also wilt accept them all of me.’  Then Vasudeva asked that his friendship with Arjuna might be eternal.  The chief of the celestials granted unto the intelligent Krishna the boon he desired.  And having granted these boons unto Krishna and Arjuna, the lord of the Maruts, accompanied by the celestials, ascended to heaven, having also spoken to Hutasana (one whose food is sacrificial butter).  Agni also, having burnt that forest with its animals and birds for five and ten days, became gratified and ceased to burn.  Having eaten flesh in abundance and drunk fat and blood, he became highly gratified, and addressing Achyuta and Arjuna said, ’I have been gratified by you two tigers among men.  At my command, ye heroes, ye shall be competent to go wheresoever ye choose!’ Thus addressed by the illustrious Agni, Arjuna and Vasudeva and the Danava Maya also—­these three,—­having wandered a little at last sat themselves down on the delightful banks of a river.’”

END OF ADI PARVA

FOOTNOTES

1.  These are divisions of time

The Mahabharata

of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

BOOK 2

SABHA PARVA

Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text

by

Kisari Mohan Ganguli

[1883-1896]

Scanned at sacred-texts.com, 2003.  Proofed at Distributed Proofing, Juliet Sutherland, Project Manager.  Additional proofing and formatting at sacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare.

SECTION I

(Sabhakriya Parva)

Om!  After having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara, the most exalted male being, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word Jaya be uttered.

“Vaisampayana said,—­“Then, in the presence of Vasudeva, Maya Danava, having worshipped Arjuna, repeatedly spoke unto him with joined hands and in amiable words,—­’O son of Kunti, saved have I been by thee from this Krishna in spate and from Pavaka (fire) desirous of consuming me.  Tell me what I have to do for thee.

“Arjuna said,—­’O great Asura, everything hath already been done by thee (even by this offer of thine).  Blest be thou.  Go whithersoever thou likest.  Be kind and well-disposed towards me, as we are even kind to and well-pleased with thee!’

“Maya said,—­’O bull amongst men, what thou hast said is worthy of thee, O exalted one.  But O Bharata, I desire to do something for thee cheerfully.  I am a great artist, a Viswakarma among the Danavas.  O son of Pandu, being what I am, I desire to do something for thee.’

“Arjuna said,—­’O sinless one, thou regardest thyself as saved (by me) from imminent death.  Even if it hath been so, I cannot make thee do anything for me.  At the same time, O Danava, I do not wish to frustrate thy intentions.  Do thou something for Krishna.  That will be a sufficient requital for my services to thee.’