Sambhava Parva — History of Yayati

Janamejaya said : O Brahmana, I have heard from you the great history of my ancestors. I have also heard from you about the great kings that were born in my dynasty.

But I am not still satiated with this charming account, for it is so short. Therefore, narrate to me in detail. This delightful history, commencing from Prajapati Manu. Who will not feel delight in hearing such an account, sacred as it is.

The fame of these monarchs covered the three on account of their wisdom, virtue, accomplishments and high characters.

Having heard of their liberality, prowess, physical strength, mental vigour, energy and perseverance, this history, sweet as ambrosia, I have not been satiated.

Vaishampayana said : O king, hear the auspicious history, of your own race as I recite it to you in detail and just as I heard it before from Dvaipayana.

Daksha, begot Aditi, Aditi begot Vivasvat. Vivasvat begot Manu. Manu begot lla. Ila begot Pururava, Pururava begot Ayusha, Ayusha begot Nahusha, Nahusha begot Yayati, Yayati had two wives, namely Devayani, the daughter of Ushanas (Shukra) and Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva.

This is a Sloka about this line-Devayani gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu; and Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva, gave birth to Druhyu, Anu and Puru.

From Yadu, the Yadavas were descended and from Puru and Pauravas.

Puru had a wife, named Kaushalya and he begot on her a son named Janamejaya. He performed three great Horse-sacrifices and a sacrifice called Vishvajit. He then retired into a forest.

Janamejaya married Ananta, the daughter of Madhava. He begot on her a son, named Prachinvan. He was so called because he conquered all the countries in the east even where the sun rises.

Prachinvan married Ashmaki, the daughter of the Yadavas and she gave birth to a son, named Sanyati.

Sanyati married Varangi, the daughter of Drishadvata and she gave birth to a son called Ahamyati.

Ahamyati married Bhanumati, the daughter of Kritavirya and he begot on her a son, named Sarvabhauma.

Sarvabhauma married Sunanda, the daughter of Kekaya who was taken by force and she gave birth to a son, named Jayatsena.

Jayatsena married Sushrava, the daughter of the Vidarbha king and she gave birth to a son, named Avachina.

Avachina married another princess of the Vidharbha kings, called Maryada and she gave birth to a son, named Ariha.

Ariha married Angi and she gave birth to a son, named Mahabhauma.

Mahabhauma married Suyajna, the daughter of Prasenjit and she gave birth to a son, named Ayutanayi. He was so called, because he performed a sacrifice in which the fat of one Ayuta male beings was required.

Ayutanayi married Kama, the daughter of Prithushrava and she gave birth to a son, called Akrodhana.

Akrodhana married Karambha, the daughter of the king of Kalinga and she gave birth to a son, called Devatithi.

Devatithi married Maryada, the princess of Videha and she gave birth to a son, named Ariha.

Ariha married Sudeva, the princess of Anga and she gave birth to a son, Riksha.

Riksha married Jvala, the daughter of Takshaka and she gave birth to a son, named Matinara.

Matinara performed the most efficacious twelve years' sacrifice on the banks of the Sarasvati. At the conclusion of the sacrifice, the Sarasvati herself appeared before him and chose him as her husband. He begot on her a son, named Tansu.

Here is Sloka describing Tansu's descendants. Tansu begot on his wife, the princess of Kalinga, a son, named Ilina.

Ilana begot on his wife, Rathantari, five sons, Dushyanta being the eldest of them.

Dushyanta married Shakuntala, the daughter of Vishvamitra and she gave birth to a son, named Bharata.

Here are two Slokas, describing the descendants of Bharata. "O Dushyanta, the mother is but a sheath of flesh (within which the son dwells). The son sprung from the father is the father himself. Therefore, cherish your son. Do not insult Shakuntala.

"O best of men, the son, begotten by one's own self, rescues him from the abode of Yama. You are the father of this son. Shakuntala has spoken the truth."

It is for this reason he was called Bharata. Bharata married Sunanda, the daughter of Sarvasena, the king of Kashi and she gave birth to a son, called Bhumanyu.

