"And Santanu married Ganga, who bore him a son Devavrata who was

afterwards called Bhishma. And Bhishma, moved by the desire of doing good
to his father, got him married to Satyavati who was also called
Gandhakali. And in her maidenhood she had a son by Parasara, named
Dwaipayana. And upon her Santanu begat two other sons named Chitrangada
and Vichitravirya. And before they attained to majority, Chitrangada had
been slain by the Gandharvas. But Vichitravirya became king, and married
the two daughters of the king of Kasi, named Amvika and Amvalika. But
Vichitravirya died childless. Then Satyavati began to think as to how the
dynasty of Dushmanta might be perpetuated. Then she recollected the Rishi
Dwaipayana. The latter coming before her, asked, 'What are thy commands?'
'She said, 'Thy brother Vichitravirya hath gone to heaven childless.
Beget virtuous children for him.' Dwaipayana, consenting to this, begat
three children, viz., Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura. King
Dhritarashtra had a hundred sons by his wife, Gandhari in consequence of
the boon granted by Dwaipayana. And amongst those hundred sons of
Dhritarashtra, four became celebrated. They are Duryodhana, Duhsasana,
Vikarna, and Chitrasena. And Pandu had two jewels of wives, viz., Kunti,
also called Pritha, and Madri. One day Pandu, while out a-hunting, saw a
deer covering its mate. That was really a Rishi in the form of a deer.
Seeing the deer in that attitude, he killed it with his arrows, before
its desire was gratified. Pierced with the king's arrow, the deer quickly
changed its form and became a Rishi, and said unto Pandu, 'O Pandu, thou
art virtuous and acquainted also with the pleasure derived from the
gratification of one's desire. My desire unsatisfied, thou hast slain me!
Therefore, thou also, when so engaged and before thou art gratified,
shalt die!' Pandu, hearing this curse, became pale, and from that time
would not go in unto his wives. And he told them these words, 'Through my
own fault, I have been cursed! But I have heard that for the childless
there are no regions hereafter.' Therefore, he solicited Kunti to have
offspring raised for him. And Kunti said, 'Let it be', So she raised up
offspring. By Dharma she had Yudhishthira; by Maruta, Bhima: and by
Sakra, Arjuna. And Pandu, well-pleased with her, said, 'This thy co-wife
is also childless. Therefore, cause her also to bear children.' Kunti
saying, 'So be it,' imparted unto Madri the mantra of invocation. And on
Madri were raised by the twin Aswins, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. And
(one day) Pandu, beholding Madri decked with ornaments, had his desire
kindled. And, as soon as he touched her, he died. Madri ascended the
funeral pyre with her lord. And she said unto Kunti, 'Let these twins of
mine be brought up by thee with affection.' After some time those five
Pandavas were taken by the ascetics of the woods to Hastinapura and there
introduced to Bhishma and Vidura. And after introducing them, the
ascetics disappeared in the very sight of all. And after the conclusion
of the speech of those ascetics, flowers were showered down upon the
spot, and the celestial drums also were beaten in the skies. The Pandavas
were then taken (by Bhishma). They then represented the death of their
father and performed his last honours duly. And as they were brought up
there, Duryodhana became exceedingly jealous of them. And the sinful
Duryodhana acting like Rakshasa tried various means to drive them away.
But what must be can never be frustrated. So all Duryodhana's efforts
proved futile. Then Dhritarashtra sent them, by an act of deception to
Varanavata, and they went there willingly. There an endeavour was made to
burn them to death; but it proved abortive owing to the warning counsels
of Vidura. After that the Pandavas slew Hidimva, and then they went to a
town called Ekachakra. There also they slew a Rakshasa of the name of
Vaka and then went to Panchala. And there obtaining Draupadi for a wife
they returned to Hastinapura. And there they dwelt for some time in peace
and begat children. And Yudhishthira begat Prativindhya; Bhima, Sutasoma;
Arjuna, Srutakriti; Nakula, Satanika; and Sahadeva, Srutakarman. Besides
these, Yudhishthira, having obtained for his wife Devika, the daughter of
Govasana of the Saivya tribe, in a self-choice ceremony, begat upon her a
son named Yaudheya. And Bhima also obtaining for a wife Valandhara, the
daughter of the king of Kasi, offered his own prowess as dower and begat
upon her a son named Sarvaga. And Arjuna also, repairing to Dwaravati,
brought away by force Subhadra. the sweet-speeched sister of Vasudeva,
and returned in happiness to Hastinapura. And he begat upon her a son
named Abhimanyu endued with all accomplishments and dear to Vasudeva
himself. And Nakula obtaining for his wife Karenumati, the princess of
Chedi, begat upon her a son named Niramitra. And Sahadeva also married
Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, obtaining her in a
self-choice ceremony and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. And
Bhimasena had some time before begat upon Hidimva a son named
Ghatotkacha. These are the eleven sons of the Pandavas. Amongst them all,
Abhimanyu was the perpetuator of the family. He married Uttara, the
daughter of Virata, who brought forth a dead child whom Kunti took up on
her lap at the command of Vasudeva who said, 'I will revive this child of
six months.' And though born before time, having been burnt by the fire
of (Aswatthaman's weapon) and, therefore, deprived of strength and energy
he was revived by Vasudeva and endued with strength, energy and prowess.
And after reviving him, Vasudeva said, 'Because this child hath been born
in an extinct race, therefore, he shall be called Parikshit'. And
Parikshit married Madravati, thy mother, O king, and thou art born to
her, O Janamejaya! Thou hast also begotten two sons on thy wife
Vapushtama, named Satanika and Sankukarna. And Satanika also hath
begotten one son named Aswamedhadatta upon the princess of Videha.