The Appearance of Vyäsa 
Çré Süta Goswami continued: 
Hearing that Janamejaya had been initiated into the snake sacrifice, the learned seer Kåñëa-dvaipäyana Vyäsa approached the king. Vyäsa, grandfather of the Päëòavas, was begotten by the maiden Käléö and sage Paräçara, son of Çakti, on an island in the holy Yamunä River. 
At birth, the celebrated Vyäsa at once brought his body to maturity by his own will and then thoroughly studied the Vedas, along with their supplements and historical works. No one could surpass him in his austerity, Vedic study, vows, fasting, or procreation, nor in the power of his anger. The greatest of all Vedic scholars, he divided the one Veda into four. He was a self-realized sage, pure and truthful, a poet and a seer of past, present, and future. Renowned for his extraordinary piety. he begot Päëòu, Dhåtaräñöra, and Vidura in order to preserve the dynasty of Çantanu. 
Accompanied by his disciples, he who knew all the Vedic literature entered the snake sacrifice of saintly King Janamejaya and there beheld the monarch sitting amidst his council members, like Indra surrounded by the gods. In this elaborate rite, around King Janamejaya sat many expert godlike priests and many kings whose heads had been sprinkled with the water of coronation. 
Janamejaya, noting the sage's arrival, quickly stood up with all his associates and lovingly received him. With the instant consent of the assembly, the king offered the sage a magnificent golden seat, just as Indra offers a seat to the priest of heaven, Båhaspati. 
When the munificent Vyäsa took his seat, the first of kings, following the scriptural law, worshiped the sage whom all godly seers revere, offering him scented water to bathe his feet. water to rinse his mouth, thoughtful gifts that engladden a guest, and a fine cow. All these gifts were properly presented to the venerable forefather Vyäsa, who richly deserved the honor. 
Having accepted the prize cow and the symbolic gestures of honor from Janamejaya, heir to Päëòu's throne, Çréla Vyäsa was visibly satisfied. King Janamejaya was also satisfied at heart, for he had made every effort to worship his grandfather's grandfather. Sitting near the holy one, the king inquired all about his health and happiness. The divine sage then looked upon the king and saw that he too was well. Honored by all the council members, Vyäsa honored them in turn. 
Thereupon, Janamejaya folded his hands in reverence and seriously inquired from his illustrious forefather, who had been so well received by the council members: 
«My lord, you were an eyewitness to the activities of the Päëòavas and Kurus. O brähmaëa, I would so much like to hear about them from you. How did a conflict arise among those indefatigable men? How did the conflict lead to such a terrible war, which finished the lives of so many creatures? My lord, you are learned in these matters, so tell me everything, just as it happened. Those men, whose minds were overwhelmed by some higher destiny, were all my forefathers.» 
Hearing these words, Vyäsa ordered his disciple Vaiçampäyana, who was sitting nearby, «Please explain to him, as you have heard it from me, exactly how a conflict arose between the Kurus and the Päëòavas.» 
Understanding the order of his teacher, the eminent brähmaëa then fully explained the ancient history to the monarch, his council members, and all the assembled kings. He told how strife arose between the Kurus and Päëòavas and how it brought destruction to a kingdom. 
A Summary of the Mahäbhärata 
Çré Vaiçampäyana said: 
Let me first offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, Çréla Vyäsadeva, fixing my mind and intelligence in devotion to his lotus feet. Let me then offer my complete reverence to all the brähmaëas assembled here with us and to all the learned and wise people gathered at this site. 
The noble sage Vyäsa is renowned throughout the universe for his wisdom and immeasurable strength, and all that I speak is authorized by him. My dear king, you are qualified to hear, and I myself, having now obtained an opportunity to recite my spiritual master's history of the Bhärata race, feel my heart trembling and swelling with joy. 
Hear, O king, how a conflict arose among the Kurus and Päëòavas over a game of dice, played with an entire kingdom at stake, and how the Päëòavas were then sent to live in the forest. Hear of the great war that caused such untold destruction on the earth. O best of the Bhäratas, you have inquired about these events, and I shall explain them in full. 
When their father passed away, the heroic young sons of Päëòu left their forest dwelling and returned to their ancestral home in the imperial capital, where they soon became experts in Dhanurveda, military science. But their cousins the Kurus, seeing the Päëòavas' extraordinary beauty, courage, and stamina, as well as their popularity with every citizen, burned with jealous rage. They could not bear seeing their cousins' wealth and fame. Thus the cruel Duryodhana and Karëa, along with Saubala [Çakuné], worked in many ways to bring down the Päëòavas and banish them from their royal home. 
Duryodhana, the sinful son of Dhåtaräñöra, administered poison to Bhéma, but that heroic son of Päëòu, with the stomach of a wolf, digested the poison along with his food. Then again, when Bhéma was soundly asleep at Pramäëa-koöi, Duryodhana tied him up, threw him into the waters of the Ganges, and returned to his city. When Bhéma awoke, O king, he burst his bonds and sprang out of the river without the slightest pain or trouble. 
Another time when Bhéma was asleep, Duryodhana had poisonous black snakes bite every limb of his body, but Bhéma, slayer of foes, did not die. In all these wicked acts, the very wise Vidura was ever alert to save the Päëòavas from harm and to undo the Kuru schemes. Just as Lord Indra, from his heavenly abode, always bestows happiness on the good people of earth, so Vidura always brought happiness to the five Päëòavas. The Kuru princes tried by so many open and covert means to annihilate the Päëòavas, but the Supreme Lord protected the sons of Päëòu, for in the future they would carry out His will. 
Consulting with such advisers as Våña and Duùçäsana, and unobstructed by his father, Dhåtaräñöra, Duryodhana ordered the construction of an inflammable house of lac and arranged for the apparently trusting Päëòavas to dwell there. Then he burned it down, but Vidura had warned the powerful Päëòavas of the danger and had dispatchedöa trusted engineer to dig a tunnel under theölac house. Thus the Päëòavas were saved from the burning mansion and fled in mortal fear. Enteringöa deep and deadly forest, they encountered a monstrous Räkñasa named Hiòimba, but Bhéma, with his terrible prowess, angrily killed him. 
