Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/238

224 and addressed him, saying.-Be thou our priest. O illustrious one 1 We will endeavour to regain our kingdom'. And Vasistha answered the Bharatas by saying.-'Om' (the sign of consent). It hath been heard by us that Vasistha then installed the Bharata prince in the sovereignty of all the Kshattriyas on Earth, making by virtue of his Mantras ebis descendant of Puru the veritable horns of the wild bull or the tusks of the wild elephant. And the king retook the capital that had been taken away from him and once more made all monarchs pay tribute to him. The powerful Samvarana, thus installed once more in the actual sovereignty of the whole Earth, performed many sacrifices at which the presents to the Brahmanas were great.

"Samvarana begat upon his wife, Tapati, che daughter of Suryya, a son named Kuru, This Kuru was exceedingly virtuous, therefore, he was installed on the throne by his people. It is after his name that the fleld called Kuru-jangala has become so famous in the world. Devoted to asceticism, he made that field (Kurukshettra) sacred by practising asceticism there. And it has been heard by us that Kuru's highly intelligent wife, Vahini, brought forth five sons viz., Avikshit, Abishyat, Chastraratha, Muni. and the celebrated Janamejaya. And Avikshit begat Parikshit the powerful, Savolaswa, Adiraja, Viraja, Balmali of great physical strength Uchaisravas, Bhangakara and Jitari the eighth. In the race of these were born, as the fruit of their pious acts seven mighty car-warriors with Janamejaya at their head. And unto Parikshit were born sons who were all acquainted with the secrets of) the religion and profit. And they were named Kakshasena and Ugrasena, and Chritrasena endued with great energy, and Indrasena and Sushena and Bhimasena. And the sons of Janamejaya were all endued with great strength and became celebrated all over the world. And they were Dhritarashtra who was the eldest, and Pandu and Valhika, and Nishadha endued with great energy, and then the mighty Jamvunada, and then Kundodara and Padati and then Vasati the eighth, And they were all proficient in morality and profit and were kind to all creatures. Among them Dbcitarashtra became king. And Dhritarashtra bad eight sons viz., Kundika, Hasti, Vitarka, Kratha the fifth, Havitsravas. Indrabha, and Bhumanyu the invincible, and Dhritarashtra had many grandsons, of whom three only were famous. They were, o king, Pratipa, Dharmanetra, Sunetra. Among these last three, Pratipa became uurivalled on Earth. And, O bull in Bharata's race, Pratipa begat three sons-viz.. Devapi, Santanu, and the mighty car-warrior Valhika. The eldest Devapi adopted the ascetic course of life, impelled thereto by the desire of benefiting his brothers. And the kingdom was obtained by Santanu and the mighty car-warrior Valhika.