Mahabharata (English)

by Kisari Mohan Ganguli | 2,566,952 words | ISBN-10: 8121505933

The English translation of the Mahabharata is a large text describing ancient India. It is authored by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa and contains the records of ancient humans. Also, it documents the fate of the Kauravas and the Pandavas family. Another part of the large contents, deal with many philosophical dialogues such as the goals of life. Book...

Section XLVIII

"Sauti said, 'O you of ascetic wealth, soon after her lord had left her, Jaratkaru went to her brother. And she told him everything that had happened. And the prince of snakes, hearing the calamitous news, spake unto his miserable sister, himself more miserable still.'

"And he said,

'You knowest, 'O amiable one, the purpose of your bestowal, the reason thereof. If, from that union, for the welfare of the snakes, a son be born, then he, possessed of energy, will save us all from the snake-sacrifice. The Grandsire had said so, of old, in the midst of the gods.

O fortunate one, hast you conceived from your union with that best of Rishis? My heart’s desire is that my bestowal of you on that wise one may not be fruitless. Truly, it is not proper for me to ask you about this. But from the gravity of the interests I ask you this. Knowing also the obstinacy of your lord, ever engaged in severe penances, I shall not follow him, for he may curse me.

Tell me in detail all that your lord, O amiable one, has done, and extract that terribly afflicting dart that lies implanted for a long time past in my heart.'

"Jaratkaru, thus addressed, consoling Vasuki, the king of the snakes, at length replied, saying,

'Asked by me about offspring, the high-souled and mighty ascetic said, 'There is,'—and then he went away. I do not remember him to have ever before speak even in jest aught that is false. Why should he, O king, speak a falsehood on such a serious occasion?

He said,

'You should not grieve, O daughter of the snake race, about the intended result of our union. A son shall be born to you, resplendent as the blazing sun.'

O brother, having said this to me, my husband of ascetic wealth went away—Therefore, let the deep sorrow cherished in your heart disappear.'

"Sauti continued, 'Thus addressed, Vasuki, the king of the snakes, accepted those words of his sister, and in great joy said,

'Be it so!'

And the chief of the snakes then adored his sister with his best regards, gift of wealth, and fitting eulogies. Then, O best of Brahmanas, the embryo endued with great splendour, began to develop, like the moon in the heavens in the bright fortnight.

And in due time, the sister of the snakes, O Brahmana, gave birth to a son of the splendour of a celestial child, who became the reliever of the fears of his ancestors and maternal relatives. The child grew up there in the house of the king of the snakes. He studied the Vedas and their branches with the ascetic Cyavana, the son of Bhrigu. And though but a boy, his vows were rigid. And he was gifted with great intelligence, and with the several attributes of virtue, knowledge, freedom from the world’s indulgences, and saintliness.

And the name by which he was known to the ka. And he was known by the name of Astika (whoever is) because his father had gone to the woods, saying: 'There is', when he was in the womb. Though but a boy, he had great gravity and intelligence. And he was reared with great care in the palace of the snakes. And he was like the illustrious lord of the celestials, Mahadeva of the golden form, the wielder of the trident. And he grew up day by day, the delight of all the snakes.'"

Conclusion:

This concludes Section XLVIII of Book 1 (Adi Parva) of the Mahabharata, of which an English translation is presented on this page. This book is famous as one of the Itihasa, similair in content to the eighteen Puranas. Book 1 is one of the eighteen books comprising roughly 100,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.

FAQ (frequently asked questions):

Which keywords occur in Section XLVIII of Book 1 of the Mahabharata?

The most relevant definitions are: Sauti, Jaratkaru, Vasuki, Brahmana, Rishis, Brahmanas; since these occur the most in Book 1, Section XLVIII. There are a total of 11 unique keywords found in this section mentioned 15 times.

What is the name of the Parva containing Section XLVIII of Book 1?

Section XLVIII is part of the Astika Parva which itself is a sub-section of Book 1 (Adi Parva). The Astika Parva contains a total of 46 sections while Book 1 contains a total of 19 such Parvas.

Can I buy a print edition of Section XLVIII as contained in Book 1?

Yes! The print edition of the Mahabharata contains the English translation of Section XLVIII of Book 1 and can be bought on the main page. The author is Kisari Mohan Ganguli and the latest edition (including Section XLVIII) is from 2012.

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