Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/77

Rh attained to that region which his acts merited, and began to live in joy respected by Indra and all the gods. This is the eighteenth Parva as narrated by the illustrious Vyasa. The number of sections is five, and the number of slokas composed, O ascetics, by the great Rishi in this is two hundred and nine.

"The above are the contents of the Eighteen Parvas. In the appendix (Khila) are the Harivansa and the Vavishya. The number of slokas contained in the Harivansa is twelve thousand."

These are the contents of the section called Sauti continued:—Eighteen Akshauhinis of troops came together for battle. The encounter that ensued was terrible and lasted for eighteen days. He who knows the four Vedas with all the Angas and Upanishadas, but does not know this history (Bharata), cannot be regarded as wise. Vyasa of immeasurable intelligence has spoken of the Mahabharata as a treatise on Artha, on Dharma, and on Kama. Those who have listened to this history can never bear to listen to others, as, indeed, they who have listened to the sweet voice of the male Kokila can never hear the dissonance of the crow's cawing. As the formation of the three worlds proceedeth from the five elements, so do the inspirations of all poets proceed from this excellent composition. O ye Brahmanas, as the four kinds of creatures (viviparous, oviparous, born of filth, and vegetables) are dependent on space for their existence, so the Puranas depend upon this history. As all the senses depend for their exercise upon the various modifications of the mind, so do all acts (ceremonials) and moral qualities depend upon this treatise. There is not a story current in the world but doth depend on this history, even as the body upon the food it taketh. All poets cherish the Bharata even as servants desirous of preferment always attend upon masters of good lineage. Even as the blessed domestic Asrama can never be surpassed by the three other Asramas (modes of life) so no poets can surpass this poem.

"Ye ascetics, shake ye off all inaction. Let your hearts be fixed on virtue, for virtue is the one only friend of him that has gone to the other world. Even the most intelligent by cherishing wealth and wives can never make these their own; nor are these possessions that are lasting. The Bharata uttered