Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/172

158 ments. And he was the prince of all bowmen, conversant with all weapons, of mighty achievements, of great energy. Thou shouldst know he was also well acquainted with the Vedas and the science of arms. And he was of wonderful deeds and the pride of his race. And, o king. bis son the heroic Aswattaman, of eyes like the lotus.petals gifted with surpassing energy, and the terror of all foes, the great oppressor of all enemies, was born, on Earth, of the united portions of Mahadeva, Yama. Kama, and Krodha. And from the curse of Vasishtha and the command also of Indra, the eight Vasus were born of Ganga by her husband Santanu, The youngest of them was Bhishma, the dispeller of the fears of the Kurus, gifted with great intelligence, conversant with the Vedas, the first speakers, and the thinner of the enemy's ranks. And possessed of mighty energy and the first of all persons acquainted with weapons, he encountered the illustrious Rama himself, the son of Jamadagni of che Bhrigu tace. And. O king, that Brahman sage who, on Earth, was known by the name of Kripa and was the embodiment of all manliness was born of the tribe of the Rudras. And the mighty chariot-fighter and king who on Earth was known by the name of Sakuni, that crusher of foes, thou shouldst know, o king, was Dwapara himself (the third yuga). And he who was Satyaki of sure aim, that upholder of the pride of Vrishni race, that oppressor of foes, begotten of the portion of gods called the Maruts. And that royal sage Drupada who on Earth was a monarch, the first among all persons bearing arms, was also born of the same tribe of the celestials. Aod O king, thou shouldst also know that Kritavarman, that prince among men, of deeds unsurpassed by any one, and the foremost of all bulls amongst Kshatriyas, was born of the portion of the same celestials. And that royal sage also, Virata by name, the scorcher of the kingdoms of others, and the great oppressor of all foes, was born of the portion of the same gods. That son of Arishta who was known by tbe name of Hansa was born in the Kuru race and became the monarch of the Gandharvas. He who was known as Dhritarashtra born of the seed of Krishna-Dwaipayana, and gifted with long arms and great energy, also a monarch, of the prophetic eye, became blind in consequence of the fault of his mother and the wrath of the Rishi. His younger brother who was possessed of great strength and was really a great being known as Pandu, was devoted to truth and virtue was purity's self, And, o king, thou shouldst know that he who was known on Earth as Vidura, who was the first of all virtuous men, who was the god of Justice himself, was the excellent and greatly fortunate son of the Rishi Atri. The evil-minded and wicked king Duryodhana, the destroyer of the fair fame of the Kurus was born of a portion of Kali on Earth. He it was who caused all creatures to be slain and the Earth to be