ta) are the Harivansa and the Vavishya. The number of slokas
contained in the Harivansa is twelve thousand."

These are the contents of the section called Parva-sangraha. Sauti
continued, "Eighteen Akshauhinis of troops came together for battle. The
encounter that ensued was terrible and lasted for eighteen days. He who
knows the four Vedas with all the Angas and Upanishads, but does not know
this history (Bharata), cannot be regarded as wise. Vyasa of immeasurable
intelligence, has spoken of the Mahabharata as a treatise on Artha, on
Dharma, and on Kama. Those who have listened to his history can never
bear to listen to others, as, indeed, they who have listened to the sweet
voice of the male Kokila can never hear the dissonance of the crow's
cawing. As the formation of the three worlds proceedeth from the five
elements, so do the inspirations of all poets proceed from this excellent
composition. O ye Brahman, as the four kinds of creatures (viviparous,
oviparous, born of hot moisture and vegetables) are dependent on space
for their existence, so the Puranas depend upon this history. As all the
senses depend for their exercise upon the various modifications of the
mind, so do all acts (ceremonials) and moral qualities depend upon this
treatise. There is not a story current in the world but doth depend on
this history, even as body upon the food it taketh. All poets cherish the
Bharata even as servants desirous of preferment always attend upon
masters of good lineage. Even as the blessed domestic Asrama can never be
surpassed by the three other Asramas (modes of life) so no poets can
surpass this poem.

"Ye ascetics, shake off all inaction. Let your hearts be fixed on virtue,
for virtue is the one only friend of him that has gone to the other
world. Even the most intelligent by cherishing wealth and wives can never
make these their own, nor are these possessions lasting. The Bharata
uttered by the lips of Dwaipayana is without a parallel; it is virtue
itself and sacred. It destroyeth sin and produceth good. He that
listeneth to it while it is being recited hath no need of a bath in the
sacred waters of Pushkara. A Brahmana, whatever sins he may commit during
the day through his senses, is freed from them all by reading the Bharata
in the evening. Whatever sins he may commit also in the night by deeds,
words, or mind, he is freed from them all by reading Bharata in the first
twilight (morning). He that giveth a hundred k