Remaining close together, the heroic sons of Päëòu then traveled with their mother to the town of Ekacakra, where, disguised as brähmaëas, they lived for some time in the house of a saintly brähmaëa; then to save that brähmaëa's life Bhéma slew the mighty demon Baka. After this the Päëòavas journeyed with a group of devoted brähmaëas to the kingdom of Päïcäla, and there they won the hand of the princess Draupadé and dwelled for one year in her father's kingdom. After they had lived in hiding, their identity was discovered, and so the mighty sons of Päëòu returned to the Kuru capital of Hastinäpura. 
Upon their arrival, King Dhåtaräñöra and Grandfather Bhéñma told them, «We are very anxious for this fighting to stop among you cousin-brothers, and therefore we want you to make your home in the region of Khäëòava-prastha. Please give up your anger toward the Kurus and go live in Khäëòava-prastha, which is well settled, with a large, well-organized system of roads.» 
The Päëòavas accepted the order of their two elders, and taking all their jewels and wealth, they journeyed with all their well-wishing friends to the city of Khäëòava-prastha and resided there for many years, dominating other kings by their strength of arms. O king, the sons of Päëòu were wholly dedicated to justice; they were honest and true to their word. They were never overcome by lust or greed and were ever vigilant in their duties. They forgave those who sought their shelter, and they punished those who would harm them. 
The mighty Bhémasena conquered the kingdoms of the East, and the heroic Arjuna conquered the North. Nakula took the West, and Sahadeva, the slayer of his enemies, conquered the South. Thus the Päëòavas spread their circle of influence over the entire planet. These five brothers shone like the sun, for they derived their power from their dedication to truth. And together with the shining sun in the sky, the earth was now radiant with the light of six suns. 
For a particular reason, Yudhiñöhira, king of virtue, thereafter sent his brother Arjuna to the forest, where he lived for one full year plus one month. Then the fierce warrior, the third-born son of Päëòu, went to see Lord Kåñëa in Dvärakä and there won the hand of the Lord's younger sister, Subhadrä, the lotus-eyed beauty of lovely speech. As Çacé unites with Lord Indra or as the goddess of fortune unites with Lord Çré Kåñëa, so did Subhadrä happily unite with Arjuna, the son of Päëòu. 
In the Khäëòava forest, O excellent king, Arjuna, together with Lord Kåñëa, satisfied the lord of fire. No deed was too difficult for Arjuna as long as he was with Lord Kåñëa, just as no enemy is safe from Lord Viñëu, endowed as He is with limitless determination. Thus the god of fire gave Arjuna the extraordinary bow named Gäëòéva and two inexhaustible quivers of arrows, along with a chariot marked with the symbol of Hanumän. 
As the Khäëòava forest was being offered to Agni, the god of fire, Arjuna saved the great asura wizard Maya from the blaze, and in gratitude Maya constructed for the Päëòavas a celestial assembly hall studded with all types of jewels. In that fabulous building the foolish Duryodhana became greedy and, with the help of Saubala, cheated Yudhiñöhira in a game of dice. As the fraudulent victor in the gambling match, Duryodhana banished the Päëòavas to the forest wilds for successive periods of seven and five years, with the stipulation that for one additional year they would have to live somewhere within a kingdom without being discovered. Thus they were banished for a total of thirteen years. 
In the fourteenth year, the Päëòavas returned and asked that their kingdom and wealth be returned to them. But they were denied, O king, and there was war, a war in which the Päëòavas destroyed all their enemies and killed King Duryodhana, regaining their rightful kingdom, which had been so greatly disturbed by the conflict. 
Thus in the past, among great and tireless men, there was conflict, the loss of a kingdom, and ultimate victory, O victorious king. 
The Glories of the Mahäbhärata 
King Janamejaya said: 
O best of brähmaëas, you have briefly summarized the whole story of the Mahäbhärata and the extraordinary deeds of the Kuru warriors. O sinless saint, as you recite this fascinating story there arises within me an intense curiosity to hear it in greater detail. Please, lord, tell the story again, but in full, for my thirst to hear of the great deeds of my forefathers is not yet sated. 
O knower of justice, all mankind praises the Päëòavas, and so it was certainly not for some trifling reason that they slew respectable seniors who normally are never to be killed. But why did the innocent and powerful Päëòavas, those tigers among men, tolerate for so long the terrible harassment of their wicked foes? O best of brähmaëas, how could the mighty-armed Bhéma, with the strength of ten thousand elephants, control his rage when put to so much trouble? How is it that Draupadé, the chaste devotee of Lord Kåñëa, when harassed by wicked men, did not burn them to ashes with her terrible glance, even though she was certainly able to do so? 
How could Bhéma, Arjuna, and the two sons of Mädré follow their eldest brother, Yudhiñöhira, a tiger among men, when they saw that he was being cheated by their wicked cousins in a crooked gambling match? Yudhiñöhira knew well the principles of justice, and he above all others followed those principles, for he was the son of Dharma. How, then, could he tolerate such extreme and unwarranted suffering? How is it that Arjuna, the son of Päëòu, standing alone with Lord Kåñëa as his charioteer, sent so many entire armies to the land of the dead? O ascetic whose wealth is austerity, kindly explain all this to me exactly as it happened. Relate to me all the deeds done by those supreme warriors as they wandered about the earth. 
Vaiçampäyana said: 
I shall tell you what I have heard from my spiritual master, that great rñi honored throughout the worlds, the great soul of limitless might, Çréla Vyäsa. This most potent son of Satyavaté has narrated 100,000 verses describing the holy deeds of the sons of Päëòu. Learned persons who teach this history and those who hear it will both come to the spiritual platform and attain qualitative oneness with God. This ancient history is equal to the Vedas, for it is pure and transcendental. Indeed, it is the best of histories that are worthy to hear, and it is therefore highly praised by sages. 
This most pious history shows the path of economic and moral development and trains the reader to function with complete and steady intelligence. A learned person who teaches this Kåñëa-veda to those who are openminded, generous, truthful, and not dogmatically atheistic will surely fulfill his purpose in life. Simply by hearing this history, even a very cruel man can most assuredly overcome all his sins, even the sin of killing an embryo in the womb. 
Victory is the very name of this history, and it is to be heard by one who seeks victory. For by the power of this literary work, a king can conquer his enemies and become victorious throughout the entire world. The Mahäbhärata should be heard repeatedly by a young king and his queen, because this great and auspicious history is the best sacrament for begetting a son. 
