Janamejaya said Bhishma and Drona, those two great persons, king Dhritarashtra, and Virata and Drupada, and Shankha and Uttara, Dhrishtaketu and Jayatsena, and Shakuni the son of Subala, Karna's sons of great prowess king Jayadratha, Ghatotkacha and others whom you have not mentioned, the other heroic kings of shining forms, tell me for what period they remained in the celestial region.

O best of twice-born, did they live in Heaven for ever? What was the end acquired by those best of men when their acts terminated.

I wish to hear this, O foremost of twiceborn persons, and, therefore, have I asked you. By virtue of your blazing penances you see all things.

Sauti said Thus accosted, that twice-born Rishi, receiving the permission of the great Vyasa, began to answer the question of the king.

Vaishampayana said Every one, O king, is not capable of returning to his own nature at the end of his deeds. Whether this is so or not, is, undoubtedly, a good question asked by you.

Hear, O king, this which is a mystery of the celestials, O chief of Bharata's race! It was explained (to us) by Vyasa of great energy, celestial vision, and great prowess, that ancient ascetic, O Kauravya, who is the son of Parashara and who always practises high vows, who is of immeasurable understanding, who is omniscient, and who, therefore, knows the end of all deeds.

Bhishma of great energy and great effulgence acquired the dignity of the Vasus. Eight Vasus, O chief of Bharata's race, are now seen.

Drona entered into Brihaspati, that foremost, one of Angirasaa's descendants. Hridika's son Kritavarman entered the Maruts.

Pradyumna entered Sanatkumara whence he had come. Dhritarashtra obtained the regions, so difficult of acquisition, belonging to Kubera.

The famous Gandhari gained the same regions with her husband Dhritarashtra. With his two wives, Pandu went to the abode of the great Indra. as

Both Virata ad Drupada, and king Dhrishtaketu, also Nishatha, Akrura, Shamba, Bhanukampa, and Viduratha, and Bhurishravas and Shana and king Bhuri, and Kansa, and Ugrasena, and Vasudeva, and Uttara, that foremost of men, with his brother Shankha, all these foremost of persons entered the celestials.

Soma's son of great prowess, named Varshas of mighty energy became Abhimanyu, the son of Phalguna, that foremost of men.

Having fought, according to Kshatriya practices, with bravery such as none else had ever been able to show, tat mighty-armed and righteous-souled being entered Soma. Killed on the field of battle, O foremost of men, sons Karna entered the Sun. Shakuni entered into the Dvapara, and Dhrishtadyumna into the God of Fire.

The of Dhritarashtra were all Rakshasas of great power. Sanctified by death caused by weapons, those great beings of great prosperity all succeeded in acquiring the celestial region.

Both Kshatri and king Yudhishthira entered into the God of Virtue. The holy and illustrious Ananta (who had taken birth as Balarama) went to the region below the Earth.

Through the command of the Grandsire, he, helped by his Yoga power, supported the Earth. Vasudeva was a part of that eternal god of gods, called Narayana. Accordingly, he entered into Narayana.

Sixteen thousand women had been the time came, O Janamejaya, they plunged into the Sarasvati.

Renouncing their (human) bodies there, they re-ascended to the celestial region. Transformed into Apsaras, they approached the presence of Vasudeva.

Those heroic and powerful car-warriors, viz., Ghatotkacha and others, who were killed in the great battle, attained to the status, some of celestials and some of Yakshas.

Those who had fought on the side of Duryodhana are said to have been Rakshasas. Gradually, o king, they have all attained to excellent regions of happiness.

Those foremost of men have gone, some to the abode of Indra, some to that of highly intelligent Kubera of great intelligence, and some to that of Varuna.

I have now told you, you of great splendour, everything about the acts, O Bharatas, of both the Kurus and the Pandavas.

Hearing this, O foremost of twice-born ones, at the intervals of sacrificial rites, king Janamejaya became filled with wonder.

The sacrificial priests then finished the rites which remained to go through. Astika, having rescued the snakes (from a fiery death) became filled with joy.

King Janamejaya then pleased all the Brahmanas with profuse presents. Thus adored by the king, they returned to their respective abodes.

Having disinissed those learned Brahmanas, king Janamejaya returned from Takshashila to Hastinapur.

I have now told you everything that Vaishampayana described, at the command of Vyasa, to the king at his snake sacrifice.

Called a history, it is sacred, purifying and excellent. It has been composed by the ascetic Krishna, O Brahmana, of truthful speech.

He is omniscient, conversan: with all ordinances, endued with a knowledge of all duties, gifted with piety, capable of perceiving what is beyond the perception of the senses, pure, having a soul purified by penances, possessed of the six high attributes, and devoted to Sankhya Yoga. He has composed this, seeing everything with a celestial eye which has been cleansed (strengthened) by varied lore.

