it to others of his disciples who were possessed of the same
qualifications. After that he executed another compilation, consisting of
six hundred thousand verses. Of those, thirty hundred thousand are known
in the world of the Devas; fifteen hundred thousand in the world of the
Pitris: fourteen hundred thousand among the Gandharvas, and one hundred
thousand in the regions of mankind. Narada recited them to the Devas,
Devala to the Pitris, and Suka published them to the Gandharvas, Yakshas,
and Rakshasas: and in this world they were recited by Vaisampayana, one of
the disciples of Vyasa, a man of just principles and the first among all
those acquainted with the Vedas. Know that I, Sauti, have also repeated
one hundred thousand verses.

Yudhishthira is a vast tree, formed of religion and virtue; Arjuna is its
trunk; Bhimasena, its branches; the two sons of Madri are its full-grown
fruit and flowers; and its roots are Krishna, Brahma, and the Brahmanas.

Pandu, after having subdued many countries by his wisdom and prowess, took
up his abode with the Munis in a certain forest as a sportsman, where he
brought upon himself a very severe misfortune for having killed a stag
coupling with its mate, which served as a warning for the conduct of the
princes of his house as long as they lived. Their mothers, in order that
the ordinances of the law might be fulfilled, admitted as substitutes to
their embraces the gods Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, and the divinities the twin
Aswins. And when their offspring grew up, under the care of their two
mothers, in the society of ascetics, in the midst of sacred groves and
holy recluse-abodes of religious men, they were conducted by Rishis into
the presence of Dhritarashtra and his sons, following as students in the
habit of Brahmacharis, having their hair tied in knots on their heads.
'These our pupils', said they, 'are as your sons, your brothers, and your
friends; they are Pandavas.' Saying this, the Munis disappeared.