From Kuru to Parikshit: Devapi, Shantanu, Bhishma and the Pandavas

Verse 1 (vishnu.4.20.1)

श्रीपराशर उवाच परीक्षितश्च जनमेजयश्रुतसेनोग्रसेनभीमसेनाश्चात्वारः पुत्राः

śrīparāśara uvāca parīkṣitaśca janamejayaśrutasenograsenabhīmasenāścātvāraḥ putrāḥ

Shri Parashara said: Parikshit had four sons, Janamejaya, Shrutasena, Ugrasena and Bhimasena.

Verse 2 (vishnu.4.20.2)

जह्नोस्तु सुरथोनामात्मजो बभूव

jahnostu surathonāmātmajo babhūva

Jahnu's son was named Suratha.

Verse 3 (vishnu.4.20.3)

तस्यापि विदूरथः

tasyāpi vidūrathaḥ

His son too was Viduratha.

Verse 4 (vishnu.4.20.4)

तस्मात्सार्वभोमःसार्वभौमाज्जयत्सेनस्तस्मादाराधितस्ततश्चायुतायुरयुतायोरक्रोधनः

tasmātsārvabhomaḥsārvabhaumājjayatsenastasmādārādhitastataścāyutāyurayutāyorakrodhanaḥ

From him came Sarvabhauma; from Sarvabhauma, Jayatsena; from him, Aradhita; then Ayutayu; and from Ayutayu, Akrodhana.

Verse 5 (vishnu.4.20.5)

तस्माद्देवातिथिः

tasmāddevātithiḥ

From him came Devatithi.

Verse 6 (vishnu.4.20.6)

ततश्च ऋक्षोऽन्योभवत्

tataśca ṛkṣo'nyobhavat

From him came another Riksha.

Verse 7 (vishnu.4.20.7)

ऋक्षाद्भीमसेनस्ततश्च दिलीपः

ṛkṣādbhīmasenastataśca dilīpaḥ

From Riksha came Bhimasena; from him, Dilipa.

Verse 8 (vishnu.4.20.8)

दिलीपात्प्रतीपः

dilīpātpratīpaḥ

From Dilipa came Pratipa.

Verse 9 (vishnu.4.20.9)

तस्यापि देवापिशन्तनुबाह्लीकसंज्ञास्त्रयः पुत्रा बभूवुः

tasyāpi devāpiśantanubāhlīkasaṁjñāstrayaḥ putrā babhūvuḥ

He too had three sons, Devapi, Shantanu and Bahlika.

Verse 10 (vishnu.4.20.10)

देवापिर्बाल एवारण्यं विवेश

devāpirbāla evāraṇyaṁ viveśa

Devapi, while still a child, went off into the forest.

Verse 11 (vishnu.4.20.11)

शन्तनुस्तु महीपालोऽभूत्

śantanustu mahīpālo'bhūt

Shantanu alone became the ruler and protector of the earth.

Verse 12 (vishnu.4.20.12)

अयं च तस्य श्लोकः पृथिव्यां गीयते

ayaṁ ca tasya ślokaḥ pṛthivyāṁ gīyate

Concerning him this verse is sung upon the earth —

Verse 13 (vishnu.4.20.13)

यंयं कराभ्यां स्पृशति वीर्णं यौवनमेति सः । शान्तिं चाप्नोति येनाग्र्यां कर्मणा तेन शन्तनुः

yaṁyaṁ karābhyāṁ spṛśati vīrṇaṁ yauvanameti saḥ śāntiṁ cāpnoti yenāgryāṁ karmaṇā tena śantanuḥ

'Whomever, aged, he touched with his two hands regained youth once more; and by that supreme act through which peace (shanti) is attained, he came to be called Shantanu.'

Verse 14 (vishnu.4.20.14)

तस्य च शन्तनोर्राष्ट्रे द्वादशवर्षाणि देवो न ववर्ष

tasya ca śantanorrāṣṭre dvādaśavarṣāṇi devo na vavarṣa

In that Shantanu's kingdom, for twelve years the god sent no rain.

