Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/196

 ( Adivansavatarana Parva continued. )

Sauti said, "Hearing that Janamejaya was installed in the snake-sacrifice, the learned Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana went thither 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 Parashara. And the illustrious one developed by his will alone his body as soon as he was born, and mastered the Vedas with the Angas, and the histories. And he readily obtained that which no one could obtain by asceticism, by the study of the Vedas, by vows, by fasting, by progeny, and by sacrifice. And the first of Veda-knowing ones, he divided the Veda into four parts. And the Brahamana Rishi had knowledge of the supreme Brahma, knew the past by intuition, was holy, and cherished truth. Of sacred deeds and great fame, he begat Pandu and Dhritarashtra and Vidura in order to continue the line of Shantanu.

"And the high-souled Rishi with his disciples all conversant with the Vedas and the Vedangas entered the sacrificial tent of the royal sage Janamejaya. And he saw that the king Janamejaya was seated in the sacrificial compound, like the god Indra, surrounded by numerous Sadasyas, by kings of various countries worshipping him with heads downwards, and by competent Ritwijas like unto Brahma himself. And the best of the Bharata race, the royal sage Janamejaya, 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 like Indra to Vrihaspati (the spiritual guide of the celestials.) And when the Rishi, capable of granting boons and adored by the celestial Rishis themselves had been seated, the king of kings then worshipped him according to the rites of the shastras. And the king then offered him—his grand-father Krishna—who fully deserved them, Padya, Achmanya, Arghya, and kine. And accepting those offerings, from the Pandava Janamejay and ordering the kine also not to be slain, Vyasa became very much gratified. And