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taken birth as Balarama) proceeded to the region below the Earth. Through the command of the Grandsire, he, aided by his

Yoga power, supported the Earth. Vasudeva was a portion of that eternal god of gods called Narayana. Accordingly, he entered

into Narayana. 16,000 women had been married to Vasudeva as his wives. When the time came, O Janamejaya, they, plunged

into the Sarasvati. Casting off their (human) bodies there, they re-ascended to Heaven. Transformed into Apsaras, they

approached the presence of Vasudeva. Those heroic and mighty car-warriors, Ghatotkaca and others, who were slain in the

great battle, attained to the status, some of gods and some of Yakshas. Those that had fought on the side of Duryodhana are

said to have been Rakshasas. Gradually, O king, they have all attained to excellent regions of felicity. Those foremost of men

have proceeded, some to the abode of Indra, some to that of Kuvera of great intelligence, and some to that of Varuna. I have

now told thee, O thou of great splendour, everything about the acts, O Bharata, of both the Kurus and the Pandavas.

Sauti said: Hearing this, ye foremost of regenerate ones, at the intervals of sacrificial rites, king Janamejaya became filled with

wonder. The sacrificial priests then finished the rites that remained to be gone through. Astika, having rescued the snakes (from

fiery death), became filled with joy. King Janamejaya then gratified all the Brahmanas with copious presents. Thus worshipped

by the king, they returned to their respective abodes. Having dismissed those learned Brahmanas, king Janamejaya came back

from Takshasila to the city named after the elephant.

I have now told everything that Vaishampayana narrated, at the command of Vyasa, unto the king at his snake sacrifice. Called

a history, it is sacred, sanctifying and excellent. It has been composed by the ascetic Krishna, O Brahmana, of truthful speech.

He is omniscient, conversant with all ordinances, possessed of a knowledge of all duties, endued with piety, capable of

perceiving what is beyond the ken of the senses, pure, having a soul cleansed by penances, possessed of the six high attributes,

and devoted to Sankhya Yoga. He has composed this, beholding everything with a celestial eye that has been cleansed

(strengthened) by varied lore. He has done this, desiring to spread the fame, throughout the world, of the high-souled Pandavas,

as also of other Kshatriyas possessed of abundant wealth of energy.

That learned man who recites this history of sacred days in the midst of a listening auditory becomes cleansed of every sin,

conquers Heaven, and attains to the status of Brahma. Of that man who listens with rapt attention to the recitation of the whole

of this Veda composed by (the Island-born) Krishna, a million sins, numbering such grave ones as Brahmanicide and the rest,

are washed off. The Pitris of that man who recites even a small portion of this history at a Sraddha, obtain inexhaustible food

and drink. The sins that one commits during the day by ones senses or the mind are all washed off before evening by reciting a

portion of the Mahabharata. Whatever sins a Brahmana may commit at night in the midst of women are all washed off before

dawn by reciting a portion of the Mahabharata.

The high race of the Bharatas is its topic. Hence it is called Bharata. And because of its grave import, as also of the Bharatas

being its topic, it is called Mahabharata. He who is versed in interpretations of this great treatise, becomes cleansed of every

sin. Such a man lives in righteousness, wealth, and pleasure, and attains to Emancipation also, O chief of Bharatas race.

That which occurs here occurs elsewhere. That which does not occur here occurs nowhere else. This history is known by the

name of Jaya. It should be heard by every one desirous of Emancipation. It should be read by Brahmanas, by kings, and by

women quick with children. He that desires Heaven attains to Heaven; and he that desires victory attains to victory. The

woman quick with child gets either a son or a daughter highly blessed. The puissant Island-born Krishna, who will not have to

come back, and who is Emancipation incarnate, made an abstract of the Bharata, moved by the desire of aiding the cause of

righteousness. He made another compilation consisting of sixty lakhs of verses. Thirty lakhs of these were placed in the region

of the deities. In the region of the Pitris fifteen lakhs, it should be known, are current; while in that of the Yakshas fourteen

lakhs are in vogue. One lakh is current among human beings.

Narada recited the Mahabharata to the gods; Asita-Devala to the Pitris; Suka to the Rakshasas and the Yakshas; and

Vaishampayana to human beings. This history is sacred, and of high import, and regarded as equal to the Vedas. That man, O

Saunaka, who hears this history, placing a Brahmana before him, acquires both fame and the fruition of all his wishes. He who,

with fervid devotion, listens to a recitation of the Mahabharata, attains (hereafter) to high success in consequence of the merit

that becomes his through understanding even a very small portion thereof. All the sins of that man who recites or listens to this

history with devotion are washed off.

