"Sauti continued, 'I will now speak of the undying flowery and
fruitful productions of this tree, possessed of pure and pleasant taste,
and not to be destroyed even by the immortals. Formerly, the spirited
and virtuous Krishna-Dwaipayana, by the injunctions of Bhishma, the
wise son of Ganga and of his own mother, became the father of three
boys who were like the three fires by the two wives of Vichitra-virya ; and having thus raised up Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura, he return-
ed to his recluse abode to prosecute his religious exercise.
It was not till after these were born, grown up, and departed on
the supreme journey, that the great Rishi Vyasa published the Bharata
in this region of mankind ; when being solicited by Janamejaya and
thousands of Brahmanas, he instructed his disciple Vaisampayana, who
was seated near him ; and he, sitting together with the Sadasyas, recited
the Bharata, during the intervals of the ceremonies of the sacrifice,
being repeatedly urged to proceed.
Vyasa hath fully represented the greatness of the house of Euru,
the virtuous principles of Gandhari, the wisdom of Vidura, and the
constancy of Kunti. The noble Rishi hath also described the divinity
of Vasudeva, the rectitude of the sons of Pandu, and the evil practices
of the sons and partisans of Dhritarashtra.
Vyasa executed the compilation of the Bharata, exclusive of the
episodes originally in twenty-four thousand verses ; and so much only
is called by the learned as the Bharata. Afterwards, he composed an
epitome in one hundred and fifty verses, consisting of the introduction
with the chapter of contents. This he first taught to his son Suka ; and
afterwards he gave it to others of his disciples who were possessed of the
same qualifications. After that he executed another compilation, con-
sisting of six hundred thousand verses. Of those, thirty hundred thou-
sand are known in the world of the Devas ; fifteen hundred thousand
in the world of the Pitris : fourteen hundred thousand among the
Gandharvas, and one hundred thousand in the regions of mankind.
Narada recited them to the Deves, Devala to the Pitris, and Suka
published them to the Ganclharvas, Yakshas, and Rakshasas : and in this world they were recited by Vaisampayana, one of the disciples of
Vyasa, a man of just principles and the first among all those acquainted
with the Vedas. Know that I, Sauti, have also repeated one hundred
thousand verses. Tudhishthira is a vast tree, formed of religion and virtue ; Arjuna
is its trunk ; Bhimasena, its branches ; the two sons of Madri are its full-
grown fruit and flowers ; and its roots are Krishna, Brahma, and the
Brahmanas.
Pandu, after having subdued many countries by his wisdom and
prowess, took up his abode with the Munis in a certain forest as a sports-
man, where he brought upon himself a very severe misfortune for having
killed a stag coupling with its mate, which served as a warning for the
conduct of the princes of his house as long as they lived. Their
mothers, in order that the ordinances of the law might be fulfilled,
admitted as substitutes to their embraces the gods Dharma, Vayu, Sakra,
and the divinities the twin Aswins. And when their offspring grew
up, under the care of their two mothers, in the society of ascetics, in
the midst of sacred groves and holy recluse-abodes of religious men, they
were conducted by Rishis into the presence of Dhritarashtra and his
sons, following as students in the habit of Brahmacharis, having their
hair tied in knots on their heads. 'These our pupils', said they, 'are as your sons, your brothers, and your friends ; they are Pandav as.' Saying
this, the Munis disappeared.
When the Kauravas saw them introduced as the sons of Pandu,
the distinguished class of citizens shouted exceedingly for joy. Some,
however, said, they were not the sons of Pandu ; others said, they
were ; while a few asked how they could be his offspring, seeing he had
been so long dead. Still on all sides voices were heard crying, 'They are on all accounts welcome ! Through divine Providence we behold the
family of Pandu ! Let their welcome be proclaimed !' As these
acclamations ceased, the plaudits of invisible spirits, causing every point
of the heavens to resound, were tremendous. There were showers of
sweet-scented flowers, and the sound of shells and kettle-drums. Such
were the wonders that happened on the arrival of the young princes.
The joyful noise of all the citizens, in expression of their satisfaction on
the occasion, was so great that it reached the very heavens in magnify-
ing plaudits.
Having studied the whole of the Vedas and sundry other shastras,
the Pandavas resided there, respected by all and without apprehension
from any one.