thousands of birds of diverse species, beautiful and variegated, always
pour forth their melodies. The atmosphere of that mansion is extremely
delightful, neither cold nor hot. Owned by Varuna, that delightful
assembly house of pure white consists of many rooms and is furnished with
many seats. There sitteth Varuna attired in celestial robe, decked in
celestial ornaments and jewels, with his queen, adorned with celestial
scents and besmeared with paste of celestial fragrance. The Adityas wait
upon and worship the illustrious Varuna, the lord of the waters. And
Vasuki and Takshaka, and the Naga called Airavana; Krishna and Lohita;
Padma and Chitra endued with great energy; the Nagas called Kamvala and
Aswatara; and Dhritarashtra and Valahaka; Matimat and Kundadhara and
Karkotaka and Dhananjaya; Panimat and the mighty Kundaka, O lord of the
Earth; and Prahlada and Mushikada, and Janamejaya,--all having auspicious
marks and mandalas and extended hoods;--these and many other snakes, O
Yudhishthira, without anxiety of any kind, wait upon and worship the
illustrious Varuna. And, O king, Vali the son of Virochana, and Naraka the
subjugator of the whole Earth; Sanghraha and Viprachitti, and those
Danavas called Kalakanja; and Suhanu and Durmukha and Sankha and Sumanas
and also Sumati; and Ghatodara, and Mahaparswa, and Karthana and also
Pithara and Viswarupa, Swarupa and Virupa, Mahasiras; and Dasagriva, Vali,
and Meghavasas and Dasavara; Tittiva, and Vitabhuta, and Sanghrada, and
Indratapana--these Daityas and Danavas, all bedecked with ear-rings and
floral wreaths and crowns, and attired in the celestial robes, all blessed
with boons and possessed of great bravery, and enjoying immortality, and
all well of conduct and of excellent vows, wait upon and worship in that
mansion the illustrious Varuna, the deity bearing the noose as his weapon.
And, O king, there are also the four oceans, the river Bhagirathee, the
Kalindi, the Vidisa, the Venwa, the Narmada of rapid current; the Vipasa,
the Satadu, the Chandrabhaga, the Saraswati; the Iravati, the Vitasta, the
Sindhu, the Devanadi; the Godavari, the Krishnavenwa and that queen of