Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts)

by Debroy, Bibek

  ‘Ilina had five sons through Rathantari; Duhshanta was the eldest. Duhshanta married Visvamitra’s daughter Shakuntala and she gave birth to Bharata. On this, there are two shlokas.

  The mother is only a leather bag.191 The son who is born from the father is the father himself. O Duhshanta! Maintain your son and do not forsake Shakuntala.

  O king of men! A son who has sperm rescues one from Yama’s abode.192 You are the father who has planted this embryo. Shakuntala has spoken the truth.

  Hence his name was Bharata. Bharata married Sarvasena’s daughter Sunanda, from the Kashi region. She gave birth to Bhumanyu. Bhumanyu married Dasarha’s daughter Vijaya and she gave birth to Suhotra. Suhotra married Suvarna of the Ikshvaku lineage and she gave birth to Hasti. He established this city of Hastinapura, which is why it was named Hastinapura. Hasti married Yashodhara from the Trigarta region and she gave birth to Vikunthana. Vikunthana married Sudeva from the Dasarha region and she gave birth to Ajamidha. Ajamidha had 2400 sons through Kaikeyi, Nagi, Gandhari, Vimala and Riksha. Each became a king and established a dynasty. Among them, Samvarana was the one who carried the lineage forward. Samvarana married Tapati, Vivasvat’s daughter, and she gave birth to Kuru. Kuru married Subhagi from the Dasarha region and she gave birth to Viduratha. Viduratha married Sanpriya, daughter of Madhava and she gave birth to Arugvata. Arugvata married Amrita from the Magadha region and she gave birth to Parikshit. Parikshit married Bahuda’s daughter Suyasa and she gave birth to Bhimasena. Bhimasena married Sukumari of the Kekaya region and she gave birth to Paryashrava, also known as Pratipa. Pratipa married Shibi’s daughter Sunanda and through her had sons named Devapi, Shantanu and Bahlika.

  ‘Devapi retired to the forest when he was still a child. Shantanu then became the king. There is a saying about this. “Those who were touched with his hands felt extreme pleasure and became young again. Therefore, he was known as Shantanu.”193 Thus, he was known as Shantanu. Shantanu married Bhagirathi Ganga and she gave birth to Devavrata, who later came to be known as Bhishma. To do that which would bring pleasure to his father, Devavrata got him married to Satyavati. She became his mother and she was also known as Gandhakali. Before that, while she was still a virgin, she had a son named Dvaipayana through Parashara. She bore two more sons to Shantanu, Vichitravirya and Chitrangada. But before reaching manhood, Chitrangada was killed by a gandharva and Vichitravirya then became the king. Vichitravirya married two daughers born to the king of Kashi through his wife Kousalya—Ambika and Ambalika. However, Vichitravirya died childless. Then Satyavati began to worry that Duhshanta’s lineage would become extinct. She thought of the rishi Dvaipayana and he appeared before her and asked, “What is your command?” She told him, “Your brother Vichitravirya has gone to heaven childless. For his sake, be the father of righteous children.” Dvaipayana agreed and was the father to three sons—Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura. Of these, because of a boon granted by Dvaipayana, Dhritarashtra had 100 sons through his wife Gandhari. Four of Dhritarashtra’s sons were chief—Duryodhana, Duhshasana, Vikarna and Chitrasena.

  ‘Pandu had two gems among women as his wives—Kunti and Madri. One day, Pandu went out for a hunt and saw a rishi, in the form of a stag, uniting with a doe. He shot him with an arrow while he was still mounted on the doe, in a state of lust, but without his desire having been satiated. Wounded by the arrow, he told Pandu, “You follow dharma and you know the pleasure that comes from satisfaction of desire. But you have killed me before my desire was satiated. Therefore, you will also be united with the five elements194 in a similar state, before your desire is satiated.” Pandu paled on hearing this curse and from that time, stayed away from uniting with his wives. He told them, “This is the result of my own folly. But I have heard that in the hereafter there are no worlds for those who are childless.” Therefore, he asked Kunti to bear children for him and accordingly Kunti bore children. Through Dharma, Yudhishthira. Through Marut, Bhima. Through Shakra, Arjuna. Pandu was pleased and said, “Your co-wife doesn’t have children either. Let the right offspring also be fathered on her.” Kunti agreed and Nakula and Sahadeva were then fathered on Madri through the Ashvins. One day, Pandu saw Madri dressed in her ornaments and his desire was stirred. But he died as soon as he touched her. Then Madri ascended the funeral pyre with him, requesting Kunti to affectionately rear the twins.

