Vaishampayana said : There was a king, ever devoted to virtue, named Uparichara. He was very much addicted to hunting.

That son of Paurava, (Uparichara) called also Vasu, directed by Indra, conquered the beautiful and excellent kingdom of Chedi.

The king, sometime after, giving up the use of arms and dwelling in a secluded retreat, practised severe asceticism. The celestials with Indra at their head one day came to the king.

Believing that he sought to be the king of the celestials by practising severe austerities, the celestials, appearing before him, succeeded with sweet words in winning him from his asceticism.

The celestials said: O king of the world, you should see that piety may not sustain a diminution in your hands. Protected by you, piety will protect the universe.

Indra said: Protect attentively and rigidly piety on earth. Protecting virtue on earth, you will see many sacred regions (in after-life).

Though I belong to heaven and you to earth, yet you are my friend and you are dear to me. O king of men, live in that place in earth which is delightful, which is full of animals, wealth and com, which is sacred, which is well-protected like heaven and which is blessed with fertility, which has agreeable climate and every object of enjoyment.

O king of Chedi, this Chedi, your kingdom, is full of riches, gems and precious stones. It contains much mineral wealth. You dwell there.

The cities in this kingdom are all devoted to virtue. The people are honest and contented. They never speak falsehood even in jest.

The sons never divide their wealth here with their fathers. They are always mindful of their parent's welfare. Lean kine are never yoked to the plough or to the cart engaged in carrying merchandise.

They are all well-fed and fat. O reverencer of the celestials, the four castes are engaged in doing their respective duties in Chedi. Let nothing in the three worlds remain unknown to you.

I shall give you an excellent and great crystal car, which the celestials alone possess and which is capable of carrying you through the sky.

You only, among all mortals on earth, will ride on that best of cars and go through the sky like a celestial, though possessing a physical body.

I shall also give you a victory producing garland of unfading lotuses, wearing which you shall not be wounded by weapons.

O king of men, this excellent, matchless and great garland, widely known as Indra's garland, will be your distinctive badge.

Vaishampayana said : The slayer of Vitra (Indra) gave him also a bamboo-stick to protect the honest and the peaceful.

After the expiration of a year, the king planted it on the ground for the purpose of worshipping the giver, (Indra.)

O king, from that day up to this day, all kings, following the example of Vasu, began to plant a bamboo-stick on the ground to worship Indra.

After planting the stick, they cover it with golden cloths, perfume it with scents and decorate it with garlands and various ornaments.

The god Indra was thus worshipped in due form with garlands and ornaments. The god, assuming the form of a swan, came himself to accept the worship thus offered. The great Indra was much pleased to see the auspicious worship thus made by Vasu, the best of kings and said to him, “ Those men and kings who will worship me,

And will observe this my festival like the king of Chedi, will gain wealth and victory for their countries and kingdoms.

Their cities will also expand and will be ever in joy.” O king, Vasu, the great monarch, was thus blessed by the high-souled chief of the celestials, Maghavat Indra. Those men, who cause this festival of Indra to be observed.

With the gifts of lands, gems and precious stones, like king Vasu, become much respected in the worlds.

Vasu, the King of Chedi, thus being blessed by Indra and bestowing boons and performing great sacrifices, continued to observe the festival of Indra. He had five greatly powerful and immeasurably effulgent sons.

The emperor (Vasu) installed his sons in many kingdoms. His illustrious son Brihadratha, a great car-warrior, was installed in the kingdom of Magadha.

His other sons were Pratyagraha and Kushamba, who was also called Manivahana. Two others were Mavella and Yadu who was greatly powerful and invincible in battle.

O king, these were the sons of that greatly effulgent royal sage. The five sons founded kingdoms and cities after their names.

And they thus created separate dynasties that lasted for long ages. When he travelled through space in the crystal car,

The Gandharvas and Apsaras came to adore that illustrious man. And because he moved through the upper regions (in his car), he was called Uparichara.

The river by name Shuktimati, which flowed by his capital, was once stopped by a living mountain called Kolahala, who was maddened by lust.

