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01.101 Anukramanika Parva

An Ancient Hindu Sage in the Jungle, "Naimiṣāraṇya," developed on Jul.13, 2024.
01.101 Anukramaṇikā Parva
First revision: Jul.12, 2024
Last change: Sep.19, 2024
Searched, Gathered, Rearranged, Translated, and Compiled by
Apirak Kanchanakongkha
.
 
page 1
       This Parva (अनुक्रमणिका - Anukramaṇikā) has 210 ślokas and only one adhyāya (अध्याय) (chapter). It was a later addition. It sets out the background for the story recital and summarizes the main incidents, not once but twice.
   
Adhyāya I

'Jaya'1 must be recited after having bowed in obeisance before Nārāyaṇa and Nara,2 the supreme human being, and also the goddess Sarasvatī.3.

       The great sages,  performers of difficult austerities, were present at the twelve-year sacrifice of Kulapati4 Śaunaka5 and were comfortably seated in Naimiṣāraṇya.6 Ugraśrava (उग्रश्रव), the son of Lomaharṣaṇa7 and the son of a Sūta,8 learned in the Purāṇa,9 and also known as Sauti,10 once approached them, bowing in humility.

       When he reached the hermitage of Naimiṣāraṇya, the hermits, who were the inhabitants, surrounded him, wishing to hear his beautiful stories.

       Having been respectfully welcomed by those sages, he folded his palms before all those sages and asked them how their ascetic pursuits were progressing.

       When all the sages had retaken their seats, Lomaharṣaṇa's son respectfully took the seat earmarked for him.

       On seeing that he was comfortably seated and noticing that he was rested from his fatigue, one of the sages began the conversation and said: 'O lotus-eyed! O Sauti! I am asking you. Tell me the details of where you have come from. Also, where have you spent the time?'

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1. The word 'Jaya' (जया) meant victory and was also the title of an original and shorter version of the Mahābhārata. So, this invocation, which is not part of the main text, can be interpreted in two different ways - a literal uttering of the word 'victory' or a recital of the Mahābhārata.
2.
Nārāyaṇa and Nara (नारायण and नर) are a pair of gods in Hinduism. Nara-Nārāyaṇa is the twin brother avatar of Lord Viṣṇu, the guardian deity on Earth who works to preserve dharma or righteousness. In the concept of Nara-Nārāyaṇa, the human soul, Nara, is the eternal companion of the divine Nārāyaṇa. Some scriptures say that Lord Nārāyaṇa or Lord Viṣṇu incarnated as Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Nara came to be Arjuna.
3. Goddess Sarasvatī (सरस्वती), the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, flowing water, fertility and wealth, art, speech, wisdom and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakṣmī and Pārvatī. She is one of the deities of Bhārata, which is also respected in Jainism and Buddhism. The earliest known mention of the goddess Saraswatī is in the Ṛg-veda. She has continued to be necessary as a goddess from the Vedic period to today. She generally has four arms. (which has four symbols: the book, the rosary, the cauldron, and the musical instrument called the vīṇā (
वीणा)).
4. Kulapati (कुलपति), head or chief. But in this context, a sage who feeds and teaches 10,000 students.
5. Śaunaka (शौनक), the leader of the great sages in the Naimiṣāraṇya.
6. Naimiṣāraṇya (नैमिषारण्य), an ancient forest located on the banks of the Gomati River, a tributary of the Ganges River, state of Uttar Pradesh, Bhārata at present.
7. Lomaharṣaṇa (लोमहर्षण), some call him Romaharṣaṇa. He was one of Mahāṛṣi Vyasa's five chief disciples and the father of Ugraśrava. (The five chief disciples were Lomaharṣaṇa, Paila, Vaiśampāyana, Jaimini, and Sumantu.)

