The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa | Page 6

Ganesa be thought of, O Muni, for the purpose
of writing the poem.'
"Sauti said, 'Brahma having thus spoken to Vyasa, retired to his own
abode. Then Vyasa began to call to mind Ganesa. And Ganesa,
obviator of obstacles, ready to fulfil the desires of his votaries, was no
sooner thought of, than he repaired to the place where Vyasa was
seated. And when he had been saluted, and was seated, Vyasa
addressed him thus, 'O guide of the Ganas! be thou the writer of the

Bharata which I have formed in my imagination, and which I am about
to repeat."
"Ganesa, upon hearing this address, thus answered, 'I will become the
writer of thy work, provided my pen do not for a moment cease
writing." And Vyasa said unto that divinity, 'Wherever there be
anything thou dost not comprehend, cease to continue writing.' Ganesa
having signified his assent, by repeating the word Om! proceeded to
write; and Vyasa began; and by way of diversion, he knit the knots of
composition exceeding close; by doing which, he dictated this work
according to his engagement.
I am (continued Sauti) acquainted with eight thousand and eight
hundred verses, and so is Suka, and perhaps Sanjaya. From the
mysteriousness of their meaning, O Muni, no one is able, to this day, to
penetrate those closely knit difficult slokas. Even the omniscient
Ganesa took a moment to consider; while Vyasa, however, continued to
compose other verses in great abundance.
The wisdom of this work, like unto an instrument of applying collyrium,
hath opened the eyes of the inquisitive world blinded by the darkness of
ignorance. As the sun dispelleth the darkness, so doth the Bharata by its
discourses on religion, profit, pleasure and final release, dispel the
ignorance of men. As the full-moon by its mild light expandeth the
buds of the water-lily, so this Purana, by exposing the light of the Sruti
hath expanded the human intellect. By the lamp of history, which
destroyeth the darkness of ignorance, the whole mansion of nature is
properly and completely illuminated.
This work is a tree, of which the chapter of contents is the seed; the
divisions called Pauloma and Astika are the root; the part called
Sambhava is the trunk; the books called Sabha and Aranya are the
roosting perches; the books called Arani is the knitting knots; the books
called Virata and Udyoga the pith; the book named Bhishma, the main
branch; the book called Drona, the leaves; the book called Karna, the
fair flowers; the book named Salya, their sweet smell; the books
entitled Stri and Aishika, the refreshing shade; the book called Santi,
the mighty fruit; the book called Aswamedha, the immortal sap; the
denominated Asramavasika, the spot where it groweth; and the book
called Mausala, is an epitome of the Vedas and held in great respect by
the virtuous Brahmanas. The tree of the Bharata, inexhaustible to

mankind as the clouds, shall be as a source of livelihood to all
distinguished poets."
"Sauti continued, 'I will now speak of the undying flowery and fruitful
productions of this tree, possessed of pure and pleasant taste, and not to
be destroyed even by the immortals. Formerly, the spirited and virtuous
Krishna-Dwaipayana, by the injunctions of Bhishma, the wise son of
Ganga and of his own mother, became the father of three boys who
were like the three fires by the two wives of Vichitra-virya; and having
thus raised up Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura, he returned to his
recluse abode to prosecute his religious exercise.
It was not till after these were born, grown up, and departed on the
supreme journey, that the great Rishi Vyasa published the Bharata in
this region of mankind; when being solicited by Janamejaya and
thousands of Brahmanas, he instructed his disciple Vaisampayana, who
was seated near him; and he, sitting together with the Sadasyas, recited
the Bharata, during the intervals of the ceremonies of the sacrifice,
being repeatedly urged to proceed.
Vyasa hath fully represented the greatness of the house of Kuru, the
virtuous principles of Gandhari, the wisdom of Vidura, and the
constancy of Kunti. The noble Rishi hath also described the divinity of
Vasudeva, the rectitude of the sons of Pandu, and the evil practices of
the sons and partisans of Dhritarashtra.
Vyasa executed the compilation of the Bharata, exclusive of the
episodes originally in twenty-four thousand verses; and so much only is
called by the learned as the Bharata. Afterwards, he composed an
epitome in one hundred and fifty verses, consisting of the introduction
with the chapter of contents. This he first taught to his son Suka; and
afterwards he gave it to others of his disciples who were possessed of
the same qualifications. After that he executed another compilation,
consisting of six hundred thousand verses. Of