Mahabharata (English)

by Kisari Mohan Ganguli | 2,566,952 words | ISBN-10: 8121505933

The English translation of the Mahabharata is a large text describing ancient India. It is authored by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa and contains the records of ancient humans. Also, it documents the fate of the Kauravas and the Pandavas family. Another part of the large contents, deal with many philosophical dialogues such as the goals of life. Book...

Section LI

'Sauti said, 'King Janamejaya having said so, his ministers expressed their approbation. And the monarch then expressed his determination to perform a snake-sacrifice. And that lord of the Earth—that tiger of the Bharata race—the son of Parikshit, then called his priest and Ritwiks. And accomplished in speech, he spake unto them these words relating to the accomplishment of his great task.

'I must avenge myself on the wretch Takshaka who killed my father. Tell me what I must do. Do you know any act by which I may cast into the blazing fire the snake Takshaka with his relatives? I desire to burn that wretch even as he burnt, of yore, by the fire of his poison, my father.'

'The chief priest answered,

'There is, O king, a great sacrifice for you devised by the gods themselves. It is known as the snake-sacrifice, and is read of in the Puranas. O king, you alone canst accomplish it, and no one else. Men versed in the Puranas have told us, there is such a sacrifice.'

"Sauti continued, 'Thus addressed, the king, O excellent one, thought Takshaka to be already burnt and thrown into the blazing mouth of Agni, the eater of the sacrificial butter. The king then said unto those Brahmanas versed in mantras,

'I shall make preparations for that sacrifice. Tell me the things that are necessary.'

And the king’s Ritwiks, O excellent Brahmana, versed in the Vedas and acquainted with the rites of that sacrifice measured, according to the scriptures, the land for the sacrificial platform. And the platform was decked with valuable articles and with Brahmanas. And it was full of precious things and paddy. And the Ritwika sat upon it at ease. And after the sacrificial platform had been thus constructed according to rule and as desired, they installed the king at the sacrifice for the attainment of its object. And before the commencement of the snake-Sacrifice that was to come, there occurred this very important incident foreboding obstruction to the sacrifice.

For when the sacrificial platform was being constructed, a professional builder of great intelligence and well-versed in the knowledge of laying foundations, a Suta by caste, well-acquainted with the Puranas, said,

'The soil upon which and the time at which the measurement for the sacrificial platform has been made, indicate that this sacrifice will not be completed, a Brahmana becoming the reason thereof.'

Hearing this, the king, before his installation, gave orders to his gate-keepers not to admit anybody without his knowledge."

Conclusion:

This concludes Section LI of Book 1 (Adi Parva) of the Mahabharata, of which an English translation is presented on this page. This book is famous as one of the Itihasa, similair in content to the eighteen Puranas. Book 1 is one of the eighteen books comprising roughly 100,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.

FAQ (frequently asked questions):

Which keywords occur in Section LI of Book 1 of the Mahabharata?

The most relevant definitions are: Brahmana, Takshaka, Puranas, Sauti, Brahmanas, Janamejaya; since these occur the most in Book 1, Section LI. There are a total of 12 unique keywords found in this section mentioned 21 times.

What is the name of the Parva containing Section LI of Book 1?

Section LI is part of the Astika Parva which itself is a sub-section of Book 1 (Adi Parva). The Astika Parva contains a total of 46 sections while Book 1 contains a total of 19 such Parvas.

Can I buy a print edition of Section LI as contained in Book 1?

Yes! The print edition of the Mahabharata contains the English translation of Section LI of Book 1 and can be bought on the main page. The author is Kisari Mohan Ganguli and the latest edition (including Section LI) is from 2012.

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