8. Sūta (सूत), the son of a Kṣtriya father and a Brahmana mother. By profession, Sūtas were charioteers, but they were also bards and raconteurs.
9. Purāṇa (पुराण), an ancient sacred scripture. Composed by Sage Vyasa, there are 18 main Purāṇas. Details can be found in
The Puranas 1.
10. Sauti (सौति), a professional storyteller who traveled through the Bhāratavarṣa (भारतवर्ष), gathered with the sages in the Naimiṣāraṇya. Sauti here means the son of Lomaharṣaṇa. That is, Ugraśrava.


 
page 2
       Sauti said: 'The great-souled royal sage and lord of Earth, Janamejaya,1 the son of the Parīkṣit,2 organized a snake sacrifice. There, in his presence, Vaiśampāyana3 recited correctly the wonderful and sacred stories composed by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.4 After listening to those diverse stories of the Mahābhārata, I wandered among several places of pilgrimage and sacred waters. I finally came to the sacred place known as Samantapañcaka,5 venerated by the twice-born. This is the land where, a long time ago, a war was fought between the Kurus6 and the Pāṇḍavas7 and all the kings of the Earth. After that, anxious to see you, I have come before you. O revered sages! You shine like the sun's fire in this sacred place of sacrifice. In my view, you are like Brahma to me; you are pure through having performed sacred rites and meditation, and you maintain the fire of sacrifice.   
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1. Janamejaya (जनमेजय), this name means "victorious from birth." He was the son of Parīkṣit, who came to the throne at a young age due to his father's untimely demise. When he came of age and came to know that his father was killed by the king of serpents, Takṣka (तक्षक), he decided to perform a sacrifice to kill all the serpents in the world. The sacrifice was only partially successful, as most snakes were exterminated. Due to Vy
āsa's last-minute intervention, the sacrifice was incomplete, and Takṣka escaped his fate.

Snake Sacrifice by King Janamejaya was developed on July 22, 2024.

2. Parīkṣit (परीक्षित्), Arjuna's grandson and Abhimanyu (अभिमन्यु)'s son.
3. Vaiśampāyana (वैशंपायन), one of the intelligent disciples of Vy
āsa.
4. Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vedavyāsa (कृष्णद्वैपायन वेदव्यास) or Vyāsadeva, thus named because he classified the Vedas. Vedavyāsa or Vyāsadeva is a title, and there has been more than one sage with such a title. This particular Vedavyāsa's name was Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana: Kṛṣṇa because he was dark in complexion and Dvaipāyana because he was born on an island (द्वीप - Dvīpa) of the Yamuna River (यमुना नदी).
5. Samantapañcaka (समन्तपञ्चक), a holy bath founded by Paraśurāma (परशुराम), and the five rivers through which blood flowed, and At the ending and the beginning periods of the two yugas Dvāpara and Kali, the Kauravas (कौरव) and the Pāṇḍavas (पाण्डव) fought the great battle at this place, and with the advice of Balabhadrarāma (बलभद्रराम) that this place was selected as the battlefield, and Duryodhana (दुर्योधन) was killed at Samantapañcaka (see in Śalya Parva).
6. The Kurus (कुरु) is the name of an Indo-Aryan tribe and kingdom in the Vedic civilization of Bhārata (
भारत). Their kingdom was located in modern Haryana. Bhīṣma (भीष्म) was their guardian.
7. The Pāṇḍavas (पाण्डव) were the five acknowledged sons of Pāṇḍu (पाण्डु) by his two wives Kuntī (कुन्ती) and Mādrī (माद्री). Their names are Yudhiṣṭhira (युधिष्ठिर), Bhīma (भीम), Arjuna (अर्जुन), Nakula (
नकुल) and Sahadeva (सहदेव). All five brothers were married to the same woman, Draupadī (द्रौपदी). Together, the brothers fought and prevailed in a great war against their cousins, the Kauravas, which came to be known as the Battle of Kurukṣetra (कुरुक्षेत्र). Their alienated half-brother Karṇa (कर्ण) fought against them and was eventually slain by Arjuna.    


 
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O you who are twice-born!1 You are beyond all cares. What shall I say? Shall I speak of the history of kings among men and sages and great souls?