  ‘Later, ascetics took the five Pandavas and Kunti to Hastinapura and introduced them to Bhishma and Vidura. An attempt was made to burn them in the house of lac, but this failed, because of Vidura’s counsel. After this, Hidimba was killed and they went to a place named Ekachakra. In Ekachakra, they killed a rakshasa named Baka and then went to the capital of Panchala. Thereafter, they obtained Droupadi as their wife and returned to their own country, in good health. They had skilled sons—Yudhishthira had Prativindhya, Vrikodara195 had Sutasoma, Arjuna had Shrutakirti, Nakula had Shatanika and Sahadeva had Shrutakarmana. In a svayamvara,196 Yudhishthira obtained Devika as his wife. She was the daughter of Govasana of the Shibi lineage and through her he had a son named Youdheya. Through a viryashulka197 marriage, Bhima obtained as his wife Baladhara, the daughter of the king of Kashi. Through her, he had a son named Sarvaga. Arjuna went to Dvaravati and obtained Vasudeva’s sister Subhadra as his wife. Through her, he had a son named Abhimanyu. Nakula had Karenumati from the Chedi region as his wife and through her had a son named Niramitra. In a svayamvara, Sahadeva obtained Vijaya, daughter of the king of Madra, as his wife and had a son named Suhotra. Before this, Bhima had a son named Ghatotkacha through the rakshasa Hidimba. These are the eleven sons of the Pandavas.

  ‘Abhimanyu married Virata’s daughter Uttara. She gave birth to a stillborn child. On the command of Vasudeva, supreme among men, Pritha198 accepted him in her arms. He said, “I will instill life into this embryo that is six months old.” Having revived him, he said, “He was born in a lineage that was diminished.199 Therefore, he will be known as Parikshit.” Parikshit married Madravati and she gave birth to Janamejaya.200 Through Vapushtama, Janamejaya had two sons named Shatanika and Shanku. Shatanika had a son named Ashvamedhadatta, through a wife from the Videha region. Thus the lineage of Puru and Pandu has been recounted. He who hears about Puru’s lineage is freed from all sin.’

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  Vaishampayana said, ‘There was once a king named Mahabhisha. He was born in the Ikshvaku lineage and was a lord of the earth. He was always truthful and truly valorous. He pleased the lord of the gods through 1000 horse sacrifices and 100 vajapeya201 sacrifices and thus attained heaven.

  ‘One day, the gods went to pay homage to Brahma. Many rajarshis and King Mahabhisha were also present. Ganga, the best of the rivers, also came to pay homage to the grandfather. Her garments, as white as moonlight, were blown away by the wind and immediately the masses of gods lowered their faces. However, rajarshi Mahabhisha continued to stare unabashedly at the river. Because of this, Mahabhisha was cursed by the illustrious Brahma. “You will be born on earth and then you will again regain these worlds.” The king then thought about all the kings and ascetics on earth and chose the immensely radiant Pratipa as his father. On seeing King Mahabhisha lose his composure, the best of the rivers went away, thinking about him in her mind. Along her path, she saw the divine vasus. They were crestfallen and dark with despair at having been dislodged from heaven.

