“Sanjaya said,—­’Indeed, O great king, the islands have all been described to thee.  Listen now to what I truly say about the heavenly bodies and about Swarbhanu, O chief of the Kauravas, as regards its dimensions.  It is heard, O king, that the planet Swarbhanu is globular.  Its diameter is twelve thousand Yojanas, and its circumference, because it is very large, is forty-two thousand Yojanas, O sinless one,[75] as said by the learned of olden times.  The diameter of the moon, O king, is stated to be eleven thousand Yojanas.  Its circumference, O chief of the Kurus, is stated to be thirty-eight thousand nine hundred Yojanas of the illustrious planet of cool rays.  It hath been heard that the diameter of the beneficent, fast going and light-giving Sun, O thou of Kuru’s race, is ten thousand Yojanas, and his circumference, O king, is thirty-five thousand eight hundred miles, in consequence of his largeness, O sinless one.  These are the dimensions reckoned here, O Bharata, of Arka.  The planet Rahu, in consequence of his greater bulk, envelops both the Sun and the Moon in due times.  I tell thee this in brief.  With the eye of science, O great king, I have now told thee all that thou hadst asked.  Let peace be thine.  I have now told thee about the construction of the universe as indicated in the Shastras.  Therefore, O Kauravya, pacify thy son Duryodhana.[76]’

“Having listened to this charming Bhumi Parva, O chief of the Bharatas, a Kshatriya becometh endued with prosperity, obtaineth fruition of all his desires, and winneth the approbation of the righteous.[77] The king who listeneth to this on days of the full-moon or the new-moon, carefully observing vows all the while, hath the period of his life, his fame and energy, all enhanced.  His (deceased) sires and grandsires become gratified.  Thou hast now heard of all the merits that flow from this Varsha of Bharata where we now are!’”

SECTION XIII

(Bhagavat-Gita Parva)

Vaisampayana said,—­“Possessing a knowledge of the past, the present and the future, and seeing all things as if present before his eyes, the learned son of Gavalgana, O Bharata, coming quickly from the field of battle, and rushing with grief (into the court) represented unto Dhritarashtra who was plunged in thought that Bhishma the grandsire of the Bharatas had been slain.”

“Sanjaya said,—­’I am Sanjaya, O great king.  I bow to thee, O bull of Bharata’s race.  Bhishma, the son of Santanu and the grandsire of the Bharatas, hath been slain.  That foremost of all warriors, that grandsire of the Bharatas, hath been slain.  That foremost of all warriors, that embodied energy of all bowmen, that grandsire of the Kurus lieth to-day on a bed of arrows.  That Bhishma.  O king, relying on whose energy thy son had been engaged in that match at dice, now lieth on the field of battle slain by Sikhandin.  That mighty car-warrior who on a single car had vanquished in terrific combat