Vaishampaayan Tells Bhaarat to Janamejaya

Birth of Satyavatee

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "There was a king named Uparichar. He was a virtuous king but he was addicted to hunting. He was born in Pururavaa family and was called Vasu also. He won Chedi Desh according to instructions of Indra. Later he left everything and started doing Tapasyaa. Indra got worried seeing his Tapasyaa, maybe he wanted the kingship Indra Lok, so he went to the king and said to him - "You take care of virtue on earth so that it does not disappear from there. As I am in Indra Lok, you are on Prithvi. You are my friend and are dear to me. Live in Chedi Desh and be prosperous. There will not be anything in the three worlds unknown to you. I will give you a crystal airplane which is like Devtaa's airplane. You will be able to go anywhere sitting in that airplane with this mortal body. I will give you a garland of unfading lotuses also, when you will put it on in battlefield, you will not be wounded. And this garland, known as Indra's Garland, will be your distinctive mark." Indra gave him a bamboo pole also to protect the honest and maintain peace. After a year the King planted it in the ground to worship Indra himself. From that time all kings started planting a pole to worship Indra. After planting it, they used to decorate it with various flowers, clothes, gems etc. Indra used to come to accept Vasu's worship assuming the form of a swan. For the gratification of Indra Vasu used to worship Indra, and Indra also respected him very much.

Uparichar had five sons whom he appointed in five regions - (1) Brihadrath was in Magadh region and was known as Mahaarath; (2) Pratyaagrahh, (3) Kushaamb, also called Manivaahan, (4) Maavelaa, and (5) Yadu. All of them founded separate dynasties which lasted for long time. When King Vasu sat on his crystal airplane and went around in air, many Gandharv and Apsaraa came to him. There he was known as Uparichar. A river Sooktimaee used to flow near his kingdom. Once it was attacked by life-endued mountain Kolaahal maddening with lust. Vasu stopped him sticking his foot. This cause the river to come out of Kolaahal's embrace, but the mountain begot two children from that river - a twins. The river gave those children to Vasu to show her gratitude. Vasu appointed the boy as his military General and married himself the girl "Girikaa". 

One day Girikaa took her monthly bath and expressed her desire for a child to the King, but at the same time his Pitar came there and asked him to slay a deer for them. Thinking about beautiful Girikaa, the King went for hunting. The spring season was on, and the forest was blooming at its full height. Seeing all this he also had a desire in his heart for his wife, but his wife was not there, so he sat under an Ashok tree could not keep his mind off his wife Girikaa. By chance a hawk was resting on that tree. He said to him - "Please carry this seed (semen) to my wife give it to her."

The hawk flew and took his seed to his wife, but met another bird of his species on the way. The other bird thought he was carrying a piece of meat so he tried to snatch it. When they were fighting in the sky, the seed fell in Yamunaa River. In Yamunaa River lived an Apsaraa named Adrikaa in fish form (through a Braahman's Shaap). As soon as the seed fell in the water, Adrikaa swallowed it at once. After some time some a fisherman caught that fish. It was her 10th month. Two children came out of her stomach, one boy and one girl. The fisherman informed this to King Uparichar. The male child was taken by the King. Later he became the king Matsya. After the birth of children, the Apsaraa became free from the curse and went away to Swarg. The girl was given to fisherman saying - "She is your daughter." This girl was named Satyavatee. Since she lived with fishermen, she used to smell like a fish. When she grew up she started rowing boat in Yamunaa.

Birth of Ved Vyaas

Once when she was rowing the boat in Yamunaa River, a great Rishi Paraashar saw her and got attracted to her. He said to Vasu's daughter - "Come and embrace me." Satyavatee said - "See, Rishi are standing on both banks of Yamunaa, how can I embrace you?" Hearing this the Rishi created the fog in the region, seeing which Satyavatee got very surprised. She said - "I am a virgin, by accepting your embrace my virginity will be destroyed, then how shall I be able to return home? Do only what you want to do thinking thus." Paraashar said - "Even after you have fulfilled my wish you will remain virgin. Ask for any boon you wish for." At this Satyavatee asked Rishi that her fish-like bdy odor should be sweet smell. The Rishi granted this wish. Since then became known as Gandhvatee. She accepted Paraashar's embrace and gave birth to a son on an island in Yamunaa River. As soon as he was born he went for Tap with the permission of his mother saying, "as soon as you will call me, I will come to you." 

Thus Vyaas Jee was born from Satyavatee through Paraashar. And since he was born on an island, he was called Dwaipaayan. Noticing that Dharm will be deteriorating he divided Ved into four parts, that is why he was called Vyaas. He taught them to Sumantu, Gemini, Pail, his son Shuk Dev, Vaishampaayan; and the compilation of Bhaarat was published by him through them separately.

