celebrated bow Gandiva; the burning of the forest of Khandava; the rescue of Maya by Arjuna, and the escape of the serpent,—and the begetting of a son by that best of Rishis, Mandapala, in the womb of the bird Sarngi. This parva is divided by Vyasa into two hundred and twenty seven chapters. These two hundred and twenty seven chapters contain eight thousand eight hundred and eighty four slokas.
"The second is the extensive parva called Sabha or the assembly, full of matter. The subjects of this parva are the establishment of the grand hall by the Pandavas; their review of their retainers; the description of the courts of the lokapalas by Narada well acquainted with the celestial regions; the preparations for the Rajasuya sacrifice; the destruction of Jarasandha; the deliverance by Vāsudeva of the princes confined in the mountain pass; the compaign of universal conquest by the Pandavas; the arrival of the princes at the Rajasuya sacrifice with tribute; the destruction of Shishupala on the occasion of the sacrifice, in connection with the offering of arghya; Bhima-sena's ridicule of Duryodhana in the assembly; Duryodhana's sorrow and envy at the sight of the magnificent scale on which the arrangements had been made; the indignation of Duryodhana in consequence, and the preparations for the game of dice; the defeat of Yudhish-thira at play by the wily Sakuni; the deliverance by Dhrita-rashtra of his afflicted daughter-in-law Draupadi sunk in the ocean of distress caused by the gambling, as of a boat tossed about by the tempestuous waves. The endeavors of Duryodhana to engage Yudhish-thira again in the game; and the exile of the defeated Yudhish-thira with his brothers. These constitute what has been called by the great Vyasa the Sabha parva. This parva is divided into seventy eight sections, and consists, O best of Brahmanas, of two thousand five hundred and eleven slokas.
"Then must you know is the third parva called Aranyaka (relating to the forest). This parva treats of the wending of the Pandavas to the forest and the citizens' following the wise Yudhish-thira; Yudhish-thira's adoration of the god of day, according to the injunctions of Dhaumya, to be gifted with the power of maintaining the dependant Brahmanas with food