Verse 15 (vishnu.4.20.15)

ततश्चाशेषराष्ट्रविनाशमवेक्ष्यासौ राजा ब्राह्मणानपृच्छत्कस्मादस्माकं राष्ट्रे देवो न वर्षति को ममापराध इति

tataścāśeṣarāṣṭravināśamavekṣyāsau rājā brāhmaṇānapṛcchatkasmādasmākaṁ rāṣṭre devo na varṣati ko mamāparādha iti

Then, seeing the destruction of his whole realm, that king asked the brahmins, 'Why does the god not rain upon our kingdom? What fault of mine is this?'

Verse 16 (vishnu.4.20.16)

ततश्च तमूचुर्ब्राह्मणाः

tataśca tamūcurbrāhmaṇāḥ

Then the brahmins said to him —

Verse 17 (vishnu.4.20.17)

अग्रजस्य ते हीयमवनिस्त्वया संभुज्यते अतः परिवेत्ता त्वमित्युक्तःस राजा पुनस्तानपृच्छत्

agrajasya te hīyamavanistvayā saṁbhujyate ataḥ parivettā tvamityuktaḥsa rājā punastānapṛcchat

'Your elder brother yet lives, and you enjoy the earth in his stead — you are thus a parivetta, one who has overstepped the due order.' Hearing this, the king again asked them —

Verse 18 (vishnu.4.20.18)

किं मयात्र विधेयमिति

kiṁ mayātra vidheyamiti

'What then should I do about this?'

Verse 19 (vishnu.4.20.19)

ततस्ते पुनरप्यूचुः

tataste punarapyūcuḥ

Then they said again —

Verse 20 (vishnu.4.20.20)

यावद्देवापिर्न पतनादिभिर् दोषैरभिभूयते तावदेतत्तस्यार्हं राज्यम्

yāvaddevāpirna patanādibhir doṣairabhibhūyate tāvadetattasyārhaṁ rājyam

'So long as Devapi is not overcome by faults of moral fall or the like, this kingdom rightly belongs to him.'

Verse 21 (vishnu.4.20.21)

तदलमेतेन तु तस्मै दीयतामित्युक्ते तस्यं मन्त्रिप्रवरेणाश्मराविणा तत्रारण्ये तपस्विनो वेदवादविरोधवक्तारः प्रयुक्ताः

tadalametena tu tasmai dīyatāmityukte tasyaṁ mantripravareṇāśmarāviṇā tatrāraṇye tapasvino vedavādavirodhavaktāraḥ prayuktāḥ

'So let this be enough — let the kingdom be given to him,' they said. Thereupon Ashmarathi, his chief minister, sent into that forest ascetics who spoke against the doctrine of the Vedas.

Verse 22 (vishnu.4.20.22)

तैरस्याप्यतिऋजुमतेर्महीपतिपुत्रस्य बुद्धिर्वेदवादविरोधमार्गानुसारिण्यक्रियत

tairasyāpyatiṛjumatermahīpatiputrasya buddhirvedavādavirodhamārgānusāriṇyakriyata

By them, the mind of that exceedingly guileless prince was made to follow a path opposed to the doctrine of the Vedas.

Verse 23 (vishnu.4.20.23)

राजा च शन्तनुर्द्विजवचनोत्पन्नपरिदेवनशोकस्तान् ब्राह्मणानग्रतः कृत्वाग्रजस्य प्रदानायारण्यं जगाम

rājā ca śantanurdvijavacanotpannaparidevanaśokastān brāhmaṇānagrataḥ kṛtvāgrajasya pradānāyāraṇyaṁ jagāma

King Shantanu too, filled with the grief born of the brahmins' words, taking those brahmins before him, went into the forest to bestow the kingdom upon his elder brother.

Verse 24 (vishnu.4.20.24)

तदाश्रममुपगताश्च तमवनतमवनीपतिपुत्रं देवापिमुपतस्थुः

tadāśramamupagatāśca tamavanatamavanīpatiputraṁ devāpimupatasthuḥ

Arriving at that hermitage, they stood, heads bowed, before the prince Devapi.

Verse 25 (vishnu.4.20.25)

ते ब्राह्मणा वेदवादानुबन्धीनि वचांसि राज्यमग्रजेन कर्तव्यमित्यर्थवन्ति तमूचुः

te brāhmaṇā vedavādānubandhīni vacāṁsi rājyamagrajena kartavyamityarthavanti tamūcuḥ

Those brahmins spoke to him meaningful words rooted in the doctrine of the Vedas, saying that the kingdom ought rightly to be governed by the elder brother.

