Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) (31 page)

‘One day, the illustrious rishi Vashishtha went there to the Bharatas and at his approach, they respectfully and dutifully paid him homage. All the Bharatas then offered the radiant rishi welcoming gifts and honoured him. He lived there for eight years and the king himself then requested him to be their priest, so that they might regain their kingdom. Vashishtha agreed to this by saying “Om” to the Bharatas. We have heard that he instated the Pourava
¹⁸²
as the emperor of all the Kshatriyas, like the tusk
¹⁸³
of the entire expansive
earth. The descendant of Bharata was established in his former supreme capital. With his great strength, he conquered the earth once more. Samvarana, the descendant of Ajamidha, performed many great sacrifices in which a lot of alms were given. Through Tapati, the daughter of Surya, Samvarana had a son named Kuru. Since Kuru was learned in the way of dharma, all the subjects instated him as their king. It is after his name that Kurujangala
¹⁸⁴
has become so famous in the world. The great ascetic made Kurukshetra a sacred place through his austerities there. We have heard that Ashvavana, Abhishyanta, Chitraratha, Muni and the famous Janamejaya
¹⁸⁵
were his five sons, through the intelligent Vahini. Abhishyanta begot Parikshit,
¹⁸⁶
the powerful Shabalashva, Abhiraja, Viraja, the immensely strong Shalmali, Uchchaishrava,
¹⁸⁷
Bhadrakara and Jitari as the eighth. Seven more immensely strong sons were born in this lineage—Janamejaya and the others. They were learned and famous for the qualities of their deeds. Parikshit had sons who were learned in dharma and artha—Kakshasena, Ugrasena, the immensely valorous Chitrasena, Indrasena, Sushena and Bhimasena. Janamejaya’s sons were famous on earth because they were very strong—Dhritarashtra who was born first, Pandu, Bahlika, the immensely energetic Nishada, the powerful Jambunada, Kundodara, Padati and Vasati as the eighth. All of them were skilled in dharma and artha and were always engaged in the welfare of all beings. Dhritarashtra became the king and his sons were Kundika, Hasti, Vitarka, Kratha, Kundala as the fifth, Havishrava, Indrabha and the invincible Sumanyu. O bull among the Bharata lineage! Pratipa had three sons—Devapi, Shantanu and the maharatha Bahlika. Urged by a desire for dharma and welfare, Devapi became a hermit. Shantanu and the maharatha Bahlika obtained the earth. Many other maharathas and supreme and righteous kings were born in the Bharata lineage, equal to gods and rishis. In this way, many
maharathas were born in Manu’s lineage. They were the equals of the gods themselves. Their numbers extended Ila’s lineage.’

Janamejaya said, ‘O Brahmana! I have now heard from you the great origins of my ancestors. I have also heard about the noble kings who were born in my lineage. But I am still not satisfied with this account that I love, because it is too brief. Therefore, narrate it to me in greater detail—the divine account from Prajapati Manu onwards. Who will not find pleasure in hearing of such a sacred lineage? There is abundant and established fame in the three worlds about the qualities, righteousness, greatness, strength, influence, valour, energy and perseverance of these men. I am not satisfied with what I have heard of this history, which is like the taste of amrita.’

Vaishampayana said, ‘O king! Then listen to the complete and pure history of your lineage as I recite it, exactly as I had heard it from Dvaipayana. From Daksha, Aditi. From Aditi, Vivasvat. From Vivasvat, Manu. From Manu, Ila. From Ila, Pururava. From Pururava, Ayus. From Ayus, Nahusha. From Nahusha, Yayati. Yayati had two wives—Vrishaparva’s daughter was Sharmishtha and Ushanasha’s daughter was Devayani. There is the account that Devayani gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu and Sharmishtha, Vrishaparva’s daughter, gave birth to Druhyu, Anu and Puru. From Yadu, the Yadavas. From Puru, the Pouravas. Puru’s wife was Koushalya. Through her, he had a son named Janamejaya. He performed three horse sacrifices and after performing the sacrifice known as
vishvajita
,
¹⁸⁸
retired to the forest. Yayati married Ananta, the daughter of Madhava. From this was born Prachinvata. He conquered the regions of the east, right up to where the sun rises and thus his name.
¹⁸⁹
Prachinvata married Ashmaki and she gave
birth to Samyati. Samyati married Drishadvat’s daughter Varangi and she gave birth to Ahampati. Ahampati married Kritavirya’s daughter Bhanumati and she gave birth to Sarvabhouma. Sarvabhouma conquered and carried off Sunanda, daughter of Kekaya, and she gave birth to Jayatsena. Jayatsena married Sushrava from the Vidarbha region and she gave birth to Arachina. Arachina married Maryada, also from the Vidarbha region, and she gave birth to Mahabhouma. Mahabhouma married Prasenjit’s daughter Suyajna and she gave birth to Ayutanayi. He was so named because he performed a sacrifice where one ayuta
¹⁹⁰
of human sacrifices were made. Ayutanayi married Prithushrava’s daughter Bhasa and she gave birth to Akrodhana. Akrodhana married Karandu from the Kalinga region and she gave birth to Devatithi. Devatithi married Maryada from the Videha region and she gave birth to Richa. Richa married Sudeva from the Anga region and she gave birth to Riksha. Riksha married Takshaka’s daughter Jvala and through her had a son named Matinara. Matinara performed a sacrifice on the banks of the Sarasvati for twelve years. When the sacrifice was over, Sarasvati herself came to him and chose him as her husband. Through her, he had a son named Tamsu. On this, there is a saying that Sarasvati gave birth to a son named Tamsu from Matinara and through Kalindi, Tamsu gave birth to a son named Ilina.

