प्रभुर्वरिष्ठो वरदो वैशंपायनमेव च। संहितास्तैः पृथक्त्वेन भारतस्य प्रकाशिताः
The supreme Lord, bestower of boons, also taught Vaishampayana; by them, the Samhitas of Bharata were separately revealed.
तथा भीष्मः शान्तनवो गङ्गायाममितद्युतिः। वसुवीर्यात्समभवन्महावीर्यो महायशाः
Likewise, Bhishma, son of Shantanu and Ganga, of immeasurable splendor, was born from the power of the Vasus, possessing great might and fame.
वैदार्थविच्च भगवानृषिर्विप्रो महायशाः। शूले प्रोतः पुराणर्षिरचोरश्चोरशङ्कया
The blessed sage, renowned and learned in Vaidartha, was once impaled on a stake, the ancient seer, mistaken for a thief out of suspicion.
अणीमाण्डव्य इत्येवं विख्यातः स महायशाः। स धर्ममाहूय पुरा महर्षिरिदमुक्तवान्
He is famed as Ani Mandavya, the illustrious one; long ago, the great sage summoned Dharma and spoke these words.
इषीकया मया बाल्याद्विद्धा ह्येका शकुन्तिका। तत्किल्बिषं स्मरे धर्म नान्यत्पापमहं स्मरे
In childhood, I pierced a single Shakuntika bird with a reed; I remember this as my sin, Dharma, I recall no other evil.
तन्मे सहस्रममितं कस्मान्नेहाजयत्तपः। गरीयान्ब्राह्मणवधः सर्वभूतवधाद्यतः
Why then did my immeasurable ascetic merit not prevail? The killing of a Brahmin is heavier than the slaying of all creatures.
तस्मात्त्वं किल्बिषादस्माच्छूद्रयोनौ जनिष्यसि
Therefore, you shall be born from the womb of a Shudra, because of this sin.
विद्वान्विदुररूपेण धार्मिकः किल्बिषात्ततः। संजयो मुनिकल्पस्तु जज्ञे सूतो गवल्गणात्
The wise one, as Vidura, righteous, was thus born from that sin; Sanjaya, akin to a sage, was born as a charioteer from Gavalgana.
सूर्याच्च कुन्तिकन्यायां जज्ञे कर्णो महाबलः। सहजं कवचं बिभ्रत्कुण्डलोद्योतिताननः
From Surya, the mighty Karna was born to Kunti, bearing natural armor and earrings that shone upon his face.
अनुग्रहार्थं लोकानां विष्णुर्लोकनमस्कृतः। वसुदेवात्तु देवक्यां प्रादुर्भूतो महायशाः
For the benefit of the worlds, Vishnu, revered by all, appeared from Vasudeva and Devaki, possessing great fame.
अनादिनिधनो देवः स कर्ता जगतः प्रभुः। अव्यक्तमक्षरं ब्रह्म प्रधानं त्रिगुणात्मकम्
That god, without beginning or end, is the creator and lord of the universe; the imperceptible, imperishable Brahman, the primordial essence composed of the three qualities.
आत्मानमव्ययं चैव प्रकृतिं प्रभवं प्रभुम्। पुरुषं विश्वकर्माणं सत्वयोगं ध्रुवाक्षरम्
He is the immutable self, the origin and master of nature, the cosmic artificer, established in sattva, the eternal and unchanging.
अनन्तमचलं देवं हंसं नारायणं प्रभुम्। धातारमजमव्यक्तं यमाहुः परमव्ययम्
He is the infinite, unmoving god, the swan, Narayana, the lord; the sustainer, unborn and unmanifest, whom they call the supreme, imperishable.
कैवल्यं निर्गुणं विश्वमनादिमजमव्ययम्। पुरुषः स विभुः कर्ता सर्वभूतपितामहः
He is the absolute, devoid of qualities, the universe, without beginning, unborn and imperishable; that person, the all-pervading creator, the ancestor of all beings.
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय प्रजज्ञेऽन्धकवृष्णिषु। अस्त्रज्ञौ तु महावीर्यौ सर्वशास्त्रविशारदौ
For the establishment of righteousness, he was born among the Andhakas and Vrishnis; two mighty warriors, skilled in weapons and all scriptures.