Verse 26 (vishnu.4.20.26)

असावपि देवापिर्वेदवादविरोधयुक्तिदूषितमनेकप्रकारं तानाह

asāvapi devāpirvedavādavirodhayuktidūṣitamanekaprakāraṁ tānāha

Devapi too, his mind corrupted by arguments opposed to the doctrine of the Vedas, answered them in many ways.

Verse 27 (vishnu.4.20.27)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः शन्तनुमूचुः

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ śantanumūcuḥ

Then those brahmins said to Shantanu —

Verse 28 (vishnu.4.20.28)

आगच्छ हे राजन्नलमत्रातिनिर्बधेन प्रशान्त एवासावना वृष्टिदोषः पतितोयमनादिकालमभिहितवेदवचनदूषणोच्चरणात्

āgaccha he rājannalamatrātinirbadhena praśānta evāsāvanā vṛṣṭidoṣaḥ patitoyamanādikālamabhihitavedavacanadūṣaṇoccaraṇāt

'Come, O king — enough of further insistence in this matter; this fault of drought is now at peace, for he has uttered defamation of the Vedic words spoken since time without beginning.'

Verse 29 (vishnu.4.20.29)

पतिते चाग्रजे नैव ते परिवेतृत्वं भवतीत्युक्तः शन्तनुःस्वपुरमागम्य राज्यमकरोत्

patite cāgraje naiva te parivetṛtvaṁ bhavatītyuktaḥ śantanuḥsvapuramāgamya rājyamakarot

'Now that your elder brother has thus fallen, you shall no longer be a parivetta,' they said, and Shantanu, returning to his own city, took up the governance of the kingdom.

Verse 30 (vishnu.4.20.30)

वेदवादविरोधवचनोच्चारणदूषिते च तस्मिन्देवापौ तिष्ठत्यपि ज्येष्ठभ्रातर्यखिलसस्यनिष्पत्तये ववर्ष भगवान्पर्जन्यः

vedavādavirodhavacanoccāraṇadūṣite ca tasmindevāpau tiṣṭhatyapi jyeṣṭhabhrātaryakhilasasyaniṣpattaye vavarṣa bhagavānparjanyaḥ

And with Devapi thus tainted by his utterance of words against the doctrine of the Vedas, even though he, the elder brother, remained there in the forest, Lord Parjanya sent rain for the ripening of every crop.

Verse 31 (vishnu.4.20.31)

बाह्लीकात्सोमदत्तः पुत्रोऽभूत्

bāhlīkātsomadattaḥ putro'bhūt

Bahlika's son was Somadatta.

Verse 32 (vishnu.4.20.32)

सोमदत्तस्यापि भूरिभूरिश्रवशल्यसंज्ञास्त्रयः पुत्रा बभूवुः

somadattasyāpi bhūribhūriśravaśalyasaṁjñāstrayaḥ putrā babhūvuḥ

Somadatta too had three sons, named Bhuri, Bhurishrava and Shalya.

Verse 33 (vishnu.4.20.33)

शन्तनोरप्यमरनद्यां जाह्नव्यामुदारकीर्तिरशेषशास्त्रर्थविद्भीष्मः पुत्रोऽभूत्

śantanorapyamaranadyāṁ jāhnavyāmudārakīrtiraśeṣaśāstrarthavidbhīṣmaḥ putro'bhūt

Shantanu too had, by the divine river Ganga, a son named Bhishma, of noble fame, versed in the meaning of every scripture.

Verse 34 (vishnu.4.20.34)

सत्यवत्यां च चित्राङ्गदविचित्रवीर्यौ द्वौ पुत्रावुत्पादयामास शन्तनुः

satyavatyāṁ ca citrāṅgadavicitravīryau dvau putrāvutpādayāmāsa śantanuḥ

By Satyavati, Shantanu begot two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya.

Verse 35 (vishnu.4.20.35)

चित्राङ्गदस्तु बाल एव चित्राङ्गदेनैव गन्धर्वोणाहवे निहतः

citrāṅgadastu bāla eva citrāṅgadenaiva gandharvoṇāhave nihataḥ

Chitrangada, while yet a child, was slain in battle by a gandharva who himself bore the name Chitrangada.

