rashtra and Pandu and Vidura of great intelligence were from their birth brought up by Bhishma, as if they were his own children. And the children, having passed through the usual rites of their order, devoted themselves to vows and study. And they grew up into fine youths skilled in the Vedas and all athletic sports. And they became well-skilled in the practice of bow, in horsemanship, in encounters with mace, sword and shield, in the management of elephants in battle. and in the science of morality, Well-read in history and the history and the Puranas and various branches of learning, and acquainted with the truths of the Vedas and their branches they acquired knowledge, which was varsatile and deep. And Pandu, possessed of great prowess, excelled all men in the science of bow, while Dbritarashtra excelled all men in the science of bow while Dhritarashtra excelled all in personal strength : wbile in three worlds there was no one equal to Vidura in bis devotion to virtue and in the knowledge of the dictates of morality. And beholding the restoration of the extinct line of Santanu, the saying became current in all countries that among mothers of heroes, the daughters of the king of Kasi were the first ; that among countries Kurujangala was the first : that among virtuous men, Vidura was the firsts that among cities Hastinapura was the first. Pandu became king, for Dhritarashtra, owing to the blindness, and Vidura, for his birth by a Sudra woman, did not obtain the kingdom. One day Bhislima, the foremost of those acquainted with the duties of a statesman and dictates of morality, properly addressing Vidura conversant with the truths of religion and virtue, said as follows."
Thus ends the hundred and ninth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION CX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Bhishma said, "This our celebrated race, resplendent with every virtue and accomplishment, hath all along sovereignty over all other monarchs on Earth. Its glory maintained and itself perpetuated by many virtuous and illustrious monarchs of old, the illustrious Krishna (Dwaipayana) and Satyabati and myself have raised you (three) up, in order that it may not be extinct. It behoveth myself and thee also to take such steps that this our dynasty may expand again as the sea. It hath been heard by me that there are three maidens worthy of being allied to our race. One is the daughter of (Surasena) the Yadava race: the other is the daughter of Suvala ; and the third is the princess
