In the ancient lineage of kings, Ayutānāyī took as his wife Bhāsā, the daughter of Pṛthuśravas. By her, he fathered a son named Akrodhana. Akrodhana, in turn, married Kaṇḍū, a princess of the Kaliṅga dynasty, and she bore him a son named Devātithi. Continuing the noble line, Devātithi wed Maryādā, a princess from Vidarbha, and she gave birth to Ṛca. Ṛca married Vāmadevī, the daughter of the king of Aṅga, and they had a son named Ṛkṣa. Ṛkṣa chose Jvalantī, the daughter of Takṣaka, as his wife, and she bore him Antyanāra. Antyanāra was renowned for his devotion, performing a twelve-year sacrifice on the banks of the sacred Sarasvatī river. At the conclusion of this great rite, the goddess Sarasvatī herself appeared and chose Antyanāra as her husband. From their union, a son named Trasnu was born. Trasnu, son of Sarasvatī and Antyanāra, married Kālinī, and she bore him Ilila. Ilila, by his wife Rathantarī, fathered five sons, among whom Duṣyanta was most prominent. Duṣyanta married Lākṣī, the princess of the Bhāgīrathī line, and from her was born Janamejaya. Duṣyanta also married Śakuntalā, the daughter of the sage Viśvāmitra. From this sacred union, a son named Bharata was born. It is said in the ancient verses: “The mother is the bellows, the father the begetter; the one from whom the son is born, he is truly the 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; you are the nourisher of the embryo. Śakuntalā speaks the truth.” Thus, the child was acknowledged as Bharata, and he became the namesake of the great Bharata dynasty. Bharata married Sunandā, the daughter of Sārvasena of Kāśī, and she bore him Bhumanyu. Bhumanyu married Suvarṇā, a lady of the Daśārha lineage, and their son was Suhotra. Suhotra, continuing this illustrious line, married Jayantī of the Ikṣvāku dynasty, and she gave birth to Hastī, who founded the city of Hāstinapura, which bears his name. Hastī married Yaśodā, a princess of the Trigarta clan, and she bore him Vikuñjana. Vikuñjana married Sundarā of the Daśārha lineage, and to them was born Ajamīḍha. Ajamīḍha had many sons—one hundred and twenty-four—by his wives Kaikayī, Nāgā, Gāndhārī, Vimalā, and Ṛkṣā. These sons became the founders of various royal lines, but from Ajamīḍha and Ṛkṣā was born Saṃvaraṇa, who continued the main lineage. Saṃvaraṇa married Tapatī, daughter of the sun-god Vaivasvata, and she bore him Kuru. Kuru married Śubhāṅgī of the Daśārha line, and she gave birth to Vidūratha. Vidūratha married Saṃpriyā, a princess of Magadha, and their son was Anaśvān. Anaśvān, marrying Amṛtā of Magadha, fathered Parikṣit. Parikṣit married Suveṣā, also called Bāhukā, and she bore Bhīmasena. Bhīmasena married Sukumārī of the Kaikaya lineage, and their son was Pariśravā, also known as Pratīpa. Pratīpa married Sunandī of the Śaibya dynasty, and she bore him three sons: Devāpi, Śantanu, and Bāhlīka. Devāpi, while still young, renounced the world for the forest, and Śantanu became king. It is said of Śantanu that whatever old thing he touched became comfortable and new, and he himself regained youth; thus, he was known as Śantanu. Śantanu married Ganga, the daughter of Bhagiratha, and from their union was born the mighty Devavrata, known to the world as Bhishma. Out of love for his father, Bhishma brought Satyavati, also called Kali, to be Śantanu’s wife. Before this, Satyavati had borne a son, Dvaipayana (the sage Vyasa), by the sage Parashara. With Śantanu, Satyavati had two sons: Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada ascended the throne but was slain by a Gandharva, after which Vichitravirya became king. Vichitravirya married the two princesses of Kashi, Ambika and Ambalika, but died without children. Satyavati, concerned for the continuation of the lineage, summoned her son Dvaipayana. At her request, he begot three sons on behalf of Vichitravirya: Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura. Dhritarashtra, by his wife Gandhari and with the blessing of Dvaipayana, had a hundred sons, the most notable being Duryodhana, Dushasana, Vikarna, and Chitrasena. Pandu had two esteemed wives, Kunti and Madri. While hunting, Pandu unknowingly shot a sage, who had taken the form of a deer and was engaged in union. As the arrow struck, the sage addressed Pandu, and thus the story continues.