Verse 36 (vishnu.4.20.36)

विचित्रवीर्योऽपि काशीराजतनये अंबांवालिके उपयेमे

vicitravīryo'pi kāśīrājatanaye aṁbāṁvālike upayeme

Vichitravirya married Amba and Ambalika, the two daughters of the king of Kashi.

Verse 37 (vishnu.4.20.37)

तदुपभोगातिखेदाच्च यक्ष्मणा गृहीतः स पञ्चत्वमगमत्

tadupabhogātikhedācca yakṣmaṇā gṛhītaḥ sa pañcatvamagamat

Through excessive indulgence in their company he was seized by consumption and met his death.

Verse 38 (vishnu.4.20.38)

सत्यवतीनियोगाच्च मत्पुत्रः कृष्णद्वैपायनो मातुर्वचनमनतिक्रमणीयमिति कृत्वा विचित्रवीर्यक्षेत्रे धृतराष्ट्रपाण्डुतत्प्रहितभुजिष्यायां विदुरं चोत्पादयामास

satyavatīniyogācca matputraḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano māturvacanamanatikramaṇīyamiti kṛtvā vicitravīryakṣetre dhṛtarāṣṭrapāṇḍutatprahitabhujiṣyāyāṁ viduraṁ cotpādayāmāsa

At Satyavati's command, deeming that a mother's word may not be set aside, my son Krishna Dvaipayana (Vyasa) begot, in Vichitravirya's field, Dhritarashtra and Pandu, and, upon the maidservant sent by them, Vidura.

Verse 39 (vishnu.4.20.39)

धतराष्ट्रोपि गान्धार्यां दुर्योधनदुः शासनप्रधानं पुत्रशतमुत्पादयामास

dhatarāṣṭropi gāndhāryāṁ duryodhanaduḥ śāsanapradhānaṁ putraśatamutpādayāmāsa

Dhritarashtra too, by Gandhari, begot a hundred sons, foremost among them Duryodhana and Duhshasana.

Verse 40 (vishnu.4.20.40)

पाण्ढोरप्यरण्ये मृगयायामृषिशापोपहतप्रजाजननसामर्थ्यस्य धर्मवायुशक्रैर्युधिष्ठिरभीमसेनार्जुनाः कुन्त्यां नकुलसहदेवौ चाश्विभ्यां माद्रयां पञ्चपुत्राःसमुत्पादिताः

pāṇḍhorapyaraṇye mṛgayāyāmṛṣiśāpopahataprajājananasāmarthyasya dharmavāyuśakrairyudhiṣṭhirabhīmasenārjunāḥ kuntyāṁ nakulasahadevau cāśvibhyāṁ mādrayāṁ pañcaputrāḥsamutpāditāḥ

Pandu too, who had lost the power to beget offspring through a sage's curse incurred while hunting in the forest, had five sons begotten for him: through Dharma, Vayu and Indra upon Kunti — Yudhishthira, Bhimasena and Arjuna — and through the Ashvins upon Madri — Nakula and Sahadeva.

Verse 41 (vishnu.4.20.41)

तेषां च द्रौपद्यां पञ्चैव बभूवुः

teṣāṁ ca draupadyāṁ pañcaiva babhūvuḥ

By Draupadi, all of them together had exactly five sons.

Verse 42 (vishnu.4.20.42)

युधिष्ठिरात्प्रतिविन्ध्यः भीमसेनाच्छुतसेनः श्रुतकीर्तिरर्जुनाच्छुतानीको नकुलाच्छुतकर्मा सहदेवात्

yudhiṣṭhirātprativindhyaḥ bhīmasenācchutasenaḥ śrutakīrtirarjunācchutānīko nakulācchutakarmā sahadevāt

From Yudhishthira, Prativindhya; from Bhimasena, Shrutasena; from Arjuna, Shrutakirti; from Nakula, Shrutanika; and from Sahadeva, Shrutakarma.

Verse 43 (vishnu.4.20.43)

काशी च भीमसेनादेव सर्वगं सुतमवाप

kāśī ca bhīmasenādeva sarvagaṁ sutamavāpa

By his wife named Kashi, Bhimasena obtained a son named Sarvaga.

