Chapter 27 - Haihaya Arjuna’s Reception and Halt at Night

Vasiṣṭha said:

1. In that city the grandeur of which was comparable to that of the city of the lord of the Devas, the holy cow of that excellent sage created afterwards groups of men and women in those houses befitting them.

2. The women had bedecked their bodies with different kinds of dresses, ornaments, flowers, fragrant scents and silk garments. They were endowed with Hāvas (coquettish gestures etc. to excite amorous behaviour), Bhāvas (feelings of love), magnanimous behaviour and conduct, splendour, brilliance, beauty and good qualities.

3. They had surpassed the lustre of the moon by means of their lotus-like faces illuminated by the clusters of rays of their teeth, throbbing gently. Their words in sweet voice were (as if) filled with inebriating liquor of fresh youth. They had the sweet way of ogling with side glances lingering with love and affability.

4. Their hearts were delighted with pleasure. They looked extremely brilliant. They were adorned with the flowers of the divine wish-yielding tree (in the form) of the sentiment of love. They were richly endowed with and delighted by good fortune, youthful beauty, graceful charms, beauty and sweetness of comely shape comparable to those of the heavenly ladies.

5. Their waists bent and stooped slightly due to the weight of the pairs of plump breasts comparable to the pots of heated gold. The nails of their toes were rendered red by means of the red juice of lac resembling blood and therefore, they appeared to be filled with exhaustion due to the heavy burden of their buttocks.

6. They were bedecked in armlets, necklaces, jewels, bangles, golden necklaces, and blemishless (sparkling) ear ornaments. Garlands kissed their tresses and locks of hair. They had girdles and anklets with tinkling bells.

7. They had ample experience and opportunities of training themselves in such gestures and behaviour as pretended anger, consoling, jocular and witty giggling, playful teasings, sweet speech, reviling and provocation of anger. They were clever in totally dissembling the limits of composure and gravity of persons near and dear to the king himself.

8. Their voice was gentle and fascinating. It was comparable to the note from the strings of a lute of a Gandharva. When they spoke their voice was distinct but sweet. The fingers and their palms were extremely proficient in playing on the Viṇā. They were anxiously eager in indulging in speech both serious as well as kind and flattering.

9. The ladies were languid on account of inebriation. They were excessively efficient in exhibiting coquettish gestures. They were capable of making the minds of their lovers get confused. They were proficient in the practical demonstration of amorous dalliance. They were never wanting in riches and they were endowed with liberal-mindedness, beauty, good qualities and nice behaviour.

10. They were innumerable. Although their minds were eagerly engaged constantly in the various duties and activities of the household, they continued to serve them (the followers of the king). The houses were filled with men too who had such beauty and splendour as befitted their good qualities. They were brilliant. They moved about in the houses here and there.

11. Citizens having every kind of luxurious assets and good qualities, with their desires wholly fulfilled, occupied the Royal Highways, the bazaars, the palaces, mansions, flights of stairs, temples, and quadrangles all round:

12. There were innumerable groups of palatial buildings having nothing comparable to them. They were of various colours, dimensions and features. There were many sheds and abodes suitable for garrages, chariots, horses, elephants, mules, camels, bullocks, cows and goats.

13. There were separate houses allotted to the king, his generals, elephant-drivers, horsemen, foot-soldiers, lieutenants and chiefs of armies, the Brāhmaṇas and others, the charioteers and chariot-attendants as well as the bards and poets, heralds-and panegyrists.

14. There were many big streets, market places and quadrangles of wonderfully distinguished features. Many articles were bought and sold there. There were the splendid houses of courtezans, which were well built and equipped with great wealth, furniture and other appurtenance of daily household needs.

15. There were high temple-gates, minarets and towers brilliant with gems of great value. There were also kennels for dogs, cages for falcons and vultures as well as halls for dancing entertainments. There were flags, banners and emblems of various colours. There were canopies of white doth spread very far above the ground as well as pavilions.

