Arjuna, among the mighty Pāṇḍavas, fathered a son named Babhruvāhana with Citrāṅgadā, the daughter of the lord of Maṇalūra. Thus, the Pāṇḍavas came to have thirteen sons in all. Of these, Abhimanyu, the valiant son of Arjuna and Subhadrā, married Uttarā, the princess of Virāṭa. In her womb, after Abhimanyu’s death, his posthumous son was conceived. By the command of the best among men, Pṛthā—Kuntī—took this unborn child onto her lap. At that moment, Vāsudeva, the divine Krishna, declared, “I will sustain this six-month-old fetus by the touch of my foot.” He spoke further, “I will give life to this boy of boundless energy; he is being born even now. By the truth of Abhimanyu, let this earth be upheld.” By the sacred touch of Vāsudeva’s foot, the child was born alive, and Subhadrā gave him his name: Parikshit. When the great Kuru lineage had dwindled, the illustrious Parikshit was thus born to Uttarā and the noble son of Subhadrā, Abhimanyu. Parikshit, in turn, married Bhadravati, and from their union, you, Janamejaya, were born. From you, Janamejaya, two sons of great splendor came forth: Shatanika and Shankukarṇa. Shatanika married a princess from Videha, and their son was Ashvamedhadatta. In this way, the lineage of Puru and the Pāṇḍavas has been recounted. Whoever hears this sacred genealogy of the house of Puru is freed from all sins. Now, there was once a king named Uparichara, ever devoted to righteousness. He delighted in the hunt, remained constant in his studies, and was pure in conduct. This King Vasu, the joy of the Paurava line, was instructed by Indra himself to take possession of the beautiful land of Cedi. While living in an ashram, having set aside his weapons, the gods led by Shakra (Indra) approached this ascetic king. Observing his great austerity, they thought, “This king is worthy even of Indrahood.” With gentle words, they turned him away from the path of asceticism, saying, “Let not this righteousness be mingled upon the earth, O king. You uphold righteousness, and by it the world is sustained. We gods are the protectors of the worlds; you must protect humanity. Always steadfast, uphold dharma in the world, and thus, endowed with righteousness, you will attain the eternal blessed worlds.” Indra spoke further: “Dwelling on earth, you are my dear friend, just as I am in heaven. O king, reside in that region of the earth called Udha. That land is blessed, abundant in cattle, rich in wealth and grain, secure, gentle, and endowed with all the enjoyments and virtues of the earth. It is prosperous, filled with wealth, jewels, and treasures. Dwell among the Cedis, O lord of the Cedis. The people there are righteous and content; even among the free there is no falsehood, much less among others. Fathers do not divide their sons, who are devoted to the welfare of their elders. They yoke oxen to the plough and urge on even the lean ones. All classes always abide by their own duties among the Cedis, O giver of honor; there is nothing unknown to them in all the three worlds.” Indra then promised a wondrous boon: “A great, celestial, crystal-like aerial chariot, fit for the enjoyment of the gods, will come to you in the sky, given by me. You alone among mortals, seated in the foremost celestial chariot, shall move above, like a god in embodied form. I give you the Vaijayanti garland, made of unfading lotuses; wear it in battle, and weapons shall not wound you. This, too, shall be your mark: you will be renowned as ‘Indra among men,’ blessed, incomparable, and great.” To him, the slayer of Vritra gave a staff of bamboo, bestower of desired objects and protector of the worthy. Thus consoled and honored, the king was turned away from austerities, and the gods, their purpose accomplished, departed. The king of the Cedis, adorned with Indra’s ornaments, mounted the celestial chariot and returned to his city. In gratitude and reverence for Indra, the lord of the earth arranged a grand festival upon his return—the foremost of all celebrations. In the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, during the waxing fortnight, a great sacrifice was performed. From that day to this, the best of kings have continued the sacred staff ceremony. The entry is performed by kings as established by him, and on the following day, the great elevation of the staff is carried out by the rulers. The staff, measuring thirty-two cubits in height, is adorned with platforms, fragrant garlands, and ornaments, encircled with garlands and bands. It is raised on a platform twelve cubits high, surrounded by splendid cloths of many colors. The foremost Brahmins honor the ceremony with garments, food, and drink, reciting auspicious hymns as the banner is raised. At that moment, the sound of conches, kettledrums, and mridangas resounds, and the blessed Vasava (Indra) is worshipped there in the form of the staff. With devotion, the Yakshas beginning with Manibhadra are worshipped together with the gods, out of love for the great-souled Vasava who himself accepted this rite. Various kinds of gifts are distributed to supplicants and friends, and the staff is adorned with garlands, bands, and diverse garments. All, with water-filled vessels, play by the king’s command; honoring the king, they engage in conversations filled with laughter and joy. The townspeople and country folk alike rejoice, and bards, minstrels, dancers, and actors are filled with delight. Out of happiness, all celebrate the great festival with their households and ministers, adorned with every ornament—thus did the people rejoice in honor of their righteous king and the blessings of Indra.