Verse 44 (vishnu.4.20.44)

यौधेयी युधिष्छिराद्देवकं पुत्रमवाप

yaudheyī yudhiṣchirāddevakaṁ putramavāpa

By Yaudheyi, Yudhishthira obtained a son named Devaka.

Verse 45 (vishnu.4.20.45)

हिडिंबा घटोत्कचं भीमसेनात्पुत्रं लेभे

hiḍiṁbā ghaṭotkacaṁ bhīmasenātputraṁ lebhe

Hidimba obtained from Bhimasena a son named Ghatotkacha.

Verse 46 (vishnu.4.20.46)

काशी च भीमसेनादेव सर्वगं सुतमवाप

kāśī ca bhīmasenādeva sarvagaṁ sutamavāpa

By his wife named Kashi, Bhimasena obtained a son named Sarvaga.

Verse 47 (vishnu.4.20.47)

सहदेवाच्च विजयी कुहोत्रं पुत्रमवाप

sahadevācca vijayī kuhotraṁ putramavāpa

By Vijaya, Sahadeva obtained a son named Kuhotra.

Verse 48 (vishnu.4.20.48)

रेणुमत्यां च नकुलोपि निरमित्रमजीजनत्

reṇumatyāṁ ca nakulopi niramitramajījanat

By Renumati, Nakula too begot Niramitra.

Verse 49 (vishnu.4.20.49)

अर्जुनस्याप्युलूप्यां नागकन्यायामिरावान्नाम पुत्रोऽभवत्

arjunasyāpyulūpyāṁ nāgakanyāyāmirāvānnāma putro'bhavat

Arjuna too had, by the naga maiden Ulupi, a son named Iravan.

Verse 50 (vishnu.4.20.50)

मणीपुरपतिपुत्र्यां पुत्रिकाधर्मेण बब्रुवाहनं नाम पुत्रमर्जुनोऽजनयत्

maṇīpurapatiputryāṁ putrikādharmeṇa babruvāhanaṁ nāma putramarjuno'janayat

By the daughter of the king of Manipura, under the custom of putrika, Arjuna begot a son named Babhruvahana.

Verse 51 (vishnu.4.20.51)

सुभद्रायां चार्भकत्वेपि योसावतिबलपराक्रमःसमस्तारातिरथजेता सोऽभिमन्युरजायत

subhadrāyāṁ cārbhakatvepi yosāvatibalaparākramaḥsamastārātirathajetā so'bhimanyurajāyata

By Subhadra was born Abhimanyu, who, even as a child, of surpassing might and valor, became the conqueror of every enemy charioteer.

Verse 52 (vishnu.4.20.52)

अभिमन्योरुत्तरायां परिक्षीणेषु कुरुष्वश्वत्थामप्रयुक्तब्रह्मस्त्रेण गर्भ एव भस्मीकृतो भगवतःसकलसुरासुरवन्दितचरणयुगलस्यात्मेच्छया कारममानुषरूपधारीणोनुभावात्पुनर्जीवितमवाप्य परीक्षिज्जज्ञे

abhimanyoruttarāyāṁ parikṣīṇeṣu kuruṣvaśvatthāmaprayuktabrahmastreṇa garbha eva bhasmīkṛto bhagavataḥsakalasurāsuravanditacaraṇayugalasyātmecchayā kāramamānuṣarūpadhārīṇonubhāvātpunarjīvitamavāpya parīkṣijjajñe

From Abhimanyu, in Uttara's womb, when the Kuru line was all but ended, the embryo itself was reduced to ashes by the brahmastra loosed by Ashvatthama; yet by the power of the Lord — whose two feet are worshipped by all gods and demons, and who of his own will bore a human form — that embryo regained life and was born as Parikshit.

Verse 53 (vishnu.4.20.53)

योऽयं सांप्रतमेदद्भूमण्डलमखण्डितायतिधर्मेण पालयतीति

yo'yaṁ sāṁpratamedadbhūmaṇḍalamakhaṇḍitāyatidharmeṇa pālayatīti

That same Parikshit now governs this whole circle of the earth with unbroken righteousness.