Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/257

Rh the hair on the fisherman's body stood on end from glee, and be replied, 'I bestow my daughter l' Immediately after, the Apsaras and the gods with diverse tribes of Rishis began to rain down flowers from the firmament upon the head of Devavrata and exclaimed --This one is Bhishma (the terrible). Bhishma then, to serve his father, addressed the illustrious damsel and said, -'O mother, ascend this chariot, and let us go unto our house."

Vaisampayana continued-Having said this. Bhishma helped the beautiful maiden into his chariot. On arriving with her at Hastinapura. he told Santanu everything as it had happened. And the assembled kings, jointly and individually, applauded his extraordinary act and said, 'He is really Bhishma (the terrible)!' And Santanu also, hearing of the extraordinary achievements of his son, became highly gratified and bestowed upon the high-souled prince the boon of death at will, saying, -'Death shall never come to thee as long as thou desirest to live. Truly death shall approach thee, O sinless one, having first obtained thy command I'”

Thus ends the hundredth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said, "O monarch, after the nuptials were over, king Santanu established his beautiful bride in his household. Soon after was born of Satyavati an intelligent and heroic son of Santanu named Chitrangada. He was endued with great energy and became an eminent man. The lord Santanu of great prowess also begat upon Satyavati another son named Bichitravírya, who became a mighty bowman and who became king after his father. And before that bull among men, viz., Vichitravinya, attained to majority, the wise king Santanu realised the inevitable influence of Time. And after Santanu had ascended to heaven, Bhishma, placing himself under the command of Satyavati, installed that suppressor of foes, viz., Chitrangada on the throne, who, having soon vanquished by his prowess all monarchs, considered not any man as his equal. And beholding that he could vanquish men, Asuras, and the very gods, his namesake, the powerful king of the Gandharvas approached him for an encounter. Between that Gandharva and that foremost one of the Kurus, who were both very powerful, there occured on the field of Kurukshetra a fierce combat which lasted full three years on the banks of the Saraswati. In that terrible encounter characterised by thick