The mountain Kolahala was kicked by Vasu and the river came out of the embrace of the mountain by the indentation caused by his kick.

From this embrace of the mountain, the river gave birth to a twin, a son and a daughter and the river, grateful to Vasu, gave them both to him.

The best of royal sages and the giver of wealth and the punisher of enemies, (Vasu) made the son of the river the generalissimo of his army.

The king made the daughter of the river who was called Girika his wife; and Girika, the wife of Vasu, purifying herself by a bath when her season of impurity came, told her state to her husband. But that very day the ancestors of Vasu came to him;

And they asked that best of kings and foremost of wise men to kill deer to perform their Shraddha; and the King, thinking that the command of his ancestors should not be disobeyed,

Went out to hunt (the deer), thinking of Girika who was exceedingly beautiful and was like Sree herself.

There were in the forest in which the king went to hunt) many Ashoka, Champaka, Chutas, Atimuktas, Punnagas, Karnikaras, Bakula, Divya-patala.

Patala, Narikela, Chandana, Arjuna and various other beautiful, sacred and great trees, full of fragrant flowers and sweet fruits.

The whole forest was maddened by the sweet notes of Kokilas and echoed with the hum of intoxicated bees. It was the season of spring and the forest in which the king was roaming was as beautiful as the gardens of Kubera.

The king was filled with desire, but he did not find Girika by him. Maddened by desire the king roamed here and there; and he saw,

A beautiful Ashoka tree, decked with immense foliage and its branches so covered with flowers that they can not be seen.

The king comfortably seated himself under its cool shade and enjoyed the sweet fragrance of the flowers mixed with the fragrance of honey.

He breathed the delicious breeze blowing slowly all over the forest. He became so much semen excited. So, the semen of the king discharged in that forest.

Having discharged the semen, the king Uparichara collected that semen on the leaf of a tree, to save its utility. The king thought that his semen might not be wasted and also the time of the menses of his wife would not pass uselessly.

Thinking on it repeatedly the king Vasu firmly determinded to make the infalliable. After looking for the proper time to send it to his wife, he consecrated by mantras the semen which was very strong for the origin of any progeny.

The king, learned in the subtle truths of Dharma, Artha and Kama, saw a swift hawk resting very near him. He addressed the bird thus.

"O amiable one, take this to my wife Girika and give it to her. She is now in her season. The swift hawk took it from the king and flew rapidly through the sky.

When he was thus flying through the sky, he was seen by another hawk and thinking that he was carrying some meat he flew at him.

The two birds fought together with their beaks and when they were thus fighting, the seed fell into the waters of the Yamuna.

There in the Yamuna lived an Apsara, known by the name Adrika, who dwelt in the water of the river as a fish, as the result of the curse of Brahma on her.

The fish, Adrika, rapidly came to the spot where Vasu's seed fell from the claws of the hawk and she swallowed it at once.

Some time after, this fish (Adrika) was caught by the fisherinen. O best of the Bharata race, it was the tenth month after she swallowed the seed.

There came out from the stomach of this fish two children of human, form, one a boy and the other was a girl. The fishermen were very much astonished (to see this wonderful phenomenon) and they went to king Uparichara (Vasu).

They said, "O king, these two, (the boy and the girl) have been born in the womb of a fish. The king Uparichara took the male child.

That child became afterwards the virtuous and powerful monarch, named Matsya. The Apsara was also released from her form as soon as the children were born,

Because she had been told before by the illustrious one that she would be released from her piscatorial form after giving birth to two human children.

Now according to these words, having given birth to the two children and being killed by the fishermen, she left the form of the fish and assumed her own celestial form.

The excellent Apsara then rose on the path trodden by Siddhas. Rishis and Charanas. The fish-smelling daughter of the fish-form Apsara.

Was then given by the king to the fishermen, saying. “Let this (child) be your daughter.” She was gifted with great beauty and possessed of every virtue.

That girl of sweet smiles, was known by the name of Satyavati; but owing to her association with fishermen, she was for years of fishy smell.

