The grandson of Arjuna reigned at Hastinapur until he died of a snake-bite, and his son instituted snake sacrifices, where this epic was recited by a bard who learned it from the mouth of Vyasa.  There is also a continuation of the poem in three sections called the Harivamca, which relates that Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu, and describes his exploits and the future doom of the world.

THE STORY OF THE DELUGE

The detached stories in the Mahabharata are a quaint account of the Deluge, where we learn that an ascetic stood for ten thousand years on one leg, before a small fish implored him to save him from the big ones in the stream.  This ascetic placed the petitioner first in an earthen vessel of water, then in a tank, then in the Ganges, “the favorite spouse of the ocean,” and finally in the sea, for this fish rapidly outgrew each receptacle.  On reaching the ocean, the fish informed the ascetic, with a smile, that the dissolution of the earth was near.  He also bade him build an ark provided with a long rope, told him to enter in it with seven other sages and seeds of every kind, and promised to appear as a horned fish to save him from destruction.  When the flood came, the horned fish, seizing the rope, dragged the ark to the top of the Himalayas, where it rested securely.  There it declared, “I am Brahma who saved you,” and directed the ascetic, aided by his learned companions, to recreate everything by means of the seeds.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 42:  The long line quotations are from the translation of Romesh Dutt, those in short lines from Griffeth’s.]

THE STORY OF NALA AND DAMAYANTI

The romantic story of Nala and Damayanti was told to comfort the eldest Pandav for losing all he had while dicing.  It seems that once, while hunting, Nala released a golden bird, because it promised to win for him the affections of Princess Damayanti.  Pleased with this prospect, Nala let the bird go, and watched it fly in the direction of Damayanti’s palace.  There the bird, caught by the princess, praised Nala so eloquently that Damayanti fell in love with him, and, in order to meet him, announced she was about to hold a Bride’s Choice.  On his way to this tournament, Nala met four gods, all anxious to marry the beautiful princess, and they, after obtaining his promise to execute their wishes, bade him steal unseen into the palace and bid the princess choose one of them as a spouse.

The broken-hearted Nala, forced to sue for the gods, made known their request to Damayanti, who declared she didn’t intend to marry any one but himself, as she meant to announce publicly at the Bride’s Choice on the morrow.

  “Yet I see a way of refuge—­’tis a blameless way, O king;
  Whence no sin to thee, O rajah,—­may by any chance arise. 
  Thou, O noblest of all mortals—­and the gods by Indra led,
  Come and enter in together—­where the Swayembara meets;
  Then will I, before the presence—­of the guardians of the world,
  Name thee, lord of men! my husband—­nor to thee may blame accrue.”