140 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

the Rajastiya sacrifice. He invited all the qualified brahmanas and sages to
take part and appointed them to different positions as priests in charge
of the sacrificial arena. He invited the most expert brahmanas and sages,
whose names are as follows: Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasadeva, Bharadvaja,
Sumantu, Gautama, Asita, Vasistha, Cyavana, Kanva, Maitreya, Kavasa,
Trita, Visvamitra, Vamadeva, Sumati, Jaimini, Kratu, Paila, Paragara, Garga,
Vaigampayana, Atharva, Kasyapa, Dhaumya, Parasurama, Sukracarya,
Asuri, Vitihotra, Madhucchanda, Virasena, and Akrtavrana. Besides all these
brahmanas and sages, he invited such respectful old men as Dronacarya,
Bhisma, the grandfather of the Kurus, Krpacarya, and Dhrtarastra. He
also invited all the sons of Dhrtarastra, headed by Duryodhana, and the
great devotee Vidura was also invited. Kings from different parts of the
world, along with their ministers and secretaries, were also invited to see
the great sacrifice performed by King Yudhisthira, and the citizens,
comprising learned brahmanas, chivalrous ksatriyas, well-to-do vaisyas, and
faithful sitdras, all visited the ceremony.

The brahmana priests and sages in charge of the sacrificial ceremony
constructed the sacrificial arena as usual with a plow of gold, and they
initiated King Yudhisthira as the performer of the great sacrifice, in ac-
cordance with Vedic rituals. Long years ago, when Varuna performed a
similar sacrifice, all the sacrificial utensils were made of gold. Similarly,
in the Rajasitya sacrifice of King Yudhisthira, all the utensils required for
the sacrifice were golden.

In order to participate in the great sacrifice performed by King
Yudhisthira, all the exalted demigods like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, and
Indra the King of heaven, accompanied by their associates, as well as the
predominating deities of higher planetary systems like Gandharvaloka,
Siddhaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Nagaloka, Yaksaloka, Raksasaloka, Paksi-
loka and Caranaloka, as well as famous kings and their queens, were all
present by the invitation of King Yudhisthira. All the respectable sages,
kings and demigods who assembled there unanimously agreed that King
Yudhisthira was quite competent to take the responsibility of performing
the Rajasiiya sacrifice;no one was in disagreement on this fact. All of them
knew thoroughly the position of King Yudhisthira; because he was a great
devotee of Lord Krsna, no accomplishment was extraordinary for him.
The learned brahmanas and priests saw to it that the sacrifice by Maharaja
Yudhisthira was performed in exactly the same way as in bygone ages by
the demigod Varuna. According to the Vedic system, whenever there is an
arrangement for sacrifice, the members participating in the sacrifice are
offered the juice of the soma plant. The juice of the soma plant is a kind