It is the most sacred among worldly books of wisdom and stands at the forefront of religious scriptures. It leads to spiritual liberation, for it is a work composed by Çréla Vyäsa, a sage of boundless intellect. For those who recite it, now and in the future, their children will be obedient and theiröhelpers eager to please them. A person who regularly hears this history will quickly be released from reactions to all sins committed with body, mind, or words. Those who, without envy, hear of the great lives of the Bhärata kings will never be frightened by disease, and they will certainly not have to worry about their lives 
after death. 
Kåñëa-dvaipäyana Vyäsa sought to help people attain holiness in their lives, and so he composed a work that bestows wealth, fame, long life, and promotion to heaven, and at the same time leads people to pure existence. In so doing he has glorified throughout the world the exalted sons of Päëòu and other warriors who possessed abundant wealth and power. 
Just as the Himalayan range and the lord of the ocean are both renowned as reservoirs of jewels, so the Mahäbhärata is celebrated as a storehouse of riches. A learned person who on holy days recites this work to brähmaëas is cleansed of all sin and conquers the heavenly abode. Ultimately he journeys to the spiritual world itself. If a person recites even one quarter of a couplet of this work to brähmaëas during the Çräddha ceremony for departed ancestors, his performance of Çräddha will provide everlasting benefit to his forefathers. 
All sins unknowingly performed each dayövanish simply upon one's hearing the narration of the Mahäbhärata. It tells of the great (mahä) lives of the Bhärata kings, and so it is known as Mahäbhärata, and one who simply understands this meaning of the words Mahä-bhärata is freed of all sin. 
The philosopher Kåñëa-dvaipäyana Vyäsa worked continuously for three years to compose this extraordinary history. O leader of the Bhäratas, whatever is found here on the subjects of religion, economics, satisfaction of bodily needs, and salvation may also be found in other works; but that which is not to be found here in the Mahäbhärata will not be found elsewhere. 
The Story of King Vasu and Satyavaté 
Vaiçampäyana continued: 
Once there was a virtuous king named Vasu, who never failed to keep his vows. King Vasu traveled beyond the earth to the upper regions of the universe, and thus he became celebrated as Upari-cara, «one who goes to the heights.» By the order of Indra, the king agreed to rule the charming kingdom of Cedi. 
Once, after King Vasu had put aside his weapons and begun to live in an äçrama, devoting himself to the practice of austerities, Indra himself, wielder of the thunderbolt, came to see the king. Indra was worried and thought, «By his fiery penance this King Vasu is almost strong enough to seize my position.» 
Indra approached the king and with kind words convinced him to stop his austerities. 
Indra said: 
You are a king of the earth [and not a brähmaëa]. The religious principles should not be confused. Follow your own religious principles, which are meant for kings, and those same sacred principles will sustain the entire world. 
Always engage in the devotional service of the Lord and carefully maintain those religious principles that will lead you to the higher planets. You will attain the pure, eternal planets of the pious simply by engaging in your prescribed duty as an act of service to God. 
[Although your regimen was not authorized, you did perform great penances, and since you are now voluntarily obeying me, your faith and penances will not go unrewarded.] 
Although you live on earth and I in heaven, I now accept you as my friend, and I grant you an extraordinary kingdom that is the very bosom of this earth. It is a rich land, filled with virtuous citizens and useful animals. The climate is mild and steady, and there is abundant wealth in grains. Easy to defend, that sublime kingdom abounds with all the enjoyable things to be found on earth. That country is better than all other earthly kingdoms and is richly endowed with all sorts of wealth and jewels. I speak of the fabled kingdom of Cedi, which lacks nothing in natural resources. Dwell in the kingdom of Cedi, O king, for you are meant to protect that land. 
The inhabitants of Cedi are thoroughly honest and satisfied with their lives. They are peaceful men and women who are happy to follow the laws of God. In the land of Cedi, O king, a false word is never spoken, not even in jest, and certainly not otherwise. The children of Cedi do not squander their fathers' wealth; rather, they gladly serve their wise elders. 
In Cedi, cows are never yoked to the plow, and even lean cows give rich and abundant milk. All the citizens are devoted to their own duties. Such is the land of Cedi, O respectful king. 
Finally, I grant you a most extraordinary boon so that nothing in this universe will remain unknown to you. I grant you now a divine crystal airship, meant for the pleasure of the gods. This extraordinary vehicle will soon approach you, and you alone among mortal men will board that airship. Like one of the gods, you will thus travel to the upper regions of the universe. 
And I give you the Vaijayanté victory garland of unfading lotus flowers. This celestial garland will sustain you in battle, and by its power you will never be pierced by weapons. In fact, O king, this garland will be your emblem in this world, for you have achieved the greatest and richest of symbols, the celestial garland of Indra. 
Vaiçampäyana said: 
Finally, Lord Indra gave the pious King Vasu a bamboo staff with two special powers: it bestowed whatever the king desired, and it fully protected all honest people. Having given all of this, Lord Indra departed. 
Following Indra's instruction, King Vasu assumed the throne of Cedi, and after he had ruled for one year, the monarch arranged for the wonderful bamboo staff to be stood upright on the earth, whereupon it became the focus of a great celebration honoring King Indra, the ruler of heaven. From that time on the most important rulers of earth followed King Vasu's example and performed the same celebration. Adorning the sacred staff with various banners, fragrant scents, garlands, jewels, and wreaths, they continued to honor Lord Indra just as King Vasu had done. 
King Vasu was a great soul, and he honored King Indra with such affection that the lord of heaven felt jovial and affectionate toward the earthly ruler. Seeing the splendid ceremony in his honor, Indra spoke to Vasu as follows: «O king of Cedi! From this time on, all earthly kings who perform this ceremony and joyfully honor me exactly as you have done will certainly gain opulence and victory for themselves and their citizens. Their cities will flourish and happiness will reign among 
their people.» 
Thus did mighty Indra happily confer great honor upon King Vasu. And those men, O king, who ever arrange this festival of Indra by giving gifts of land and performing other good works become purified by the Indra rite, as much as by fulfilling wishes with gifts and performing grand sacrificial rites. Indra fully honored Vasu, king of Cedi, and, stationed in Cedi, the king protected this earth through virtue and law. And loved by Indra, Vasu performed the grand Indra festivities. 
