Mahabharata

धर्मार्थकामयुक्तानि शास्त्राणि विविधानि च। लोकयात्राविधान च सर्व तद्दृष्टवानृषिः

The various treatises endowed with dharma, artha, and kāma, and the regulations for worldly conduct—all this the sage has seen.

नीतिर्भरतवंशस्य विस्तारश्चैव सर्वशः।' इतिहासाः सहव्याख्या विविधाश्रुतयोऽपि च

The polity of the Bharata line, its complete expansion, the histories with their explanations, and the various traditions as well—

इह सर्वमनुक्रान्तमुक्तं ग्रन्थस्य लक्षणम्। `संक्षेपेणेतिहासस्य ततो वक्ष्यति विस्तरम्

Here, all this has been recounted, the characteristics of the text declared; now, in brief, the history will be spoken, and then in detail.

विस्तीर्यैतन्महज्ज्ञानमृषिः संक्षिप्य चाब्रवीत्। इष्टं हि विदुषां लोके समासव्यासधारणम्

The sage, having expanded this great knowledge, also condensed it; for the wise in the world prefer both summary and detail.

मन्वादि भारतं केचिदास्तीकादि तथाऽपरे। तथोपरिचराद्यन्ये विप्राः सम्यगधीयिरे

Some recite the Bhārata beginning with Manu, others with Āstīka, and yet others, the learned brāhmaṇas, begin with Uparicara.

विविधं संहिताज्ञानं दीपयन्ति मनीषिणः। व्याख्यातुं कुशलाः केचिद्ग्रन्थान्धारयितुं परे

The wise illuminate the various collections of knowledge; some are skilled in explanation, others in preserving the texts.

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण व्यस्य वेदं सनातनम्। इतिहासमिमं चक्रे पुण्यं सत्यवतीत्सुतः

By austerity and celibacy, Vyāsa composed this sacred and ancient history, after dividing the eternal Veda.

पराशरात्मजो विद्वान्ब्रह्मर्षिः संशितव्रतः। मातुर्नियोगाद्धर्मात्मा गाङ्गेयस्य च धीमतः

The learned son of Parāśara, a brahmarṣi firm in his vows, by his mother's request and the wise Gāṅgeya's too—

क्षेत्रे विचित्रवीर्यस्य कृष्णद्वैपायनः पुरा। त्रीनग्नीनिव कौरव्याञ्जनयामास वीर्यवान्

In the field of Vicitravīrya, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, powerful as he was, begot three Kauravas, like three sacred fires.

उत्पाद्य धृतराष्ट्रं च पाण्डुं विदुरमेव च। जगाम तपसे धीमान्पुनरेवाश्रमं प्रति

Having begotten Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and also Vidura, the wise one returned again to his hermitage for austerity.

तेषु जातेषु वृद्धेषु गतेषु परमां गतिम्। अब्रवीद्भारतं लोके मानुषेऽस्मिन्महानृषिः

When they were born, had grown, and attained their highest state, the great sage spoke the Bhārata to the people of this world.

जनमेजयेन पृष्टः सन्ब्राह्मणैश्च सहस्रशः। शशास शिष्यमासीनं वैशंपायनमन्तिके

When questioned by Janamejaya, together with thousands of Brahmins, he instructed his disciple Vaishampayana, who was seated nearby.

स सदस्यैः सहासीनं श्रावयामास भारतम्। कर्मान्तरेषु यज्ञस्य चोद्यमानः पुनः पुनः

He then caused Vaishampayana, seated among the assembly, to recite the Bharata, being repeatedly urged during the intervals of the sacrifice.

विस्तारं कुरुवंशस्य गान्धार्या धर्मशीलताम्। क्षत्तुः प्रज्ञां धृतिं कुन्त्याः सम्यग्द्वैपायनोब्रवीत्

Vyasa spoke in detail about the lineage of the Kurus, the righteousness of Gandhari, the wisdom of Vidura, and the steadfastness of Kunti.

