TRIBUTES PAID BY CHOLAAS, PAANDYAAS AND OTHERS

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > DYOOTA PARVA > CHAPTER 51 - TRIBUTES PAID BY CHOLAAS, PAANDYAAS AND OTHERS

“Duryodhana said, ‘O sinless one (Dhritarashtra), listen to me as I describe that large mass of wealth consisting of various kinds of tribute (Dhanam in Sanskrit) presented to Yudhishthira by the kings of the earth. They that stay by the side of the river Shailodaa flowing between the mountains of Meru and Mandara and enjoy the delicious shade of the Keechaka bamboo – the Khashaas, the Ekaashanaas, the Jyohaas, the Pradaraas, the Deerghavenavaas, the Pashupaas, the Kunindaas, the Tanganaas and the other Tanganaas, brought as tribute heaps of gold measured in dronas (jars in English) and raised from underneath the earth by ants and therefore called after these creatures.

“The mountain tribes filled with great strength having brought as tribute numerous Chamaraas (long brushes) soft, black and others white as moon-beam and sweet honey extracted from the flowers growing on the Himavat (present-day Himalayas) and also from the Mishali champaka and garlands of flowers brought from the region of the northern Kurus, and diverse kinds of plants from the north of Kailaasa (mountain), waited with their heads bent down at the gate of king Yudhishthira, being refused permission to enter. I also saw there numerous chiefs of the Kiraatas armed with cruel weapons and ever engaged in cruel actions, eating fruits and roots and dressed in skins and living on the northern slopes of the Himavat and on the mountain from behind which the Sun rises and in the region of Vaarisha on the sea-coast and on both sides of the Lohitya mountains (mountains border the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh states of India).

“O king (Dhritarashtra), having brought with them as tribute loads upon loads of sandal, aloe and also black aloe, heaps upon heaps of valuable skins, gold, perfumes, ten thousand serving-girls of their Kiraata race, many beautiful animals, birds of remote countries, much gold of great splendour procured from mountains, the Kiraatas waited at the gate, being refused permission to enter. The Kaayavyaas, the Daradaas, the Daarvaas, the Shooraas, the Vaiyamakaas, the Audumbaraas, the Durvibhaagaas, the Kumaaraas, the Paaradaas along with the Baahlikaas, the Kaashmeeras, the Kundamaanaas, the Paurakaas, the Hamsakaayanaas, the Shibis, the Trigartaas, the Yaudheyaas, the ruler of Madraa and the Kaekayaas, the Ambashtaas, the Kaukuraas, the Taarkshyaas, the Vastrapaas along with the Palhavaas (possibly Pallavas), the Vasaatayaas, the Mauleyaas along with the Kshudrakaas, the Maalavaas, the Shaundikaas, the Kukkuraas, the Shakaas, the Angaas, the Vangaas, the Pundraas, the Shaanavatyaas, and the Gayaas – these good and well-born Kshatriyas distributed into regular clans and trained to the use of weapons, brought tribute to king Yudhishthira by hundreds and thousands.

“The Vangaas (present-day Bengal), the Kalingaas, the Magadhaas, the Tamraliptaas, the Supundrakaas, the Dukoolam, the Sagarakaas, the Patrornas, the Kaushikaas, and innumerable Praavaraanas, who presented themselves at the gate, were told by the gate-keepers at the command of the king (Yudhishthira), that if they could wait and bring good tribute (Subala in Sanskrit) they could obtain admission. Then the kings of those nations each gave a thousand elephants furnished with tusks like to the shafts of ploughs and decorated with belt made of gold, covered with fine blankets and therefore, resembling the lotus in colour. They were all darkish as rocks and always musty, and procured from the sides of the Kaamyaka lake, and covered with defensive armour. They were also exceedingly patient and of the best breed. Having made these presents, those kings were permitted to enter.

