Narada Proposes the Rajasuya Yagya

The beauty of the assembly hall was matchless. The pillars were made of gold and the doors were studded with valuable gems. Its magnificence exceeded the splendour of even Indra's court. There was an illusory pool in the middle with gems resembling fish, frogs, and crabs. The hall also had spacious rooms and ponds with lotuses. The construction was completed in just fourteen fortnights, a remarkable achievement in itself.

News of its completion was sent to kingdoms far and wide. Sages, ascetics, kings, and princes came to behold the magnificent structure. The last visitor was Sage Narada. After openly admiring the assembly hall, he urged the Pandavas to conduct a Rajasuya Yagya to announce the establishment of their kingdom. Yudhishthira liked this idea but decided to consult Lord Krishna first. The purpose of the Rajasuya Yagya was to subjugate all the kings on earth. It was no easy task.

Yudhishthira considered the matter carefully and decided there was no doubt that the yagya would be successful. A messenger was sent to invite Krishna to Indraprastha. When Krishna arrived, he saw that the sages Dhaumya and Vyasa and the kings Drupada and Virata were already present.

Yudhishthira addressed Krishna and said, "O Keshava, Sage Narada wants us to conduct a Rajasuya Yagya. However, I think doing so isn't child's play. What is your opinion?"

"You can certainly conduct the yagya. You have both the manpower and the resources. But there is one difficulty."

"What difficulty?"

"For conducting a Rajasuya Yagya, you will have to defeat every king on earth, which is difficult as long as Jarasandha is alive. Jarasandha, the king of Magadha, has very powerful friends. Shishupala, the king of Chedi (Bundelkhand), is his friend; Vaka, the king of Karusha, is his student. His generals, Hansa and Dimbhaka, are great warriors. Bhagadatta, the mighty king of Pragjyotisha, was your father's friend, but his loyalty is to Jarasandha. The kings of the Bhoja and Kulinda kingdoms to the south of Panchala have either fled or surrendered to Jarasandha."