He has done this, desiring to spread the fame, throughout the world, of the great Pandavas as also of other Kshatriyas endued with profuse energy.

That learned man who recites this history on sacred days in the midst of an attentive audience becomes purged of every sin, conquers that celestial region, and attains to the status of Brahma.

Of that man who listens with rapt attention to the recitation of the whole of this Veda composed by (the Island-borm) Krishna, a millions sins, numbering such grave ones as Brahmanicide and the rest, are washed off.

The departed manes of that man who recites even a small portion of this history at a Shraddha obtain inexhaustible food and drink.

The sins that one commits during the day by one's senses or the mind are all washed off before evening by reciting a portion of the Mahabharata.

Whatever sins a Brahmana may commit at night in the midst of women, are all washed off before dawn by reciting a portion of the Mahabharata.

The great race of the Bharatas is its topic. Hence it is called Bharata. And because of its grave meaning as also of the Bharatas being its topic, it is called Mahabharata.

He who is versed in interpretations of this great work becomes purged of every sin. Such a man lives in virtue, profit and pleasure, and acquires Liberation also, O chief of Bharata's race.

That which is in this is elsewhere. That which does not occur here occurs no where else. This history is known by the name of Jaya. It should be heard by every one desirous of Liberation.

It should be read by Brahmanas, by kings, and by women big with children. He who desires Heaven attains to Heaven; and he who desires victory achieves it.

The woman big with child gets either a son or a daughter highly blessed. The powerful Island-born Krishna, who will not have to come back, and who is Liberation incarnate, made an abstract of the Bharata, moved by the desire of helping the cause of virtue.

A Brahmana desirous of emancipation, A Kshatriya desirous of ruling and a pregnant women desirous of having a son should listen to this history named as Jaya. One who desires the heaven achieve the same and the man desirous of victory in war achieve the same and pregnant women gets an able son or a luckiest daughter, In case, these recite or listen to this Bharata. The renowned sage Krishna Dvaipayana has composed this Bharata in order to establish the rightiousness, because he himself was in the form of emancipation. He made another compilation consisting of sixty lakh of verses.

Thirty lakhs of these were placed in the region of the celestials. In the region of the Pitris fifteen lakhs it should be known, are current; while in that of the Yakshas fourteen lakhs are current.

One lakh is current among human beings. Narada recited the Mahabharata to the gods; Asita-Devala to the Pitris; Shuka to the Rakshasa and the Yakshas; and Vaishampayana to human beings. This history is sacred, and of deep significance, and considered as equal to the Vedas.

That man, O Shaunaka, who hears this history, placing a Brahmana before him, acquires both fame and the fruition of all his desires.

He who, with fervid devotion, listens to a recitation of the Mahabharata, attains (hereafter) to great success on account of the merit that becomes his through understanding even a very small part thereof. All the sins of that man who recites or listens to this history with devotion are washed off.

Formerly, the great Rishi Vyasa, having composed this work caused his son Shuka to read it with him, along with these four verses.

Thousands of mothers, and fathers, and hundreds of sons and wives arise in the world and depart from it. Others will arise and similarly go away.

There are thousands of occasions for joy and hundreds of occasions for fear. These affect only him who is ignorant but never him that is wise.

With uplifted arms I am crying aloud but nobody hears me. From Virtue originate Profit and Pleasure. Why should not Virtue, therefore, be sought?

For the sake neither of pleasure, not of fear, nor of cupidity should any one renounce Virtue. Indeed, for the sake of even life, one should not renounce Virtue. Virtue is eternal. Pleasure and Pain are not eternal. Jiva is eternal. The cause, however of Jiva's being covered with a body is not so.

That man who, arising early in the morning, reads this Savitri of the Bharata, acquires all the rewards attached to a recitation of this history and ultimately attains to the highest Brahma.

As the sacred Ocean, as the Himavat mountain, are both, considered as mines of precious gems, so is this Bharata.

The learned man, by reciting in others this Veda or Agama composed by (the Island-born) Krishna, acquires wealth. There is no doubt in this that he who, with rapt attention, recites this history called Bharata, acquires great success.

What need has that man of a sprinkling of the waters of Pushkara who attentively listens to this Bharata, while it is recited to him? It represents the nectar that dropped from the lips of the Island-born. It is immeasurable, sacred, sanctifying, sincleansing, and auspicious.

Who gives hundred cows, with horns cased in gold to a most learned Brahmana, well versed in the Vedas and one who listens the sacred story of Bharata every day, both acquire equal fruit.