“O king (Dhritarashtra), these and many others, coming from various regions, and numerous other Mahatma kings, brought jewels and gems to this yagna. The king of Gandharvas – Chitraratha, the friend of (Lord) Indra, gave four hundred horses gifted with the speed of the wind. The Gandharva Tumburu gladly gave a hundred horses of the colour of mango leaf and decorated in gold. O you of the Kuru race (Dhritarashtra), the celebrated king of the Mlechchaa tribe named the Shookaraas, gave many hundreds of excellent elephants. Viraata, the king of Matsya, gave as tribute (Bali in Sanskrit) two thousand elephants decorated in gold. King Vasudaana from the kingdom of Paamshu presented to the Paandavaa twenty-six elephants and two thousand horses. O king (Dhritarashtra), all decorated in gold and filled with speed and strength and in full vigour of youth, and diverse other kinds of wealth. Yagnasena (King Drupada) presented to the Paandavaa (Yudhishthira) for the yagna, fourteen thousand serving-girls and ten thousand serving-men with their wives, many hundreds of excellent elephants, twenty-six chariotss with elephants attached to them, and also his whole kingdom.

“Vaasudeva (Sri Krishna) of the Vrishni race, in order to enhance the dignity of Arjuna, gave fourteen thousands (14,000) of excellent elephants. Indeed, (Sri) Krishna is the soul of Arjuna and Arjuna is the soul of (Sri) Krishna, and whatever Arjuna may say (Sri) Krishna is certain to accomplish. (Sri) Krishna is capable of abandoning heaven itself for the sake of Arjuna. Arjuna also is capable of sacrificing his life for the sake of (Sri) Krishna.

“The kings of Cholaa and Paandyaa, though they brought numberless jars of gold filled with fragrant sandal juice from the hills of Malaya, loads of sandal and aloe wood from the Dardduras hills, and many gems of great brilliancy and fine cloths inlaid with gold, did not obtain permission (to enter). The king of the Sinhalaas (present-day Sri Lanka) gave those best of sea-born gems called the lapis lazuli (Vaidooryam in Sanskrit), also heaps of pearls (Muktaa in Sanskrit), and hundreds of covers for elephants. Numerous dark-coloured men with the ends of their eyes red as copper, attired in clothes decked with gems, waited at the gate with those presents. Numerous Brahmanas and Kshatriyas who had been conquered, Vaishyaas and serving Shoodras, from love of Yudhishthira, brought tribute to Paandavaa. All the Mlechchaas, from love and respect, came to Yudhishthira. All varnas of men, good, indifferent and low, belonging to numberless races (Jaati in Sanskrit), coming from diverse lands made Yudhishthira’s habitation the epitome of the world (Paryasta iva Lokoyam in Sanskrit).

“Looking the kings of the earth to present to the enemies such excellent and valuable presents, I wished for death out of grief. O king (Dhritarashtra), I will now tell you of the servants (Bhrutyaa in Sanskrit) of the Paandavaas, people for whom Yudhishthira supplied food, both cooked (Pakkam in Sanskrit) and uncooked. There are a hundred thousand billions of mounted elephants, cavalry, a hundred millions of chariots and countless foot soldiers. At one place raw provisions were being measured out; at another they were being cooked; and at another place the foods were being distributed. The notes of festivity are being heard everywhere. Among men of all varnas, I saw not a single one in the mansion of Yudhishthira (Yudhishthira Niveshanam in Sanskrit) that had no food (Bhuktam in Sanskrit), drink (Hrishtam in Sanskrit) and ornaments (Subhiksham in Sanskrit). Eighty-eight thousands of Snaataka Brahmanas leading domestic lives (Grihamedhina in Sanskrit), all supported by Yudhishthira, with thirty serving-girls given to each, pleased by the king (Yudhishthira), always pray with self-satisfied hearts for the destruction of his enemies. Ten thousands of other Rishis with vital (reproductive) seed drawn up, daily eat of golden plates in Yudhishthira’s palace (Yudhishthira Niveshanam in Sanskrit). O king (Dhritarashtra), Yagnaseni (Draupadi), without having eaten herself, daily saw whether everybody, including the deformed and the dwarfs, has eaten or not. O Bharata (Dhritarashtra), only two did not pay tribute (Prayachetaam in Sanskrit) to the son of Kunti (Yudhishthira) – the Paanchaalaas in consequence of their relationship by marriage, and the Andhakaas and Vrishnis in consequence of their friendship.’”