of the Kaurava and the Pandava army.  Time, whose acts are wonderful assembled them on that spot and having made the Kauravas the cause, destroyed them all.  Bhishma acquainted with choice of weapons, fought for ten days.  Drona protected the Kaurava Vahinis for five days.  Kama the desolator of hostile armies fought for two days; and Salya for half a day.  After that lasted for half a day the encounter with clubs between Duryodhana and Bhima.  At the close of that day, Aswatthaman and Kripa destroyed the army of Yudishthira in the night while sleeping without suspicion of danger.

’O Saunaka, this best of narrations called Bharata which has begun to be repeated at thy sacrifice, was formerly repeated at the sacrifice of Janamejaya by an intelligent disciple of Vyasa.  It is divided into several sections; in the beginning are Paushya, Pauloma, and Astika parvas, describing in full the valour and renown of kings.  It is a work whose description, diction, and sense are varied and wonderful.  It contains an account of various manners and rites.  It is accepted by the wise, as the state called Vairagya is by men desirous of final release.  As Self among things to be known, as life among things that are dear, so is this history that furnisheth the means of arriving at the knowledge of Brahma the first among all the sastras.  There is not a story current in this world but doth depend upon this history even as the body upon the foot that it taketh.  As masters of good lineage are ever attended upon by servants desirous of preferment so is the Bharata cherished by all poets.  As the words constituting the several branches of knowledge appertaining to the world and the Veda display only vowels and consonants, so this excellent history displayeth only the highest wisdom.

’Listen, O ye ascetics, to the outlines of the several divisions (parvas) of this history called Bharata, endued with great wisdom, of sections and feet that are wonderful and various, of subtile meanings and logical connections, and embellished with the substance of the Vedas.

’The first parva is called Anukramanika; the second, Sangraha; then Paushya; then Pauloma; the Astika; then Adivansavatarana.  Then comes the Sambhava of wonderful and thrilling incidents.  Then comes Jatugrihadaha (setting fire to the house of lac) and then Hidimbabadha (the killing of Hidimba) parvas; then comes Baka-badha (slaughter of Baka) and then Chitraratha.  The next is called Swayamvara (selection of husband by Panchali), in which Arjuna by the exercise of Kshatriya virtues, won Draupadi for wife.  Then comes Vaivahika (marriage).  Then comes Viduragamana (advent of Vidura), Rajyalabha (acquirement of kingdom), Arjuna-banavasa (exile of Arjuna) and Subhadra-harana (the carrying away of Subhadra).  After these come Harana-harika, Khandava-daha (the burning of the Khandava forest) and Maya-darsana (meeting with Maya the Asura architect).  Then come Sabha, Mantra, Jarasandha, Digvijaya (general