Chapter 24
“Sanjaya said, ‘It is even so as thou hast said, O son of Pandu! Dostthou enquire about the welfare of the Kurus and of the foremost onesamong them?
“Sanjaya said, ‘It is even so as thou hast said, O son of Pandu! Dostthou enquire about the welfare of the Kurus and of the foremost onesamong them?
Vaisampayana said, “The sons of Pandu and those Rishis then askedMarkandeya, ‘Is there anybody that is blessed with longer life thanthou?’
“Janaka said, ‘Whence, O great Rishi, does this difference of colourarise among men belonging to the different orders? I desire to know this.Tell me this, O foremost of speakers! The Srutis say that the offspringone begets are one’s own self.
“Bhishma said, ‘This our celebrated race, resplendent with every virtueand accomplishment, hath all along sovereignty over all other monarchs onearth.
“The Brahmana said, ‘In this connection is cited the ancient story, Olady, of the discourse between Karttaviryya and the Ocean. There was aking of the name of Karttaviryya-Arjuna who was endued with a thousandarms.
“Yudhishthira said, ‘Here are met the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, andKrishna, and Yuyudhana and Virata, O son of the Suta Gavalgana, tell usall that Dhritarashtra hath directed thee to say.’
Vaisampayana said, “And the son of Pandu once more addressed Markandeya,saying, ‘Tell us again of the great good fortune of kings.’ AndMarkandeya said, ‘There came unto the horse-sacrifice of king Ashtaka ofViswamitra’s race, many kings.
“Parasara said, ‘The sires, the friends, the preceptor, and the spousesof the preceptors of men that are destitute of devotion are unable togive to those men the merits that attach to devotion.
“Vaisampayana continued, ‘There was amongst the Yadavas a chief namedSura. He was the father of Vasudeva. And he had a daughter called Pritha,who was unrivalled for beauty on earth.
“The Pitris said, ‘In this connection is cited this old history. Havingheard it, thou shouldst act according to it, O foremost of all regeneratepersons.