In former times, the great Rishi Vyasa, having composed this treatise, caused his son Suka to read it with him, along with these

four Verses. Thousands of mothers and fathers, and hundreds of sons and wives arise in the world and depart from it. Others

will (arise and) similarly depart. There are thousands of occasions for joy and hundreds of occasions for fear. These affect only

him that is ignorant but never him that is wise. With uplifted arms I am crying aloud but nobody hears me. From Righteousness

is Wealth as also Pleasure. Why should not Righteousness, therefore, be courted? For the sake neither of pleasure, nor of fear,

nor of cupidity should any one cast off Righteousness. Indeed, for the sake of even life one should not cast off Righteousness.

Righteousness is eternal. Pleasure and Pain are not eternal. Jiva is eternal. The cause, however, of Jivas being invested with a

body is not so.

That man who, waking up at dawn, reads this Savittri of the Bharata, acquires all the rewards attached to a recitation of this

history and ultimately attains to the highest Brahma. As the sacred Ocean, as the Himavat mountain, are both regarded as

mines of precious gems, even so is this Bharata (regarded as a mine of precious gems). The man of learning, by reciting to

others this Veda or Agama composed by (the Island-born) Krishna, earns wealth. There is no doubt in this that he who, with

rapt attention, recites this history called Bharata, attains to high success. What need has that man of a sprinkling of the waters

of Pushkara who attentively listens to this Bharata, while it is recited to him? It represents the nectar that fell from the lips of

the Island-born. It is immeasurable, sacred, sanctifying, sin-cleansing, and auspicious.

6

Janamejaya said, "O holy one, according to what rites should the learned listen to the Bharata? What are the fruits (acquirable

by hearing it)? What deities are to be worshipped during the several paranas? What should be the gifts that one should make, O

holy one, at every parva or sacred day (during the continuance of the recitation)? What should be the qualification of the reciter

to be engaged? Tell me all this!

Vaishampayana said, "Hear, O king, what the procedure is, and what the fruits, O Bharata, are that will spring from ones

listening (to a recitation of the Bharata). Even this, O king of kings, is what thou askest me. The deities of Heaven, O ruler of

Earth, came to this world for sport. Having achieved their task, they ascended once more to Heaven. Listen to what I shall tell

thee in brief. In the Mahabharata is to be found the births of Rishis and deities on the Earth. In this treatise, called Bharata, O

foremost one of Bharatas race, are to be seen in one place the eternal Rudras, the Saddhyas, and the Viswedevas; the Adityas,

the two deities named the Ashvinis, the regents of the World, the great Rishis, the Guhyakas, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, the

Vidyadharas, the Siddhas, the diverse deities, the Self-born visible in a body, with many ascetics; the Hills and Mountains,

Oceans and Seas and Rivers, the diverse tribes of Apsaras; the Planets, the Years, the Half-years, and the Seasons; and the

whole universe of mobile and immobile entities, with all the gods and Asuras.

"Hearing their celebrity, and in consequence of a recitation of their names and achievements, a man that has committed even

terrible sins, will be cleansed. Having, with a concentrated soul and cleansed body, heard this history duly, from the beginning,

and having reached its end, one should make Sraddha offerings, O Bharata, unto those (foremost of persons who have been

mentioned in it). Unto the Brahmanas also, O chief of Bharatas race, should, with due devotion and according to ones power,

be made large gifts and diverse kinds of gems, and kine, and vessels of white brass for milking kine, and maidens decked with

every ornament, and possessed of every accomplishment suited to enjoyment, as also diverse kinds of conveyances, beautiful

mansions, plots of land, and cloths. Animals also should be given, such as horses and elephants in rage, and beds, and covered

conveyances borne on the shoulders of men, and well-decked cars. Whatever objects occur in the house, of the foremost kind,

whatever wealth of great value occurs in it, should be given away unto Brahmanas. Indeed, one should give away ones own

self, wives, and children.

"One desirous of hearing the Bharata, should hear it without a doubting heart, with cheerfulness and joy; and as, he proceeds

listening to its recitation, he should according to the extent of his power, make gifts with great devotion.

"Hear how a person that is devoted to truth and sincerity, that is self-restrained, pure (in mind), and observant of those acts

which lead to purity of body, that is endued with faith, and that has subjugated wrath, attains to success (in the matter of a

recitation of the Bharata). He should appoint as reciter one that is pure (of body), that is endued with good and pious conduct,

that should be robed in white, that should have a complete mastery over his passions, that is cleansed of all offences, that is

conversant with every branch of learning, that is endued with faith, that is free from malice, that is possessed of handsome

features, that is blessed, self-restrained, truthful, and with passions under control, and that is beloved of all for the gifts he

makes and the honours of which he is the possessor.

"The reciter, seated at his ease, free from all bodily complaints, and with rapt attention, should recite the text without too much

slowness, without a labouring voice, without being fast or quick, quietly, with sufficient energy, without confusing the letters

and words together, in a sweet intonation and with such accent and emphasis as would indicate the sense giving full utterance

to the three and sixty letters of the alphabet from the eight places of their formation. Bowing unto Narayana, and to Nara, that

foremost of men, as also to the goddess Sarasvati, should the word Jaya be uttered.