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Vaisampayana said, "The magnanimous monarch pursued his journey, and at different spots on the shore of the sea visited the various bathing places, all sacred and pleasant and frequented by men of the sacerdotal caste. And O son of Parikshit! He in proper form took his bath in them together with his younger brothers and then went to an excellent river, the holiest of all.

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 Parikshit like unto his great-grandsire, protecteth us as a king should protect his subjects. That penance- practising monarch was fatigued and oppressed with hunger. A kingless country always suffereth from evils. The king punisheth offenders, and fear of punishments to peace; and people do their duties and perform their rites undisturbed.

'Sauti said, 'O Brahmana, hear all that the king asked his ministers, and all that they said about the death of Parikshit. "Janamejaya asked, 'Know ye all that befell my father. How did that famous king, in time, meet with his death? Hearing from you the incidents of my father's life in detail, I shall ordain something, if it be for the benefit of the world. Otherwise, I shall do nothing.

"'The heroic Parikshit, attaining to age and a knowledge of the Vedas and the practice of pious vows, shall obtain all weapons from the son of Sharadvata. Having obtained a knowledge of all high weapons, and observant of all Kshatriya duties, that righteous-souled king shall rule the earth for sixty years.

Thus endeth the section called Parva-sangraha of the Adi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata. Sauti said, "Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, was, with his brothers, attending his long sacrifice on the plains of Kurukshetra. His brothers were three, Srutasena, Ugrasena, and Bhimasena. And belaboured by the brothers of Janamejaya, he ran away to his mother, crying in pain.

Like the sacrifice of Yama, of Harimedha, or of king Rantideva, is the sacrifice of thine, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit. Let those dear unto us be blessed!

Like the sacrifice of Yama, of Harimedha, or of king Rantideva, is the sacrifice of thine, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit. Let those dear unto us be blessed!

Parikshit will rule in Hastinapura, while the Yadava prince, Vajra, will rule in Shakraprastha. He should be protected by thee. Never set thy heart on unrighteousness. "'Having said these words, king Yudhishthira the just, along with his brothers, promptly offered oblations of water unto Vasudeva of great intelligence, as also unto his old maternal uncle and Rama and others.

"O Brahmana, the son of Parikshit, being thus addressed by Astika, became exceedingly sorry and replied unto Astika thus, 'O illustrious one, gold, silver, kine, whatever other possessions thou desirest I shall give unto thee. But let not my sacrifice come to an end. "Astika thereupon replied, 'Gold, silver or kine, I do not ask of thee, O monarch!