Mahabharata Condensed in the Poet's Own Words /36

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THE MAHABHARATA
 
तस्यां चोत्पादयामास विदुरः [ कुरुनन्दन] ।
पुत्रान्विनयसम्पन्नान् आत्मनस्सदृशान्गुणैः ॥

And on her, Vidura begot sons.
endowed with modesty, his own equals
in virtues.
 
गान्धार्यामाहिते गर्भे पाण्डुरम्बालिकासुतः ।
अपत्यार्थथं कृतमना इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

When Gandhari conceived, Pandu, the
son of Ambalika, who was intent on off-
spring, said these words:
 
'चतुर्भिर्ऋणवानित्थं जायते मनुजो भुवि ।
ऋषिदेवमनुध्ष्याणामृणान्मुक्तोऽस्मि धर्मतः ।
पितॄणां तु न मुक्तोऽस्मि तच्च तेभ्यो विशिष्यते ॥

"Man is thus born on earth, a four-
fold debtor. By doing my duties, I am
released from the debts to the Seers, the
gods and the people; but I am not
released from the debt to the ancestors; and
that debt is greater than those (other debts). "