       The sages replied: 'Tell us that ancient story that was told by the supreme sage 
Dvaipāyana, that which was worshipped by the gods and the Brāhmaṛṣis2 when they heard it - and that which is full of wonderful words and divisions and is the supreme of narratives, with subtle meaning and logic, adorned with the essence of the Vedas.3 That sacred history of the Bhāratas is beautiful in language and meaning and includes all other works. All the Śāstras4 add to it, and that sacred composition of great Vyāsa has been added to the four Vedas. We wish to hear that holy collection that drives away the fear of sin, just as it was recited at King Janamejaya's sacrifice by Vaiśampāyana.'

       Sauti said: 'I bow to the original being Īśāna5, adored by all and to whom all offerings are made. He is truth and without decay, the manifested and un-manifested Brahman, eternal. He is both existing and non-existing. I bow before Hari6, the lord of all that moves and does not move, the lord of the senses. I bow before the pure and sinless Viṣṇu, worthy of worship, and he who is good and goodness.

       'I will describe to you the holy thoughts of that great sage revered in the entire world, Vyāsa, the performer of excellent deeds. Some poets have already sung this story before. Other poets are teaching this history now.

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1. Meaning the first three castes (वर्ण - varṇa): Brāhmaṇas (ब्राह्मण), Kṣatriyas (क्षत्रिय) and Vaiśyas (वैश्य). Twice-born (द्विजा - Dvijā) is also used specifically for Brāhmaṇas, the second birth referring to the donning of the sacred thread. The first three castes were all entitled to this right.
2. Brāhmaṛṣi (
ब्राह्मर्षि). Sages with knowledge of the supreme being (
ब्रह्मन् - Brahman).
3. Sacred texts, four in number: Ṛg-Veda (ऋग्वेद), Sāma-Veda (सामवेद), Yajur Veda (यजुर्वेद) and Atharva Veda (अथर्ववेद).
4. Śāstra (शास्त्र) means weapon, in this context means sacred texts.
5. Īśāna (ईशान) means Ruler, master, lord. Īśāna is a name for Śiva (शिव) {The dikapāla (दिक्पाल -
ทิกบาล) of the North-East direction}, Viṣṇu (विष्णु), even the sun (सूर्य - Sūrya). But here, the general meaning is intended.
6. Hari (हरि) is among the primary epithets of Viṣṇu, meaning 'The one who takes away' (sins).


 
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Still, others will certainly do this on Earth in the future. Throughout the three worlds, this is a great storehouse of knowledge. Those who are twice-born possess it in its details and compound forms. It is embellished with elegant words and usage, human and divine. It is adorned with myriad meters and loved by the learned.

Lord Brahma Picture was developed on June 24, 2024.

       'When this universe was without brightness and light, and everything was enveloped in darkness on all sides, the incredible egg came into being. This was the inexhaustible seed of all sides; the incredible egg was created at the beginning of all the eras. It is said that in the divine cause existed the eternal Brahman,1 confirmed and resplendent - excellent and beyond imagination and perfectly balanced everywhere. This was the subtle, unmanifested cause. It was that which exists and that which does not. From this was born the one and only Lord Prajāpati,2 known as Brahma, the preceptor of the gods. He is also known as Sthāṇu, Manu, Ka and Parameṣṭhin. From him was born Dakṣa,3, the son of Prachetas, Dakṣa's seven sons, and the twenty-one prajāpatis. Him whom all the sages know as the being who cannot be fathomed was also born, as were the Viśvadevas, the Ādityas, the Vasus, and the Aśvins. Yakṣas, Sādhyas,4 Piśācas, Guhyakas, and the Pitris were born, and after that were born the learned, holy and superior Brahmarṣis. They were born many Rājarṣis,5 endowed with every noble quality. The water, heaven, earth, wind, sky, directions, seasons, months, fortnight, day, and night followed in succession. The world witnessed everything else that came forth. When the world is immersed in the decay of the era, everything that can be seen, movable and immovable, is again brought together. As the season changes, signs of the season can be seen. Like that, everything is produced again at the beginning of another era. Without beginning and end, the wheel of existence rolls on eternally in this world, causing creation and destruction.   
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1. Brahman (ब्रह्मन्) or Paramātman (परमात्मन्) refers to the supreme spirit and should not be confused with Brāhmaṇa (ब्राह्मण), though they have the same etymological root.
2. Prajāpati (प्रजापति)
3. Dakṣa (
दक्ष - พระทักษะ)
4. Class of gods.
5. Royal sages. Brahmarṣis were of the Brahmana caste. Rājarṣis were Kṣatriya
s, but they obtained the status of sage (Rṣi) through their learning. 

