From the sacred altar, Krishna was born—radiant, auspicious, and shining with an extraordinary appearance, his form the very embodiment of excellence. In a similar way, Nagnajit, the disciple of the noble Prahlada, grew powerful; but among his descendants, one was born from the wrath of the gods, a being who would become destructive to righteousness. Shakuni, the son of the king of Gandhara, entered the world, as did Saubala. The mother of Duryodhana gave birth to sons renowned for their skills in acquiring wealth. From the sage Krishna Dvaipayana—Vyasa himself—were born Dhritarashtra, lord of the people, and Pandu, mighty in strength, both conceived in the field of Vichitravirya. To Vyasa was also born Vidura, wise and skilled in righteousness and wealth, pure and intelligent, though his mother was a Shudra woman. Pandu became the father of five sons, each equal to the gods. Of his two wives, the one with the noblest qualities bore Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira was born from Dharma, Bhima from the wind-god Vayu, and Arjuna—radiant and foremost among all wielders of weapons—from Indra, the king of the gods. Nakula and Sahadeva, both beautiful and devoted to the service of their elders, were born from the Ashvin twins. Dhritarashtra, wise and powerful, fathered a hundred sons, with Duryodhana at their head, as well as Yuyutsu and Karna. Among his sons were Duhshasana, Duhsaha, Durmarshana, Vikarna, Chitrasena, and Vivingshati. Other notable warriors included Jaya, Satyavrata, Purumitra, and Yuyutsu, the son of a Vaishya. These, O Bharata, were counted among the eleven great chariot-warriors. To Arjuna and Subhadra was born Abhimanyu, nephew of Vasudeva Krishna and grandson of the noble Pandu. From Draupadi, the Pandavas received five sons—princes of great beauty and skilled in every branch of knowledge. Yudhishthira fathered Prativindhya, Bhima begot Sutasoma, Arjuna had Shrutakirti, Nakula was the father of Shatanika, and Sahadeva's son was Shrutasena, vigorous and strong. Bhima, from his union with Hidimba in the forest, sired Ghatotkacha. Drupada's child, Shikhandi, was born a daughter but, through the kindness of a Yaksha, was transformed into a man and thus gained the status of a son. In the great conflict among the Kurus, countless thousands of kings assembled, ready for battle. Their names are too numerous to recount, even in tens of thousands of years, but the principal ones have been mentioned—those by whom this narrative is spread. Now, O Brahman, you have heard the names of many, but there are yet more, and thousands of kings besides. For what purpose, O greatly fortunate one, did these mighty chariot-warriors, equal to the gods, arise on earth? This, O King, is said to be a secret of the gods. Yet, after bowing to the Self-born, I shall tell you. Long ago, Jamadagni’s son—Parashurama—three times seven times made the earth free of Kshatriyas and then devoted himself to austerities on the great mountain Mahendra. In that era, when the world had been emptied of Kshatriyas by Bhargava’s might, women longing for sons approached the Brahmanas. The Brahmanas, steadfast in their vows, united with these women at the proper time—not out of desire, nor at improper times. From these unions, the Kshatriya women conceived, and thousands at a time gave birth to new Kshatriyas, even more powerful than before. Sons and daughters were born again, restoring the Kshatriya lineage. Thus, through the Brahmanas’ ascetic discipline, the Kshatriya order was replenished among the Kshatriya women. Born and grown in righteousness, blessed with long life, from these arose all four orders of society, with Brahmins at the forefront. Women approached their husbands only in the proper season, never out of untimely desire; even other creatures, those born in animal wombs, followed the same practice. Thus, at the right time, wives were approached, and, living righteously, the people flourished for hundreds and thousands of years. These people, O protector of the earth, were devoted to religious vows and duty, and men were entirely free from afflictions and disease. Once more, the Kshatriya order filled the earth, bounded by the ocean, with all its elephants, mountains, forests, and cities. When the Kshatriyas governed righteously, the Brahmins and the other orders attained supreme happiness. The kings, having removed faults of desire and anger, administered justice righteously and protected their subjects. As the Kshatriyas remained devoted to righteousness, Indra, the thousand-eyed, sent rain at the right place and time, nourishing all beings. No child died prematurely, and no one approached a woman before she reached youth. Thus, the earth, surrounded by the ocean, became filled with people of long life. The Kshatriyas performed great sacrifices, giving abundant gifts. The Brahmins, at that time, studied the Vedas fully, including all their limbs and Upanishads. They did not sell the Vedas, nor did they recite them in the presence of Shudras. The Vaishyas tilled the earth with oxen, using only healthy cows for the plough and caring for the weak ones. Men did not milk cows for froth or for calves, and merchants did not use false measures in trade. Such was the age when righteousness prevailed, and all orders of society flourished in harmony and virtue.