अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः
The Commencement of the Great Departure
एष पुत्रस्य पुत्रस्ते कुरुराजो भविष्यति । यदूनां परिशेषश्च वज्ो राजा कृतश्च ह ८ ।।
eṣa putrasya putras te kururājo bhaviṣyati | yadūnāṁ pariśeṣaś ca vajro rājā kṛtaś ca ha || 8 ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ລູກສາວເອີຍ! ນີ້—ຫຼານຊາຍຂອງເຈົ້າ—ຈະເປັນກະສັດແຫ່ງກຸຣຸ. ແລະໃນບັນດາຍາດະວະທີ່ຍັງເຫຼືອ ວັຈຣະ ກໍໄດ້ຖືກແຕ່ງຕັ້ງເປັນກະສັດແລ້ວ».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Even after catastrophic loss, dharma is sustained through orderly succession and responsible governance: rightful heirs are installed so society regains stability and continuity.
The narrator announces the political settlement after the great destruction: Parīkṣit, the grandson in the Pāṇḍava line, will rule the Kuru realm, and Vajra is appointed to lead the surviving Yādavas.