Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/42

8 tents. This he first taught to his son Suka; and afterwards he gave it to others of his disciples who were possessed of the same qualifications. After that he executed another compilation, consisting of six hundred thousand verses. Of these, thirty hundred thousand are known in the world of the Devas; fifteen hundred thousand in the world of the Pitris; fourteen hundred thousand among the Gandharvas, and one hundred thousand in the regions of mankind. Narada recited them to the Devas, Devala to the Pitris, and Suka published them to the Gandharvas, Yakshas, and Rakshasas; and in this world they were recited by Vaisampayana, one of the disciples of Vyasa, a man of just principles and the first among all those acquainted with the Vedas. Know that I, Sauti, have also repeated one hundred thousand verses.

"Durjodhana is a great tree formed of passion, Karna is its trunk; Sakuni is its branches; Dusshasana, its fruit and flowers; and the  Raja  its roots.

" is a vast tree, formed of religion and virtue; Arjuna is its trunk; its branches; the two sons of Madri are its full grown fruit and flowers; and its roots are Krishna, Brahma, and the Brahmanas.

"Pandu, after having subdued many countries by his wisdom and prowess, took up his abode with the Munis in a certain forest as a sportsman, where he brought upon himself a very severe misfortune for having killed a stag coupling with its mate, which served as a warning for the conduct of the princes of his house as long as they lived. Their mothers, that the ordinances of the law might be fulfilled, admitted as substitutes to their embraces the gods Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, and the divinities the twin Aswinas. And when their offsprings were grown up, under the care of their two mothers, in the society of ascetics, in the midst of sacred groves and holy recluse abodes of religious men, they were conducted by Rishis into the presence of and his sons, following as students in the habit of Brahmacharis, having their hair tied in knots on their heads. 'These our pupils,' said they, 'are as your sons, your brothers, and your friends; they are Pandavas.' Saying this, the Munis disappeared.