Shaunaka said: ‘That which King Janamejaya once asked his counselors — about his father’s death — tell me again in full detail.’ Suta said: ‘Listen, O brahmin, how, questioned then by the king, all the counselors told of that death of Parikshit.’ Janamejaya said: ‘You surely know how my most illustrious father lived, and how he met his end in his appointed time. Having heard from you the whole deed of my father, without omission, I will act righteously, and not otherwise.’ Suta said: ‘Then the counselors, questioned by that great king, wise and versed in every dharma, said to King Janamejaya: “Righteous, great of soul, guardian of the subjects, was your father; what he was like here — listen to that. The four classes, [each] abiding in its own dharma, he, a knower of dharma, protected according to dharma — he was like dharma itself embodied. Splendid, of matchless valor, he guarded the goddess Earth; he had no haters, and he himself hated no one — equal toward all beings, he was like Prajapati. Widows, orphans, the destitute, and the crippled he supported; to all beings he was a delight, like a second moon. His people were content and well-fed; truthful in speech, firm in valor, he was a pupil of the son of Sharadvata (Kripa) in the science of the bow. And your father, most illustrious, was dear to Govinda (Krishna) and to the whole world. When [the line of] the Kurus had nearly died out, he was born from Uttara — hence Parikshit, the mighty son of [Abhimanyu,] the son of Subhadra. Skilled in the dharma and profit of kings, endowed with every virtue; his senses conquered, master of himself, wise, honoring his elders; knowing the six [factors of policy] (shad-varga), of great intellect, the finest knower of policy and dharma. Your father ruled these subjects for sixty years; then he met his appointed end from a serpent, inescapable. After that, O best of men, you, in accordance with dharma, received this kingdom of the Kurus, [destined to last] a thousand years; you were enthroned while still a child, guardian of all beings.”’