सात्यकिः कृतवर्मा च नारायणमनुव्रतौ। सत्यकाद्धृदिकाच्चैव जज्ञातेऽस्त्रविशारदौ
Satyaki and Kritavarma, devoted to Narayana, were born from Satyaka and Hriddika, both skilled in weaponry.
भरद्वाजस्य च स्कन्नं द्रोण्यां शुक्रमवर्धत। सहर्षेरुग्रतपसस्तस्माद्द्रोणो व्यजायत
From Bharadvaja's seed, which grew in Drona's womb, Drona was born, endowed with the austerity of the sage.
गौतमान्मिथुनं जज्ञे शरस्तम्बाच्छरद्वतः। अश्वत्थाम्नश्च जननी कृपश्चैव महाबलः
From Gautama, twins were born: Kripa, of great strength, from the arrow-pillar, and Ashvatthama's mother.
अश्वत्थामा ततो जज्ञे द्रोणादेव महाबलः। तथैव धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि साक्षादग्निसमद्युतिः
Then Ashvatthama, mighty in strength, was born from Drona; likewise, Dhrishtadyumna, whose brilliance equaled fire.
वैताने कर्मणि तते पावकात्समजायत। वीरो द्रोणविनाशाय धनुरादाय वीर्यवान्
In the Vedic sacrifice, from the fire, a hero was born, armed with a bow and endowed with valor, for the destruction of Drona.
तथैव वेद्यां कृष्णापि जज्ञे तेजस्विनी शुभा। विभ्राजमाना वपुषा बिभ्रती रूपमुत्तमम्
Likewise, from the altar, Krishna was born, radiant and auspicious, shining in form, bearing the finest appearance.
प्रह्रादशिष्यो नग्नजित्सुबलश्चाभवत्ततः। तस्य प्रजा धर्महन्त्री जज्ञे देवप्रकोपनात्
Prahlada's disciple, Nagnajit, became powerful; his offspring, destructive of righteousness, was born from the anger of the gods.
गान्धारराजपुत्रोऽभूच्छकुनिः सौबलस्तथा। दुर्योधनस्य जननी जज्ञातेऽर्थविशारदौ
Shakuni, son of the king of Gandhara, was born, as was Saubala; the mother of Duryodhana bore those skilled in wealth.
कृष्णद्वैपायनाज्जज्ञे धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। क्षेत्रे विचित्रवीर्यस्य पाण्डुश्चैव महाबलः
From Krishna Dvaipayana, Dhritarashtra, lord of people, was born in the field of Vichitravirya, and Pandu, mighty in strength.
धर्मार्थकुशलो धीमान्मेधावी धूतकल्मषः। विदुरः शूद्रयोनौ तु जज्ञे द्वैपायनादपि
Vidura, skilled in righteousness and wealth, wise, intelligent, and free from sin, was also born from Dvaipayana, but in a Shudra womb.
पाण्डोस्तु जज्ञिरे पञ्च पुत्रा देवसमाः पृथक्। द्वयोः स्त्रियोर्गुणज्येष्ठस्तेषामासीद्युधिष्ठिरः
To Pandu were born five sons, each equal to the gods; among two women, the one with superior qualities was Yudhishthira.
धर्माद्युधिष्ठिरो जज्ञे मारुताच्च वृकोदरः। इन्द्राद्धनंजयः श्रीमान्सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
Yudhishthira was born from Dharma, Bhima from the wind-god, and Arjuna, radiant and foremost among all bearers of weapons, from Indra.
जज्ञाते रूपसंपन्नावश्विभ्यां च यमावपि। नकुलः सहदेवश्च गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतौ
Nakula and Sahadeva, both endowed with beauty and devoted to serving their elders, were born from the Ashvins.
तथा पुत्रशतं जज्ञे धृतराष्ट्रस्य धीमतः। दुर्योधनप्रभृतयो युयुत्सुः करणस्तथा
Likewise, the wise Dhritarashtra begot a hundred sons, with Duryodhana at their head, as well as Yuyutsu and Karna.
ततो दुःशासनश्चैव दुःसहश्चापि भारत। दुर्मर्षणो विकर्णश्च चित्रसेनो विविंशतिः
Then came Duhshasana, Duhsaha, Durmarshana, Vikarna, Chitrasena, and Vivingshati, O Bharata.