Aditi prayed to Brahma in the 19th century from the Saraswati Mahal Library Collection, Tanjore. This file is from en.wikipedia.org, and its access date is Mar.30, 2023.
 

Thai depiction of the Horse-faced Aśvins on a chariot, Unknow painter, filed on January 1, 1959, from en.wikipedia.org, access date: Mar.30, 2023.
 
page 5
       'To give a brief example of creation, there are 33,333 gods. The sons of the divine Vivasvat were Bṛhadbhānu, Chakṣus, Atma, Vibhāvasu, Savitṛ, Ṛchīka, Arka, Bhanu, Āśāvaha, and Ravi. Of these sons, Mahya was the youngest, and his son was Devabhrata, also known as Subhrāja. Subhrāja had three famous sons, Daśajyoti, Śatajyoti, and Sahasrajyoti, and each of them gave birth to many offspring. The great Daśajyoti had ten thousand sons. The self-possessed Śatajyoti had ten times that number, and Sahasrajyoti had ten times the number of offspring Śatajyoti had. From them were descended the line of the Kurus, the Yadus, and the Bharatas, the lines of Yayāti, Ikṣvāku, and all Rājarṣis. Many other lineages and diverse living beings were created, as well as their various places of residence.

       'The three mysteries of knowledge - the Vedas, Yoga1, and Vijñāna2 - were created, as were Dharma, Artha, and Kāma. The sage saw the various Śāstras, interspersed with Dharma, Artha, and Kāma, and rules of conduct for the world. He also saw the ancient histories, their commentaries, and the Śruti3 texts. This book has the signs of all those; everything is here. Having distilled this excellent knowledge, the sage summarized all that, in both abridged and detailed forms, as a storehouse of knowledge for retaining the wisdom of this world. Some read Bharata from the story of Manu, others from the story of Āstika, and still others from Uparicara. Some Brāhmaṇs read the entire text. Learned men display their knowledge of the Saṃhitās4 by commenting on this collection. Some are skilled in explaining it, others in remembering it.

       'After penance and austerities, after having classified the eternal Vedas, Satyavatī's son composed this holy history. This learned Brahmarṣi, the son of Parāśara, followed pure vows.
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Vivasvat or Sūrya, Found in a Brahmin Temple in New Delhi, Bhārata, source: fr.wikipedia.org, access date: Aug.1, 2024.
 
1. Union between the human soul and the supreme being.
2. Knowledge obtained through self-realization.
3. Sacred texts in the category of revelation. Śruti (श्रुति) means "that which is heard" and is a divine revelation. It is, therefore, the most reliable text. These were passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation without any modification.
4. Collections of sacred texts, particularly in verse form, specifically the Vedas.


 
page 6
As requested by his mother and at the request of the wise son of Gaṅgā (गङ्गा),1 Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana lawfully became the father of three sons in Vicitravīrya2's field.3 These three Kauravas were like three fires. After thus giving birth to Dhṛtarāṣṭra (धृतराष्ट्), Pāṇḍu (पाण्डु), and Vidura (विदुर), he returned to his hermitage to pursue the wise path of austerities. Until these sons were born, grew up, and passed on to the supreme journey,4 the great sage did not reveal Bhārata5 to the world of men. When Janamejaya and thousands of Brāhmaṇas requested him, he taught it to his disciple Vaiśampāyana, seated in his presence. Seated with his compatriots, he (Vaiśampāyana) recited Bhārata at intervals during the sacrifice, being repeatedly asked to continue when he stopped. Vyāsa has described in detail the great lineage of the Kurus, the virtues of Gāndhārī, the wisdom of Vidura, and the constancy of Kuntī. The blessed sage has also described the greatness of Vāsudeva,6 the truthfulness of the Pāṇḍavas, and the evil conduct of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Without minor narratives, Vyāsa originally composed Bhārata in 24,000 twenty verses. The learned know this as the real Bhārata. Later, he composed a summary in 150 verses, with an index of the chapters, contents, and events. Dvaipāyana first taught this index to his son Śuka7 and then to other disciples with the same qualities. Nārada8 recited it to the gods, Asita-Devala9 to the ancestors, Śuka to the Gandharvas10, and Yakṣas and Rākṣasas.

