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
"'Soon after Satyavati, O chastiser of foes, summoned Vyasa, after having
secured the assent of her daughter-in-law. Vyasa came according to his
promise, and approached, as before, the second wife of his brother. And
Ambalika beholding the Rishi, became pale with fear. And, O Bharata,
beholding her so afflicted and pale with fear, Vyasa addressed her and
said, "Because thou hast been pale with fear at the sight of my grim
visage, therefore, thy child shall be pale in complexion. O thou of
handsome face, the name also thy child shall bear will be Pandu (the
pale)." Saying this, the illustrious and best of Rishis came out of her
chamber. And as he came out, he was met by his mother who asked him about
the would-be-child. The Rishi told her that the child would be of pale
complexion and known by the name of Pandu. Satyavati again begged of the
Rishi another child, and the Rishi told her in reply, "So be it."
Ambalika, then, when her time came, brought forth a son of pale
complexion. Blazing with beauty the child was endued with all auspicious
marks. Indeed, it was this child who afterwards became the father of
those mighty archers, the Pandavas.
"'Some time after, when the oldest of Vichitravirya's widows again had her
monthly season, she was solicited by Satyavati to approach Vyasa once
again. Possessed of beauty like a daughter of a celestial, the princess
refused to do her mother-in-law's bidding, remembering the grim visage and
strong odour of the Rishi. She, however, sent unto him a maid of hers,
endued with the beauty of an Apsara and decked with her own ornaments. And
when the Vyasa arrived, the maid rose up and saluted him. And she waited
upon him respectfully and took her seat near him when asked. And, O king,
the great Rishi of rigid vows, was well-pleased with her, and when he rose
to go away, he addressed her and said, "Amiable one, thou shalt no longer
be a slave. Thy child also shall be greatly fortunate and virtuous, and
the foremost of all intelligent men on earth!" And, O king, the son thus
begotten upon her by Krishna-Dwaipayana was afterwards known by the name
of Vidura. He was thus the brother of Dhritarashtra and the illustrious
Pandu. And Vidura was free from desire and passion and was conversant with
the rules of government, and was the god of justice born on earth under
the curse of the illustrious Rishi Mandavya. And Krishna-Dwaipayana, when
he met his mother as before, informed her as to how he had been deceived
by the seniormost of the princesses and how he had begotten a son upon a
Sudra woman. And having spoken thus unto his mother the Rishi disappeared
from her sight.
"'Thus were born, in the field of Vichitravirya, even of Dwaipayana those
sons of the splendour of celestial children, those propagators of the Kuru
race.'"
SECTION CVII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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