‘“There was a great and famous ancient rishi known as Animandavya. Though not a thief, he was suspected of being a thief and was impaled on a stake. Thereupon, the ancient maharshi summoned Dharma60 and addressed him in these words. ‘In my childhood, I pierced a locust61 with a blade of grass. O Dharma! I remember that sin of mine. But I cannot remember any other. Since then, I have practised austerities a thousand times. Have not these great austerities neutralized a single sin? The killing of a Brahmana is more heinous than the killing of all other beings. O Dharma! Because of your sin,62 you will be born in the womb of a Shudra.’ Being thus cursed, Dharma was born in the womb of a Shudra in the form of Vidura, learned, righteous and pure of body. From Gavalgana, Sanjaya,63 who was like a sage, was born as a suta.
‘“Karna, of great strength, was born from Surya when Kunti was still a virgin. He emerged from his mother’s womb with natural armour64 and a face adorned with earrings.65
‘“Vishnu himself, worshipped by all the worlds, appeared in Devaki through Vasudeva, for the welfare of the world. He is of great fame, the god without beginning and without end, the lord and creator of the universe, unmanifest, without decay, the brahman, the chief, without any attributes, the great soul, eternal, nature, the lord who controls, the prime being, the creator of the universe, the source of the sattva quality, perennial, without deterioration, infinite, incapable of being moved, the god who is the supreme soul, Lord Narayana, the upholder, perpetual, the supreme one without decay. This prime being, with infinite wealth and the lord and grandfather of all beings, took his birth in the lineage of the Andhakas and the Vrishnis in order to increase righteousness in the world.
‘“The great warriors Satyaki and Kritavarma, skilled in the use of weapons and well versed in the use of all arms, always obedient to Narayana, were born from Satyaka and Hridika, as experts in use of weapons. The spilt semen of maharshi Bharadvaja, great in the practice of austerities, was kept in a vessel. There it grew and from that was born Drona. Goutama’s semen fell on a clump of reeds and from that were born twins, Kripa66 of immense strength and Ashvatthama’s mother.67 Ashvatthama was born from Drona, blessed with the boon of knowing all weapons. From the sacrificial fire was then born Dhrishtadyumna, as radiant as the fire itself. The mighty hero was born with a bow in his hand, for Drona’s destruction. From the sacrificial altar was born Krishna,68 beautiful and radiant. She had a fascinating body and shone with supreme beauty. Then were born Prahlada’s disciples, Nagnajit and Subala. Subala had a son named Shakuni. Through the curse of the gods, the son of the king of Gandhara69 became the enemy of virtue and a destroyer of beings. The other70 became Duryodhana’s mother. Both71 were skilled in material pursuits.
‘“In Vichitravirya’s field, from Krishna Dvaipayana, were born Dhritarashtra, lord of men, and also Pandu, of immense strength. Through his two wives, from Pandu, were born five separate sons, the equals of the gods. Yudhishthira was the first-born, the eldest, born from Dharma. Vrikodara was born from Maruta.72 The best of all, blessed with the boon of knowing all weapons, was Dhananjaya, born from Indra. From the Ashvins were born the handsome twins Nakula and Sahadeva, always devoted to serving their superiors. One hundred sons were born to the wise Dhritarashtra—Duryodhana and the others and the inter-caste Yuyutsu.73
‘“From Arjuna, Abhimanyu, the great-souled Pandu’s grandson, was born to Subhadra, Vasudeva’s sister. From the five Pandavas, five sons were born to Krishna,74 handsome and skilled in the usage of all weapons—Prativindhya from Yudhishthira, Sutasoma from Vrikodara, Shrutakirti from Arjuna, Shatanika from Nakula and the mighty Shrutasena75 from Sahadeva. From Bhima, Hidimba gave birth to Ghatotkacha in the forest. Drupada76 had a daughter named Shikhandi, but later, she was transformed into a son. For the sake of her welfare, she was transformed into a man by the yaksha Sthuna. At that great battle of the Kurus, hundreds of thousands of kings assembled, eager to fight with each other. Their names are so many that I cannot recount them, for it would take many years. I have only mentioned the principal ones who figure in this account.”’
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‘Janamejaya said, “O Brahmana! You have mentioned some and others you have not. I wish to hear in detail the accounts of all the radiant kings. O man of good fortune! Why were these great warriors, the equals of the gods, born on earth? Tell me in detail.”
