Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/215

 ( Adivansavatarana Parva continued. )

Janamejaya said, "O Brahmana, those thou hast named and thou hast not named, I wish to hear of in detail, as also of other kings by thousands. And, O thou of great good fortune, it behoveth thee to tell me in full the object for which those Maharathas, equal unto the celestials themselves, were born on earth."

Vaisampayana said, "It hath been heard by us, O monarch, that what thou askest is a mystery to even the gods. I shall, however, speak it unto thee, after bowing down to Swayamvu (the self-born.) The son of Jamadagni (Parushurama) after thrice seven times making the earth bereft of Kshatrias wended to that best of mountains—Mahendra—and there began his ascetic penances. And then when the earth was made bereft of Kshatrias, the Kshatriā ladies, desirous of offspring, came, O monarch, to the Brahmanas. And Brahmanas of rigid vows had connections with them during the womanly season alone, but never, O king, lustfully and out of season. And Kshatriā ladies by thousands conceived from such connections with Brahmanas. Then, O monarch, were born many Kshatrias of greater energy—boys and girls—so that the Kshatria race might thrive. And thus sprung the Kshatria race from Kshatriā ladies by Brahmanas of ascetic penances. And the new generation, blessed with long life, began to thrive in virtue. And thus the four orders having Brahmanas at their head were reestablished. And every man at that time went unto his wife during season, and never from lust and out of season. And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, in the same way, other creatures also, even those born in the race of birds, went unto their wives during season alone. And, O thou protector of the earth, hundreds of thousands of creatures were born, and all were virtuous and began to multiply in virtue, all being free from sorrow and disease. And, O thou of the elephant's tread, this wide earth having the ocean for her boundaries, with her mountains and woods and towns, was once more