THE MAHABHARATA.
SWARGĀROHANIKA PARVA.
Section I.
Bowing down unto Nārāyana, and to Nara, the foremost of men, as also to the goddess Saraswati, should the word Jaya be uttered.
Janamejaya said,—"Having attained to Heaven, what regions were respectively attained by my grandsires of old, viz., the Pāndavas and the sons of Dhritarāshtra?1 I desire to hear this. I think that thou art conversant with everything, having been taught by the great Rishi Vyāsa of wonderful feats!"2
Vaiçampāyana said,—"Listen now to what thy gransires, Yudhishthira and others, did after having attained to Heaven, that place of the deities.3 Arrived at Heaven, king Yudhishthira the just, behold Duryodhana endued with prosperity and seated on an excellent seat.4 He blazed with effulgence like the sun and wore all those signs of glory which belong to heroes. And he was in the company of many deities of blazing effulgence and of Sādhyas of righteous deeds.5 Yudhishthira, beholding Duryodhana and his prosperity, became suddenly filled with rage and turned back from the sight.6 He loudly addressed his companions, saying,—'I do not desire to share regions of felicity with Duryodhana who was stained by cupidity and possessed of little foresight!7 It was for him that friends, kinsmen, over the whole Earth, were slaughtered by us whom he had afflicted greatly in the deep forest!8 It was for him that the virtuous princes of Panchāla, Draupadi of faultless features, our wife, was dragged into the midst of the assembly before
