Shree Shookdeo Jee said, Raja! when all the Rajas had spoken these words, so full of knowledge and devotion, Shree Krishnù Chund Jee was delighted and said, “They who worship me with sincerity of mind, shall certainly obtain deliverance and salvation; bondage and release are trials of the mind, to him whose mind is firm; the house and forest are alike; have no other anxiety in your minds, than living happily at your homes; carry on a well regulated government, protect the subject; attend upon the cow and brahmin; do not speak falsely; avoid lust, anger, avarice and pride; worship Huri with sentiments of religion, and you will certainly obtain eternal happiness; whoever, coming into the world, has indulged in pride, has not lived long; behold! how many pride has brought to destruction. His strength destroyed Pursooram, celebrated as being very powerful, and having a thousand arms. Raja Bynoo became Rawun, and was ruined by his pride. Bhomasoor and Banasoor, and Kuns were all exterminated through pride. Let no one be intoxicated with prosperity, or indulge in pride; he who shuns pride may live without fear.”
Having thus spoken, Shree Krishnù Chund said to all the Rajas, “Go now to your homes, have meetings with you relations, arrange the affairs of your kingdoms and settle yourselves upon your thrones, and come quickly, about the time of my own arrival, to Hustinapoor, to the Raja Joodisthur’s, to assist at the royal sacrifice.”
O great king! when Shree Krishnù Chund Jee had thus spoken, Suhdeo instantly procured all things necessary for the departure of the Rajas. They received them; and, taking leave of Krishnù, went each to his own country, and Shree Krishnù Chund Jee also travelled thence joyfully, accompanied by Suhdeo and Bheem, and Urjoon, and came to Hustinapoor. Krishnù having gone, after his arrival, to the Raja Joodisthur, explained to him all the circumstances, attending the death of Joorasindhoo, and the release of the Rajas.
Having recited thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja Pureechit,—O great king! about the time of the arrival of Shree Krishnù Chund, the root of joy, at Hustinapoor, the Rajas arrived also with their armies, and with presents; and, having had an interview with Raja Joodisthur, and offered their presents, they encamped on all sides of Hustinapoor by order of Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, and prepared to assist in the sacrifice.
CHAPTER LXXV.
Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—Raja! listen with attention, and I will now relate how Raja Joodisthur performed the sacrifice, and Sissoopal was slain, when the twenty thousand eight hundred Rajas went there, all the other Rajas from the surrounding countries, and from every quarter, whether descendants of the sun, or descendants of the moon, came also, and were ready at Hustinapoor. Then Shree Krishnù Chund and Raja Joodisthur together behaved with the utmost affability to all the Rajas, and made all the arrangements, and entrusted each with a specific duty in the sacrifice. After this, Shree Krishnù Chund Jee said to the Raja Joodisthur, “O great king! we five brothers, Bheem, Urjoon, Nukool, Suhdeo and myself, together with the other Rajas, will do all the extraneous work, and do you be so good as to send for the sages, priests and brahmins, and begin the sacrifice.”
O great king! on hearing these words, Raja Joodisthur, having summoned all the priests, sages, and brahmins, said, “O great kings! order all things necessary for the sacrifice.” At these words, the priests, sages and brahmins, having consulted their holy books, wrote down on a paper a list of all the articles required; and the Raja caused them to be procured immediately, and placed before them. The priests, sages and brahmins together erected an altar for the sacrifice. The priests, sages and brahmins of the four Vedas, having spread their seats, sat down in the middle of the altar; then Raja Joodisthur, having purified himself, came and sat down there also with his wife, the skirts of their mantles, being tied together as at a bridal. And Dronahcharuj, Kripacharuj, Dritrasht, Doorjodhun, Sissoopal and all the other mighty men, and great Rajas came and sat there also. The brahmins, having strewed boiled rice, and prayed for the blessings of the gods on the ceremony about to be performed; and, having caused Gunesh to be worshipped, made an offering of a jar of water, with the twigs of five sacred trees placed in it, and invoked the nine planets. The Raja hired for the performance of the religious ceremonies Bhurdooaj, Goutum, Bisist, Biswamittrù, Bamdeo, Purasur, Byas, Kusyp and other great priests, sages and brahmins; who, having repeated incantations from the Vedas, summoned all the gods; and, having caused the Raja to make a vow of giving alms of the sacrifice, they began to prepare the burnt offerings.
O great king! having repeated the incantations, the priests, sages and brahmins began to offer oblations with fire to the deities; and the gods, openly extending their hands began to receive them; at that time the brahmins were reading the Vedas, and all the Rajas brought the different materials of the burnt offerings, and presented them to the brahmins, and the Raja Joodisthur was engaged with the burnt offerings, when the sacrifice was peaceably completed, and the Raja gave the final oblation. At that time, gods, men and sages began to utter exclamations of praise of all the Rajas; and the demi-gods, celestial musicians, and choristers began to play upon musical instruments, celebrate their fame in songs, and rain down flowers.
Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja Pureechit,—O great king! being free from all the business of the sacrifice, Raja Joodisthur, having sent for Suhdeo Jee, enquired, “Whose adoration shall we perform first; to whom shall we give unbroken rice and marks upon the forehead? Who is the great lord of the gods, to whom we may bow the head, and offer worship?” Suhdeo Jee said, “O great king! Basoodeo is the god of all the gods; no one understands his nature; he is the lord of Bruhmù, Roodrù and Indrù; but be pleased to worship and bow the head to him first, as by giving water to the root of a tree, all the branches become green, so all the gods are gratified by adoration being offered to Huri, he is the lord of the universe, and he creates, preserves and destroys; his pastimes are endless; no one knows the end of them; he is the unseen, invisible and impenetrable lord; Luchmee having become a servant, constantly attends upon his lotus feet; he descends upon the earth continually for the sake of his worshippers; and, assuming corporeal form, appears and acts like a mortal; he comes and sits in our houses, and calls us ‘brothers;’ and fascinates us with his delusive power; we being deluded by great fascination and affection, consider the deity as a brother; we have not seen any one so great as him, let him be first worshipped.”
O great king! on hearing this speech, all the saints, sages and Rajas exclaimed, “Raja! Suhdeo Jee has spoken truly, Huri is worthy of our first adoration.” Then Raja Joodisthur having seated Shree Krishnù Chund Jee upon a throne, together with his eight queens, offered adoration to him, presenting sandal, unbroken rice, flowers, perfume, lamps and consecrated food; after this he worshipped all the gods, saints, sages, brahmins and Rajas, arrayed them in dresses of different colours, made marks upon their foreheads with sandal and saffron, decorated them with garlands of flowers, and sprinkling perfume, the Raja, with due observance of what was right and fitting, behaved to them all with the most engaging politeness.