All that exists in this world—moving or unmoving, every being and every form—at the close of each age, is drawn back into dissolution. Just as the signs of the solstices appear in their own time with each passing season, so too do the states of existence manifest anew at the dawn of each era. Thus, this wheel of creation, without beginning or end, endlessly turns, gathering together all beings and dispersing them, never ceasing, never destroyed. Within this vast creation, there are thirty-three thousand, three hundred, and thirty-three gods—such is the precise count of the deities brought forth. Among them, the radiant Bṛhadbhānu, son of heaven, shines as the eye and soul of the world. He is Savitṛ, Ṛcīka, Arka, Bhānu, the bringer of light, and Ravi—known by many names, but ever the same resplendent sun. All the sons of Vivasvat are renowned, with Manu being the youngest. Manu’s own son was Devabhṛt, who is also called Subhrāṭ. Subhrāṭ had three sons, each wise and prolific: Daśajyoti, Śatajyoti, and Sahasrajyoti. Daśajyoti, the great-souled, fathered ten thousand sons; Śatajyoti’s sons were ten times that number. Sahasrajyoti’s sons were yet ten times more, and from these countless descendants arose the noble lineages of the Kurus, the Yadus, and the Bharatas. From Yayāti, Ikṣvāku, and the other royal sages, many families and dynasties were born—vast and varied in their origins. All the abodes of beings, the threefold secret, the Vedas, the union of yoga and knowledge, and the pursuits of dharma, artha, and kāma—all these were perceived and known. The many treatises upholding dharma, artha, and kāma, and the rules for proper conduct in the world—these too were grasped by the sage. The polity of the Bharata lineage, its full expansion, the histories with their explanations, and the diverse traditions—all have been recounted here, and the nature of this text declared. Now, the history will be spoken first in brief, and then in detail, for the sage, having gathered this great knowledge, both expanded and condensed it, knowing that the wise appreciate both summary and elaboration. Some begin the Bhārata with Manu, others with Āstīka, and yet others, the learned brāhmaṇas, start with Uparicara. The wise illuminate these many collections of knowledge; some excel in explanation, others in preserving the texts. By his austerity and disciplined life, Vyāsa, after dividing the eternal Veda, composed this sacred and ancient history. Vyāsa, the learned son of Parāśara, a brahmarṣi steadfast in his vows, at the request of his mother and the wise Gāṅgeya, begot three sons in the lineage of Vicitravīrya—Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, powerful as he was, fathered Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura, as if they were three sacred fires. Having fulfilled his duty, he returned to his hermitage for further austerity. When these princes were born, matured, and attained their highest state, the great sage spoke the Bhārata to the people of the world. When Janamejaya, along with thousands of Brahmins, inquired of him, Vyāsa instructed his disciple Vaishampayana, who sat nearby. Then, during the intervals of the great sacrifice, Vaishampayana, at Vyāsa’s bidding, recited the Bharata to the assembled sages. Vyāsa described in detail the lineage of the Kurus, the righteousness of Gandhari, the wisdom of Vidura, and the steadfastness of Kunti. He recounted the greatness of Vasudeva, the truthfulness of the Pandavas, and the wickedness of Dhritarashtra’s sons. This Bharata, together with its supplementary tales, is to be known and heard as the supreme Bharata—a hundred thousand verses of virtuous deeds. The sage composed the Bharata Samhita in twenty-four thousand verses; without the supplementary tales, the learned refer to this as the Bharata. Later, Vyāsa made an even further abridgment—an index of more than fifty chapters, recounting the events of all the books. Having created this most excellent narrative, the sage Dvaipayana pondered how best to teach it to his disciples. Sensing his thoughts, the blessed Brahma, teacher of the worlds, himself arrived. For the sage’s joy and the welfare of all beings, Brahma appeared, astonished at Vyāsa’s accomplishment, and stood before him with joined palms in reverence. Surrounded by groups of sages, Brahma arranged a golden seat and sat upon it; nearby, Vyāsa, the son of Vasu, took his place. Then, with Brahma’s permission, Krishna Dvaipāyana, pleased and smiling, sat near the seat. He, bright with splendor, spoke to Brahma: “O blessed one, this revered poem has been composed by me. The secret of the Veda and all else established by me, the detailed arrangement of the Vedas with their limbs and Upanishads, the emergence and dissolution of histories and ancient tales, and all that is called the threefold time—past, present, and future.” He continued: “The determination of aging, death, fear, disease, existence and non-existence, the many forms of dharma, and the stages of life; the arrangement of the four varnas, the entirety of the Puranas, the practices of austerity and celibacy, and the movements of the earth, the moon, and the sun—all these have been brought together here.” In this way, the great sage Vyāsa, with the blessings of Brahma, composed and shared the Mahābhārata, a treasure of wisdom for all the worlds.