16. There were many beautiful lakes, tanks and vast excellent expanses of waters rendered fragrant by means of the pollen powder of Kalhāra (a variety of white lotus) and other lotuses, lilies white and red and lilies that bloom by night. They were resonant with the various cackling, crowing and chirping sounds of the ruddy geese, swans, ospreys, cranes, storks and water ducks.

17. There were many trees with water basins made at their feet such as the mango, the Priyāla (the tree Buchanania latifolia), the jack tree, the Madhūka (Bassia latifolia), the Jambū (rose apple), and Plakṣa (ficus religiosa). Along the banks of the lakes beautiful trees were grown such as Nāga (the Mesua roxburghi), the Ketakī (Pandanus odoratissimus), the Punnāga (nutmeg) and Campaka (Michellia champacca). These trees were frequently resorted to by birds.

18. There were many trees bearing fruits and flowers such as Mandāra (the coral trees?), Kunda (jasmine), Karavīra (the Oleander), the fascinating Yūthikā (a variety of jasmine) and Jāti (another variety of jasmine) etc. The place was rendered splendid by means of groups of pleasure gardens visible all round. They had a wonderful charm and beauty.

19. The gardens had the fragrance experienced in the different seasons (all together simultaneously). The gently blowing breeze (appeared to) threaten the summer season. Thus, O leading king, the city had clearly a rich complement of the luxurious pleasure and means of enjoyment fascinating unto the Suras as well as Asuras.

20-21. After creating such vast means of enjoyment and good fortune instantly, the sacred cow of the sage informed him about it. On coming to know that everything necessary for the warm reception of the king had been procured together by the sacred cow of the Brāhmaṇa the excellent sage immediately called one of his disciples who had all good qualities, O king, and despatched him towards the Haihaya king Arjuna.

After approaching the king promptly, the son of the sage spoke to him with great humility:—

22. “This is the request of our family head that the materials of hospitality which have been provided by us may please be immediately honoured and accepted by the king.”

Thereupon, after being permitted by the excellent sage, the king entered that excellent city created for his sake.

23-24a. Accompanied by his entire army, the excellent king entered the city which was the abode of all enjoyable pleasures and which indicated the capability of the sacred cow of the sage. He surveyed the luxurious prosperity of the city that fascinated the entire world. His face was extremely delighted out of pleasure. Though the king himself was a liberal donor and was excessively self-possessed, he was then struck with great wonder along with his army.

24b-26a. The handsome form of the king was so striking that even the celestial women never ceased to look at him with admiration. Their eyes were drinking in the comely features of the king even as the bees were drinking in the nectar (within flowers). While proceeding ahead along the Royal high-road of the city, the lord of the Haihayas rejoiced much like Indra at the abode of Kubera along with all the Devas.

As he proceeded ahead along the Royal high road, the ladies of the city who were on the mensions all round showered him incessantly with bunches of flowers and handful of fried grains drenched with sandal-perfumed water expressive of hearty reception.

26b-28a. The king was showered with handfuls of white fried grains that dropped down from the lotus-like hands of the ladies of the city, eager to welcome and hoṅour the guests. Bunches of white flowers reverberating with the humming sounds of the bees were showered on the king at every step. These flowers had been plucked from pleasure gardens rendered (still more) fragrant by means of sandal pastes and safforn [saffron?]. He was showered at every step also with genuine gems aṅd jewels and pearls belonging to the womenfolk staying in that city.

On being showered thus the king shone like the Mandara mountain showered with the bright rays of the moon allround.

28b-31a. On seeing that luxurious glory of the city, which was really the potential glory of Brahminical penance of excellent good qualities and which was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people—Glory that was extremely unattainable in all the worlds and the splendour of which was covetable—the lord of the subjects praised it mentally as well as verbally, O king.

The king of Haihayas thought thus—“This is really very rare on this earth. All the fascinating luxury and richness of the Kṣatriyas together is not powerful enough to be capable of being compared even to a hundredth part of the Brahminical glory that is honoured even by gods in heaven. He carefully observed in the heart of the city the prosperity and affluence attained by the people of the city. He proceeded ahead along with the priest, minister and other followers. As he was being honoured by the people of the city, he was rejoiced when a mansion of bright colours was pointed out to him by one of his aides.