  ‘On seeing them in that state, the great river asked, “O residents of heaven! Why are your forms destroyed? Why are you in despair?” The divine vasus replied, “O great river! We have been severely cursed by the great-souled Vashishtha for a minor transgression. Not seen by us, that supreme of rishis was engaged in his twilight rites and in our folly we crossed him. In his anger, he cursed us that we would be born in a womb. It is not possible to negate what the brahman-knowing one has said. Therefore, become a woman on earth and bear the vasus as your sons. We cannot enter the womb of an impure woman.” Having been thus addressed, Ganga agreed and asked, “Which supreme man will be your father?” T
he vasus replied, “In the world of men, a son will be born to Pratipa. He will be King Shantanu, devoted to dharma, and he will be our father.” Ganga said, “O unblemished gods! I was thinking exactly the same. I will do that which brings pleasure to him and also satisfy your wishes.” The vasus replied, “O revered one who dwells in the three worlds!202 You must hurl your sons into the water as soon as they are born, so that we are quickly freed and don’t suffer for a long time.” Ganga said, “I will do what you wish. But so that my union with him is not completely fruitless, let one son remain with him.” The vasus replied, “Each one of us will offer one-eighth of our respective energies. From that, a son will be born to you and will live according to your desires. But he will have no children on earth. Therefore, this valorous son of yours will remain without a son.” Making this agreement with Ganga, the vasus happily went away to the place where they dwelt.’

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  Vaishampayana said, ‘King Pratipa was always devoted to the welfare of all beings. He spent many years in meditation, on the banks of the Ganga. Then Ganga assumed the form of a woman who was beautiful and had all the qualities. She arose from the waters in this desirable form. The rajarshi was studying.

  ‘This divine and intelligent one with a beautiful face came and sat on his right thigh, which was like a shala tree. Pratipa, lord of the earth, asked the intelligent one, “O fortunate one! What can I do to bring you pleasure? What is your desire?” The lady said, “O king! O best of the Kurus! I desire you. I offer myself. Accept me and love me in return. Those who are wise always consider evil the act of refusing a woman who is full of desire.” Pratipa replied, “O beautiful one! Out of desire, I can never go to another man’s wife or to one who is not equal to me in varna. O fortunate one! Know that this is the vow I have taken for the sake of dharma.” The lady said, “I am never undesirable. I am never one with whom union is forbidden. I am never malignant. I am a divine lady and supreme in beauty. O king! Love me, as I wish to love you.” Pratipa replied, “I must refrain from doing what brings you pleasure. I have taken a vow and if I break it, dharma will bring about my destruction. O beautiful lady! You have seated yourself on my right thigh. O timid one! That is the seat earmarked for daughters and daughters-in-law. The left is the seat for the woman one finds pleasure with. But you have rejected it. O beautiful one! Therefore, I cannot satisfy desire with you. O fortunate one! I accept you for my son. Be my daughter-in-law. The left thigh is for the wife, but you have not accepted that.” The lady said, “O one who is learned in dharma! Let it be as you say. Let me be united with your son. Out of my love for you, I will love the famous Bharata lineage. Your dynasty is the refuge of all the kings on earth. Even if I take 100 years, I will not be able to recount the qualities of this dynasty, whose fame and righteousness is supreme. But he must not know my high birth. Nor must he ever question what I do. Living with your son in this way, I will make him happy and bring about his welfare. Because of his sons, his righteous conduct and his merits, your son will attain heaven.” O king! Having said this, she disappeared.

  ‘The king waited for his son to be born and for the promise to be fulfilled. O descendant of the Kuru lineage! Meanwhile, Pratipa, bull among the Kshatriyas, performed austerities with his wife, so as to obtain a son. Though they were old, a son was born to them and this son was Mahabhisha. He was known as Shantanu, because he was born when his father had controlled his senses.203 Remebering that the eternal worlds can only be conquered through one’s own deeds, Shantanu, supreme of the Kuru lineage, devoted himself to sacred conduct. When his son Shantanu became a youth, Pratipa told him, “O Shantanu! Earlier, a lady had approached me for your welfare. O son! If that divine and beautiful lady comes to you in secret and desires you so as to obtain offspring, you must not question her about who she is and who she belongs to. O unblemished one! You must not question any of her acts. I tell you that you must love her as she loves you.” Having thus commanded his son and instated him on the throne, King Pratipa departed for the forest.

