And the great Asura, Maya, having gone thither, possessed himself of the whole of the great wealth which was guarded by Yakshas and Rakshasas. Bringing them, the Asura constructed therewith a peerless palace, which was of great beauty and of celestial make,
composed entirely of gems and precious stones, and celebrated throughout the three worlds. He gave unto Bhimasena that best of clubs, and unto Arjuna the most excellent conch-shell at whose sound all creatures trembled in awe. And the palace that Maya built consisted of columns of gold, and occupied, O monarch, an area of five thousand cubits. The palace, possessing an exceedingly beautiful form, like unto that of Agni or Suryya, or Soma, shone in great splendour, and by its brilliance seemed to darken even the bright rays of the sun. And with the effulgence it exhibited, which was a mixture of both celestial and terrestrial light, it looked as if it was on fire. Like unto a mass of new clouds conspicuous in the sky, the palace rose up coming into view of all.
Indeed, the palace that the dexterous Maya built was so wide, delightful, and refreshing, and composed of such excellent materials, and furnished with such golden walls and archways, and adorned with so many varied pictures, and was withal so rich and well-built, that in beauty it far surpassed Sudharma of the Dasarha race, or the mansion of Brahma himself.
And eight thousand Rakshasas called Kinkaras, fierce, huge-bodied and endued with great strength, of red coppery eyes and arrowy ears, well-armed and capable of ranging through the air, used to guard and protect that palace. Within that palace Maya placed a peerless tank, and in that tank were lotuses with leaves of dark-coloured gems and stalks of bright jewels, and other flowers also of golden leaves. And aquatic fowls of various species sported on its bosom. Itself variegated with full-blown lotuses and stocked with fishes and tortoises of golden hue, its bottom was without mud and its water transparent.
There was a flight of crystal stairs leading from the banks to the edge of the water. The gentle breezes that swept along its bosom softly shook the flowers that studded it. The banks of that tank were overlaid with slabs of costly marble set with pearls. And beholding that tank thus adorned all around with jewels and precious stones, many kings that came there mistook it for land and fell into it with eyes open. Many tall trees of various kinds were planted all around the palace. Of green foliage and cool shade, and ever blossoming, they were all very charming to behold.
Artificial woods were laid around, always emitting a delicious fragrance. And there were many tanks also that were adorned with swans and Karandavas and Chakravakas (Brahminy ducks) in the grounds lying about the mansion. And the breeze bearing the fragrance of lotuses growing in water and (of those growing on land) ministered unto the pleasure and happiness of the Pandavas. And Maya having constructed such a palatial hall within fourteen months, reported its completion unto Yudhishthira.
Source: The Mahabharata-book-2-Sabha-Parva
One cubit means about 18 inches or 44 cm, though there was a long cubit of about 21 inches or 52 cm. दशकिष्कुसहस्राणि .
Photo: Giampaolo Tomassetti
Original sanskrit text
तत्र गत्वा स जग्राह गदां शङ्खं च भारत।
`तस्माद्गिरेरुपादाय शिलाः सुरुचिरावहाः’।
स्फाटिकं च सभाद्रव्यं यदासीद्वृषपर्वणः।।
किङ्करैः सह रक्षोभिर्यदरक्षन्महद्धनम्।
तदगृह्णान्मयस्तत्र गत्वा सर्वं महाऽसुरः।।
तदाहृत्य च तां चक्रे सोऽसुरोऽप्रतिमां सभाम्।
विश्रुतां त्रिषु लोकेषु दिव्यां मणिमयीं शुभाम्।।
गदां च भीमसेनाय प्रवरां प्रददौ तदा।
देवदत्तं चार्जुनाय शङ्खप्रवरमुत्तमम्।।
यस्य शङ्खस्य नादेन भूतानि प्रचकम्पिरे।
`स कालं कञ्चिदाश्वस्य विश्वकर्मा विचिन्त्य च।।
सभां प्रचक्रमे कर्तुं पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्।
अभिप्रायेण पार्थानां कृष्णस्य च महात्मनः।।
सर्वर्तुगुणसम्पन्नां दिव्यरूपामलङ्कृताम्।
तर्पयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान्पायसेन सहस्रशः।
सभा च सा महाराज शातकुम्भमयद्रुमा।।
दशकिष्कुसहस्राणि समन्तादायताभवत्।
यथा वह्नेर्यथार्कस्य सोमस्य च यथा सभा।।
भ्राजमाना तथाऽत्यर्थं दधार परमं वपुः।
अभिघ्नतीव प्रभया प्रभामर्कस्य भास्वराम्।।
प्रबभौ ज्वलमानेव दिव्या दिव्येन वर्चसा।
नवमेघप्रतीकाशा दिवमाकृत्य विष्ठिता।
आयता विपुला रम्या विपाप्मा विगतक्लमा ।।
उत्तमद्रव्यसम्पन्ना रत्नप्राकारतोरणा।
बहुचित्रा बहुधना सुकृता विश्वकर्मणा।।
न दाशार्ही सुधर्मा वा ब्रह्मणो वाथ तादृशी।
सभा रूपेण सम्पन्ना यां चक्रे मतिमान्मयः।।
तां स्म तत्र मयेनोक्ता रक्षन्ति च वहन्ति च।
सभामष्टौ सहस्राणि किङ्करा नाम राक्षसाः।।
अन्तरिक्षचरा घोरा महाकाया महाबलाः।
रक्ताक्षाः पिङ्गलाक्षाश्च शुक्तिकर्णाः प्रहारिणः।।
तस्यां सभायां नलिनीं चकाराप्रतिमां मयः।
वैदूर्यपत्रविततां मणिनालमयाम्बुजाम्।।
पद्मसौगन्धिकवतीं नानाद्विजगणायुताम्।
पुष्पितैः पङ्कजैश्चित्रां कूर्मैर्मत्स्यैश्च काञ्चनैः।
चित्रस्फटिकसोपानां निष्पङ्कसलिलां शुभाम्।।
मन्दानिलसमुद्धूतां मुक्ताबिन्दुभिराचिताम्।
महामणिशिलापट्टबद्धपर्यन्तवेदिकाम्।।
मणिरत्नचितां तां तु केचिदभ्येत्य पार्थिवाः।
दृष्ट्वापि नाभ्यजानन्त तेऽज्ञानात्प्रपतन्त्युत ।।
तां सभामभितो नित्यं पुष्पवन्तो महाद्रुमाः।
आसन्नानाविधा लोलाः शीतच्छाया मनोरमाः।।
काननानि सुगन्धीनि पुष्करिण्यश्च सर्वशः।
हंसकारण्डवोपेताश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः।।
जलजानां च पद्मानां स्थलजानां च सर्वशः।
मारुतो गन्धमादाय पाण्डवान्स्म निषेवते।।
ईदृशीं तां सभां कृत्वा मासैः परिचतुर्दशैः।
निष्ठितां धर्मराजाय मयो राजन्न्यवेदयत्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते सभापर्वणि तृतीयोऽध्यायः।। 3।।