The king then begot five sons of fierce prowess and incomparable strength, and these fine sons established themselves in their own kingdoms and capital cities, all of which came to bear their names, and each of the five sons established a long-lived dynasty. Their father, King Vasu, traveled about the heavens in the celestial airship given to him by Lord Indra, and as he traveled, handsome Gandharvas and lovely Apsaräs would approach him and fulfill his desires. Thus the fame of King Vasu, «the upward mover,» spread far and wide. 
Near the capital city of King Vasu there flowed a charming river called Çuktimaté, which was full of pearls and other wealth. One day a mountain endowed with consciousness and named Kolähala, «the uproarious one,» decided to enjoy the lovely goddess of that river, and he lustily blocked her waters, embracing the river goddess. 
When the powerful King Vasu understood that Kolähala was raping the unwilling goddess, he rushed to the spot and gave Kolähala a mighty kick, cracking him open and releasing the blocked-up river and its goddess. But the river goddess, Çuktimaté, was already pregnant 
from Kolähala's embrace, and she soon gave birth to a male and a female child. 
Grateful to the king for her deliverance, the river goddess delivered to him her newborn babies, and the very saintly King Vasu agreed to take care of them. The generous king eventually established the male child as a powerful general of his armies, and the female child, born 
of a goddess, quickly grew into a lovely and gentle maiden named Girikä, «the mountain-born one,» and King Vasu loved her and made her his wife. 
The time of begetting arrived, and lovely young Queen Girikä longed for her husband's embrace. For twelve days she had subsisted on whole milk and faithfully performed religious rites meant to calm the senses and purify the mind. [Girikä knew that if a woman's mind is filled with good and noble thoughts at the moment of conception, she will beget an excellent child.] 
The queen bathed her youthful body and dressed herself in new garments. With a bright face and chaste mind, she approached her husband and eagerly told him that the moment for conception was 
at hand. 
[King Vasu intensely longed to lie down with his wife and therefore immediately prepared for the sacred act.] But on that very day, before the king could lie with his wife his venerable forefathers came to him and ordered him to the forest for his family's sake, to procure sacrificial animals for the holy rites. 
King Vasu could not disregard the order of his forefathers, and though ardently desiring union with his young wife, he sadly left at once for the forest. But as he moved along the path, he could only remember his lovely Girikä, for she was endowed with exquisite beauty like that of the goddess of fortune herself. Wandering about the enchanting forest, King Vasu felt semen spill out of his body, and he immediately collected it in the leaf of a tree. 
[King Vasu was born in the exalted Kuru dynasty, and in such a family marriages were arranged with painstaking care so that great women would combine with great men and their noble children would preserve the indomitable House of Kuru, which was sworn to protect the innocent. Centuries of careful, devoted breeding were now preserved in the seed of King Vasu, and that seed could not be wasted, not on this special day when lovely Girikä so much yearned for his child.] 
«I must not waste this powerful seed,» he thought, «for lovely Girikä's season has come, and she must not be frustrated.» 
Again and again King Vasu pondered what he should do. Then he decided to send his semen to Girikä, even if he couldn't personally be with her. King Vasu had a deep understanding of religious affairs and was expert in practical action. Consecrating his seed with mantra, he saw a swift hawk resting nearby. King Vasu was able to make the hawk understand the following: «O kind hawk, please help me. Carry this semen to my house and deliver it to my wife, Girikä, for her season has come today.» 
The hawk was capable of great speed, and taking the leaf package in his talons, he rose into the air and rushed off toward the king's palace. As he flew at tremendous speed, another hawk spied him and mistakenly thought the semen in the leaf to be the meat of a fallen prey. Hoping to steal the prey, therefore, the rival hawk rushed forward to attack, and the two hawks fought fiercely in the sky, tearing at each other with their sharp beaks. But while they fought, the king's semen fell from the sky into the waters of the Yamunä River. Within the the Yamunä was a romantic young goddess named Adrikä, whom a brähmaëa had cursed because of her misdeeds. Adrikä was a celestial Apsarä maiden, but by the brähmaëa's curse she had fallen to earth from the higher planets and was forced to take birth as a fish within the Yamunä River. 
Thus when King Vasu's semen fell into the river, the cursed goddess Adrikä, swimming about as a fish, quickly approached it and swallowed it. 
Ten months later some fishermen caught the fish, who was pregnant with the king's semen and about to give birth. Killing the fish and cutting her open, the fishermen extracted from her belly a female and a male infant, both quite human. Thoroughly astonished, they rushed to tell King Vasu. 
«O king,» they said, «these two human children came out of a fish's belly.» 
King Vasu accepted the male child, who later became a most religious monarch named Matsya, ever devoted to truth. And the goddess, her fish body cut to pieces by the fishermen, was instantly freed from the brähmaëa's curse, for previously the exalted brähmaëa had told her, «Good maiden, after giving birth to two human children, you will be freed from this curse.» Thus having borne the human twins and been cut up by the fisherman, she relinquished her life as a fish and regained her celestial body. Following the path of the perfected seers and the mystic Cäraëas, she returned to her position among the finest celes- 
tial courtesans. 
Unfortunately, the female child born to the fish gave off a strong fishy odor, and so the king gave her back to the fishermen and told them: «This girl will be yours. You may raise her.» 
The girl grew into a beautiful young lady of fine character, glorified with all good qualities, and she became known as Satyavaté, «the truthful one.» But because of her close connection with the killers of fish, that lovely girl with her innocent smile continued to be plagued for some time with the scent of fish. 
To serve her foster father, beautiful Satyavaté would ply his boat across the waters of the Yamunä River, taking passengers from one side to the other, until one day the sage Paräçara, desiring to cross the river, approached that young maiden, who was so exceptionally lovely that even the perfected beings of higher planets would long for her company. Upon seeing the beautiful maiden, the wise Paräçara desired to beget a child in her, for the exalted sage had a sacred duty to perform, and he knew her to be the daughter of the religious king Vasu. 
[Satyavaté was still very young, and nothing had prepared her for such an abrupt request.] 
«My lord,» she said, «there are sages sitting on both sides of this sacred river. How could I unite with you out here with all of them watching us?» 
Hearing this earnest plea, the mighty Paräçara, possessed of godly power, at once created a dense fog that shrouded the entire area in darkness. Satyavaté was astonished to see that Paräçara was able to cover the entire region in fog. Yet with all the wits of a king's daughter, the maiden spoke to the sage with simple shyness. 
