Chapter 47

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus conversing with Sanat-sujata and the learnedVidura, the king passed that night. And after the night had passed away,all the princes and chiefs, entered the court-hall with joyous hearts anddesirous of seeing that Suta (who had returned). And anxious to hear themessage of Partha’s, fraught with virtue and profit, all the kings withDhritarashtra at their head, went to that beautiful hall. Spotlesslywhite and spacious, it was adorned with a golden floor. And effulgent asthe moon and exceedingly beautiful, it was sprinkled over withsandal-water. And it was spread over with excellent seats made of goldand wood, and marble and ivory. And all the seats were wrapped withexcellent covers. And Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and Salya, andKritavarman and Jayadratha, and Aswatthaman and Vikarna, and Somadattaand Vahlika and Vidura of great wisdom and Yuyutsu, the greatcar-warrior,–all these heroic kings in a body, O bull among theBharatas, having Dhritarashtra at their head, entered that hall of greatbeauty. And Dussasana and Chitrasena, and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, andDurmukha and Dussaha, Karna and Uluka and Vivingsati,–these also, withDuryodhana, the wrathful king of the Kurus, at their head, entered thathall, O monarch, like the celestials forming the train of Sakra himself.And filled with these heroes possessed of arms like maces of iron, thathall looked, O king, like a mountain-cave filled with lions. And allthese mighty bowmen, endued with great energy and blazing, with solareffulgence, entering the hall, seated themselves on those beautifulseats. And after all those kings, O Bharata, had taken their seats, theorderly-in-waiting announced the arrival of the Suta’s son, saying,’Yonder cometh the car that was despatched to the Pandavas. Our envoyhath returned quickly, by the aid of well-trained steeds of the, Sindhubreed.’ And having approached the place with speed and alighted from thecar, Sanjaya adorned with ear-rings entered that hall full of high-souledkings. And the Suta said, ‘Ye Kauravas, know that having gone to thePandavas I am just returning from them. The sons of Pandu offer theircongratulations to all the Kurus according to the age of each. Havingoffered their respects in return, the sons of Pritha have saluted theaged ones, and those that are equal to them in years, and those also thatare younger, just as each should, according to his years, be saluted.Listen, ye kings, to what I, instructed before by Dhritarashtra, said tothe Pandavas, having gone to them from this place.’