birds, and of all other creatures; and lastly, of the life and adventures of king Bharata—the progenitor of the line that goes by his name—the son born of Sakuntala by Dushshanta in the asylum of the ascetic Kanwa. This parva also describes the greatness of Bhagirathi, and the births of the Vasus in the house of Santanu and their ascension to heaven. In this parva is also narrated the birth of Bhisma uniting in himself portions of the energies of the other Vasus, his renunciation of royalty and adoption of the Brahmacharya mode of life, his adherence to his vows, his protection of Chitrangada, and after the death of Chitrangada, his protection of his younger brother, Vichitravirya, and his placing the latter on the throne; the birth of Dharma among men in consequence of the curse of Animandyavya; the births of Dhrita-rashtra and Pandu through the potency of Vyasa's blessing; and also the birth of the Pandavas; the plottings of Duryodhana to send the sons of Pandu to Varanavata, and the other dark counsels of the sons of Dhrita-rastra in regard to the Pandavas; then the advice administered to Yudhish-thira on his way by that well-wisher of the Pandavas—Vidura—in the mlechchà language—the digging of the hole, the burning of the Purochana and the sleeping woman of the fowler caste, with her five sons, in the house of lac; the meeting of the Pandavas in the dreadful forest with Hindimbā, and the slaying of her brother Hidimba by Bhima of great prowess. The birth of Ghatot-kacha; the meeting of the Pandavas with Vyasa, and in accordance with his advice their stay in disguise in the city of Ekachchatra, in the house of a Brahmana; the destruction of the Asura Vaka, and the amazement of the populace at the sight; the extraordinary births of Krishnā and Dhrista-dyumna; the departure of the Pandavas to Panchala in obedience to the injunction of Vyasa, and moved equally by the desire of winning the hand of Draupadi on learning the sidings of the Swayamvara from the lips of a Brahmana; the victory of Arjuna over a Gandharva, called Angara-parna, on the banks of the Bhagirathi, his contraction of friendship with his adversary, and his hearing from Gandharva the history of Tapati, Vasistha and Aurva. This