«My lord, you must know that I am a virgin girl living under the protection of my father. If I have contact with you now, my virginity will be spoiled. O best of the brähmaëas, if my virginity is spoiled, how can I possibly go home and face my father? How could I dare return to him under these conditions?» [Satyavaté glanced anxiously at the sage.] 
«My lord,» she said, «please consider my situation and do what is fair and proper.» 
That most excellent sage Paräçara was quite pleased by Satyavaté's honest statement, and he told her, «Simply do as I desire. Have intercourse with me, and I shall bless you to again become a virgin, even after our child is born.» 
[Upon hearing that he would truly restore her virginity, she could think of no further objection.] 
«My dear Satyavaté,» he said, «you are very kind and innocent, and I want to give you a boon. Choose whatever you want, and I shall grant it. Your smile is so lovely and pure. Tell me what you desire and you shall have it, for never in the past have my blessings ever failed.» 
[Satyavaté longed to be free forever of the awful fish scent, which stained her otherwise perfect beauty.] 
Hearing the words of the sage, she revealed her desire that her lovely body possess a charming fragrance, and the powerful sage immediately granted her wish. Satyavaté was delighted, for at once her body was adorned with a most enchanting fragrance. With perfect feminine charm, she retired with the sage to an island in the Yamunä River, and there joined with holy Paräçara, who could perform such wonderful deeds. By Paräçara's blessings, Satyavaté became celebrated on earth for her lovely aroma, for men could perceive her delightful scent at a distance of eight miles. 
The godly Paräçara returned to his residence. Satyavaté was filled with joy, for she had received an incomparable boon, and by the potency of Paräçara she gave birth at once to a powerful son. [The child did not grow day by day like an ordinary boy, but rather upon taking birth he came at once to youthful maturity.] Standing respectfully before his mother, he fixed his mind on austerity. [For it is by austerity that the sages achieve spiritual power to guide and inspire humanity.] 
[Paräçara's son could not go back to his mother's home, for no one knew of Satyavaté's connection with Paräçara. Satyavaté had in fact again become a virgin girl.] She left her capable son on that island in the sacred Yamunä River, and because the boy was born and left on the Yamunä island, he became known as Dvaipäyana, «the island-born one.» 
Before his mother departed, the faithful son told her, «Mother, whenever there is need, simply remember me and I shall immediately appear before you.» 
Thus Dvaipäyana took birth from the womb of Satyavaté, fathered 
by Paräçara. 
[Dvaipäyana knew that the earth moves in cycles through four great ages, as it turns through its seasons. In the Age of Truth all mankind gladly follows the laws of God, and people are long-living and powerful.] 
But in each of the next three ages, the religiosity, longevity, and strength of mortal beings diminish by one fourth due to the influence of the age. He desired [for the people of the current fallen age] the blessings of the Supreme Lord and of the saintly brähmaëas who worship Him. 
Therefore he divided the holy Veda into four parts so that all people could understand and follow the Book of Knowledge and attain a blessed life. Then the merciful Dvaipäyana, the greatest of all holy teachers, revealed the history known as the Mahäbhärata, and it became the fifth division of the Vedas. 
Thereafter Dvaipäyana was celebrated throughout the world as Vyäsa, «the compiler and arranger of the Veda.» That noble and munificent sage taught this knowledge to his disciples Sumantu, Jaimini, and Paila, to his son Çuka, and to me, Vaiçampäyana. It is through this unbroken chain that the great history called Mahäbhärata came to be known in this world. 
The Heroes of the Mahäbhärata 
[When Vyäsa told the story of Mahäbhärata, he revealed the lives of many great souls.] There was Bhéñma, of incomparable splendor, who took birth as the son of King Çantanu from the womb of goddess Gaìgä. Bhéñma was not an ordinary human being but one of the godly Vasus, and he came to earth and spread his undying fame. 
There was Vidura, dragged down to the earth by the curse of a mystic sage. Once, the famous sage Aëé-mäëòavya, a Puräëic scholar, was falsely accused of theft and condemned in court to be pierced by a lance. The great sage called upon the lord of death, Yamaräja, and demanded an explanation. 
[Yamaräja is called Dharma because he punishes the sinful according to the laws of God.] But the sage angrily accused Yamaräja of improperly punishing him. «When I was a small child,» he told Yamaräja, «I once pierced a little bird with a straw. I remember committing that sin, but I do not recall any other sin in my life. Why have my penances, which are thousands of times greater, not neutralized this one childish sin? Of all killing, the most sinful is the killing of a simple brähmaëa dedicated to the spiritual path, and yet you ordained that I be killed. Therefore it is you, the lord of death, who are sinful. Because of your sin you will take birth in the womb of a çüdräëi, a woman of the lowest class.» 
By that curse Dharma himself took birth in the womb of a çüdra woman and assumed the form of Vidura, a wise and virtuous man of impeccable behavior. 
Saïjaya was born to Gavalgaëa and became the royal secretary. He possessed the the intelligence of a mature philosopher. Karëa, the military master, was fathered by the sun-god himself in the womb of the virgin princess Kunté. None would call him an ordinary man, for he was born with celestial armor and dazzling earrings that illumined his handsome face. 
Then to show mercy on all the worlds, the Supreme Lord Viñëu, whom all the world worships, appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devaké. Though not always visible to our conditioned eyes, He is the almighty God, without beginning or end, the maker of the cosmos, and the imperishable Absolute Truth. He transforms His own potency into the ingredients of this world, yet He is never affected by material qualities. The wise know Him as the inexhaustible Soul, the transcendental source of all that be, and the ultimate basis of the material world. He is the supreme enjoyer, the universal doer, the indestructible eternal being who spreads goodness throughout the worlds. He is the infinite and unchanging God, the essential being celebrated as Näräyaëa, the everlasting and unaging Creator, supreme and untiring, the grandfather of all creatures. So that the principles of virtue might flourish on the earth, He appeared in the dynasty of Andhaka and Våñëi. 
Two heroes named Sätyaki and Kåtavarmä, born of Satyaka and Hådika, took birth as faithful followers of the Supreme Lord and were endowed with enormous power. Both possessed exceptional knowledge in the use of missiles, and both were consummate masters of all kinds of weapons. 
[Other unusual births also occurred.] When the great sage Bharadväja happened to pass semen, he kept it in a pot, and by the power of his fierce austerities the famous military teacher Droëa took birth from that seed. 
