SECTION II

“Yudhishthira said, ’O grandsire, O wisest of men, O thou that art learned in all the scriptures, I have listened to this great story, O foremost of intelligent men.  I am desirous of again hearing the recital of some history full of religious instruction, and it behoves thee to gratify me.  O lord of Earth, tell me if any householder has ever succeeded in conquering Mrityu by the practice of virtue.  Do thou recite this to me with all details!’

“Bhishma said, ’This ancient history is recited as an illustration of the subject of the conquest by a householder, over Mrityu, through the practice of virtue.  The Prajapati Manu had a son, O king, of the name of the Ikshwaku.  Of that king, illustrious as Surya, were born a hundred sons.  His tenth son, O Bharata, was named Dasaswa, and this virtuous prince of infallible prowess became the king of Mahismati.  Dasaswa’s son, O king, was a righteous prince whose mind was constantly devoted to the practice of truth and charity and devotion.  He was known by the name of Madiraswa and ruled over the Earth as her lord.  He was constantly devoted to the study of the Vedas as also of the science of arms.  Madiraswa’s son was the king named Dyutimat who possessed great good fortune and power and strength and energy.  Dyutimat’s son was the highly devout and pious king who was famous in all the worlds under the name of Suvira.  His soul was intent on religion and he possessed wealth like another Indra, the lord of the deities.  Suvira too had a son who was invincible in battle, and who was the best of all warriors and known by the name of Sudurjaya.  And Durjya too, possessed of a body like that of Indra, had a son who beamed with splendour like that of fire.  He was the great monarch named Duryodhana who was one of the foremost of royal sages.  Indra used to pour rain profusely in the kingdom of this monarch, who never fled from the battlefield and was possessed of valour like unto Indra himself.  The cities and the kingdom of this king were filled with riches and gems and cattle and grain of various kinds.  There was no miser in his kingdom nor any person afflicted with distress or poverty.  Nor was there in his kingdom any person that was weak in body or afflicted with disease.  That king was very clever, smooth in speech, without envy, a master of his passions, of a righteous soul, full of compassion, endued with prowess, and not given to boasting.  He performed sacrifices, and was self-restrained and intelligent, devoted to Brahmanas and Truth.  He never humiliated others, and was charitable, and learned in the Vedas and the Vedanta.  The celestial river Narmada, auspicious and sacred and of cool waters, in her own nature, O Bharata, courted him.  He begot upon that river, a lotus-eyed daughter, by name Sudarsana, who was, O king, endued with great beauty.  No creature, O Yudhisthira, had ever been born before among womankind, that was, possessed of such beauty