The stories of Mohabharata retold by Shudipha Bhamik. the Welcome to another episode of the stories of Mohabharata.

In the last episode we heard the story of Jarasandha and his death in the hands of Bima.

We also heard how the Pandavas completed all the prerequisites

for performing the Raj Sviya sacrifice. The great Rajsuya sacrifice began with the ringing of bells and the deep sounds of the conch shells blown by the Brahmins.

The great sage viasa supervised the proceedings.

Six huge pyres were lit.

Priests sat around each pyre and poured ghee into the fire

while chanting hymns from the Samoveda.

Another set of Brahmin priests watched over the proceedings with a keen eye to detect any mistakes.

The third team listened to the chants for mispronunciations of the mantras for any mistake would ruin the Yagna.

The royal guests who sat around the sacrificial grounds to watch the ceremony discussed about the details of the ritual.

Some tried to find flaws, while some praised the Pandavas for their attention to details.

Some argued about the theological aspects of the sacrifice,

while some talked about the political consequences.

Rishi Narrada was sitting in one corner of the room and watched the crowd.

He wondered, there must be some divine plan behind all this.

The best of the best shatrias have assembled here to witness the Rajya Suya

sacrifice. No wonder, they must be the reincarnations of celestial gods. Even the supreme Lord is here the them? Do they know that not too far from now the Lord himself will destroy them all and

call them back to the heavens?

At the end of the first phase of the sacrifice, Pishma called upon Yiddishtira and said,

Now you must pay homage to the most important person in the audience by offering him your first worship.

Yudishtira looked at Bima and said,

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