The sage Gautama dropped his semen in a clump of bushes, and that seed also grew. Thus the powerful Kåpa and his twin sister, Kåpé, took birth. Kåpé became the wife of Droëa, and they begot as their son that excellent wielder of weapons Açvatthämä. 
When the embittered King Drupada vowed to kill Droëa, the monarch performed a fierce sacrifice, and up from the sacrificial flames arose Prince Dhåñöadyumna, wielding a bow and blazing like fire, born to destroy the invincible Droëa. Then from the same sacrificial altar Dhåñöadyumna's powerful sister Draupadé took birth. Radiant and pure, her body displayed the highest degree of feminine beauty. 
Strong kings also appeared on this earth–kings like Nagnajita, the disciple of Prahläda, and Subala, king of Gändhära, whose shrewd son Çakuni, called Saubala after his father, incurred the wrath of the gods and thus became the wicked enemy of religion. Subala also begot a daughter named Gändhäré, who, like her brother, was learned in worldly affairs. 
The great sage Vyäsa begot Dhåtaräñöra and the powerful Päëòu in the wives of his departed brother, Vicitravérya. Päëòu's five sons, born of his two wives, were all equal to the gods, but the noblest of them all was Yudhiñöhira. Plagued by a brähmaëa's curse, King Päëòu could not beget children, so Dharma, the god of justice, begot Päëòu's eldest son, Yudhiñöhira; Marut, lord of the wind, begot Bhéma; Lord Indra begot handsome Arjuna, the most skillful wielder of weapons; and the twin Açvins, the celestial physicians, begot the most handsome of the Päëòavas, Nakula and Sahadeva, who were always eager to serve their elder brothers. 
The learned Dhåtaräñöra begot a hundred sons, headed by Duryodhana, and also Yuyutsu by a woman of a lower station. Arjuna begot Abhimanyu in the womb of Subhadrä, the sister of Lord Kåñëa, and this child became a worthy grandson of the great soul Päëòu. 
The five Päëòavas each begot a beautiful son in the womb of their common wife, Draupadé, and all five boys became masters of the military science. Yudhiñöhira begot Prativindhya; mighty Bhéma begot Sutasoma; from Arjuna came Çrutakérti; from Nakula, Çatänéka; and the fierce fighter Çrutasena was born from Sahadeva. While staying in the forest, Bhéma also begot Ghaöotkaca in his wife Hiòimbä. 
Çikhaëòé took birth as a daughter of King Drupada, but later she became a male when the Yakña named Sthüëa transformed her into a man in order to satisfy her desire for battle. 
In the conflict that consumed the House of Kuru, many hundreds and thousands of kings came to the field of battle intent on fighting, and their innumerable names could not be fully recounted in many thousands of years. I have mentioned here the principal rulers, those who dominate this history. 
King Janamejaya said: 
O brähmaëa, I wish to hear the entire story of those brilliant warriors you have just mentioned, and also of other outstanding kings you have not yet described. O most fortunate one, please fully explain why and how these mahä-rathas appeared on the earth like gods incarnate. 
Vaiçampäyana replied: 
My dear king, we have heard that this topic is so confidential that it is known only to the gods and, of course, to the godly people in whom they confide. But I shall explain it to you, after first offering my obeisances unto the Creator of this world. 
[Long ago, the kings of the world, maddened by pride, viciously rebelled against their holy teachers and cruelly murdered the leading sage, Jamadagni. The Supreme Lord incarnated as Paraçuräma, the son of the murdered sage, and furiously cut down the wicked kings who had killed His father. Again and again the wicked descendants of these kings, originally headed by Kartavéryärjuna, tried to regain their power,] but Lord Paraçuräma cut them to pieces twenty-one times, until He rid the earth of all its kings. 
Having accomplished His mission, Lord Paraçuräma then gave up His weapons and retired to the mountainous country known as Mahendra, where He passed his days performing penance for the violence He had committed against the cruel kings. 
[In the aftermath of Paraçuräma's victory, yet another problem arose on the earth. Many young women of the royal kñatriya families desired husbands and children, but there were no princes or kings on the face of the earth to marry them. Moreover, with the death of all the earth's monarchs there were no trained leaders to manage human affairs and protect innocent creatures.] The eligible women of the royal families then approached the brähmaëas, the saintly teachers of mankind, and asked them for children. The brähmaëas, strict in their religious vows, had union with those women of the leading families, but only in the proper season. And never were they impelled by ordinary lust. In devotion to God they begot powerful children who would uphold the sacred principles. 
By contact with the brähmaëas, thousands of kñatriyä ladies became pregnant as they desired and thereafter gave birth to male and female children of pure and powerful lineage. Once more a great dynasty of rulers arose on the earth, but unlike their cruel forefathers these young monarchs strictly followed the principles of religion, and with the blessings of the brähmaëas they enjoyed great longevity. 
At that time the four human communities lived in peace under the guidance of the learned brähmaëas. Men approached their wives in the proper season and never because of lust. All the earth's creatures conceived in the proper season, and thus hundreds and thousands of variegated life forms flourished on the earth, conceived in obedience to the laws of God. 
The rejuvenated monarchies ruled the ocean-bounded earth with all its mountains, forests, and valleys, and all mankind, headed by the brähmaëas, experienced the greatest joy. Leaders cast off their lust and greed and carefully protected the citizens, punishing them fairly, and only when necessary. With the rulers thus devoted to dharma, the mighty Indra nourished the earth with pleasant rains that fell at suitable times and places. Childhood death was unknown, and boys who had not reached physical maturity did not intimately know young women. Thus this fertile earth, encircled by its seas, was filled with long-lived beings. 
The faithful rulers ignited the fires of sacrifice and worshiped the Supreme Godhead and His saintly servants. At such joyful sacrificial rites all the citizens carried away abundant charity to their heart's delight. 
Brähmaëas faithfully studied the books of knowledge: the Vedas, Upaniñads, and supplementary works. These gentle scholars would not sell their wisdom for profit, but gave it freely to the pure and pious, refusing to recite it for any price before those who were insincere or mean in their habits. The vaiçya farmers plowed the earth with ox and brought forth abundant food. No ox was idle, and ailing oxen were brought back to strength. Men did not milk cows whose calves still drank their milk, and men sold their products fairly without false claims or measurements. 