Bhumanyu married Vijaya, the daughter of Dasarha and she gave birth to a son, named Suhotra.

Suhotra married Suvarna, the daughter of Ikshaku and she gave birth to a son, named Hasti, who founded this city, called after his name Hastinapur.

Hasti married Yashodhara, the princess of Trigarta and she gave birth to a son, named Vikunthana.

Vikunthana married Sudeva, the princess of Dasarha and she gave birth to a son, named Ajamidha.

Ajamidha had four wives, namely Kaikeyi, Gandhari, Vishala and Riksha and he begot on them two thousands and one hundred sons. And Amongst them all, Samvarana became the perpetuator of the dynasty,

Samvarana married Tapati, the daughter of Vivasvata and she gave birth to a son, named Kuru.

Kuru married Shubhangi, the princess of Dasarha and she gave birth to a son, named Vidura.

Vidura married Sungpriya, the daughter of Madhava and she gave birth to a son, named Anashva.

Anashva married Amrita, the daughter of the Magadhas and she gave birth to a son, named Parikshit.

Parikshit married Suyasha, the daughter of Vahuda and she gave birth to a son, named Bhimasena.

Bhimasena married Kumari, the princess of Kekaya and she gave birth to a son, named Pratishrava.

Pratishrava begot Pratipa; Pratipa married Sunanda, the daughter of Sibi and she gave birth to three sons, namely Devapi, Shantanu and Balhika.

Devapi retired into a forest as a hermit when he was still a boy. Therefore, Shantanu became king.

Here occurs a Sloka, describing Shantanu. "Those that were touched by this king with his hands, felt indescribable pleasure. They became restored to youth. Therefore, this king was called Shantanu."

Shantanu married Ganga and she gave birth to a son, named Devavrata, who was afterwards called Bhishma.

Bhishma, being desirous of doing good to his father, got him married to Satyavati, who was also called Gandhakali.

In her maidenhood she gave birth to a son by Parashara, named Dvaipayana. Shantanu begot two more sons on her.

Namely Vichitravirya and Chitrangada. But before they attained to their youth, Chitrangada was killed by the Gandharvas. Therefore, Vichitravirya became king.

Vichitravirya married the two daughters of the king of Kashi born of Kaushalya, named Amyika and Ambalika.

Vichitravirya died childless. Thereupon, Satyavati began to think how the dynasty of Dushyanta might be perpetuated.

She then thought of Rishi Dvaipayana in her mind. He stood before her and said, "What are you commands?”'

She told him, “Your brother Vichitravirya has gone to heaven childless. Beget virtuous children for him.”

Dvaipayana consented to do it and he begot three sons, namely Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura.

The king Dhritarashtra begot one hundred sons on his wife Gandhari on account of the boon granted by Dvaipayana.

Amongst those one hundred sons, four became famous; (they were) Duryodhana, Dushasana, Vikarna and Chitrasena.

Pandu had two best jewels of wives, namely Kunti, also called Pritha and Madri.

Pandu one day went to hunt and saw a deer with its mate. It was s Rishi in the form of a deer. He killed it with his arrow in that state, when his desire was not satiated.

Wounded with the arrow of the king, the deer quickly changed its form and became a Rishi. He said to Pandu, "You are virtuous and you know the pleasure derived from the gratification of one's desire. My desire is not yet satisfied, but you have killed me. Therefore, you will also die when you will be so engaged and when your desire will not be gratified.” Pandu became pale to hear this curse. And from that time he did not go to his wives.

He told them, “I have been cursed by my fault. But I have heard that there are no regions hereafter for those who are childless." Therefore, he asked Kunti to raise offspring for him. Kunti said, “Let it be so." By Dharma she had Yudhishthira, by Maruta Bhima and by Indra Arjuna.

Pandu was much pleased with her and said, “This your sister (my co-wife) is also childless. Therefore, cause her to give birth to children.” Kunti said, “Let it be so," and she imparted unto Madri the Mantra of invocation.

And Madri gave birth by the Ashvinis, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva.

