To King Shantanu and Queen Satyavati, two sons were born: Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada, the elder, was slain by a Gandharva named Chitrangada. Vichitravirya, the younger, married the princesses of Kashi, but he too passed away without an heir. To continue the royal lineage, the sage Vyasa, through the ancient practice of niyoga, fathered sons with Vichitravirya’s widows and a maidservant. Thus were born Dhritarashtra to Ambika, Pandu to Ambalika, and Vidura to the maidservant. Dhritarashtra married Gandhari, and from their union came a hundred mighty sons, led by Duryodhana. Pandu, through his wives Kunti and Madri, had five sons: Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva—heroes renowned for their strength and valor. By the workings of fate, enmity arose between the Kurus and the Pandavas. Duryodhana, reckless and jealous, harassed the Pandavas. Yet, pure in mind and spirit, the Pandavas escaped the deadly plot of the house of lac, which was set ablaze to destroy them. After their escape, the Pandavas found refuge in the house of a Brahmin in Ekachakra, where they slew the fearsome demon Baka. Later, they journeyed to the land of Panchala, where, at the self-choice ceremony, they won Draupadi as their bride, proving their valor. With the approval of Drona and Bhishma, Dhritarashtra reconciled with the Pandavas, granting them half the kingdom at the splendid city of Indraprastha. There, the Pandavas established a magnificent assembly hall and performed the grand Rajasuya sacrifice, observing disciplined vows. Arjuna, during a sojourn in Dvaraka, won the hand of Subhadra, beloved sister of Vasudeva, with Krishna’s consent. Arjuna received divine gifts: the chariot Nandighosha, the unrivaled bow Gandiva famed across the three worlds, an inexhaustible quiver, and impenetrable armor. With these, Arjuna and Krishna offered a mighty tribute to the fire-god Jatavedas. Conquering kings in all directions, Arjuna collected their jewels and joyfully presented them to his elder brother Yudhishthira, wise in righteousness. Yet, even Yudhishthira, surrounded by his brothers, was defeated by Duryodhana through deceitful dice, guided by the counsel of Karna, Duhshasana, and Shakuni. Driven into exile, the Pandavas, along with Draupadi and the sage Dhaumya, performed great austerities in the forest for twelve years, surrounded by ascetics. In the thirteenth year, they took refuge in disguise at the city of Virata, serving in the cattle-stalls. After their period of exile, the Pandavas returned and requested from King Duryodhana only five villages in place of their lost kingdom. Duryodhana refused, and thus, the mighty battle of Kurukshetra was fought. The Pandavas, supported by seven divine divisions of troops, faced Duryodhana and his allies, who commanded eleven divisions. The battle raged like the war between gods and demons. Bhishma was the commander of Duryodhana’s army at first, while Shikhandi led the Pandavas. For ten days, weapons clashed and arrows flew in a terrible battle. Pierced by hundreds of arrows from Shikhandi and Arjuna, Bhishma, seeing the sun turn northward, meditated on the god with the mace. Having spoken of many kinds of dharma and satisfied the ancestors, Bhishma merged into a blissful, pure, and sinless state. Then the mighty Drona fought Dhrishtadyumna for five fierce days. Many kings were slain by Arjuna, and Drona, overwhelmed by grief, attained heaven. Karna, full of valor, faced Arjuna, and after two days of great battle, was submerged in an ocean of Arjuna’s weapons and reached the world of the sun. Shalya then fought the wise Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, but in half a day, Shalya was slain by arrows blazing like fire. Duryodhana, vigorous and determined, seized his mace and rushed forward like Death at the end of time. The heroic Bhima struck him down with his mace. That night, Ashvatthama, son of Drona, remembering his father’s death, entered the sleeping army and slew Dhrishtadyumna and the sons of Draupadi with his mighty arms. Draupadi wept in grief, and Arjuna, conquering Ashvatthama with the missile of reeds, took from him his precious jewel. Yudhishthira comforted the grieving women, bathed, and offered oblations to the gods, ancestors, and forefathers. Reassured by Bhishma, he established a great kingdom and worshipped Vishnu with the Ashvamedha sacrifice, performed according to rule and with proper gifts. Yudhishthira installed Parikshit on the throne. Hearing of the destruction of the Yadavas in the Mausala episode, Yudhishthira recited the thousand names of Vishnu. Then, accompanied by Bhima and his brothers, he journeyed to Vishnu’s heaven. Vasudeva was born again to delude the enemies of the gods as Buddha. Vishnu will again incarnate as Kalki in the village of Shambhala, mounted on a horse, to reduce all the worlds to ashes. For the protection of gods and others, for the removal of unrighteousness, and for the destruction of the wicked, Vishnu takes incarnation. Just as Dhanvantari was born during the churning of the milk ocean and taught Ayurveda for the life of gods and others. By hearing of Viśvāmitra's son, the great-souled Suśruta, and the descents of the Bhāratas, one attains heaven. Then Dhanvantari spoke: “O Suśruta, I shall explain in detail the causes of all diseases, as previously declared by the sages beginning with Ātreya.