All mankind looked to dharma, the divine law, and with devotion to dharma they faithfully performed their duties. Indeed, teachers, rulers, traders, and workers were all content to perform their God-given tasks, [which arose from the natural propensity of each citizen.] So strong was the people's enthusiasm for virtue that virtue did not decline, as often occurs among successful people. 
Women bore their babes, trees gave their flowers and fruits, and cows bore their calves all in the proper season. So prosperous and sublime was this world that every man and woman claimed that the great Age of Truth had come again, just as it had flourished millions of years before. And the earth was filled with variegated living beings. 
But then, O best of monarchs, just as humankind was flourishing, powerful and demonic creatures began to take birth from the wives of earthly kings. 
Once the godly Ädityas, who administer the universe, fought their wicked cousins the Daityas and vanquished them. Bereft of their power and positions, the Daityas began to take birth on this planet, having carefully calculated that they could easily become the gods of the earth, bringing it under their demonic rule. And thus it happened, O mighty one, that the Asuras began to appear among different creatures and communities. 
[Conducting their calculated invasion of the earth with brilliant precision, the Daityas disguised themselves in many ways.] Some of these demonic creatures even took birth as bulls, cows, asses, camels, buffalos, elephants, deer, and other four-legged creatures. 
As these demonic creatures continued to take birth on the earth, the Earth herself could not bear the weight of their presence. Having fallen from their positions in the higher planets, the sons of Diti and Danu thus appeared in this world as monarchs endowed with great strength, and in many other forms. They were bold and haughty, and they virtually surrounded the water-bounded earth, ready to crush those who would oppose them. 
They harassed the teachers, rulers, merchants, and workers of the earth, along with all other creatures. Moving about by the hundreds and thousands, they began to slay the earth's creatures, and they brought terror to the world. Unconcerned with the godly culture of the brähmaëas, they threatened the sages who sat peacefully in their forest äçramas, for the so-called kings were maddened by the strength of their bodies. 
Thus so much afflicted was the Earth by the mighty Daityas, who were haughty with their strength and armies, that she approached Lord Brahmä. O king, not even the wind or the celestial serpents or the mighty mountains could hold up the Earth, as she was being so forcefully trampled by the demonic Dänavas. Thereupon the Earth goddess herself, tortured by her burden and haunted by fear, went for shelter to the grandfather of all created beings, the primal demigod Brahmä. 
She saw the untiring maker of this world surrounded by exalted souls like the godly Ädityas, saintly brähmaëas, great sages, celestial Gandharva musicians, and heavenly pleasure maidens known as the Apsaräs. As they all sang with great delight the praises of Lord Brahmä, Mother Earth approached him and also sang his glories. 
Begging for shelter, Goddess Bhümiö told Brahmä her troubles in front of all the leaders of the planets of the universe. But Lord Brahmä already knew her needs, for he is born directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indeed, he is the Lord's chief representative in the created cosmos, and as the creator of the universe, how could he not be conscious, O Bhärata, of the mental workings of all the gods and demons and of all people? 
Mighty Lord Brahmä, lord of the earth, master and origin of all created beings, the progenitor who is known as Çambhu, then spoke to Mother Earth as follows: «O bountiful earth goddess, I know why you have come to my presence, and so serious is your problem that to solve it I shall engage all of the celestial denizens.» 
Having thus spoken to the Earth, O king, and giving her permission to leave, Lord Brahmä himself, the maker of creatures, then instructed all of the demigods. 
[As the Lord's representative, Brahmä transmitted to them the personal message of the Supreme Lord:] «In order to remove the burden of the earth, each of you is to take birth on the earth through your empowered expansions to stop the spread of the demonic forces.» 
Lord Brahmä then summoned the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaräs and gave them his authoritative instructions: «All of you must take birth among humankind in whatever family you desire, by expanding your personal potency.» 
Hearing this statement from Lord Brahmä, who is the guru of the godly beings, Indra and the other demigods accepted his words as accurate and meaningful. Eager to act on his instructions and go everywhere on the earth through their empowered portions, they approached the Supreme Lord Näräyaëa, destroyer of the hostile, on His spiritual planet, Vaikuëöha. 
The Supreme Lord holds a disc and club in His hands, He wears yellow silken garments, and His glowing complexion is swarthy. His navel is as lovely as a lotus, He slays the enemies of the godly, and His glistening eyes are wide and gorgeous. 
In order to cleanse the Earth of her disease, Lord Indra then prayed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, «O my Lord, please expand Yourself and descend!» 
And the Lord accepted his prayer. 
Vaiçampäyana continued: 
After conversing with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Näräyaëa, Lord Indra and the other demigods agreed to descend to the earth by expanding a portion of themselves. Indra instructed all the denizens of heaven and departed from the abode of Lord Näräyaëa. 
The celestial denizens thereupon began to successively descend from heaven to earth to destroy their wicked foes and save all the worlds. O tiger among kings, the residents of heaven thus took their birth accordingly in the dynasties of godly sages and kings and began to slay the wicked Dänavas, man-eating Räkñasas, cruel spirits, magical snakes, and various others creatures who devoured men alive. 
O best of the Bhäratas, so powerful were these descended gods, even in their childhood, that they could not be killed either by the evil Dänavas and Räkñasas or by other cruel invaders. 
King Janamejaya said: 
I wish to hear now the truth about the origin of the gods and demons, the Gandharavas and Apsaräs, as well as all types of human beings and the Yakñas and Räkñasas. Indeed, I would like to hear you explain the origin of all living beings from the very beginning, for you are a knower of all things. 
Vaiçampäyana replied: 
First offering my obeisances unto the self-born creator of our universe, I shall gladly explain to you in full how the demigods and all other creatures and planets appear and disappear by the will of the Lord. 
It is well known that from the mind of Brahmä six great sages take birth. Known as Brahmä's «mental sons,» their names are Maréci, Atri, Aìgirä, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. Maréci's son is Kaçyapa, who begot many varieties of creatures in his thirteen celestial wives, who were all daughters of Dakña. 
The names of these thirteen ladies are Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kälä, Anäyu, Siàhika, Muni, Krodhä, Prävä, Ariñöä, Vinatä, Kapilä, and Kadrü, who was surely the daughter of Dakña. From these women arose a powerful and unending descent of sons and grandsons, etc. 