Birth of Others

Bheeshm was born from the part of Vasu from Gangaa through King Shaantanu. There was a Rishi named Animaandavya. Once he was accused of a theft, though innocent. At this he got very angry. He called upon Dharm Raaj and said - "I pierced only a fly by a blade of grass in my childhood, and after that I have done Tap thousand times than that. Has not that small sin been covered up by that Tap? Since killing of a Braahman is a more serious sin than killing of anybody else, that is why, O Dharm Raaj, you are a greater sinner. That is why I give you Shaap that you should be born on Prithvi as a Shoodra. Because of that Shaap, Dharm Raaj was born as Vidur who was perfectly sinless. And the Soot who was born from Kuntee in her maidenhood, was the son of Soorya Dev. He was born with a Kavach (protection cover) and Kundal (earrings). Vishnu Himself was born from Vasudev and Devakee as Vaasudev in Andhak-Vrishni family line. He is without birth and death. He is the invisible cause of all.

Saatyaki and Kritvarmaa, obedient to Naaraayan, were born from Satyak and Hridikaa. Drone was born from the seed of Bharadwaaj kept in a pot. That is why he is called pot-born also. Kripaa and Kripee, twins, were born from the seed of Gautam fallen on reed. Then were born Dhrishtdyumn and Draupadee from Agni. Dhrishtdyumn was born along with a bow to kill Drone. Then was born the disciple of Prahlaad - Nagnjit; and Subal. From Subal was born Shakuni who by Shaap of Devtaa became the slayer of creatures and foe of virtue. Subal had a daughter named Gaandhaaree who was the mother of Duryodhan.

From Krishn Dwaipaayan were born two sons, Dhritraashtra and Paandu, from Vichitraveerya's widows. One more son was born from Krishn Dwaipaayan - Vidur. Five sons were born from Paandu's two wives - the eldest was Yudhishthir through Dharm Raaj; Bheem of wolf's stomach was born through Marut (Vaayu Dev); Arjun was born from Indra; and Nakul and Sahadev were born from Ashwinee Kumaar. From Dhritraashtra were born 100 sons, Duryodhan etc and one son more, Yuyutsu, from a Vaishya woman. Among those 101 sons, 11 sons were Mahaarathee (great warrior) - Duryodhan, Dushaasan, Dusaha, Durmarshan, Vikarn, Chitrasen, Vivinshati, Jaya, Satyavrat, Purumitra, and Yuyutsu.

Abhimanyu was born from Subhadraa, sister of Krishn, through Arjun. Thus he was the grandson of Paandu. Five sons were born from Paanchaalee through five Paandav. Prativindhya was Yudhishthir's son; Sutasom was Bheem's son; Shrutkeerti was Arjun's son, Shataaneek was Nakul's son; and Shrutsen was Sahadev's son. Bheem had one son more, Ghatotkach, from Hidimbaa whom he married in a forest. Drupad had a daughter also, named Shikhandee who later was changed to a male by the grace of a Yaksh named Sthoon who wanted to do good to her.

Hundreds of thousands kings, whose names I cannot describe even in 10,000 years, came to fight in Mahaabhaarat war.

Birth of Kshatriya

Janamejaya asked - "Hey Maharshi, Whatever names you have described, I want to hear about their birth in detail." Vaishampaayan Jee said - "O King, It has been heard by us that whatever you have asked is a mystery even for Devtaa, still I will tell you about them. After killing Kshatriya 21 times on Prithvi, Parashuraam Jee went to Mahendra Parvat and started severe penance. At that time Kshatriya women used to come to Braahman to beget children and thus thousands of Kshatriya women begot children from those Braahman. The children, born from such connection, were more powerful. Thus a new Kshatriya race emerged out of these connections of Kshatriya women and Braahman men. This new race was blessed with long life. All men had connections only with their wives without any lust. The same had happened with other creatures also. All were very virtuous, free from sorrow and disease. After a while this land was again ruled by Kshatriya. In those days no Braahman sold Ved (taught for money). Everything happened at its time. Sat Yug had set in.

When this happened, Daitya, the sons of Diti and Danu, also could never win Devtaa. As they were repeatedly defeated by Devtaa, they began incarnating on Prithvi in all kinds of species. After a while, Prithvi became incapable of supporting herself because of these Daitya. Among them some were born as kings also of great pride. They oppressed people and insulted Rishi and Brahman. So the Earth went to Brahmaa Jee and he assured her that he would direct all his Devtaa to help her. He sent Prithvi back and asked Devta to take birth on Prithvi and kill those Daitya. Then Indra went to Hari and said to Him - "Incarnate". Hari said - "Let it be so."