One day Pandu saw Madri decked in ornaments and his desire was kindled, As soon as he touched her, he died. Thereupon, Madri ascended, his funeral pyre. She said to Kunti, “Let my twin sons be affectionately brought up by you."

Some time after, the Pandu princes, with their mother Kunti, were taken by the ascetics to Hastinapur and they were introduced to Bhishma and Vidura. After introducing them to all the orders, the ascetics disappeared in the very sight of all.

After the conclusion of the speech of these ascetics, flowers were showered down upon the place and celestial drums were beaten in the sky.

The Pandavas were, thereupon, accepted (by all). They then represented the death of their father and duly performed his obsequies. As they were brought up there in their boyhood, Duryodhana became very jealous of them.

The sinful (Duryodhana), acting like a Rakshasa, attempted by various means to drive them away, but what is to be can never be prevented.

Dhritarashtra then by an act of deception sent them to Varanavata. They also went gladly there.

An attempt was there made to burn them to death, but they were saved through the warning counsel of Vidura.

After this Hidimba was killed and they then went to a place, called Ekachakra.

They killed at Ekachakra a Rakshasa, named Baka. They then went to Panchala city.

There they obtained Draupadi as their wife and they returned to their own kingdom.

They lived in peace there (in Hastinapur) and begot sons. Yudhishthira begot Prativindhya, Bhima (begot) Sutasoma, Arjuna (begot) Shrutakirti, Nakula (begot) Shatanika and Sahadeva (begot) Shrutakarmana.

Yudhishthira obtained in Svayamvara for his wife Devika, the daughter of Govasana of the Shaivya race and he begot on her a son, named Yaudheya. Bhima also obtained for his wife Balandhara, the daughter of the king of Kashi, by offering as his dower his own great prowess. He begot on her a son, named Sarvaga.

Arjuna went to Dwarika and there he married by force the sweet-speeched Subhadra, the sister of Vasudeva (Krishna). He begot on her a son, named Abhimanyu, who was endued with all accomplishments and who was dear to Vasudeva himself.

Nakula obtained for his wife Karenumati, the princess of Chedi and he begot on her a son, named Niramitra.

Sahadeva obtained in Svayamvara Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimata, the king of Madra. He begot a son on her, named Suhotra.

Bhima begot some time before on Hidimba a son, named Ghatotkacha.

These were the eleven sons, begot by the Pandavas. Amongst them Abhimanyu was the perpetuator of the dynasty.

He married Uttara, the daughter of the king of Virata. She gave birth to a dead child, whom Pritha (Kunti) took up on her lap at the command of Krishna, who said, "I will revive this child of six months.”

Though born before time, having been burnt by the fire of the weapon (hurled by Ashvathama), though deprived of life, strength and energy, he was revived by Vasudeva and was given strength, energy and prowess. After thus making him alive, Vasudeva said, “As this child is born in an extinct race, let him be called Parikshit.” Parikshit married Madravati, your mother and she gave birth to you, Janamejaya.

You have begotten two sons on your wife Vapushtama, named Shatanika and Shankukarna. And Shatanika has also begotten a son on the princess of Videha, named Ashvamedhadatta.

Thus have I narrated to you the history of the Kuru and Pandu dynasty. It is excellent, virtue-increasing and greatly sacred. It should always be heard by the vow-observing Brahmanas and Kshatriyas devoted to the duties of their subjects. (It should be heard) also by Vaishyas with attention and with reverence by Shudras, whose chief duties are to wait upon the three other orders.

Those Brahmanas, learned in the Vedas and all those men who will recite or listen to this holy history with attention and reverence, will conquer the heaven and attain to the abode of the blessed. They will be always respected and adored by the celestials, Brahmanas and all other men.

This holy history, Bharata, has been told by the illustrious Vyasa. The Brahmanas, learned in the Vedas and all those men who hear it recited with reverence and without malice, conquer the heavens and earn great virtues. Though sinning, he is not disrespected by any.

Here occurs a sloka. “This Bharata is equal to the Vedas. It is holy and good. It gives wealth, fame and life. Therefore, it should be heard by men with great attention.”