Wishing to serve her father (the fisherman), she plied a boat on the waters of the Yamuna. Parashara when going on a pilgrimage, saw her one day.

She was exceedingly beautiful, an object of desire with even a Siddha. As soon as the wise Rishi saw the girl of sweet smiles, he desired to have her.

The best of Rishis (Parashara) addressed the daughter of Vasu, the girl of celestial beauty and tapering thighs, saying, “O blessed girl, accept my embraces.”

She replied, "O holy Rishi, see, the Rishis are standing on both the banks of the river. Seen by them, how can I grant your wish?"

Thus addressed by her, the illustrious lord (Parashara) created a fog, by which the whole place was covered with darkness.

Seeing the sudden creation of the fog by the great Rishi, the girl was very much astonished and became suffused with blushes of bashfulness.

Satyavati said : O holy Rishi, know me to be a girl under the control of my father, O sinless man, my virginity will be sullied by accepting your embraces.

O best of Brahmanas, O Rishi, my virginity being sallied, how shall I be able to return home? I shall not then be able to bear life. O illustrious one, take all this into your (kind) consideration and do what is proper.

Vaishampayana said : That best of Brahmanas, (Parashara), having been much pleased with all that she said, replied "you shall remain a virgin even after associating with me.

O timid girl, O beauteous maiden, ask from me any boon you desire to have. O beauty of sweet smiles, my favour (boon) has never proved fruitless."

Having been thus addressed, the maiden (Satyavati) asked for the boon that her body might be sweet-scented; and the illustrious Rishi granted that wish of her heart.

Having obtained the boon, she became exceedingly pleased. She was in her season and she accepted the embraces of that Rishi of wonderful deeds.

Thenceforth she become known among men by the name of Gandhavati (sweetscented.) Men could smell sweet scent of her body from a distance of a Yojana.

Thence she was also called Yojanagandha. After all this, the illustrious Parashara went away to his home (hermitage).

Satyavati was exceedingly pleased to receive the excellent boon and she thereupon, on that very day, conceived through the embraces of Parashara.

She gave birth on an island in the Yamuna, a greatly powerful child, begotten on her by Parashara; and the child with the permission of her mother adopted asceticism.

man He went away saying, “As soon as I shall be remembered by you on any occasion, I shall (immediately) appear before you.” Thus was born Dvaipayana in the womb of Satyavati by Parashara.

Because he was born on an island, he was called Dvaipayana. That learned (Dvaipayana), knowing that Dharma would become lame by one leg at each Yuga,

And that the period of human life and strength would follow the Yuga (by becoming shorter and lesser) and moved by the desire of obtaining the favour of Brahma and the Brahmanas,

Arranged the Vedas and thence he came to be called Vyasa. He then taught the Vedas and the fifth Veda Mahabharata.

To Sumanta, Jaimini, Paila, his own son Shuka and his disciple Vaishampayana (myself).

The Bharata Sanhita was published by him separately through these men. Then was born in the womb of Ganga by Shantanu, Bhishma, of great energy, fame and immeasurable prowess. There was an illustrious and famous Rishi. learned in the interpretation of the Vedas,

That greatly famous man was known by the name of Animandavya. Though innocent, he was accused of theft and was put on a Suli.

Thereupon, the great Rishi called Dharma and addressed him thus, “In my childhood I pierced a little fly with a blade of grass."

O Dharma, I remember this sin of mine; I cannot remember any other. I have since practised asceticism thousand fold. Has not that one sin of mine been expitiated by my great asceticism?

The killing of a Brahmana is more heinous than any other sin in the world; (As you kill me) O Dharma, you shall take birth on earth, (and that too) in the Shudra caste.

Thus being cursed, Dharma was born as a Shudra as Vidura who was learned, virtuous and pure-bodied.

The Suta, Sanjaya, who was like a Rishi, was begot by Gavalgana and the greatly powerful Karna was begot by Surya of Kunti when she was a maid.

He came out of his mother's womb with a natural coat of mail and with a face beautified by ear-rings. For the benefit of the whole world, the world-wide famous.

