कुण्डोदरः पदातिश्च वसातिश्चाष्टमः स्मृतः। सर्वे धर्मार्थकुशलाः सर्वभूतहिते रताः
Kundodara, Padati, and Vasati is remembered as the eighth; all were skilled in righteousness and profit, devoted to the welfare of all beings.
धृतराष्ट्रोऽथ राजासीत्तस्य पुत्रोऽथ कुण्डिकः। हस्ती वितर्कः क्राथश्च कुण्डिनश्चापि पञ्चमः
Then Dhritarashtra became king; his son was Kundika, and also Hasti, Vitarka, Kratha, and Kundina as the fifth.
हविश्रवास्तथेन्द्राभो भुमन्युश्चापराजितः। धृतराष्ट्रसुतानां तु त्रीनेतान्प्रथितान्भुवि
Havishravas, Indrabha, and Bhumanyu the unconquered—these three sons of Dhritarashtra became renowned on earth.
प्रतीपं धर्मनेत्रं च सुनेत्रं चापि भारत। प्रतीपः प्रथितस्तेषां बभूवाप्रतिमो भुवि
Pratipa, Dharmanetra, and Sunetra, O Bharata; among them, Pratipa became the foremost, unrivaled on earth.
प्रतीपस्य त्रयः पुत्रा जज्ञिरे भरतर्षभ। देवापिः शन्तनुश्चैव बाह्लीकश्च महारथः
Pratipa had three sons, O bull among the Bharatas: Devapi, Shantanu, and Bahlika, the great chariot-warrior.
देवापिस्तु प्रवव्राज तेषां धर्महितेप्सया। शन्तनुश्च महीं लेभे बाह्लीकश्च महारथः
Devapi withdrew, seeking the good of righteousness among them; Shantanu obtained the kingdom, and Bahlika became a great chariot-warrior.
भरतस्यान्वयास्त्वेते देवकल्पा महारथाः। बभूवुर्ब्रह्मकल्पाश्च बहवो राजसत्तमाः
These, indeed, are the descendants of Bharata, godlike, great chariot-warriors; and many other excellent kings, equal to Brahma, were born.
एवंविधा महाभागा देवरूपाः प्रहारिणः। अन्ववाये महाराज ऐलवंशविवर्धनाः
Such were the illustrious, godlike, mighty warriors, who increased the line of Ila in the succession, O great king.
गङ्गातीरं समागम्य दीक्षितो जनमेजय। अश्वमेधसहस्राणि वाजपेयशतानि च
Janamejaya, having undertaken vows, assembled at the bank of the Ganga and performed thousands of Ashvamedha sacrifices and hundreds of Vajapeya rites.
पुनरीजे महायज्ञैः समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः। अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राणामुक्थानां सोमवत्पुनः
Again he worshipped with great sacrifices, bestowing all desired gifts; with Agnishtoma, Atiratra, Uktha, and Soma rites in abundance.
वाजपेयेष्टिसत्राणां सहस्रैश्च सुसंभृतैः। दृष्ट्वा शाकुन्तलो राजा तर्पयित्वा द्विजान्धनैः
With thousands of well-performed Vajapeya and Satra sacrifices, King Shakuntala's son, having satisfied the Brahmins with wealth, beheld this.
पुनः सहस्रं पद्मानां कण्वाय भरतो ददौ। जम्बूनदस्य शुद्धस्य कनकस्य महायशाः
Again, the illustrious Bharata gave a thousand lotus-flowers of pure Jambunada gold to Kanva.
यस्य यूपाः शतव्यामाः परिणाहेऽथ काञ्चनाः। सहस्रव्याममुद्वृद्धाः सेन्द्रैर्देवैः समुच्छ्रिताः
His sacrificial posts were a hundred cubits in circumference and made of gold, raised to a thousand cubits, erected together with Indra and the gods.
स्वलङ्कृता भ्राजमानाः सर्वरत्नैर्मनोरमैः। हिरण्यं द्विरदानश्वान्महिषोष्ट्रगजाविकम्
Adorned and shining, delightful with all kinds of gems; he gave gold, elephants, horses, buffaloes, camels, oxen, and cattle.