       'Durayodhana is an excellent tree created out of passion, Karṇa is its trunk, Śakuni is its branches, Duḥśāsana is the plentiful fruit and flowers, and the mindless Dhṛtarāṣṭra is its root. Yudhiṣṭhira is an excellent tree created out of righteousness, Arjuna is its trunk, Bhīma is its branches, the two sons of Mādrī11 are its plentiful fruit and flowers, and Kṛṣṇa, Brahma and the Brāhmaṇas are the root.
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1. Bhīṣma.
2. Vicitravīrya (विचित्रवीर्य - ผู้กล้าอันงดงาม)
3. That is, he impregnated Vichitraviīya's wife.
4. Death.
5. Bhārata (भारत), an expanded version (24,000 ślokas) from the original version (Jaya - 8,800 ślokas) of the Mahābhārata.
6. Vāsudeva (वासुदेव) - Kṛṣṇa's name, as the son of Vasudeva (वसुदेव).
7. Śuka (शुक)
8.
Nārada (
नारद) see note 1 of page 1 01. Bālakāṇḍa - Sarga 1-2. The Rāmāyaṇa.
9.
Asita-Devala (असित - देवल) - The two ancient sages whose names always occur together.
10. Gandharva (गन्धर्व – Musician - คนธรรพ์)
  -- A semi-divine species, singers and musicians of the gods.
11. Nakula and Sahadeva.


 
page 7
       'After having conquered many countries with war and bravery, Pāṇḍu retired to the forest with the sages because he was fond of hunting. When out hunting, he brought great misfortune on himself by killing a stag when it was with its mate. Since their birth, Pṛthā's01 sons spent their lives there, according to the prescribed norms. By what is laid down in law, their two mothers02 conceived sons from Dharma03, Vāyu04, Śakra05, and the two gods, the Aśvins. They grew up under the care of their two mothers and in the society of holy sages in sacred groves and forests. Then, on their own, the sages took them to the presence and forests. Then, on their own, the sages took them to the presence of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons. They were dressed as Brahmacārīs06 students, with sacred tufts in their hair. The sage said, "These students of ours are the sons of Pāṇḍu, your sons, brothers, and friends." Saying this, the sage left. On seeing the sons of Pāṇḍu who had thus been left with them, the Kauravas, the learned among the castes and the townpeople they exclaimed loudly with joy. However, some said they were not the sons of Pāṇḍu when Pāṇḍu had died long ago. However, voices were heard from all directions, saying they were welcome nonetheless. Through great fortune, Pāṇḍu's offspring could now be seen. They must be welcomed. Such voices were heard everywhere. When the tumult of the people had died, an enormous outcry was heard from invisible beings, and all the directions echoed. As Pārtha08 and the others entered, there was a shower of fragrant flowers and the sound of conch shells and kettledrums. It was a great wonder. Delighted by their love for them, the townspeople's loud cries rose to heaven and increased the Pāṇḍavas' fame.

       'Without threats from anywhere, the Pāṇḍavas lived there, studying the Vedas and various other Śastras09. All the people respected them. The townspeople were delighted with the purity of Yudhiṣṭhira, the strength of Bhīma, the courage of Arjuna, the humility of the twins, and the submissiveness of Kuntī to her elders. 
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01. Pṛthā (पृथा - ปฤถา) - Kuntī (कुन्ती). - A Vīramāta (มารดาแห่งวีรบุรุษ); the surname of Kuntī. A sister of Vasudeva. Became the adopted daughter of the childless Kuntibhoja (कुन्तिभोज - กุนติโภช), a friend of her father, Śūra. She pleased sage Durvāsa by service and obtained some mantras; she invoked the Sun God before her to test their efficacy. She requested him to return. But he conferred a son on her when she was a maiden and went away. Afraid of scandals, she abandoned the child in the river and later became the wife of Pāṇḍu; she gave birth to three famous sons, all Devaputras (เทพบุตร) and equal to Indra. Yudhiṣṭhira from Dharma, Bhīma from Māruta10, and Arjuna from Indra.
02. Kuntī and Mādrī.
03. Dharma, another name for Yama.
04. Vāyu (वायु) refers to the 'wind' or Māruta (मारुत).
05. Śakra (
शक्र - ท้าวสักกะ) - A synonym of Indra.
Vānaprastha, a painting by Niharranjan Sen Gupta, date: Unknown, source: https://archive.org via en.wikipedia.org, access date: Sep.17, 2024.
 
