“Vaisampayana said,–“Then that chief of men, king Yudhishthira, enteredthat palatial sabha having first fed ten thousand Brahmanas withpreparations of milk and rice mixed with clarified butter and honey withfruits and roots, and with pork and venison.
“Sanjaya said, ‘Thus addressed by the celebrated grandson of Gotama, theking (Duryodhana), breathing long and hot breaths, remained silent, Omonarch. Having reflected for a little while, the high-souled son of
“Bhishma said, ‘The illustrious Atri, the son of the Grandsire Brahman,said, ‘They who make gifts of gold are said to make gifts of everythingin the world.’
“Sanjaya said, ‘When the field of battle which had before been envelopedin darkness and dust had thus become illuminated, heroic warriorsencountered one another, desirous of taking one another’s life.[218]
Yudhishthira said, “Tender, possessed of a graceful presence, anddeserving of every luxury as thou art, what office wilt thou, O heroicNakula, discharge while living in the dominions of that king? Tell me allabout it!”
“Vaisampayana said,–“While the illustrious Pandavas were seated in thatSabha along with the principal Gandharvas, there came, O Bharata, untothat assembly the celestial Rishi Narada, conversant with the Vedas and Upanishadas, worshipped by the celestials acquainted with histories and Puranas, well-versed in all that occurred in ancient kalpas (cycles), conversant with Nyaya (logic) and the truth of moral science, possessinga complete knowledge of the six Angas (viz., pronunciation, grammar,prosody, explanation of basic terms, description of religious rites, andastronomy).
“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding the fallen boxes of cars, as also the cars ofhigh-souled warriors, and the elephants and foot-soldiers, O sire, slainin battle,
“Yudhishthira said, ‘I have heard the discourse regarding the ordinanceabout the gift of food. Do thou discourse to me now about the conjunctionof the planets and the stars in relation to the subject of makinggifts.[334]
“Yudhishthira said, ‘O grandsire, O thou that art possessed of greatwisdom, I have one great doubt that perplexes me.
“Sanjaya said, ‘During the progress of that terrible nocturnalengagement, O king, which was fraught with an indiscriminate carnage,Dharma’s son Yudhishthira, addressed the Pandavas, the Panchalas, and theSomakas.
