One day Narada visits Yudhishthira in his capital city of Indraprastha. Narada was capable of travelling in any of the worlds, and he had met Pandu, the dead father of the Pandavas. Pandu had told Narada to tell Yudhishthira that he should perform the Rajasuya yaga, for then he could conquer the world. Obeying his father’s instructions, Yudhishthira arranges for the yaga, said Kidambi Narayanan in a discourse. Invitations are sent to all kings, and scholars. All of them accept the invitation.
Yudhishthira has provided a magnificent feast for everyone. In the dining area, only two phrases are heard: “Have some more;” “Please serve some more.” Curd and ghee flow like rivers. Cooked rice is piled up like big hills. It has been arranged to blow a conch when one lakh people have eaten. This conch is heard many times a day, indicating how many people are served food every day.
Kings arrive with their retinue of servants and cooks. They bring many gifts. They get their cooks to cook excellent food, which they themselves serve to the visiting scholars. While the ritviks perform the rites of the yaga, grammarians have discussions on grammar. In another place, music, dance and drama provide the necessary entertainment to the people. Thus, the capital bears a festive look, even while the yaga is done according to the prescribed rules. There has been no yaga on this scale. Nor has any city looked so grand as Indraprastha. Dritarashtra and Duryodhana too attend the yaga. The kings tell Yudhishthira that with this yaga, he has now attained the status of samrat. When the yaga is completed, the invitees depart to their respective countries. Yudhishthira asks his brothers to accompany them up to the border of his kingdom to bid farewell.