‘Ilina had five sons through Rathantari; Duhshanta was the eldest. Duhshanta married Visvamitra’s daughter Shakuntala and she gave birth to Bharata. On this, there are two shlokas.

The mother is only a leather bag.
¹⁹¹
The son who is born from the father is the father himself. O Duhshanta! Maintain your son and do not forsake Shakuntala.

O king of men! A son who has sperm rescues one from Yama’s abode.
¹⁹²
You are the father who has planted this embryo. Shakuntala has spoken the truth.

Hence his name was Bharata. Bharata married Sarvasena’s daughter Sunanda, from the Kashi region. She gave birth to Bhumanyu. Bhumanyu married Dasarha’s daughter Vijaya and she gave birth to Suhotra. Suhotra married Suvarna of the Ikshvaku lineage and she gave birth to Hasti. He established this city of Hastinapura, which is why it was named Hastinapura. Hasti married Yashodhara from the Trigarta region and she gave birth to Vikunthana. Vikunthana married Sudeva from the Dasarha region and she gave birth to Ajamidha. Ajamidha had 2400 sons through Kaikeyi, Nagi, Gandhari, Vimala and Riksha. Each became a king and established a dynasty. Among them, Samvarana was the one who carried the lineage forward. Samvarana married Tapati, Vivasvat’s daughter, and she gave birth to Kuru. Kuru married Subhagi from the Dasarha region and she gave birth to Viduratha. Viduratha married Sanpriya, daughter of Madhava and she gave birth to Arugvata. Arugvata married Amrita from the Magadha region and she gave birth to Parikshit. Parikshit married Bahuda’s daughter Suyasa and she gave birth to Bhimasena. Bhimasena married Sukumari of the Kekaya region and she gave birth to Paryashrava, also known as Pratipa. Pratipa married Shibi’s daughter Sunanda and through her had sons named Devapi, Shantanu and Bahlika.

‘Devapi retired to the forest when he was still a child. Shantanu then became the king. There is a saying about this. “Those who were touched with his hands felt extreme pleasure and became young again. Therefore, he was known as Shantanu.”
¹⁹³
Thus, he was known as Shantanu. Shantanu married Bhagirathi Ganga and she gave birth to Devavrata, who later came to be known as Bhishma. To do that which would bring pleasure to his father, Devavrata got him married to Satyavati. She became his mother and she was also known as Gandhakali. Before that, while she was still a virgin, she had a son named Dvaipayana through Parashara. She bore two more sons to Shantanu, Vichitravirya and Chitrangada. But before reaching manhood, Chitrangada was killed by a gandharva and Vichitravirya
then became the king. Vichitravirya married two daughers born to the king of Kashi through his wife Kousalya—Ambika and Ambalika. However, Vichitravirya died childless. Then Satyavati began to worry that Duhshanta’s lineage would become extinct. She thought of the rishi Dvaipayana and he appeared before her and asked, “What is your command?” She told him, “Your brother Vichitravirya has gone to heaven childless. For his sake, be the father of righteous children.” Dvaipayana agreed and was the father to three sons—Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura. Of these, because of a boon granted by Dvaipayana, Dhritarashtra had 100 sons through his wife Gandhari. Four of Dhritarashtra’s sons were chief—Duryodhana, Duhshasana, Vikarna and Chitrasena.

‘Pandu had two gems among women as his wives—Kunti and Madri. One day, Pandu went out for a hunt and saw a rishi, in the form of a stag, uniting with a doe. He shot him with an arrow while he was still mounted on the doe, in a state of lust, but without his desire having been satiated. Wounded by the arrow, he told Pandu, “You follow dharma and you know the pleasure that comes from satisfaction of desire. But you have killed me before my desire was satiated. Therefore, you will also be united with the five elements
¹⁹⁴
in a similar state, before your desire is satiated.” Pandu paled on hearing this curse and from that time, stayed away from uniting with his wives. He told them, “This is the result of my own folly. But I have heard that in the hereafter there are no worlds for those who are childless.” Therefore, he asked Kunti to bear children for him and accordingly Kunti bore children. Through Dharma, Yudhishthira. Through Marut, Bhima. Through Shakra, Arjuna. Pandu was pleased and said, “Your co-wife doesn’t have children either. Let the right offspring also be fathered on her.” Kunti agreed and Nakula and Sahadeva were then fathered on Madri through the Ashvins. One day, Pandu saw Madri dressed in her ornaments and his desire was stirred. But he died as soon as he touched her. Then Madri ascended the funeral pyre with him, requesting Kunti to affectionately rear the twins.

