Narada describes Yama's divine assembly hall to Yudhishthira
Narada tells Yudhishthira of the divine assembly hall of Yama, the god of dharma and death. He describes a radiant, self-moving palace where every desire is fulfilled, and enumerates the vast, illustrious assembly of kings, sages, and celestial beings who attend the lord of the ancestors there.
Narada turned to Yudhishthira. "Listen," he said. "I will now describe the divine sabha (assembly hall) of Vaivasvata Yama."
He began with the hall itself, built by the divine architect Vishvakarma. It was radiant as the sun, one hundred yojanas long and wide, and possessed the power to roam anywhere at will. Within it, the climate was perpetually pleasing—neither too cold nor too hot. Grief, old age, hunger, thirst, misery, fatigue—none of these existed there. Every desire, human or divine, was satisfied. There was an endless supply of tasty food and drink. The garlands had pure fragrances. The trees were always in flower and fruit. There was water, both hot and cold, to please any taste.
"But who attends him there?" Narada continued. "Pure rajarshis (royal sages) and unblemished brahmarshis (Brahmin sages) happily wait upon Yama."
Then he began the list, a vast roll call of the righteous dead. It was a genealogy of virtue, a census of kings who had ruled by dharma. Yayati was there, and Nahusha, Puru, and Mandhata. Somaka, Nriga, Trasadasyu, and Turaya. Kritavirya, Shrutashrava, Aripranuda, Susimha. The names flowed on: Kritavega, Kriti, Nimi, Pratardana, the famously generous Shibi, Matsya, Prithavaksha, Brihadratha.
Aida, Marutta, Kushika, Samkashya, Samkriti. Bhava, Chaturashva, Sadashvormi, the mighty Kartavirya. Bharata, after whom the entire lineage was named. Suratha, Sunitha, Nala of Nishadha. Divodasa, Sumana, Ambarisha, Bhagiratha—who brought the Ganga to earth. Vyashva, Sadashva, Vadhryashva, Panchahasta.
Prithushrava, Rushadgu, Vrishasena, the immensely powerful Kshupa. Rushadashva, Vasumana, Purukutsa, Dhvaji, Rathi, Arshtishena. Dilipa, the great-souled Ushinara, Oushinara, Pundarika. Sharyati, Sharabha, Shuchi, Anga, Arishta.
Vena, Duhshanta—who was confronted by Shakuntala—Sanjaya, Jaya, Bhangasvari, Sunitha (another), Nishadha. Tvishiratha, Karandhama, Bahlika. Sudyumna, the powerful Madhu, Kapotaroma, Trinaka, Sahadeva, Arjuna.
Dasharathi Rama was there—Rama, son of Dasaratha—and his brother Lakshmana. Pratardana, Alarka, Kakshasena. Gaya, Gourashva, Jamadagni Rama—Parashurama, the Brahmin-warrior. Nabhaga, Sagara, Bhuridyumna, Mahashva, Prithvashva.
Janaka, the philosopher-king. Vainya, Varishena, Puraja, Janamejaya. Brahmadatta, Trigarta, King Uparichara. Indradyumna, Bhimajanu, another Gaya, Prishtha, the unblemished Naya. Padma, Muchukunda, another Bhuridyumna, Prasenajit.
Arishtanemi, Pradyumna, Prithagashva, Ajaka. Then came the multitudes: the one hundred kings of Matsya, the hundred Nipas, the hundred Hayas, the one hundred Dhritarashtras, the eighty Janamejayas, the one hundred Brahmadattas, the one hundred fighting Iris. The rajarshi Shantanu was there. And Yudhishthira's own father, Pandu. Ushadgava, Shataratha, Devaraja, Jayadratha, the rajarshi Vrishadarbhi. Dhaman and his ministers. And in addition, thousands of Shashabindus who had departed after performing many great ashvamedhas (horse sacrifices) with copious donations.
"These pure rajarshis, of great fame and renown," Narada said, "wait upon Vaivasvata Yama in his sabha."
But the assembly was not only kings. There were sages: Agastya, Matanga. There was Kala (Time) himself, and Mrityu (Death). There were performers of sacrifices, Siddhas (perfected beings), those whose bodies were based on yoga, those with fire in their mouths. There were the ancestors—the pitris—classified by how they received offerings: those who lived on froth, those who lived on vapours, those who received oblations, those who seated themselves on kusa grass, and others who had subtle bodies.
Free from disease and in embodied form, the wheel of time attended, and the illustrious conveyor of sacrificial offerings. Men who had performed evil deeds were there, and those who had died during the winter solstice. Yama's officers, appointed to reckon time, were in attendance. Even trees and plants worshipped Dharmaraja (another name for Yama): shimshapa and palasha trees, kasha grass, kusha grass and others.
"These and many others are the courtiers of the king of the ancestors," Narada told Yudhishthira. "O Partha, I am incapable of enumerating all their names and deeds. But this beautiful sabha is never crowded and is capable of going anywhere at will. Vishvakarma built it after spending a long time in austerities. It blazes with the luminosity of its own radiance."
He described the ascetics present: fearsome in their austerities, rigid in their vows, truthful, calm, practised in renunciation. They were accomplished, purified through holy deeds, all with radiant bodies and attired in spotless attire. They were adorned with bracelets on their upper arms and garlands, with flaming earrings, all performers of good and holy deeds, their bodies marked with sacred signs.
The hall was also filled with celestial joy. Great-souled gandharvas and one hundred classes of apsaras were there, filling every space with instrumental music, dancing, singing, laughter, and sport. Sacred fragrances and sounds and celestial garlands adorned it everywhere.
"And ten million righteous and intelligent men, in bodily form," Narada concluded, "always wait upon the great-souled lord of all beings."
He looked at Yudhishthira. "O king, such is the sabha of the great-souled king of the ancestors." Then he shifted his gaze, preparing to move on. "I will now describe to you Varuna's sabha, known as Pushkaramalini."