9 And in the same way, your own thoughts will return again and again to your duty, and absorbed in your habit of yoga, you’ll attain ultimate success. 10 For you know your duty, and there’s no duty more pressing than yoga duty. Practise that most important duty of all, Bhārgava. 11 If you perform the ancestral rite, if you prioritise it and are dedicated to it, eating lightly, your senses conquered, then in the fullness of time you’ll acquire the habit of yoga.
It was after saying that* that the glorious god Sanatkumāra disappeared.
12 Mārkandeya continued: Eighteen years had seemed to me like a single day. Although I’d been with the lord of the gods for eighteen whole years, 13 because of the god’s favour I felt no weariness during that time. I was aware of neither hunger nor thirst, blameless Bhīshma, nor the passage of time. It was only later that I learned from my disciples how long it had been.
15. Bhı̄shma and Ugrāyudha
1 Mārkandeya said:
In accordance with what he’d said, I still had divine vision and understanding even after the god had disappeared, blameless lord. 2 And so I did indeed see those brahmins the lord had mentioned to me—the sons of Kaushika—in Kurukshetra, son of the river.
3 The seventh of those brahmins became King Brahmadatta. Because of his virtuous behaviour, he was called by the name of Pitrivartin Obedient to the Ancestors. 4 Shuka’s daughter Kritvī gave birth to that prince in the great town of Kāmpilya, after conceiving from Anuha, the most splendid king.
5 Yudhishthira said:
This King Anuha. Whose son was he, and at what time did he live, that supreme pillar of virtue whose son was the famous 6 King Brahmadatta? And how valiant was he? And how did the seventh of the brahmins come to be born as a king? 7 Surely Lord Shuka—the soul of yoga, a master revered by the world—wouldn’t have given away his famous daughter Kritvī to someone who wasn’t very valiant! 8 I want to hear the story of Brahmadatta in detail, brilliant Bhīshma. You must tell it. 9 And you must tell me what Mārkandeya told you about how those brahmins careered from one birth to another.
10 Bhīshma said:
I heard, royal seer, that that king was a contemporary of my grandfather Pratīpa, your majesty.
11 Brahmadatta was the pick of the royal seers: a great king, and a yogi. He understood the language of every creature, and cared for the welfare of every creature. 12 His friend was Gālava, the famous yoga master, who painstakingly mastered the science of pronunciation and learned the texts word by word. And his minister was Kandarīka, the soul of yoga.
13 For the duration of their every birth they were all companions together. There were the same mighty seven, for seven births, just as the great blazing ascetic Mārkandeya said . . .
14 I’ll relate the ancient lineage of the great Brahmadatta Paurava, your majesty. Listen to it.
15 Purumitra’s heir was King Brihadishu, your majesty. Brihadishu’s son was Brihaddhanu Solid-Bow, a very famous and virtuous king who was known as Brihaddharma Solid-Virtue. 16 His son was Satyajit, and his son was Vishvajit, and Vishvajit’s son was Senajit, the lord of the broad earth, 17 and Senajit had four sons who were respected across the world. Ruchira, Shvetakāshya, Mahimnāra, and Vatsa the king of Avanti: these were his children (vatsa), one after another. 18 And Ruchira’s heir was Prithushena, who was very famous, and Prithushena’s heir was Pāra, and then Pāra begat Nīpa. 19 Nīpa had one hundred sons, my boy, great warrior-champions with strong arms and boundless vitality, your supreme majesty. They were called the Nīpas, and each and every one of them was a king.
20 The king in Kāmpilya, who carried the lineage of the Nīpas, boosted their reputation: he was named Samara, and he loved a fight (samara). 21 Samara had three sons called Pura, Pāra, and Sadashva, who knew their most important duties, and the son of Pāra was Prithu. 22 Prithu sired a son endowed with every virtue, who was named Sukrita because of his meritorious (sukrita) behaviour in this world.
And his son was Vibhrāja, 23 and Vibhrāja’s son was the famous king named Anuha, who was Shuka’s son-in-law and Kritvī’s husband, 24 and Anuha’s son was the mighty royal seer Brahmadatta, and his son was Vishvaksena, the bane of his rivals, who was the soul of yoga.
25 Because of his meritorious behaviour here in this world, Vibhrāja is said to have been reborn as Brahmadatta’s son Vishvaksena. 26 Vishvaksena’s son was King Dandasena, and Dandasena’s son was Bhallāta, who was killed by Rādhā’s son Karna years ago. 27 Dandasena’s son Bhallāta was a noble warrior and a credit to his family, but Bhallāta’s son Janamejaya was an idiot. 28 That king of the Nīpas was the king who led them to their doom. Because of him, Ugrāyudha destroyed all the Nīpas.
