prowess, Abhimanyu; Yajnaseni's giving birth to children; then follows the
pleasure-trip of Krishna and Arjuna to the banks of the Jamuna and the
acquisition by them of the discus and the 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
lokapalas by Narada well-acquainted with the celestial regions; the
preparations for the Rajasuya sacrifice; the destruction of Jarasandha;
the deliverance by Vasudeva of the princes confined in the mountain-pass;
the campaign of universal conquest by the Pandavas; the arrival of the
princes at the Rajasuya sacrifice with tribute; the destruction of
Sisupala on the occasion of the sacrifice, in connection with offering of
arghya; Bhimasena'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 Yudhishthira at
play by the wily Sakuni; the deliverance by Dhritarashtra of his afflicted
daughter-in-law Draupadi plunged in the sea of distress caused by the
gambling, as of a boat tossed about by the tempestuous waves. The
endeavours of Duryodhana to engage Yudhishthira again in the game; and the
exile of the defeated Yudhishthira with his brothers. These constitute
what has been called by the great Vyasa the Sabha Parva. This parva is
divided into seventh-eight sections, O best of Brahmanas, of two thousand,
five hundred and seven slokas.