06. Brahmacārī or Brahmachari (ब्रह्मचारी) - Those in the celibate stage of life. One who lives in Brahman or universal consciousness—A celibate student under the care of a spiritual master. One in the first order of spiritual life. In the Vedic social order, the student class who strictly accept the vow of celibacy, in the case of brāhmaṇas, up to the age of 25, at which time they may marry or continue the life of celibacy, a celibate student of a spiritual master; A member of the first spiritual division of life, according to the Vedic social system of four āśramas07.
07. Āśrama (आश्रम) - Age-based stages of human life in the Ancient Hindu system comprised of:
       1st stage: Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्य) - Bachelor student.
       2nd stage: Gṛhastha (गृहस्थ) - married householder
       3rd stage: Vānaprastha (वानप्रस्थ) - Way of the forest or Forest road.
       4th stage: Sannayasa (संन्यास ) - renunciation ascetic.
08. Pārtha (पार्थ) - Arjuna. The son of Pṛthā.
09. Śastras or Shastra (शस्त्र).
10. Māruta (मारुत) —The Wind God, appointed father of Bhīma.


 
page 8
The entire world was content with their quality of courage.

       'After a few years, in an assembly of kings where the maiden Kṛṣṇā01 was to choose her bridegroom, Arjuna performed a difficult task and won her hand. From that day, he was respected by everyone in the world as a great archer. He became like a Sun on the battlefield, harrowing to behold. He defeated all the kings and all the main tribes. Thus, the king02 could now perform the Rājasūya 03  sacrifice. Through the wise counsel of Kṛṣṇa and the prowess of Bhīma and Arjuna, Yudhiṣṭhira killed Jarāsandha04 and the swollen-head king of Cedī05 and thus obtained the right to perform the Rājasūya, rich in provisions and sacrificial offerings and full of merit. Durayodhana came to this sacrifice and saw on all sides the great wealth of the Pāṇḍavas
the offerings, precious stones, gold, jewels, cattle, horses, elephants, and treasure. On seeing this, his envy made him angry. He fumed when he saw the assembly hall, like a celestial chariot built by Maya. Before Vāsudeva, he was mocked by Bhīma, who said he was of common birth when he got confused by the architectural deceptions.

       'It was reported to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that while he was enjoying himself with various objects and valuable things, his son had turned pale, yellow, and thin. Out of affection for his son, the blind king permitted him to play the game of dice. When Vāsudeva heard this, he became furious. Though he was not pleased, he did nothing to stop the dispute and overlooked the fatal game and other unjust acts as they increased in importance. Despite Vidura, Bhīṣma, Droṇa06, and Kṛpa07, the son of Śāradvata08, he made the Kṣatriyas kill each other in the great war that followed.

