The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa | Page 5

the expiration of
the Yuga, be again confounded. And, at the commencement of other
Yugas, all things will be renovated, and, like the various fruits of the
earth, succeed each other in the due order of their seasons. Thus
continueth perpetually to revolve in the world, without beginning and
without end, this wheel which causeth the destruction of all things.

The generation of Devas, in brief, was thirty-three thousand,
thirty-three hundred and thirty-three. The sons of Div were
Brihadbhanu, Chakshus, Atma Vibhavasu, Savita, Richika, Arka,
Bhanu, Asavaha, and Ravi. Of these Vivaswans of old, Mahya was the
youngest whose son was Deva-vrata. The latter had for his son,
Su-vrata who, we learn, had three sons,--Dasa- jyoti, Sata-jyoti, and
Sahasra-jyoti, each of them producing numerous offspring. The
illustrious Dasa-jyoti had ten thousand, Sata-jyoti ten times that number,
and Sahasra-jyoti ten times the number of Sata-jyoti's offspring. From
these are descended the family of the Kurus, of the Yadus, and of
Bharata; the family of Yayati and of Ikshwaku; also of all the Rajarshis.
Numerous also were the generations produced, and very abundant were
the creatures and their places of abode. The mystery which is
threefold--the Vedas, Yoga, and Vijnana Dharma, Artha, and
Kama--also various books upon the subject of Dharma, Artha, and
Kama; also rules for the conduct of mankind; also histories and
discourses with various srutis; all of which having been seen by the
Rishi Vyasa are here in due order mentioned as a specimen of the book.
The Rishi Vyasa published this mass of knowledge in both a detailed
and an abridged form. It is the wish of the learned in the world to
possess the details and the abridgement. Some read the Bharata
beginning with the initial mantra (invocation), others with the story of
Astika, others with Uparichara, while some Brahmanas study the whole.
Men of learning display their various knowledge of the institutes in
commenting on the composition. Some are skilful in explaining it,
while others, in remembering its contents.
The son of Satyavati having, by penance and meditation, analysed the
eternal Veda, afterwards composed this holy history, when that learned
Brahmarshi of strict vows, the noble Dwaipayana Vyasa, offspring of
Parasara, had finished this greatest of narrations, he began to consider
how he might teach it to his disciples. And the possessor of the six
attributes, Brahma, the world's preceptor, knowing of the anxiety of the
Rishi Dwaipayana, came in person to the place where the latter was, for
gratifying the saint, and benefiting the people. And when Vyasa,
surrounded by all the tribes of Munis, saw him, he was surprised; and,
standing with joined palms, he bowed and ordered a seat to be brought.
And Vyasa having gone round him who is called Hiranyagarbha seated

on that distinguished seat stood near it; and being commanded by
Brahma Parameshthi, he sat down near the seat, full of affection and
smiling in joy. Then the greatly glorious Vyasa, addressing Brahma
Parameshthi, said, "O divine Brahma, by me a poem hath been
composed which is greatly respected. The mystery of the Veda, and
what other subjects have been explained by me; the various rituals of
the Upanishads with the Angas; the compilation of the Puranas and
history formed by me and named after the three divisions of time, past,
present, and future; the determination of the nature of decay, fear,
disease, existence, and non-existence, a description of creeds and of the
various modes of life; rule for the four castes, and the import of all the
Puranas; an account of asceticism and of the duties of a religious
student; the dimensions of the sun and moon, the planets, constellations,
and stars, together with the duration of the four ages; the Rik, Sama and
Yajur Vedas; also the Adhyatma; the sciences called Nyaya, Orthœphy
and Treatment of diseases; charity and Pasupatadharma; birth celestial
and human, for particular purposes; also a description of places of
pilgrimage and other holy places of rivers, mountains,, forests, the
ocean, of heavenly cities and the kalpas; the art of war; the different
kinds of nations and languages: the nature of the manners of the people;
and the all-pervading spirit;--all these have been represented. But, after
all, no writer of this work is to be found on earth.'
"Brahma said. 'I esteem thee for thy knowledge of divine mysteries,
before the whole body of celebrated Munis distinguished for the
sanctity of their lives. I know thou hast revealed the divine word, even
from its first utterance, in the language of truth. Thou hast called thy
present work a poem, wherefore it shall be a poem. There shall be no
poets whose works may equal the descriptions of this poem, even, as
the three other modes called Asrama are ever unequal in merit to the
domestic Asrama. Let