‘Vaishampayana said, “O king! We have heard that what you ask is unknown even to the gods. However, after paying my respects to Brahma, I shall tell you that. In ancient times, after destroying the Kshatriyas on earth twenty-one times, Jamadagni’s son77 went to Mahendra, supreme among mountains, and began to practise austerities. O king! When the world was thus bereft of Kshatriyas by the one of the Bhrigu lineage, Kshatriya women used to come to Brahmanas to fill their wombs. O tiger among men! Brahmanas who were rigid in observance of their vows had intercourse with them during their productive periods, not out of lust, nor when they were not in season. O king! Thus, thousands of Kshatriya women conceived and gave birth to many Kshatriyas of great power, boys as well as girls, so that the Kshatriya race might thrive. Thus the Kshatriya race originated from Kshatriya women through the ascetic Brahmanas.
‘“This new generation had long lives and prospered through righteous conduct. The four castes were again established, with Brahmanas at the head. At that time, every man went to his wife only when she was in season, nor for lust, nor when she was not in season. O bull of the Bharata lineage! All other beings, even those that were not human, also went to their wives at the right season. Thus they prospered in a righteous way and lived for hundreds and thousands of years. O ruler of the earth! All subjects faithfully followed dharma and the right rituals. All men were free from sorrow and disease. O king, you who have the gait of an elephant! Kshatriyas once again governed the wide earth, with the mountains, forests and groves, with the ocean as the boundary. When the earth was again governed righteously by the Kshatriyas, the other castes, with Brahmanas at their head, were filled with immense joy. All the rulers of men were freed from the sins of lust and anger and, punishing righteously those who deserved to be punished, they protected their subjects. On seeing that the Kshatriyas followed dharma, the one with thousand eyes and performer of a hundred sacrifices78 poured down sweet rain at the right time and the right place, so that subjects prospered. O ruler of men! No child died then. No one knew a woman before attaining the right age. O best of the Bharata lineage! Right up to the shores of the ocean, the earth was full of people who lived for a long time. Kshatriyas performed great sacrifices in which a lot of alms were given. The Brahmanas studied the Vedas, the Vedangas and the Upanishads. O king! At that time, no Brahmana sold the knowledge of the brahman. Nor were the Vedas recited in the hearing of Shudras. The Vaishyas were engaged in farming and tilled the earth well with cattle, never yoking cows to ploughs and taking care of the lean ones. Men did not milk cows whose calves were still drinking the froth. No seller sold goods with false scales. O tiger among men! Men thus performed all acts with their eyes on dharma and followed the righteous path in every way. O ruler of men! Men of all castes followed the respective duties of their own castes. O tiger among men! At that time, there was no decline from the path of dharma. O bull of the Bharata lineage! Both women and cows gave birth at the right time. Trees bore flowers and fruit in the right seasons. O king! With Krita Yuga having thus arrived successfully at that time, the entire earth was filled with many beings.
‘“O bull of the Bharata lineage and lord of men! When the world was in such a flourishing state, the asuras began to take birth in royal dynasties. Having been often defeated in battle by the gods, the sons of Diti were dislodged from heaven and their prosperity, and began to take birth on earth. O lord of kings! Wishing to attain divinity in the world of men, the powerful demons took birth as different beings—cows, horses, asses, camels, buffaloes, predatory beasts, elephants and deer. O ruler of the earth! On account of those that were already born and those that were being born, the earth
was no longer capable of supporting herself. Some of Diti and Danu’s offspring, dislodged from heaven, took birth as kings on earth, powerful and insolent. With great valour and strength, they covered the earth in many forms. Crushing their enemies, they oppressed the earth, right up to the shores of the ocean. They began to oppress the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas and the Shudras. They persecuted all other creatures with their power. O king! Terrorizing and killing all the myriad beings, they roamed over the earth in their hundreds and thousands. Devoid of righteousness and drunk with the power of their valour and strength, they even regularly persecuted the maharshis in their hermitages.
‘“O ruler of the earth! Oppressed by the great asuras, who were swollen because of valour, power and strength, the earth approached Brahma. O king! At that time, invaded by the strength of the danavas, the wind, the mountain or the serpent79 could no longer support the earth. O ruler of the earth! Therefore, the earth, frightened and overburdened, sought refuge with the god who is the grandfather of all beings. She saw the great and eternal god Brahma, the creator of the worlds, seated, surrounded by gods, Brahmanas and maharshis. Gandharvas and apsaras were engaged in divine tasks, worshipping him through hymns and chants. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! In the presence of all the rulers of the worlds, the earth saluted him and sought refuge, narrating all that had happened. But the reason for the earth’s arrival was already known to the omniscient self-creator who dwells high above and is the source of matter. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! He is the creator of the world. How could he not know what was in the minds of all beings, including the gods and the demons?
