THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

Udyogaparva*LET the reciter bow down to Naraian, likewiseto Nara the Highest Male, also to our Lady the Muse (GoddessSaraswati), and thereafter utter the word of Hail!Vaishampayan continuethBut the hero Kurus and who clove to them thereafter havingperformed joyously the marriage of Abhimanyu rested thatnight and then at dawn went glad to the Assembly-hall of Virata.Now wealthy was that hall of the lord of Matsya with mosaicof gems excellent and perfect jewels, with seats set out,garlanded, perfumed; thither went those great among the kingsof men.Then took their seats in front the two high kings, Drupadaand Virata, old they and honoured of earth's lords, and Ramaand Janardan with their father.Now by the Panchala king was the hero Shini with the sonof Rohinie but very near likewise to the Matsya king Janardanand Yudhishthira;And all the sons of Drupada, Bhima, Arjuna and the sonsof Madravatie and Pradyumna and Samba, heroes in the strife,and Abhimanyu with the children of Virata;And all those heroes equal to their fathers in heroism andbeauty and strength sat down, the princely boys, sons of Draupadie,on noble seats curious with gold.Thus as those great warriors sat with shining ornaments andshining robes, rich shone that senate of kings like wide heavenwith its stainless stars.*“To all of you it is known how Yudhishthira here was conqueredby Saubala in the hall of the dicing; by fraud was heconquered and his kingdom torn from him and contract made of* Translation of Adhyaya 1.1-7, 10-26.