दासीदासं धनं धान्यं गाः सुशीलाः सवत्सकाः। भूमिं यूपसहस्राङ्कां कण्वाय बहुदक्षिणाम्
He gave maidservants and manservants, wealth, grain, and cows of good character with calves; and land marked by a thousand sacrificial posts, rich in gifts, to Kanva.
बहूनां ब्रह्मकल्पानां धनं दत्त्वा क्रतून्बहून्। ग्रामान्गृहाणि शुभ्राणि कोटिशोथाददत्तदा
Having given wealth to many Brahma-like men and performed many sacrifices, he also gave villages and splendid houses by the crore at that time.
भरताद्भारती कीर्तिर्येनेदं भारतं कुलम्।' भरतस्यान्वये जाता देवकल्पा महारथाः
From Bharata arose the fame called Bharati, by whom this Bharata lineage was established; in the line of Bharata were born great chariot-warriors, equal to the gods.
बहवो ब्रह्मकल्पाश्च बभूवुः क्षत्रसत्तमाः। तेषामपरिमेयानि नामधेयानि सन्त्युत
Many among them, foremost among the Kshatriyas, were like Brahma himself; their names are indeed countless.
तेषां कुले यथा मुख्यान्कीर्तयिष्यामि भारत। महाभागान्देवकल्पान्सत्यार्जवपरायणान्
Among their line, I will recount the chief ones, O Bharata—those greatly fortunate, godlike, devoted to truth and uprightness.
इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभो राजासीत्पृथिवीपतिः। महाभिषगिति ख्यातः सत्यवाक्सत्यविक्रमः
In the illustrious line of Ikshvaku, there was a king, lord of the earth, famed as Mahabhisha, truthful in speech and steadfast in truth.
सोऽश्वमेधसहस्रेण राजसूयशतेन च। तोषयामास देवेशं स्वर्गं लेभे ततः प्रभुः
He pleased the lord of the gods by performing a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices, and thus attained heaven.
ततः कदाचिद्ब्रह्माणमुपासांचक्रिरे सुराः। तत्र राजर्षयो ह्यासन्स च राजा महाभिषक्
Then, once, the gods worshipped Brahma; there were royal sages present, and King Mahabhisha was among them.
अथ गङ्गा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा समुपायात्पितामहम्। तस्या वासः समुद्धूतं मारुतेन शशिप्रभम्
Then Ganga, the foremost of rivers, approached the Grandsire; her garment, stirred by the wind, shone with the radiance of the moon.
ततोऽभवन्सुरगणाः सहसाऽवाङ्मुखास्तदा। महाभिषक्तु राजर्षिरशङ्को दृष्टवान्नदीम्
At that moment, the hosts of gods turned their faces away, but the royal sage Mahabhisha, unhesitating, gazed upon the river.
सोपध्यातो भगवता ब्रह्मणा तु महाभिषक्। उक्तश्च जातो मर्त्येषु पुनर्लोकानवाप्स्यसि
The blessed Brahma, displeased with Mahabhisha, said: 'You shall be born among mortals again; you will attain the worlds only thereafter.'
यया हृतमनाश्चासि गङ्गया त्वं हि दुर्मते। सा ते वै मानुषे लोके विप्रियाण्याचरिष्यति
'Because your mind was captivated by Ganga, O misguided one, she will cause you sorrow in the world of men.'
यदा ते भविता मन्युस्तदा शापाद्विमोक्ष्यते
'When anger arises in you, then, by the power of the curse, you will be released.'
प्रतीपं रोचयामास पितरं भूरितेजसम्। सा महाभिषजं दृष्ट्वा नदी दैर्याच्च्युतं नृपम्
She, seeing the king Mahabhisha, radiant as fire, and fallen from courage, chose Pratipa, his father, as her desired one.
तमेव मनसा ध्यायन्त्युपावृत्ता सरिद्वरा। सा तु विध्वस्तवपुषः कश्मलाभिहतान्नृप
Meditating upon him in her heart, the best of rivers approached; but she, her form shattered and afflicted by sorrow, saw the king.
ददर्श पथि गच्छन्ती वसून्देवान्दिवौकसः। तथारूपांश्च तान्दृष्ट्वा प्रपच्छ सरितां वरा
As she was going along the path, she saw the Vasus, the gods dwelling in heaven, appearing in such a state; seeing them thus, the best of rivers questioned them.