Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/202

 ( Adivansavatarana Parva continued. )

Janamejaya said, "O excellent of Brahmanas, thou hast, indeed, told me, in abstract, the history, called Mahabharata, of the great acts of the Kurus. But, O thou of ascetic wealth, recite now that wonderful narration very fully. I feel a great curiosity to hear it. I behoveth thee to recite it therefore in full. I am not satisfied with hearing in the abstract the great history. That could never have been a trifling cause for which the virtuous ones could slay those they should not have slain, and for which they are yet applauded by men. Why also those tigers among men, perfectly innocent and quite capable of avenging themselves upon their enemies, calmly suffered the persecutions of the wicked Kurus? And why also, O best of Brahmanas, Bhima of mighty arm and having the strength of ten thousand elephants controlled his anger event though wronged? Why also the chaste Krishnā—the daughter of Drupada, wronged by those wretches, and able to burn them, did not burn the sons of Dhrita-rashtra by her wrathful eyes? Why also did the two other sons of Pritha (Bhima and Arjuna) and the two sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva,) themselves injured by the wretched Kurus, follow Yudhishthira inveterately addicted to the evil habit of gaming? Why also did Yudhish-thira, the foremost of all virtuous men, the son of Dharma himself, and fully acquainted with all duties, suffer that excess of affliction? Why also did the Pandava Dhananjaya having Krishna for his charioteer, who by his arrows sent to the other world that dauntless host of fighting men, (suffer such persecution?) O thou of ascetic wealth, tell me all these as every thing happened, and every thing that those mighty charioteers achieved!"

Vaisampayana said, "O monarch, appoint thou a time for hearing it. This history spoken by Krishna-Dwaipayana is very extensive. This is but the beginning. I will recite it. I will repeat the whole of the composition in full, of the illustrious and great Rishi Vyasa of immeasurable mental power and