seemed to tremble.  Then one of the orderlies in charge of the doors, cased in mail, youthful in years, decked with ear-rings, and his sword hanging by his side, entering the private apartment, knelt down on the ground, and saluting with (a bend of) his head the monarch who deserved every adoration, represented unto that high-souled and royal son of Dharma that Hrishikesa was waiting to be introduced.  Then that tiger among men, having ordered his servants, ’Let an excellent seat and an Arghya be kept ready for him,’ caused him of Vrishni’s race to be introduced and seated on a costly seat.  And addressing Madhava with the usual enquiries of welcome, king Yudhishthira the just duly worshipped Kesava.’

SECTION LXXXIII