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 Devapi, while still
a boy, entered the woods as a hermit. And Santanu became king. Here occurs
a sloka in respect of Santanu.
"'"Those old men that were touched by this monarch not only felt an
indescribable sensation of pleasure but also became restored to youth.
Therefore, this monarch was called Santanu."
"'And Santanu married Ganga, who bore him a son Devavrata who was
afterwards called Bhishma. And Bhishma, moved by the desire of doing good
to his father, got him married to Satyavati who was also called Gandhakali.
And in her maidenhood she had a son by Parasara, named Dwaipayana. And
upon her Santanu begat two other sons named Chitrangada and Vichitravirya.
And before they attained to majority, Chitrangada had been slain by the
Gandharvas. But Vichitravirya became king, and married the two daughters
of the king of Kasi, named Amvika and Amvalika. But Vichitravirya died
childless. Then Satyavati began to think as to how the dynasty of
Dushmanta might be perpetuated. Then she recollected the Rishi Dwaipayana.
The latter coming before her, asked, "What are thy commands?" She said,
"Thy brother Vichitravirya hath gone to heaven childless. Beget virtuous
children for him." Dwaipayana, consenting to this, begat three children,
viz., Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura. King Dhritarashtra had a hundred
sons by his wife, Gandhari, in consequence of the boon granted by
Dwaipayana. And amongst those hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, four became
celebrated. They are Duryodhana, Duhsasana, Vikarna, and Chitrasena. And
Pandu had two jewels of wives, viz., Kunti, also called Pritha, and Madri.
One day Pandu, while out a-hunting, saw a deer covering its mate. That was
really a Rishi in the form of a deer. Seeing the deer in that attitude, he
killed it with his arrows, before its desire was gratified. Pierced with
the king's arrow, the deer quickly changed its form and became a Rishi,
and said unto Pandu, "O Pandu, thou art virtuous and acquainted also with
the pleasure derived from the gratification of one's desire. My desire
unsatisfied, thou hast slain me! Therefore, thou also, when so engaged and
before thou art gratified, shalt die!" Pandu, hearing this curse, became
pale, and from that time would not go in unto his wives. And he told them
these words, "Through my own fault, I have been cursed! But I have heard
that for the childless there are no regions hereafter." Therefore, he
solicited Kunti to have offspring raised for him. And Kunti said, "Let it
be." So she raised up offspring. By Dharma she had Yudhishthira; by Maruta,
Bhima: and by Sakra, Arjuna. And Pandu, well-pleased with her, said, "This
thy co-wife is also childless. Therefore, cause her also to bear children."
Kunti saying, "So be it," imparted unto Madri the mantra of invocation.
And on Madri were raised by the twin Aswins, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva.
And (one day) Pandu, beholding Madri decked with ornaments, had his desire
kindled. And, as soon as he touched her, he died.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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