(Adivansavatarana Parva)
" said, 'O son, thou you hast have narrated to me this extensive and great history commencing from the progeny of . O son of Suta, I have been much gratified with thee you. I ask thee you again, to recite to me, O son of a Suta, the history composed by . The varied and wonderful narrations that were recited amongst those illustrious Sadasyas assembled at the sacrifice, in the intervals of their duties of that long-extending ceremony, and the objects also of those narrations, I desire to hear from thee you, O son of a Suta! Recite therefore, all those to me fully.'
' said, 'The Brahmanas, in the intervals of the duties, spoke of many things founded upon the Vedas. But recited the wonderful and great history called the Bharata.'
" said, 'That sacred history called the Mahabharata, spreading the fame of the Pandavas, which , asked by , caused to be duly recited after the completion of the sacrifice. I desire to hear duly. That history hath has been born of the ocean-like mind of the great Rishi of soul purified by yoga. Thou you foremost of good men, recite it unto to me, for, O son of a Suta, my thirst hath has not been appeased by all thou you hast have said.'
' said, 'I shall recite to thee you from the beginning of that great and excellent history called the Mahabharata composed by . O Brahmana, listen to it in full, as I recite it. I myself feel a great pleasure in reciting it.'"
(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)
' said, 'Hearing that was installed in the snake-sacrifice, the learned Rishi went thither there on the occasion. And he, the grand-father of the Pandavas, was born in an island of the Yamuna, of the virgin Kali by Sakti's son, . And the illustrious one developed by his will alone his body as soon as he was born, and mastered the Vedas with their branches, and all the histories. And he readily obtained that which no one could obtain by asceticism, by the study of the Vedas, by vows, by fasts, by progeny, and by sacrifice. And the first of Veda-knowing ones, he divided the Vedas into four parts. And the Brahmana Rishi had knowledge of the supreme , knew the past by intuition, was holy, and cherished truth. Of sacred deeds and great fame, he begot and and in order to continue the line of .
"And the high-souled Rishi, with his disciples all conversant with the Vedas and their branches, entered the sacrificial pavilion of the royal sage, . And he saw that the king was seated in the sacrificial region like the god , surrounded by numerous Sadasyas, by kings of various countries whose coronal locks had undergone the sacred bath, and by competent Ritwiks like unto to Brahman himself. And that foremost one of Bharata's race, the royal sage , beholding the Rishi come, advanced quickly with his followers and relatives in great joy. And the king with the approval of his Sadasyas, gave the Rishi a golden seat as did to . And when the Rishi, capable of granting boons and adored by the celestial Rishis themselves, had been seated, the king of kings worshipped him according to the rites of the scriptures. And the king then offered him--his grandfather --who fully deserved them, water to wash his feet and mouth, and the Arghya, and kine. And accepting those offerings from the Pandava and ordering the kine also not to be slain, became much gratified. And the king, after those adorations bowed to his great-grandfather, and sitting in joy asked him about his welfare. And the illustrious Rishi also, casting his eyes upon him and asking him about his welfare, worshipped the Sadasyas, having been before worshipped by them all. And after all this, with all his Sadasyas, questioned that first of Brahmanas, with joined palms as follows:
'O Brahmana, thou you hast have seen with thy your own eyes the acts of the Kurus and the Pandavas. I am desirous of hearing thee you recite their history. What was the cause of the disunion amongst them that was fruitful of such extraordinary deeds? Why also did that great battle, which caused the death of countless creatures occur between all my grandfathers--their clear sense over-clouded by fate? O excellent Brahmana, tell me all this in full as everything had happened.'
"Hearing those words of , directed his disciple seated by his side, saying, 'The discord that happened between the Kurus and the Pandavas of old, narrate all to the king even as thou you hast have heard from me.'
"Then that blessed Brahmana, at the command of his preceptor recited the whole of that history unto to the king, the Sadasyas, and all the chieftains there assembled. And he told them all about the hostility and the utter extinction of the Kurus and the Pandavas.'"
(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)
" said, 'Bowing down in the first place to my preceptor with the eight parts of my body touching the ground, with devotion and reverence, and with all my heart, worshipping the whole assembly of Brahmanas and other learned persons, I shall recite in full what I have heard from the high-souled and great Rishi , the first of intelligent men in the three worlds. And having got it within thy your reach, O monarch, thou you also art a fit person to hear the composition called Bharata. Encouraged by the command of my preceptor my heart feeleth feels no fear.
"Hear, O monarch, why that disunion occurred between the Kurus and the Pandavas, and why also that exile into the woods immediately proceeding from the game at dice prompted by the desire (of the Kurus) for rule. I shall relate all to thee you who askest ask it thou you best of the Bharata race!