Vishnu himself, the worshipped deity of all the worlds, was begot by Vasudeva on Devaki. He is the great God without birth and death; he is the creator and lord of the universe.

He is called by the learned the invisible cause of all, he knows no deterioration, he is the first Brahma, he is the abode of the three qualities (Satya, Raja and Tama), he is the great soul, he is undeteriorating, he is the first, the cause of the creation, the Nature, the controlling Lord.

He is the Purusha, the Creator himself, he is the centre of Satya Guna, he is infinite, he is incapable of being moved, he is the deity, he is Lord Narayana;

He is Dhata, he is undeteriorating, he is effulgent, he is the best, he is the great combiner, the increate, the invisible essence of all and the great immutable. He is bereft of those attributes that are knowable by the senses, he is the universe itself without beginning, birth and decay.

This great being, possessed of infinite wealth, this Grandsire of all creatures, took his birth in the race of Andhaka Vrishnis, in order to increase the piety in the world.

Satyaki and Kritavarma, learned in the science of arms, possessed of great prowess, well versed in all the Shastras, ever obedient to Narayana,

And expert in the use of arms, were begot by Satyaki and Hridika. The seed of the great ascetic Rishi Bharadvaja was kept in a pot and there it began to develop. From that seed was born Drona. From the seed of Gautama, fallen on a heap of reeds, were born a twin, Kripa of great strength and (Kripi), the mother of Ashvathama; and then was begotten mighty Ashvathama by Drona.

Then was born, from the sacrificial fire, Dhristadyumna, as effulgent as the fire itself.

The mighty hero was bom, a bow in his hand, in order to kill Drona hereafter. From the sacrificial altar was born Krishnaa (Draupadi), resplendent and handsome.

A girl of fascinating features and great beauty. Then was born the disciples of Pralhad, namely Nagnajit and Subala.

Subala begot a son, named Shakuni, who through the curse of the celestials, became an enemy of virtue and a destroyer of creatures. And (Subala begot) a daughter,

Who became the mother of Duryodhana and both of them were well versed in acquiring worldly profits. From Krishna Dvaipayana was born Dhritarashtra, the king of men.

And Pandu of great strength, both in the wombs of the wives of Vichitravirya and from him was also born in the womb of a Shudra woman, the wise and intelligent Vidura, learned in both Dharma and Artha and free from all sins. Five sons were born of Pandu,

In the wombs of his two wives. Yudhishthira was the son of the eldest. Yudhishthira was born of Dharma, Vrikodara Bhima was born of Maruta;

The first of all, the best wielder of the arms, illustrious Arjuna was born of Indra; and Nakula and Sahadeva of handsome features, ever-engaged in the services of their superiors, were born of the twin Ashvinis. One hundred sons were born to the wise Dhritarashtra,

Namely Duryodhana and others and another son, named Yuyutsu (born of a Vaisya woman).

O descendant of the Bharata race, amongst those one hundred sons, eleven, namely Dushasana, Dussaha, Durmarshana, Vikarna, Chitrasena, Vivingsati, Jaya, Satyavrata, Purumitra and Yuyutsu of Vaisya wife, were all great car-warriors. Abhimanyu was born of Subhadra,

The sister of Vasudeva (Krishna), begot by Arjuna and therefore he was the grandson of Pandu. Five sons were born to the five Pandavas by Draupadi, the daughter of Panchala.

These princes were all very handsome and learned in all the Shastras. From Yudhishthira was born Prativindhya, from Bhima was born Sutasoma,

From Arjuna was born Shrutakirti, from Nakula was born Shatanika and from Sahadeva was born the greatly powerful Shrutasena.

Bhima begot a son in the forest on Hidimba, named Ghatotkacha. Drupada gave birth to a daughter also, named Shikhandini and she was transformed into a male child.

She was thus transformed into a male child by a Yaksha, named Sthuna, who did it from the desire of doing her good. In that great battle of Kurus assembled many hundred of kings and potentates to fight among one another. I am unable to recount the names of those innumerable hosts. I have named only the principal ones who have been mentioned in this history (Mahabharata).