  ‘King Shantanu was intelligent and became a famous archer on earth. He loved hunting and spent a lot of time in the forest. Once, that best of kings killed many deer and buffaloes. Wandering alone along the banks of the Ganga, he came to a place frequented by the siddhas and the charanas. One day, the king saw there a supreme woman, dazzling in her beauty like the lotus-seated Shri204 herself. Her body was faultless and her teeth were beautiful. She was adorned with divine ornaments. She was alone and she wore sheer garments that were as beautiful as the filaments of a lotus. The king was astounded at the beauty of her form and the hair on his body stood up in rapture. The lord of men gazed at her with his eyes, but was not satisfied. On seeing the radiant king move around, she also felt love and affection for him and the wanton one wasn’t satisfied. The king then addressed her in a gentle voice. “O beautiful one! O one with the slender waist! Are you from the race of gods, demons, gandharvas, apsaras, yakshas or pannagas, or are you human? You seem to be born of the gods. Whoever you are, please be my wife.” Hearing these soft words from the smiling king, that unblemished one remembered the promise she had made to the vasus. She spoke to the king, gladdening his heart with her words. “O lord of the earth! I will be your queen and will obey your words. O king! But you must not interfere in my acts, regardless of whether they please or displease you. You must never try to stop me or speak to me harshly. O king! As long as you act in the way I have asked you to, I will be with you. But I will certainly leave you whenever you try to stop me or speak to me harshly.” The best of the Bharata lineage agreed. At that, the lady was delighted to have obtained that supreme of kings as her husband.”

  ‘Having obtained her, Shantanu was also delighted. He pleasured with her as he desired and remembering the promise, refrained from asking her anything. The lord of the earth was extremely pleased with her conduct, beauty, generosity, qualities and secret art of love. The divine Ganga, who courses the three worlds, assumed a beautiful and radiant human form and lived happily as an obedient wife to Shantanu, that lion among kings. He was as radiant as the king of the gods himself and his love waxed, as his fortune did. She pleased the king with her skilled love making, intelligence, coquetry and demeanour and the king loved her as much as she did. The king was so addicted to desire and the qualities of his supreme wife that many years, seasons and months passed by without him being aware. When the lord of men thus united with her when desire seized them, eight sons were borne by her, each resembling a god. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! As soon as each son was born, one after another, she flung them into the waters of the Ganga, saying, “This is for your own good.” This did not please King Shantanu. But the lord of the earth did not dare to utter a word, for fear of losing her.

  ‘When the eighth son was born and she seemed to be smiling, the king, who desired a son, miserably told her, “Do not kill him. Who are you? Who do you belong to? Why do you kill your sons? As a murderer of your sons, you are committing a great sin. O evil one! Do not commit sin. Desist.” Ganga replied, “Since you desire a son, I will not kill this son. You will become the supreme father of a son. But following our agreement, my stay here has come to an end. I am Ganga, the daughter of Jahnu and worshipped by large numbers of maharshis. I have lived with you so far to accomplish the wishes of the gods. These were the eight vasus, immensely fortunate and immensely energetic gods. As a result of a curse imposed by Vashishtha, they had to be born in human form. There was no better father than you on earth and no human mother in this world who could equal me. Therefore, I assumed human form to become their mother. By becoming the father of the eight vasus, you have conquered the eternal worlds. My agreement with the divine vasus was that I should free them from their human birth as soon as each was born. I have thus freed them from the curse imposed by the great-souled Apava.205 Be fortunate. I must leave now. Rear this son. He will be rigid in his vows. My promise to the vasus that I would live with you is over. Let this son, born from me, be known as Gangadat
ta.’206

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  ‘Shantanu said, “Who was Apava? What evil act was committed by the vasus that they were all cursed to be born in human wombs? What has this son Gangadatta done that he must now live among men? The vasus are lords of all the worlds. O Jahnavi!207 Why were they born among men? Tell me everything.”’