Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/234

200 daughter (of .) Thou hast now known their names according to the order of their births. All of them were heroes and great charioteers, and skilled in the art of war. All of them were, besides, versed in the Vedas, and, O king, all of them had crossed the Shastras. All of them were mighty in attack and defence, and all were graced with learning. And, O monarch, all of them had wives suitable to themselves in grace and accomplishments. And, O king, when the time came, the Kaurava monarch bestowed his daughter on Jayadratha the king of Sindhu agreeably to the counsels of Sakuni.

"And, O monarch, know thou that king was a portion of Dharma; that  was of the diety [sic] of wind; that Arjuna was of Indra the chief of the celestials; and that Nakula and Sahadeva, the handsomest beings among all creatures, and unrivalled in beauty on earth, were similarly portions of the twin Aswinas. And he who was known as the mighty Varcha—the son of Shoma—became Abhimanyu of wonderful deeds, the son of Arjuna. And before his incarnation, O king, the god Soma had said these words to the celestials:—'I cannot give (part with) my son. He is dearer to me than life itself. Let this be the compact and let it not be transgressed. The destruction of the Asuras on earth is the work of the celestials and therefore is it our work as well. Let this Varcha therefore go thither but let him not stay there long. Nara, whose companion is Narayana, will take his birth as Indra's son and, indeed, will be known as Arjuna the mighty son of Pandu. This boy of mine shall be his son and become a mighty charioteer in his boyhood. And let him, ye best of immortals, stay on earth for sixteen years. And when he attaineth to his sixteenth year that war shall take place in which all who are born of your portions shall achieve the destruction of mighty warriors. But a certain encounter shall take place without both Nara and Narayana (taking any part in it.) And, indeed, your portions, ye celestials, shall fight having made that disposition of the forces which is known by the name of the . And my son shall compell all foes to retreat before him. The boy of mighty arms having