       'On hearing the news of the Pāṇḍavas victory and knowing the vows taken by Durayodhana, Karṇa, and Śakuni, Dhṛtarāṣṭra thought for a while and then told Sanjaya09: "O Sanjaya! Listen to all that I am about to say.         
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01. Kṛṣṇā (कृष्णा) - Draupadī and another name for Pāñcālī (पाञ्चाली).
02. Yudhiṣṭhira.
03. Rājasūya (
राजसूय - ราชสูยะ) - A great sacrifice at the time of coronation, when other kings and princes pay tribute and accept the superiority of the crowned universal monarch.
04. Jarāsandha (जरासन्ध - ชราสันธ์) - The King of Magadha. He was killed by Bhīma. (Sabhā Parva).
05. Śiśupāla (शिशुपाल).— A king who was an enemy of Kṛṣṇa. The son of Damaghoṣa and King of Cedī (चेदी - or Chedi). He was an incarnation of Jaya, a gatekeeper of Vaikuṇṭha. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa killed him during the Rājasūya sacrifice.
06. Droṇa (द्रोण) or Droṇācārya (द्रोणाचार्य) — The teacher in archery of the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas.
07. Kṛpa (कृप - กฤปะ หรือ กฤปาจารย์) — He was a council member of Kuru Kingdom and a teacher of the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas.
08. Śāradvata (शारद्वत or Sharadvata) — A name of Kṛpa (Born to warrior-sage Śāradvan and Apsarā - अप्सरा), the guru of Parikṣit welcomed Vidura
to Hastināpura.
09. Sanjaya (सञ्जय - victory - สัญชัย) - Sanjaya is a disciple of Sage Vy
āsa. He is stated to have the gift of Divyadṛṣṭi10 (divine vision), the ability to observe distant events within his mind, granted by Vyāsa. He narrates to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the events of the Kurukṣetra War, including the ones described in the Bhagavad Gītā.
10.
Divyadṛṣṭi (दिव्यदृष्टि - ทิพยทฤษฏิ - ภาพทัศน์อันศักดิ์สิทธิ์) or Divyadrishti or Divya-drishti - "divine sight'


 
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You will then find that I am not worthy of contempt. You are learned in the sacred texts, intelligent, wise, and respected for being wise. My inclinations were not for war, nor do I find pleasure in the destruction of my lineage. I have no particular affinity towards my sons compared to those of Pāṇḍu. My sons, following the wrong path, were upset with me because I was old and blind. I bore all that because of my weak state and because of my love for my sons. I was deluded and silly, and Durayodhana's folly thrived on that. He saw the wealth and power of the sons of Pāṇḍu at the Rājasūya sacrifice and was mocked for his awkwardness when he ascended the hall. He could not bear this but could not defeat the Pāṇḍavas on the battlefield. Unlike a Kṣatriya and incapable of energetically pursuing wealth, he planned an unjust game of dice with the help of the king of Gāndhāra01. O Sauti! Listen to my words and learn all that happened later and all that I came to know. When you hear what I say and remember, you will know that my wise eyes have the gift of foresight.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that, in the presence of all the kings, Kṛṣṇā02 was taken; when the excellent bow was drawn and pierced, the target fell to the ground.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Subhadrā03 of the Madhu04 lineage was forcibly carried away by Arjuna and married in Dvārakā05 and when the two heroes06 of the Vṛṣṇi07 lineage set out for Indraprastha08.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Arjuna had satisfied Agni09 by giving him the Khāṇḍava Vana10 and when he used his divine arrows to check the downpour brought down by the king of the gods.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Yudhiṣṭhira had been defeated in the game of dice by Saubala11 and deprived of his kingdom, though his powerful brothers were still in attendance. 
---------------

