He who was named Devaka, radiant as the king of the gods — he, the chief lord of the Gandharvas, was born on earth as a king. Know, O Bharata, that from a portion of the divine sage Brihaspati, a man of great renown, was born Drona, [son] of Bharadvaja, born not from a womb. He, the best among the knowers of every weapon and among archers, O tiger among kings, of great splendor, was born among men. That Drona, foremost in the science of the bow and in the Veda, a man of deeds worthy of Indra, the increaser of his own lineage — the knowers of the Vedas know him. From [the powers of] Mahadeva (Shiva), [the god of] Death (Antaka), Desire, and Wrath, O Bharata, united as one, was born the hero, scorcher of foes: Ashvatthaman, of great valor, destroyer of the enemy host, lotus-eyed, was on earth a mighty man, O lord of men. By the curse of Vasishtha and by the command of Indra, the eight Vasus were born to Ganga as sons of Shantanu. The youngest of them is Bhishma, giver of fearlessness to the Kurus, wise, knowing the Vedas, eloquent, destroyer of the enemy host. He who was the best of the all-knowing, of great splendor, fought with Rama, son of Jamadagni, descendant of Bhrigu, the great soul. Know, O king, that the brahmarshi named Kripa, of surpassing manhood, arose from the host of the Rudras. And the king named Shakuni, who was in the world a great warrior — know him, O king, as the embodied Dvapara (the spirit of the age of discord), crusher of foes. And Satyaki, true to his word, increaser of the Vrishni lineage, crusher of the enemies of the gods, was born from the ranks of the Maruts. And the royal sage Drupada, too, from that same host of the Maruts, became in this world of men the foremost of all wielders of weapons. And know, O king, that the lord of men Kritavarman was born an irresistible warrior, the foremost bull among kshatriyas. Know that from the host of the Maruts was born the royal sage named Virata, the scorcher of hostile realms. And the son of Arishta, renowned as Hamsa, lord of the Gandharvas, increaser of the Kuru lineage — he, renowned as Dhritarashtra, was born from Krishna-Dvaipayana: long-armed, of great splendor, seeing with the eye of wisdom, but because of his mother's fault and the sage's wrath, he was born blind indeed.