The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"'Know also, O monarch, that the mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna was a
portion of Agni. And know also that Sikhandin, who was at first a female,
was (the incarnation of) a Rakshasa. And, O bull in Bharata's race, they
who became the five sons of Draupadi, those bulls amongst the Bharata
princes, were the celestials known as the Viswas. Their names were
Pritivindhya, Sutasoma, Srutakirti, Satanika, Nakula, and Srutasena,
endued with mighty energy.
"'Sura, the foremost of the Yadus, was the father of Vasudeva. He had a
daughter called Pritha, who for her beauty, was unrivalled on earth. And
Sura, having promised in the presence of fire that he would give his
firstborn child to Kuntibhoja, the son of his paternal aunt, who was
without offspring, gave his daughter unto the monarch in expectation of
his favours. Kuntibhoja thereupon made her his daughter. And she became,
thenceforth, in the house of her (adoptive) father, engaged in attending
upon Brahmanas and guests. One day she had to wait upon the wrathful
ascetic of rigid vows, Durvasa by name, acquainted with truth and fully
conversant with the mysteries of religion. And Pritha with all possible
care gratified the wrathful Rishi with soul under complete control. The
holy one, gratified with the attentions bestowed on him by the maiden,
told her, "I am satisfied, O fortunate one, with thee! By this mantra
(that I am about to give thee), thou shall be able to summon (to thy side)
whatever celestials thou likest. And, by their grace, shall thou also
obtain children." Thus addressed, the girl (a little while after), seized
with curiosity, summoned, during the period of her maiden-hood, the god
Surya. And the lord of light thereupon made her conceive and begot on her
a son who became the first of all wielders of weapons. From fear of
relatives she brought forth in secrecy that child who had come out with
ear-rings and coat of mail. And he was gifted with the beauty of a
celestial infant, and in splendour was like unto the maker of day himself.
And every part of his body was symmetrical and well-adorned. And Kunti
cast the handsome child into the water. But the child thus thrown into the
water was taken up by the excellent husband of Radha and given by him to
his wife to be adopted by her as their son. And the couple gave him the
name of Vasusena, by which appellation the child soon became known all
over the land. And, as he grew up, he became very strong and excelled in
all weapons. The first of all successful persons, he soon mastered the
sciences. And when the intelligent one having truth for his strength
recited the Vedas, there was nothing he would not then give to the
Brahmanas. At that time Indra, the originator of all things, moved by the
desire of benefiting his own son Arjuna, assumed the guise of a Brahmana,
came to him, and begged of the hero his ear-rings and natural armour. And
the hero taking off his ear-rings and armour gave them unto the Brahmana.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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