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
"'And during his rule there were no men of mixed castes, no tillers of the
soil (for the land, of itself, yielded produce), no workers of mines (for
the surface of the earth yielded in abundance), and no sinful men. All
were virtuous, and did everything from virtuous motives, O tiger among men.
There was no fear of thieves, O dear one, no fear of famine, no fear of
disease. And all four orders took pleasure in doing their respective
duties and never performed religious acts for obtaining fruition of
desires. And his subjects, depending upon him, never entertained any fear.
And Parjanya (Indra) poured showers at the proper time, and the produce of
the fields was always pulpy and juicy. And the earth was full of all kinds
of wealth and all kinds of animals. And the Brahmanas were always engaged
in their duties and they were always truthful. And the youthful monarch
was endued with wonderful prowess and a physical frame hard as the
thunderbolt, so that he could, taking up the mountain Mandara with its
forests and bushes, support it on his arms. And he was well-skilled in
four kinds of encounters with the mace (hurling it at foes at a distance,
striking at those that are near, whirling it in the midst of many, and
driving the foe before). And he was skilled also in the use of all kinds
of weapons and in riding elephants and horses. And in strength he was like
unto Vishnu, in splendour like unto the maker of day, in gravity like unto
the ocean, and in patience, like unto the earth. And the monarch was loved
by all his subjects, and he ruled his contented people virtuously.'"
SECTION LXIX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Janamejaya said, 'I desire to hear from thee about the birth and life of
the high-souled Bharata and of the origin of Sakuntala. And, O holy one, I
also desire to hear all about Dushmanta--that lion among men--and how the
hero obtained Sakuntala. It behoveth thee, O knower of truth and the first
of all intelligent men, to tell me everything.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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