The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section LXII
Section LXII.
( Adivansavatarana Parva continued. )
Janamejaya said, "O excellent of Brahmanas, thou hast, indeed, told me, in abstract, the history, called Mahabharata, of the great acts of the Kurus. But, O thou of ascetic wealth, recite now that wonderful narration very fully. I feel a great curiosity to hear it. I behoveth thee to recite it therefore in full. I am not satisfied with hearing in the abstract the great history. That could never have been a trifling cause for which the virtuous ones could slay those they should not have slain, and for which they are yet applauded by men. Why also those tigers among men, perfectly innocent and quite capable of avenging themselves upon their enemies, calmly suffered the persecutions of the wicked Kurus? And why also, O best of Brahmanas, Bhima of mighty arm and having the strength of ten thousand elephants controlled his anger event though wronged? Why also the chaste Krishnā—the daughter of Drupada, wronged by those wretches, and able to burn them, did not burn the sons of Dhrita-rashtra by her wrathful eyes? Why also did the two other sons of Pritha (Bhima and Arjuna) and the two sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva,) themselves injured by the wretched Kurus, follow Yudhishthira inveterately addicted to the evil habit of gaming? Why also did Yudhish-thira, the foremost of all virtuous men, the son of Dharma himself, and fully acquainted with all duties, suffer that excess of affliction? Why also did the Pandava Dhananjaya having Krishna for his charioteer, who by his arrows sent to the other world that dauntless host of fighting men, (suffer such persecution?) O thou of ascetic wealth, tell me all these as every thing happened, and every thing that those mighty charioteers achieved!"
Vaisampayana said, "O monarch, appoint thou a time for hearing it. This history spoken by Krishna-Dwaipayana is very extensive. This is but the beginning. I will recite it. I will repeat the whole of the composition in full, of the illustrious and great Rishi Vyasa of immeasurable mental power and worshipped in all the worlds. This Bharata consists of an hundred thousand sacred slokas composed by the son of Satyavati of immeasurable mental powers. He that shall read it to others, or they who shall hear it read, shall attain to the world of Brahma and be equal to the very gods. This Bharata is equal unto the Vedas, is holy and excellent; is the worthiest of all to be listened to, and is a Purana worshipped by the Rishis. It containeth much useful instruction on Artha and Kama (profit and pleasure.) This sacred history maketh the heart desire for salvation. Learned persons by reciting this Veda of Krishna-Dwaipayana to those that are noble and liberal, truthful and believing, earn much wealth. Sins such as killing the embryo in the womb are destroyed assuredly by this. A person, however cruel and sinful, by hearing this history, escapes from all his sins like the Sun from Rahu (after the eclipse is over.) This history is called Jaya. It should be heard by those desirous of victory. A king by hearing it may bring the whole world under subjection and conquer all his foes. This history of itself is a mighty act of propitiousness, a mighty sacrifice, to give blessed fruit. It should ever be heard by a young monarch with his queen, for then they may have a heroic son or a daughter who shall be the heiress to a kingdom. This history is the sacred Dharma-shastra; this too is the great Artha-shastra; and this also is the Moksha-shastra: it hath been so said by Vyasa himself of mind that is immeasurable. This history is recited in the present age and will be so recited in the future. They that hear it have sons and servants always obedient to them and doing their behests. All sins that are committed either by body, word, or mind, immediately leave him who hath heard this history. They who hear, without a spirit of fault-finding, the story of the birth of the Bharata princes, have no fear of maladies, let alone the fear of the other world.
"For extending the fame of the high-souled Pandavas and of other Kshatrias versed in all branches of knowledge, high-spirited, and already known in the world for their achievements, Krishna-Dwaipayana, guided also by the desire of benefitting the world, hath composed this work that is excellent, bestowing fame, granting length of life, sacred, and heavenly. He who, from desire of acquiring religious merit, causeth this history to be heard by sacred Brahmanas, doth acquire great merit and virtue that is inexhaustible. He that reciteth the famous generation of the Kurus becometh immediately purified, and acquireth a large family himself, and is respected in the world. That Brahmana who regularly studies this sacred Bharata for the four months of the rainy season, is cleared of all his sins. He that hath read the Bharata may be regarded as one acquainted with the Vedas.
"In this have been described the gods, the royal sages, the holy Brahmarshis; the sinless Keshava; the god of gods Mahadeva and the goddess Parvati; the birth of Kartikeya (the generalissimo of the celestials) sprung from and reared by many others; and the greatness of Brahmanas and of kine. This Bharata is a collection of all the Srutis, and is fit to be heard by every virtuous person. That learned man who reciteth it to Brahmanas during the sacred lunation, becometh purified of his sins, and not caring for the heavens as it were, attaineth to a union with Brahma. He that causeth even a single foot of this poem to be heard by Brahmanas during the performance of a Shraddha, that Shraddha becometh inexhaustible, the Pitris becoming ever gratified with the articles once presented to them. The sins that are committed daily by our senses or the mind, those that are committed knowingly or unknowingly by any man, are all destroyed by hearing the Mahabharata. This history of the exalted birth of the Bharata princes is called the Mahabharata. He who knoweth this etymology itself of the name is cleared of all his sins. And because this history of the Bharata race is so wonderful, therefore, when recited, it assuredly purifieth mortals from all sins. The Muni Krishna-Dwaipayana attained his object in three years. Rising daily and purifying himself and performing his ascetic devotions, he composed this Mahabharata. Therefore should this be heard by Brahmanas with the formality of a vow. He who reciteth this holy narration composed by Krishna (Vyasa) for the hearing of others, and they who hear it, in whatever state they may be, can never be affected by the fruit of their deeds good or bad. The man desirous of acquiring virtue should hear it all. This is equivalent to all histories, and he that heareth it always attaineth to purity of heart. The gratification that one deriveth on attaining to heaven is scarcely equal to that which one deriveth on hearing this holy history. The virtuous man who will reverence heareth it or causeth it to be heard, obtaineth the fruit of the Rajasuya and the horse sacrifice. This Bharata is said to be as much a mine of gems as the illustrious Ocean or the great mountain Meru. This history is sacred and excellent, and is equivelant to the Vedas; worthy of being heard, pleasing to the ear, purifying, and virtue-increasing. O monarch, he that giveth a copy of the Bharata to one that asketh for it, doth, indeed, make a present of the whole Earth with her belt of seas. O son of Parikshita, this pleasant narration that giveth virtue and victory, I am about to recite in its entirety. Listen to it! The Muni Krishna-Dwaipayana regularly rising for three years composed this wonderful history called the Mahabharata. O thou bull amongst the Bharata monarchs, whatever about religion, profit, pleasure, and salvation is contained in this, may be seen elsewhere; but whatever is not contained herein is not to be found anywhere.'"
And thus endeth the sixty-second Section in the Adivansavatarana of the Adi Parva.