01. Gāndhāra (गान्धार) -- King of Gāndhāra is Śakuni (शकुनि). A stretch of land of ancient Bhārata. It is believed that this land stretched from the shores of river Sindhu to Kābul. Subala was a mighty ruler of this country. His daughter Gāndhārī was the wife of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. (Śloka 11,
adhyāya 111, Ādi Parva).
02.
Draupadī.
03. Subhadrā (सुभद्रा) —Sister of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Birth. Subhadrā was Vasudeva's daughter by his wife Devakī. She had two brothers, Kṛṣṇa and Sāraṇa, and she was her father’s pet child. {
Śloka (Verse) 18,
adhyāya (Chapter) 217, Ādi Parva,}, queen of Arjuna, mother of Abhimaṇyu (अभिमन्यु), and grandmother of Parīkṣit (परीक्षित्), younger sister of Kṛṣṇa.
04. Madhu (मधु - sweet, honey)—The Name of Śiva, the Yādavas or Māthuras is the race of Madhu.
05. Dvārakā (द्वारका).—The island kingdom of Lord Kṛṣṇa, lying off Bhārata's west coast, where He performed pastimes five thousand years ago. The capital city of the Yadus. Lord Kṛṣṇa had this city built to protect the Yadus from the attacks by the demons. It is an island off the eastern part of Bhārata, now known as Gujarat. When Lord Kṛṣṇa left this world, the ocean enveloped the whole city.
06. Kṛṣṇa and Balarama.
07. Vṛṣṇi or Vrishni (वृष्णि) -- The line of Kings beginning with Vṛṣṇi (The famous king of the Yadu dynasty) is called the dynasty of Vṛṣṇi.
08. Indraprastha (इन्द्रप्रस्थ).—Capital city of the Pāṇḍavas. It is the same as Delhi, the capital of modern Bhārata.
09. Agni (अग्नि) - The god of fire; son of Brahmā; the divine personification of fire sacrifice; regarded as the mouthpiece of the demigods and their messenger to mankind.
10. Khāṇḍava Vana or Khāṇḍavaprastha or Khandava Forest (खाण्डव वन - ขาณฑวะ วนา หรือ खाण्डवप्रस्‍थ - ขาณฑวะปรัสถ์) a forest mentioned in the epic Mahābhārata.[1][2] It lay to the west of the Yamuna River. The Pāṇḍavas are described as having cleared this forest to construct their capital city, Indraprastha. This forest was earlier inhabited by Nāgas led by a king named Takṣaka (तक्षक).
11. Saubala or Soubala (सौबल) - One of the epithet names of Ś
akuni.


 
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       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Draupadī, with protectors but as if no protectors existed, was dragged to court at the time of her period, with a single garment on and with tears in her throat.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that the grieving and righteous Pāṇḍava brothers left for the forest, suffering out of love for the eldest.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard thousands of Snatakas01 and great Brahmanas who lived on alms followed Dharmaraja02 to the forest.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Arjuna had pacified in combat the god of the gods, Śiva, who appeared before him in the disguise of a hunter and obtained from him the great weapon Pashupata.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard Arjuna, bound by his promise, had gone to heaven and learned properly from Indra to use celestial weapons.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Bhīma and the other sons of 
Kuntī, accompanied by Vaishravana,03 had gone to the land inaccessible to humans.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that my sons, spurred by Karṇa's advice, had gone on a cattle-related expedition, been captured by the Gandharvas, and then freed by Arjuna.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Darma had appeared before Dharmaraja04 in the disguise of the yakṣa and posed questions that were correctly answered.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that when the great-spirited Arjuna lived in the kingdom of Virata, my best had been destroyed by Arjuna on a single chariot.
---------------

01. Snatakas - A Brahmana who has finished his period of study and celibacy (Brahmacharya) and is about to enter (or just entered) the householder stage (garhasthya) is known as a snataka.
02. Yudhiṣṭhira.
03. Kubera.
04.
Yudhiṣṭhira

 
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       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that the king of Matya01 had, with great honor, bestowed his daughter Uttara on Arjuna, and he had accepted her for his son.

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard that Yudhiṣṭhira, defeated, wealth-less, exiled, separated from friends and relatives, had been able to raise seven Akshouhinis.02

       ' "O Sanjaya! I had no hope of victory when I heard Narada declare that Krishna and Arjuna were Nara and Narayana and that he had seen them thus in Brahma.
---------------

01. Virata.
02. A large army with 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horses, and 109,350-foot soldiers.


References:
01. from. "The Mahabharata 1," Translated by BIBEK DEBROY, ISBN: 978-0-1434-2514-4, Penguin Random House, 2015, Printed in Bhārata.
02. from. "The Mahābhārata," An abridged translation by JOHN D. SMITH, ISBN: 978-0-140-44681-4, PENGUIN BOOKS, 2009, Printed in the United States of America, www.penguin.com.
03. from. "The Mahabharata: Complete 18 volume," Veda Vyasa, Kisari Mohan Ganguli, tr. [1883-1896], Publishing in 2021 by Sanzani Publishing.
04. from. http://www.wisdomlib.org.



 
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