सम्भव पर्व — पाण्डु का राज्याभिषेक

Vaishampayana said : On the birth of these three sons (Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura), Kurujangala, Kurukshetra and the Kurus grew in prosperity.

The land gave abundant harvests and the crops were juicy. The clouds showered rains at proper time and the trees became full of fruits and flowers.

The beasts of burdens were happy and the deer and the birds were exceedingly glad. The flowers became fragrant and the fruits became sweet.

The cities were filled with merchants and artisans; the people became brave, learned, honest and happy.

There were no thieves, there was none who was sinful. It seemed that Satyayuga had come over all parts of the kingdom.

The people were devoted to virtuous acts, sacrifices and the vow of the truth. Bearing love and affection for one another, they grew in prosperity.

They were free from pride, anger and covetousness; they took delight in sports which were perfectly innocent.

The holy city (Hastinapur) like the wide ocean, full of hundreds of palaces and mansions, possessing gates and arches and looking like dark clouds, appeared like the celestial capital of Indra. The people sported in great delight in the rivers, lakes, tanks, beautiful groves and woods.

The Southern Kurus, in virtuous rivalry with the Northern Kurus, walked with the Devarshis and Charanas.

None was there miserly and there was no woman who was a widow in that delightful country whose prosperity was thus increased by the Kurus.

The wells were full of water, the groves abounded with trees, the houses of Brahmanas were full of wealth and the whole kingdom was full of prosperity.

O king, thus virtuously ruled by Bhishma, the kingdom was adorned with hundreds of sacrificial stakes.

The wheel of virtue being thus set in motion by Bhishma, the country was full of increased population, people coming from other countries.

The citizens and the people were all filled with hope on seeing the achievements and behaviour of the youthful princes.

O king, in the house of the chief Kurus and in those of the people, "Give” “Eat” were the words that were constantly heard.

Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura were brought up from their birth by Bhishma, as if they were his own sons.

They passed through the usual rites of their order; they engaged themselves in study and vows; they grew up into youths, expert in athletic sports and labour.

They became expert in archery, learned in the Veda, skillful in club-fight and in using sword and shield. They were experts in horsemanship and in the management of elephants; they were learned in the science off morality.

They were acquainted with history, Puranas and with many other branches of learning. They were well-acquainted with the mystery of the Vedas and the Vedangas. The knowledge they acquired was versatile and deep.

The greatly powerful Pandu excelled all men in the science of archery. The king Dhritarashtra excelled all men in personal strength.

O king, there was none in the three worlds, who excelled Vidura in his devotion towards religion and virtue and in his knowledge of the science of morality.

On seeing the restoration of the extinct dynasty of Shantanu, the following saying became current over all countries.

"Amongst the mothers of heroes, the daughter of the king of Kashi; among all countries, Kurujangalas; among all virtuous men, Bhishma; and among all cities, Hastinapur, are the foremost. Dhritarashtra did not get the kingdom, because he was blind; and Vidura also did not get it, because he was born of a Shudra woman, therefore Pandu became king.

One day the foremost of all statesmen, the learned in all the moral precepts, the son of Ganga (Bhishma), spoke to Vidura thus.