वासुदेवस्य माहात्म्यं पाण्डवानां च सत्यताम्। दुर्वृत्तं धार्तराष्ट्राणामुक्तवान्भगवानृषिः

The divine sage described the greatness of Vasudeva, the truthfulness of the Pandavas, and the wickedness of the sons of Dhritarashtra.

इदं शतसहस्रं तु श्लोकानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। उपाख्यानैः सह ज्ञेयं श्राव्यं भारतमुत्तमम्

This Bharata, together with its supplementary tales, is to be known and heard as the supreme Bharata—one hundred thousand verses of virtuous deeds.

चतुर्विंशतिसाहस्रीं चक्रे भारतसंहिताम्। उपाख्यानैर्विना तावद्भारतं प्रोच्यते बुधैः

He composed the Bharata Samhita in twenty-four thousand verses; without the supplementary tales, the wise refer to that as the Bharata.

ततोऽध्यर्धशतं भूयः संक्षेपं कृतवानृषिः। अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायं वृत्तान्तं सर्वपर्वणाम्

After that, the sage made a further abridgment of over fifty chapters, an index chapter recounting the events of all the books.

तस्याख्यानवरिष्ठस्य कृत्वा द्वैपायनः प्रभुः। कथमध्यापयानीह शिष्यानित्यन्वचिन्तयत्

Having created this most excellent narrative, the lord Dvaipayana considered how he might teach it here to his disciples.

तस्य तच्चिन्तितं ज्ञात्वा ऋषेर्द्वैपायनस्य च। तत्राजगाम भगवान्ब्रह्मा लोकगुरुः स्वयम्

Knowing the sage Dvaipayana’s thoughts, the blessed Brahma, teacher of the worlds, himself arrived there.

प्रीत्यर्थं तस्य चैवर्षेर्लोकानां हितकाम्यया। तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मितो भूत्वा प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतः स्थितः

For the sage’s pleasure and for the welfare of the worlds, seeing him, he became astonished and stood with joined palms, bowing.

आसनं कल्पयामास सर्वैर्मुनिगणैर्वृतः

Surrounded by all the groups of sages, he arranged a seat.

हिरण्यमर्भमासीनं तस्मिंस्तु परमासने। परिवृत्यासनभ्याशे वासवेयः स्थितोऽभवत्

On that supreme golden seat, he sat; and near that seat, the son of Vasu took his place.

अनुज्ञातोऽथ कृष्णस्तु ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना। निषसादासनाभ्याशे प्रीयमाणः शुचिस्मितः

Then, having been permitted by Brahma, the supreme lord, Krishna, pleased and smiling purely, sat down near the seat.

उवाच स महातेजा ब्रह्माणं परमेष्ठिनम्। कृतं मयेदं भगवन्काव्यं परमपूजितम्

He, of great splendor, spoke to Brahma, the supreme lord: ‘O blessed one, this revered poem has been composed by me.’

ब्रह्मन्वेदरहस्य च यच्चान्यत्स्थापितं मया। साङ्गोपनिषदां चैव वेदानां विस्तरक्रिया

O Brahman, the secret of the Veda and whatever else has been established by me, as well as the detailed arrangement of the Vedas with their limbs and Upanishads.

इतिहासपुरापानामुन्मेषं निमिषं च यत्। भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च त्रिविधं कालसंज्ञितम्

The emergence and dissolution of histories and ancient tales, and that which is called the threefold time: past, present, and future.

जरामृत्युभयव्याधिभावाभावविनिश्चयः। विविधस्य च धर्मस्य ह्याश्रमाणां च लक्षणम्

The determination of aging, death, fear, disease, existence and non-existence, and the various forms of dharma, as well as the characteristics of the stages of life.

चातुर्वर्ण्यविधानं च पुराणानां च कृत्स्नशः। तपसो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पृथिव्याश्चन्द्रसूर्ययोः

The arrangement of the four varnas, the entirety of the Puranas, the practices of austerity and celibacy, and of the earth, the moon, and the sun.