He who conquered the eastern direction extended his dominion as far as the sun rises, establishing his rule over the vast expanse of the east. This mighty king, Pracinvan, took as his wife Ashmaki, a noble lady from the Yadava lineage. In due course, a son named Sasyati was born to them. Sasyati, continuing the noble line, married Varangi, the beautiful daughter of King Trishanku. From their union was born a son, Ahamyati. Ahamyati, in turn, took Bhānumatī, the daughter of the illustrious Kṛtavīrya, as his queen. By her, he begot Sārvabhauma. Sārvabhauma, having established his own fame through conquest, married the lovely Kaikayi, and she bore him a son named Jayatsena. Jayatsena then married Suśravā, a princess of the Vaidarbhi line, and from their union was born Aparācīna. Aparācīna, too, chose a Vaidarbhi princess for his wife, named Maryādā, and she gave birth to Ariha. Ariha married a princess from the kingdom of Anga, and by her he had a son, Mahābhauma. Mahābhauma married Suyajñā, the daughter of King Prasenajit, and she bore him Ayutānāyī. Ayutānāyī earned his name because he brought ten thousand men together for a great human sacrifice. He married Bhāsā, the daughter of Pṛthuśravas, and she bore him a son, Akrodhana. Akrodhana married Kaṇḍū, a princess of Kaliṅga, and by her had Devātithi. Devātithi, too, married a Vaidarbhi princess named Maryādā, and she bore him Ṛca. Ṛca, by Vāmadevī, daughter of the king of Anga, fathered a son named Ṛkṣa. Ṛkṣa married Jvalantī, the daughter of Takṣaka, and she bore him Antyanāra. Antyanāra performed a great sacrifice for twelve years on the banks of the sacred Sarasvatī river. At the end of his penance, the goddess Sarasvatī herself appeared before him and chose him as her husband. By Sarasvatī, Antyanāra begot a son named Trasnu, thus continuing the royal line. Sarasvatī bore Trasnu to Antyanāra, and Trasnu, by Kālinī, had a son named Ilila. Ilila, by Rathantarī, became the father of five sons, among whom was the renowned Duṣyanta. Duṣyanta married Lākṣī, a princess from the Bhāgīratha line, and by her had a son, Janamejaya. Duṣyanta also married Śakuntalā, the daughter of the great sage Viśvāmitra, and by her he had a son named Bharata. At the time of Bharata’s birth, these words were spoken: "The mother is like the bellows, the father is the begetter; from whom the son is born, he is truly his father. Accept your son, O son of Duṣyanta; Śakuntalā speaks the truth." And again, "The seed-bearer, O king, raises up the son from the realm of Yama; and you are the nourisher of the embryo. Śakuntalā speaks the truth." Thus, the boy was named Bharata. Bharata married Sunandā, the daughter of Sārvasena of Kāśī, and she bore him a son, Bhumanyu. Bhumanyu married Suvarṇā, a lady of the Daśārha lineage, and from her was born Suhotra. Suhotra took Jayantī, a princess of the Ikṣvāku line, as his wife, and by her had a son named Hastī, who founded the city that would be called Hāstinapura. Hastī married Yaśodā, a lady of the Trigarta lineage, and she bore him Vikuñjana. Vikuñjana married Sundarā, a princess of the Daśārha line, and by her was born Ajamīḍha. Ajamīḍha had one hundred and twenty-four sons by his wives Kaikayī, Nāgā, Gāndhārī, Vimalā, and Ṛkṣā. These sons became founders of various royal houses, but from Ajamīḍha and Ṛkṣā was born Saṃvaraṇa, who continued the main lineage. Saṃvaraṇa married Tapatī, the daughter of Vaivasvata, and she bore him Kuru. Kuru married Śubhāṅgī, a princess of the Daśārha family, and she gave birth to Vidūratha. Vidūratha married Saṃpriyā, a noble lady of Magadha, and had a son named Anaśvān. Anaśvān also married a princess of Magadha, Amṛtā, and she bore him Parikṣit. Parikṣit married Suveṣā, the daughter of Bāhuka, and by her had Bhīmasena. Bhīmasena married Sukumārī, a princess of Kaikaya, and she bore him Pariśravā, who became known as Pratīpa. Pratīpa married Sunandī, a lady of the Śaibya lineage, and she bore him three sons: Devāpi, Śantanu, and Bāhlīka. Devāpi, while still a boy, renounced the world and went to the forest, while Śantanu ascended the throne. It is said of Śantanu that whatever old thing he touched, he enjoyed as if new, and he himself regained his youth—thus he was called Shantanu, the one who brings peace and renewal. Shantanu married Ganga, the daughter of Bhagiratha, and from their union was born the illustrious Devavrata, who came to be known as Bhishma.