Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/315

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ADI PARVA.
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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 in which the offerings to the Brahmanas were great.

"And Samvarana begat in his wife Tapati the daughter of Sura a son named Kuru. This Kuru was exceedingly virtuous. Therefore was he installed on the throne by his people. It is from his name that the field called Kuru-jangala has become so famous in the world. Devoted to asceticism, he made that field (Kuru-kshetra) sacred by practising his austerities there. And it hath been heard by us that Kuru's highly intelligent wife Vahini brought forth five sons, viz, Avikshit, Abhishya, Chaittra-ratha, Muni, and the celebrated Janamejaya. And Avikshit begat Parikshit, the powerful Shavalaswa, Adiraja, Viraja, Shalmali of great physical strength, Uchaisrava, Bhangakāra, and Jitari the eighth. In the race of these were born, as the fruits of their pious acts, seven mighty charioteers with Janamejaya as their head. And unto Parikshit were born sons who were all acquainted with the interpreta- of the shastras. And they were Kaksha-sena, and Ugra-sena, and Chittra-sena endued with great energy, and Indra-sena and Susena and Bhima-sena by name. And the sons of Janamejaya were all endued with great strength and became celebrated all over the world. And they were Dhrita-rashtra who was the eldest, and Pandu and Valhika, and Nishadha endued with great energy, and then the mighty Jambunada, and then Kundodara, and Padati and then Vashati the eighth. And they were all skilfull in the interpretation of the shastras and were kind to all creatures. Amongst them Dhrita-rashtra became king. And Dhrita-rashtra had eight sons, viz, Kundika, Hasti, Vitarka, Kratha, Kundina the fifth, Vahishrava, Indrava, and Bhumanyu the invincible. And Dhrita-rashtra had many grand-sons, of whom three only were famous. They were, O king, Pratipa, Dharma-netra, Su-netra. Amongst, these last three, Pratipa became unrivalled on earth. And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, Pratipa begat three sons, viz, Devapi, Shantanu, and the mighty charioteer Valhika. The. eldest

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