"On the death of their father those heroes (the Pandavas) came to their own home. And within a short time they became well-versed in archery. And the Kurus beholding the Pandavas gifted with physical strength, energy, and power of mind, popular also with the citizens, and blessed with good fortune, became very jealous. Then the crookedminded , and , with (the former's uncle) the son of began to persecute them and devise means for their exile. Then the wicked , guided by the counsels of (his maternal uncle), persecuted the Pandavas in various ways for the acquirement of undisputed sovereignty. The wicked son of gave poison to , but of the stomach of the wolf digested the poison with the food. Then the wretch again tied the sleeping on the margin of the Ganges and, casting him into the water, went away. But when of strong arms, the son of woke, he tore the strings with which he had been tied and came up, his pains all gone. And while asleep and in the water black snakes of virulent poison bit him in every part of his body. But that slayer of foes did not still perish. And in all those persecutions of the Pandavas by their cousins, the Kurus, the high-minded attentively engaged himself neutralising those evil designs and rescuing the persecuted ones. And as from the heavens keeps in happiness the world of men, so did always keep the Pandavas from evil.
"When , with various means, both secret and open, found himself incapable of destroying the Pandavas who were protected by the fates and kept alive for grave future purposes (such as the extermination of the Kuru race), then called together his counsellors consisting of (), and others, and with the knowledge of caused a house of lac to be constructed. And king , from affection for his children, and prompted by the desire of sovereignty, sent the Pandavas tactfully into Varanavata. And the Pandavas then went away with their mother from Hastinapura. And when they were leaving the city, gave them some idea of impending danger and how they could come out of it.
'The sons of reached the town of Varanavata and lived there with their mother. And, agreeably to the command of , those illustrious slayers of all enemies lived in the palace of lac, while in that town. And they lived in that place for one year, protecting themselves from very wakefully. And causing a subterranean passage to be constructed, acting according to the directions of , they set fire to that house of lac and burnt (their enemy and the spy of ) to death. Those slayers of all enemies, anxious with fear, then fled with their mother. In the woods beside a fountain they saw a Rakshasa. But, alarmed at the risk they ran of exposure by such an act the Pandavas fled in the darkness, out of fear from the sons of . It was here that gained (the sister of the Rakshasa he slew) for a wife, and it was of her that was born. Then the Pandavas, of rigid vows, and conversant with the Vedas wended to a town of the name of Ekachakra and dwelt there in the guise of Brahmacharins. And those bulls among men dwelt in that town in the house of a Brahmana for some time, with temperance and abstinence. And it was here that of mighty arms came upon a hungry and mighty and man-eating Rakshasa of the name of . And , the son of , that tiger among men, slew him speedily with the strength of his arms and made the citizens safe and free from fear. Then they heard of (the princess of Panchala) having become disposed to select a husband from among the assembled princes. And, hearing of it, they went to Panchala, and there they obtained the maiden. And having obtained (as their common wife) they then dwelt there for a year. And after they became known, those chastisers of all enemies went back to Hastinapura. And they were then told by king and the () as follows: 'In order, O dear ones, dissensions may not take place between you and your cousins, we have settled that Khandavaprastha should be your abode. Therefore, go ye you, casting off all jealousy, to Khandavaprastha which contains many towns served by many broad roads, for dwelling there.' And accordingly the Pandavas went, with all their friends and followers, to Khandavaprastha taking with them many jewels and precious stones. And the sons of dwelt there for many years. And they brought, by force of arms, many a prince under their subjection. And thus, setting their hearts on virtue and firmly adhering to truth, unruffled by affluence, calm in deportment, and putting down numerous evils, the Pandavas gradually rose to power. And of great reputation subjugated the East, the heroic , the North, , the West; that slayer of all hostile heroes, the South. And this having been done, their domination was spread over the whole world. And with the five Pandavas, each like unto to the Sun, the Earth looked as if she had six Suns.
"Then, for some reason, the just, gifted with great energy and prowess, sent his brother who was capable of drawing the bow with the left hand, dearer unto to him than life itself, into the woods. And , that tiger among men, of firm soul, and gifted with every virtue, lived in the woods for eleven years and months. And during this period, on a certain occasion, went to in Dwaravati. And () there obtained for a wife the lotus-eyed and sweet-speeched younger sister of , by name. And she became united, in gladness, with , the son of , like Sachi with the great , or Sri with himself. And then, O best of monarchs, , the son of , with , gratified ; the carrier of the sacrificial butter, in the forest of Khandava (by burning the medicinal plants in that woods to cure of his indigestion). And to , assisted as he was by , the task did not at all appear heavy even as nothing is heavy to with immense design and resources in the matter of destroying his enemies. And gave unto to the son of the excellent bow Gandiva and a quiver that was inexhaustible, and a war-chariot bearing the figure of on its standard. And it was on this occasion that relieved the great Asura () from fear (of being consumed in the fire). And , in gratitude, built (for the Pandavas) a celestial palace decked with every sort of jewels and precious stones. And the wicked , beholding that building, was tempted with the desire of possessing it. And deceiving by means of the dice played through the hands of the son of , sent the Pandavas into the woods for twelve years and one additional year to be passed in concealment, thus making the period full thirteen.
"And the fourteenth year, O monarch, when the Pandavas returned and claimed their property, they did not obtain it. And thereupon then war was declared, and the Pandavas, after exterminating the whole race of Kshatriyas and slaying king , obtained back their devastated kingdom.
"This is the history of the Pandavas who never acted under the influence of evil passions; and this the account, O first of victorious monarchs of the disunion that ended in the loss of their kingdom by the Kurus and the victory of the Pandavas.'"