‘Later, ascetics took the five Pandavas and Kunti to Hastinapura and introduced them to Bhishma and Vidura. An attempt was made to burn them in the house of lac, but this failed, because of Vidura’s counsel. After this, Hidimba was killed and they went to a place named Ekachakra. In Ekachakra, they killed a rakshasa named Baka and then went to the capital of Panchala. Thereafter, they obtained Droupadi as their wife and returned to their own country, in good health. They had skilled sons—Yudhishthira had Prativindhya, Vrikodara
¹⁹⁵
had Sutasoma, Arjuna had Shrutakirti, Nakula had Shatanika and Sahadeva had Shrutakarmana. In a
svayamvara
,
¹⁹⁶
Yudhishthira obtained Devika as his wife. She was the daughter of Govasana of the Shibi lineage and through her he had a son named Youdheya. Through a
viryashulka
¹⁹⁷
marriage, Bhima obtained as his wife Baladhara, the daughter of the king of Kashi. Through her, he had a son named Sarvaga. Arjuna went to Dvaravati and obtained Vasudeva’s sister Subhadra as his wife. Through her, he had a son named Abhimanyu. Nakula had Karenumati from the Chedi region as his wife and through her had a son named Niramitra. In a svayamvara, Sahadeva obtained Vijaya, daughter of the king of Madra, as his wife and had a son named Suhotra. Before this, Bhima had a son named Ghatotkacha through the rakshasa Hidimba. These are the eleven sons of the Pandavas.

‘Abhimanyu married Virata’s daughter Uttara. She gave birth to a stillborn child. On the command of Vasudeva, supreme among men, Pritha
¹⁹⁸
accepted him in her arms. He said, “I will instill life into this embryo that is six months old.” Having revived him, he said, “He was born in a lineage that was diminished.
¹⁹⁹
Therefore,
he will be known as Parikshit.” Parikshit married Madravati and she gave birth to Janamejaya.
²⁰⁰
Through Vapushtama, Janamejaya had two sons named Shatanika and Shanku. Shatanika had a son named Ashvamedhadatta, through a wife from the Videha region. Thus the lineage of Puru and Pandu has been recounted. He who hears about Puru’s lineage is freed from all sin.’

Vaishampayana said, ‘There was once a king named Mahabhisha. He was born in the Ikshvaku lineage and was a lord of the earth. He was always truthful and truly valorous. He pleased the lord of the gods through 1000 horse sacrifices and 100
vajapeya
²⁰¹
sacrifices and thus attained heaven.

‘One day, the gods went to pay homage to Brahma. Many rajarshis and King Mahabhisha were also present. Ganga, the best of the rivers, also came to pay homage to the grandfather. Her garments, as white as moonlight, were blown away by the wind and immediately the masses of gods lowered their faces. However, rajarshi Mahabhisha continued to stare unabashedly at the river. Because of this, Mahabhisha was cursed by the illustrious Brahma. “You will be born on earth and then you will again regain these worlds.” The king then thought about all the kings and ascetics on earth and chose the immensely radiant Pratipa as his father. On seeing King Mahabhisha lose his composure, the best of the rivers went away, thinking about him in her mind. Along her path, she saw the divine vasus. They were crestfallen and dark with despair at having been dislodged from heaven.

‘On seeing them in that state, the great river asked, “O residents of heaven! Why are your forms destroyed? Why are you in despair?”
The divine vasus replied, “O great river! We have been severely cursed by the great-souled Vashishtha for a minor transgression. Not seen by us, that supreme of rishis was engaged in his twilight rites and in our folly we crossed him. In his anger, he cursed us that we would be born in a womb. It is not possible to negate what the brahman-knowing one has said. Therefore, become a woman on earth and bear the vasus as your sons. We cannot enter the womb of an impure woman.” Having been thus addressed, Ganga agreed and asked, “Which supreme man will be your father?” The vasus replied, “In the world of men, a son will be born to Pratipa. He will be King Shantanu, devoted to dharma, and he will be our father.” Ganga said, “O unblemished gods! I was thinking exactly the same. I will do that which brings pleasure to him and also satisfy your wishes.” The vasus replied, “O revered one who dwells in the three worlds!
²⁰²
You must hurl your sons into the water as soon as they are born, so that we are quickly freed and don’t suffer for a long time.” Ganga said, “I will do what you wish. But so that my union with him is not completely fruitless, let one son remain with him.” The vasus replied, “Each one of us will offer one-eighth of our respective energies. From that, a son will be born to you and will live according to your desires. But he will have no children on earth. Therefore, this valorous son of yours will remain without a son.” Making this agreement with Ganga, the vasus happily went away to the place where they dwelt.’