‘“O great king! The source of all beings, Prajapati, Isha, Shambhu, the lord of the earth, spoke to earth. ‘O Vasundhara!80 So as to accomplish the task for which you have come to me, I will appoint all those who live in heaven.’ O king! Having thus addressed the earth, the god Brahma bid her farewell, and then the creator of all beings commanded the gods. ‘So as to free earth from this burden, all of you go and ensure parts of you are born on earth and seek the conflicts81 you want.’ Then the great lord summoned the hosts of gandharvas and apsaras and spoke to them these supreme words: ‘Go and ensure that parts of you are born on earth in the forms that please you.’ On hearing these words of the foremost among the gods, words that were appropriate and full of meaning, all the gods, with Shakra82 at their head, accepted them. Impatient to go to earth and be born there in their respective parts, they went to Vaikuntha, to Narayana, the wielder of the chakra and the gada,83 he who is dressed in yellow, he who is radiant white, he who destroys the enemies of the gods, he who has the lotus on his navel and he whose eyes are soft, wide and sloped downwards. For the purification of the earth, Indra told the supreme of beings, ‘Please incarnate yourself.’ Hari84 replied that thus it would be.”’
Section Seven
Sambhava Parva
This parva comprises 2394 shlokas and sixty-five chapters.
Chapter 59: 54 shlokas
Chapter 60: 69 shlokas
Chapter 61: 102 shlokas
Chapter 62: 14 shlokas
Chapter 63: 26 shlokas
Chapter 64: 42 shlokas
Chapter 65: 42 shlokas
Chapter 66: 17 shlokas
Chapter 67: 33 shlokas
Chapter 68: 80 shlokas
Chapter 69: 51 shlokas
Chapter 70: 46 shlokas
Chapter 71: 58 shlokas
Chapter 72: 23 shlokas
Chapter 73: 36 shlokas
Chapter 74: 12 shlokas
Chapter 75: 25 shlokas
Chapter 76: 35 shlokas
Chapter 77: 27 shlokas
Chapter 78: 41 shlokas
Chapter 79: 30 shlokas
Chapter 80: 27 shlokas
Chapter 81: 16 shlokas
Chapter 82: 13 shlokas
Chapter 83: 13 shlokas
Chapter 84: 21 shlokas
Chapter 85: 27 shlokas
Chapter 86: 17 shlokas
Chapter 87: 18 shlokas
Chapter 88: 26 shlokas
Chapter 89: 55 shlokas
Chapter 90: 96 shlokas
Chapter 91: 22 shlokas
Chapter 92: 55 shlokas
Chapter 93: 46 shlokas
Chapter 94: 94 shlokas
Chapter 95: 14 shlokas
Chapter 96: 59 shlokas
Chapter 97: 26 shlokas
Chapter 98: 33 shlokas
Chapter 99: 49 shlokas
Chapter 100: 30 shlokas
Chapter 101: 28 shlokas
Chapter 102: 23 shlokas
Chapter 103: 17 shlokas
Chapter 104: 21 shlokas
Chapter 105: 27 shlokas
Chapter 106: 14 shlokas
Chapter 107: 37 shlokas
Chapter 108: 18 shlokas
Chapter 109: 31 shlokas
Chapter 110: 45 shlokas
Chapter 111: 36 shlokas
Chapter 112: 34 shlokas
Chapter 113: 43 shlokas
Chapter 114: 66 shlokas
Chapter 115: 28 shlokas
Chapter 116: 31 shlokas
Chapter 117: 33 shlokas
Chapter 118: 30 shlokas
Chapter 119: 43 shlokas
Chapter 120: 21 shlokas
Chapter 121: 23 shlokas
Chapter 122: 47 shlokas
Chapter 123: 78 shlokas
The word sambhava means what can originate or be in existence. Hence, this parva is about the origins of the core story. It is one of the longest parvas.
