BENEFITS OF RAAJASOOYA YAGNA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA - SABHA PARVA - LOKAPALA SABHAKHAYANA (UPA) PARVA - CHAPTER 12 - BENEFITS OF RAAJASOOYA YAGNA

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O you foremost of men of expression, as you have described the different Sabhas to me, it appears that almost all the monarchs of the earth are to be found in the Sabha of Vaivaswata (Yama). O master, almost all the Naagaas, Lord of Daityas, rivers, and oceans, are to be found in the Sabha of Varuna. The Yakshas, the Guhyakaas, the Raakshasaas, the Gandharvas and Apsaras and the Deity having the bull for his vehicle (Yama), are to be found in the Sabha of treasures (Kubera). You have said that in the Sabha of Pitaamaha (Lord Brahma) are to be seen all Maharishis, all Devas, all Shaastraas. As regards the Sabha of Shakra (Lord Indra), however, you have named, O Muni (Naarada), all Devas, Gandharvas, and Maharishis. But, O great Muni (Naarada), you have mentioned one and only one king – Rajarishi Harishchandra as living in the Sabha of the illustrious chief of Devas (Lord Indra). What act was performed by that celebrated king (Harishchandra), or what Tapas with steady vows (Niyata Vrata in Sanskrit), in consequence of which he has been equal to (Lord) Indra Himself? Also, O Brahmana, how did you meet with my father, the noble Paandu, now a guest in the region of the Pitrus (Pitruloka in Sanskrit)? O noble one of excellent vows, has he told you anything? O tell me all as I am exceedingly curious to hear all this from you.”

“Naarada said, ‘O king of kings (Rajendra in Sanskrit), I shall tell you all that you ask me about (King) Harischandra, I shall presently tell you of his high excellence. He was a powerful king, in fact, an emperor over all the kings of the Earth. Indeed, all the kings of the Earth obeyed his rule. O monarch (Yudhishthira), mounted alone upon a victorious chariot adorned with gold, that king by the prowess of his weapons brought the whole earth with her seven islands under his rule. O monarch (Yudhishthira), having subjugated the whole earth with her mountains, forests, and woods, he made preparations for the great yagna called Raajasooya.

“All the kings of the Earth brought at his command wealth to that yagna. All of them consented to become distributors of food and gifts to Dwijas that were fed on the occasion. At that yagna, king Harishchandra gave away to all who asked, wealth that was five times what each had requested. At the conclusion of yagna, the king satisfied the Brahmanas that came from various countries with large presents of various kinds of wealth. Brahmanas satisfied with various kinds of food and enjoyable articles, given away to them to the extent of their desires, and with the heaps of gems distributed among them, began to say – King Harischandra is superior to all kings in energy (Tejas in Sanskrit) and fame.

“Know, O monarch, O bull of the Bharata race (Yudhishthira), it was for this reason that Harischandra shined more brightly than thousands of other kings. O king (Yudhishthira), the powerful Harischandra having concluded his great yagna, became installed in the sovereignty of the earth and looked magnificient on his throne. O bull of the Bharata race (Yudhishthira), all those monarchs that perform Raajasooya yagna, pass their time in happiness in (Lord) Indra’s company. O bull of the Bharata race (Yudhishthira), those kings also that yield up their lives without turning their backs on the battlefield attain Indra Sabha and live in joy with Him. Those again that yield up their bodies after severe Tapas also attain to the same region (Indraloka) and shine brightly there for ages.

“O king of the Kuru race (Yudhishthira), O son of Kunti, your father Paandu, seeing the good fortune of Harischandra and wondering much at that place, has told you something. Knowing that I was coming to the world of men, he bowed to me and said, ‘You should tell Yudhishthira, O Rishi (Naarada), that he can subjugate the whole Earth in so far as his brothers are all obedient to him. Having done this let him commence the grand yagna called Raajasooya. He is my son; if he performs that yagna, I may, like Harischandra, soon attain Indra Sabha, and there in his Sabha pass countless years in continuous joy.’

“I told him in reply, ‘O King, I shall tell your son all this, if I go to the world of man. I have now told you what he said, O tiger among men (Yudhishthira). Accomplish then, O son of Paandu, the desires of you father. If you perform that yagna, you shall then be able to go, along with your deceased ancestors, into the same region that is inhabited by the chief of the immortals (Lord Indra). It has been said, ‘O king, that the performance of this great yagna is attended with many obstacles. A class of Raakshasaas called Brahma Raakshasaas, employed in obstructing all yagnas, always search for loop-holes when this great yagna is commenced. On the commencement of such a yagna, a war may take place destroying the Kshatriyas and even furnishing occasion for the destruction of the whole Earth. A slight obstacle may involve the whole Earth in ruin. Thinking upon all this, O king of kings (Yudhishthira), do what is for your good. You be watchful and ready in protecting the four varna of your subjects. You grow in prosperity, and you enjoy happiness. You satisfy Dwijas with gifts of wealth. I have now answered in detail all that you have asked me. With your leave I will now go to the city of that Daashaarhas (present-day Dwaraka, Gujarat, India).”

“Vaishampayana said, ‘O Janamejaya, having said this to Paarthaa (Yudhishthira), Naarada went away, accompanied by those Rishis with whom he had come. O you of the Kuru race (Janamejaya), after Naarada had gone away, king Yudhishthira, began to think, along with his brothers, of that foremost of yagnas called Raajasooya.’