Aditi is the first wife, and she gave birth to the twelve godly Ädityas, who rule the cosmos. O king, I shall now tell you their names. The twelve Ädityas are Dhätä, Mitra, Aryamä, Indra, Varuëa, Aàça, Bhaga, Vivasvän, Püñä, Savitä, Tvañöä, and Viñëu. Although Lord Viñëu appears as the youngest and smallest son of Aditi, He is actually the greatest of all, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 
[Aditi had a sister named Diti, but unfortunately the sons of Diti were not godly. Rather, they were the most wicked of creatures.] Diti had one famous son named Hiraëyakaçipu [who threatened the entire universe until Lord Viñëu appeared and killed him,] and he begot five sons. The eldest was Prahläda [surprisingly a great saint and pure devotee of the Lord.] Then came Saàhräda, Anuhräda, and finally Çibi and Bäñkala. 
Prahläda had three well-known sons named Virocana, Kumbha, and Nikumbha. Virocana's son was the uniquely powerful Bali, and Bali's celebrated son was the great demon named Bäëa. 
Diti's sister Danu had forty famous sons, her first-born being King Vipracitti of widespread fame. Also known to be sons of Danu are Çambara, Namuci, Pulomä, Asilomä, Keçé, Durjaya, Ayaùçirä, Açvaçirä, the mighty Ayaùçaìku, Gaganamürdhä, Vegavän, Ketumän, Svarbhänu, Açva, Açvapati, Våñaparvä, Ajaka, Açvagréva, Sükñma, the powerful Tuhuëòa, Isåpa, Ekacakra, Virüpäkña, Hara, Ähara, Nicandra, Nikumbha, Kupatha, Käpatha, Çarabha, Çalabha, Sürya, and Candra. All these sons of Danu and their descendants are known as the Dänavas. The demigods Sürya and Candra [the sun and the moon], who were born among the gods, are different personalities. 
O king, there are an additional ten sons of Danu who are celebrated for their great strength and stamina. In fact they are considered the best of the Dänavas, and their names are Ekäkña, Måtapä, the heroic Pralamba, Naraka, Vätäpi, Çatrutapana, the mighty demon Çaöha, Gaviñöha, Danäyu, and Dérghajihva, or «the long-tongued one.» O Bhärata, the sons and grandsons of these Dänavas are practically innumerable. 
Danu's sister Siàhika gave birth to a son named Rähu, who always harasses the sun and the moon. She had other sons, named Sucandra, Candrahantä, and Candravimardana. 
Siàhika's sister Krürä (Krodhä) had innumerable sons and grandsons, who, being demonic by nature, cruelly cut down their enemies. The very name Krürä means «cruel,» and all the descendants of Krodhä were known as the Krodha-vaças, or the slaves of fury. 
Krodhä's sister Anäyu had four sons who were prominent among the demonic Asuras. These four sons were Vikñara, Bala, Véra, and the great asura Våtra. 
Anäyu's sister Kälä, or «the lady of time,» gave birth to prominent sons who were as deadly as time itself. They became highly celebrated in the world for their unusual strength, and among all the demons they were especially known to punish their enemies. These sons of Kälä were renowned as Vinäçana, Krodha, Krodhahantä, and Krodhaçatru. 
Çukra, son of the primeval sage Bhågu, became the head priest of all the Asuras. Çukra had four sons, who also became sacrificial priests of the demons: Tvañöävara, Atri, and two others who were expert in chanting mantras. These four sons of Çukra were as brilliant as the sun, and they taught their students about the world of Brahmä, the creator. 
Thus have I explained the origin of those bold and powerful demonic beings known as the Asuras, and I have also explained the origin of the Suras, the godly beings. This factual account comes from the ancient histories called the Puräëas. These Suras and Asuras had so many descendants that it is simply not possible, O king, to name all of them, for they are virtually unlimited. 
[I will conclude by briefly mentioning the children of the other wives of Kaçyapa, all of whom gave birth to extraordinary progeny. These powerful women were all granddaughters of the creator, Brahmä, and they helped create the variegated population of the universe.] 
Vinatä gave birth to Garuòa and Aruëa, as well as Tärkñya, Ariñöanemi, Äruëi, and Väruëi. Counted among the mighty children of Kadrü are Çeña, Ananta, Väsuki, Takñaka the serpent, Kürma, and Kulika. 
Muni begot sixteen godly Gandharvas [beings endowed with musical and artistic ability beyond present human experience,] and their names are Bhémasena, Ugrasena, Suparëa, Varuëa, Gopati, Dhåtaräñöra, Süryavarcä, Patravän, Arkaparëa, the well-known Prayuta, Bhéma, the illustrious ruler Citraratha, who knew all things, and Çäliçirä. Pradyumna, O king, is the fourteenth, Kali the fifteenth, and Närada the sixteenth. These are the sixteen godly Gandharvasö born to the celestial lady named Muni. 
I shall now describe other creatures, O Bhärata. Prävä gave birth to these daughters: Anavadyä, Anuvaçä, Anünä, Aruëä, Priyä, Anüpä, Subhagä, and Bhäsé. Like her sister Muni, Prävä also gave birth to godly Gandharvas, and their names were Siddha, Pürëa, Barhé, the illustrious Pürëaça, Brahmacäré, Ratiguëa, Suparëa, Viçvävasu, Bhänu, and Sucandra. 
The very fortunate goddess Prävä is also known to have given birth, by her contact with a heavenly sage, to a distinctly pious race of celestial pleasure maidens known as Apsaräs. These Apsaräs were known as Alambusä, Miçrakeçé, Vidyutparëä, Tulänaghä, Aruëä, Rakñitä, the very charming Rambhä, Asitä, Subähu, Suvratä, Subhujä, and Supriyä. Atibähu, the well-known Haha and Ähuhu, and Tumburu have been recorded as four very prominent Gandharvas. 
According to the authoritative Puräëas, Kapilä is the progenitrix of the brähmaëas, cows, Gandharvas, and Apsaräs, and also of celestial nectar. 
Thus I have explained to you the origin of all created beings, including a description of the Gandharvas, Apsaräs, serpents, birds, and heavenly beings such as the Rudras and Maruts. I have explained the origin of the wealth-giving cows and of the brähmaëas, who are ever engaged in pious work. 
Those who are not envious should always hear and teach this universal history, for it will increase our piety, prosperity, and duration of life, and we shall be happy by hearing it. Indeed, one who, in the company of learned brähmaëas, systematically studies this narration of the universal lineage will obtain fine children, wealth, and fame, and after death he will go to a brilliant destination.