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Vaishampayana said, ‘Thereupon, Narayana and Indra agreed that, together with the gods, they would descend from heaven and be born on earth in their respective parts. Having instructed the gods, Shakra1 returned from Narayana’s abode. One after another, for the destruction of the enemies of the gods and for the welfare of all the worlds, the dwellers of heaven took birth on earth. O tiger among kings! Thereupon, as it pleased them, the gods took birth in the dynasties of the rajarshis and the maharshis. They killed the danavas, the rakshasas, the gandharvas, the nagas and other creatures that killed men, in great numbers. O best of the Bharata lineage! The danavas, the rakshasas, the gandharvas and the nagas could not kill the gods. Because, even when they were infants, they were strong.’
Janamejaya said, ‘I wish to hear accounts of the births of gods, danavas, gandharvas, apsaras, men, yakshas, rakshasas and other beings, from the beginning and in detail. You know everything. Please tell me.’ Vaishampayana replied, ‘Bowing down to the god who creates himself,2 I shall narrate to you the origins and end of the worlds of the gods and other beings.’
Vaishampayana said, ‘Through the powers of his mind, Brahma had six sons3—Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu. Marichi’s son was Kashyapa and all beings were born from Kashyapa. Daksha had thirteen daughters who were illustrious. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Daksha’s daughters4 were Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala, Anayu, Simhika, Muni, Krodha, Prava, Arishta, Vinata, Kapila and Kadru. The sons and grandsons of these daughters were immensely powerful and infinite in number.
‘O descendant of the Bharata lineage! From Aditi were born the twelve adityas, the rulers of the worlds. I shall now mention their names to you—Dhata, Mitra, Aryamana, Shakra, Varuna, Amsha, Bhaga, Vivasvana and Pusha. In the tenth place was Savita, the eleventh was Tvashta and the twelfth was Vishnu. However, the youngest surpassed all the other adityas in qualities.
‘It is heard that Diti had only one son, named Hiranyakashipu. But he had five great-souled sons and their names were famous. Prahlada was the eldest, followed by Samhrada. After that was Anuhrada. And after him, Shibi and Bashkala. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Three sons of Prahlada are known everywhere—Virochana, Kumbha and Nikumbha. Virochana had one son, the immensely powerful Bali. Bali in turn had a son, the great asura named Bana.
‘O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Danu’s forty sons are known everywhere. The first one
was the famous king Viprachitti. In addition, one knows of Shambara, Namuchi, Puloman, Asiloman, Keshi, the danava Durjaya, Ayahshira, Ashvashira, the valorous Ashvashanku, Gaganamurdhana, Vegavan, Ketuman, Svarbhanu, Ashva, Ashvapati, Vrishaparva, Ajaka, Ashvagriva, Sukshma, the great asura Tuhundu, Isripa, Ekachakra, Virupaksha, Hara, Ahara, Nichandra, Nikumbha, Kupatha, Kapatha, Sharabha, Shalabha, Surya and Chandrama. Thus is recited the names of the famous danavas in Danu’s lineage. The gods Surya5 and Chandrama6 are different. O great king! Besides these, ten other immensely powerful and great danavas are known as Danu’s sons—Ekaksha, the valorous Mritapa, Pralamba, Naraka, Vatapi, Shatrutapana, the great asura Shatha, Gavishtha, Danayu and the danava Dirghajihva. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Their sons and grandsons were innumerable.
‘Simhika gave birth to a son named Rahu, the persecutor of the sun and the moon, and to three others—Suchandra, Chandraharta and Chandravimardana. The numerous sons and grandsons of Krodha were as cruel as she herself was. That line was the performer of evil and cruel deeds, oppressing their enemies. Anayu had four sons, the best among the asuras—Vikshara, Bala, Vira and the great asura Vritra. Kala’s sons were like Yama himself, immensely famous on earth, great danavas who were powerful oppressors of their enemies and of great valour—Vinashana, Krodha, Krodhahanta and Krodhashatru. It is heard that Kala also had other sons, including those known as the kaleyas.
‘Shukra, the son of a rishi, was the great preceptor of the asuras. The famous Shukra Ushanas7 had four sons, who were also officiating priests for the asuras. Their names were Tvashtavara and Atri and two others who knew about the incantations of mantras. In energy, they were like the sun and they always tried to influence Brahma’s world. Thus I have narrated to you, as I heard it in the ancient tales, the origins of the dynasties of the gods and the powerful and strong demons. O ruler of the earth! Their progeny were so many and multiplied so much that I cannot count them.
Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) Page 18