31b-32a. (Defective text) On being told—“O king, be pleased to accept the honourable reception that is extended by the excellent sage and that is appropriate to or becoming to your dignity. Be pleased to accept the same along with your followers”—On being requested thus, the king turned back with ease and proceeded towards the residence specially built for his sake.

32b-33a. The citizens gathered together with various articles in their hands to indicate their adoration of the King.

All round along the path, they paid respects to him with great joy by means of their palms folded in reverence. At every step he was honoured with loud shouts of victory and loud notes of various kinds of musical instruments that deafened the various quarters.

33b-34a. The king slowly passed beyond three inner apartments in succession even as the chamberlains therein exhibited their agitation and the crowds of common people who had thronged there had been kept back. Finally, supported respectfully with his hands by the minister, he entered (his main) apartment.

34b-36a. (Some) lovely women of the city gracefully came out of the inner apartment of the king with (the following auspicious articles) viz. lighted lamp, (a vessel of) curds, mirror, sweet scents, fragrant flowers, Dūrvā grass Akṣata (raw unbroken Rice grains) and other things and delighted the king with (the demonstration of their) reverence. A seat covered with exquisite gold was immediately made ready by them. It shone with many brilliant rays of excellent genuine gems and jewels. A thin (cloth) of fine texture covered it. The king of splendid renown, occupied that charming golden seat.

36b-37a. O king, when that king was comfortably seated in that inner apartment, the elderly respectable matrons of that household enhanced the exquisite pleasure (of the king) by means of musical instruments etc. and different kinds of articles of adoration such as ornaments, sweet scents, fragrant flowers, means of embellishment, garments and other things.

37b-40a. The lord of Haihayas performed all the holy rites in accordance with his own religious beliefs, the holy rites prescribed for the day and time, in that apartment itself. Thereafter, he spent the whole of the remaining part of the day by means of different kinds of talks, witty remarks, sports and pastime of diverse kinds and survey (directed all round). Then the king performed all those rites befitting the close of the day. Followed by his chief minister and other ministers, the king immediately hastened to his assembly where the darkness had been completely dispelled by the numerous lamps held in their hands by the servants standing near him all round.

Being attended upon by his priests, ministers, vassal kings and hundreds of generals, the king occupied a seat in the assembly of the (vassal) kings like Indra accompanied by the groups of the Devas. He was delighted with different kinds of pastimes.

40b-42a. Afterwards he sat there for a long time listening to different kinds of musical instruments, indulging in different kinds of pastimes, seeing different kinds of dances, cracking several jokes and narrating many stories. The witty remarks, smiles, graceful dalliance etc. of the courtesans delighted his mind.

Thus, till midnight, the overlord of the subjects stayed experiencing the luxurious pleasure of different kinds of sports and amusements. He then made his vassal kings and followers go back to their residences. Then he himself went to his apartment.

42b-44a. The entire army of the king rejoiced sufficiently well in their abodes wherein every article of luxury and necessity had been provided befitting their own status, their heroism, their vigour, their wealth, potentiality and greatness. They had valuable garments, garlands, ornaments and other things in plenty.

All the soldiers of the king stayed in that city of the king fully satisfied like groups of the Devas in the heaven. They had plenty of foodstuffs and edibles, beverages and liquors of various kinds. They had meat, curds, milk etc. They had everything necessary for their pleasure and enjoyment.

44b-45. The followers of the king who were thus delighted by their experience of different kinds of essential pleasures spoke to one another thus—“Of what avail are our own houses and property and the like? Let us all stay here itself”.

The king performed every rite prescribed for the night, returned to his excellent bed in his apartment and lay on it, which was highly resplendent, due to many a gem and jewel, O king. Delighted in his heart he had a long dreamless sound sleep.