29 That man Ugrāyudha was arrogant. He was full of pride and took pleasure in his pride. He always liked to misbehave. I killed him in battle.
30 Yudhishthira said:
Whose son was Ugrāyudha, and in which lineage was he born? And why did you kill him? Tell me that.*
31 Bhīshma said:
There was a wise king called Yavīnara, a descendant of Ajamīdha.† His son was Dhritimat, and his son was Satyadhriti, 32 and Satyadhriti’s son was the majestic Dridhanemi, and Dridhanemi’s son was a king called Sudharman, 33 and Sudharman’s son was King Sārvabhauma Worldwide. He was known as Sārvabhauma Worldwide because he was, at that time, the sole sovereign of the world. 34 In his great lineage was born a great scion of the Pauravas: a king called Sannati, who was brave but full of humility (sannati). 35 That King Sannati had a powerful son called Kārta, who attacked and killed Prishata’s grandfather, the leader of the Pānchālas named Nīpa, your majesty. 36 And that very same son of Sannati was known as Ugrāyudha Savage-Weapons, my boy.
Ugrāyudha Savage-Weapons was an imbecile, always making trouble. Powerful, his discus blazing, he annihilated the Nīpas. 37 After killing the Nīpas and other kings in battle he swelled up with pride, and when my father passed away he sent me an outrageous message. 38 As I lay on the surface of the earth surrounded by my companions, supreme king, Ugrāyudha’s messenger came up and delivered these words:
39 Bhīshma, bull of the Kurus. Your mother, Satyavatī Gandhakālī,‡ is a glorious jewel of a woman. Give her to me today, to be my wife. 40 In return I, the possessor of the world’s jewels, will gladly give you troops and a flourishing kingdom, no doubt about it. 44 When my enemies see my invincible discus blazing in battle they flee at the mere sight of it, Bhārata. 41 If you seek what’s good for the realm, for your life, or for your family, then obey my command. For otherwise, you’ll have no peace.
42 He gave me orders while I was lying prostrate on a bed of straw. And the mere words that the messenger conveyed were like tongues of fire. 43 So, having learned of that imbecile’s fantasy, exalted king, I gave an order of my own—to all the marshals of the army, for battle. 45 When I looked over at young Vichitravīrya, who was now totally dependent on me, my body flooded with rage, and I set my heart upon battle.
46 But then, bull of a man, I was restrained by advisers skilled in counsel, by godlike priests, by friends, 47 by those who love me, and by experts in the Shāstras. And when battle was prevented I was given a suitable explanation, impeccable king.
48 The ministers said:
That villain has raised his discus. But master, you’re in a state of impurity. And battle is never the first recourse. 49 Before it comes to that, we’ll try to negotiate on your behalf, and then we’ll try bribery, and then the sowing of dissension.* After that, after you’ve been cleansed of your impurity, and after you’ve saluted the deities, 50 and made offerings into the fires while the brahmins say the right words, then, once the brahmins have given their approval and blessed your path, you’re bound to march out to victory. 51 Missiles may not be cast, nor hostilities commenced, by anyone who’s in a state of impurity: that’s the ruling of the elders. 52 But if you first try negotiation, bribery, and the sowing of dissension, then after that you can attack and kill him, just as Maghavat killed Shambara.†
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p; 53 At the crucial moment one must heed the advice of the wise, and, more particularly, the advice of the elders. So after I’d listened to it, your majesty, I desisted. 54 Then the ones who know the Shāstras employed the entire sequence of strategies, and when the time came, best of the Kurus, we set the last resort in motion. 55 For although the ones who know the Shāstras tried to win him over using negotiation and the other strategies, the imbecile couldn’t be dissuaded from battle.
56 So he raised his discus, intent upon mischief. But it was immediately disarmed, my boy, because of his obsession with someone else’s wife. 57 Although I didn’t realise it, that superb discus of his had already been condemned by the wise, and it was disarmed and destroyed because of his behaviour.
58 After I’d been cleansed and my path had been blessed by the brahmins, I of course came out from the town with my bow and chariot, and I attacked my enemy. 59 And then, once contact had been made, there was a frenzied battle of strength, and of strength in missiles, lasting three days. It was like the battle of the gods and the demons. 60 And when I’d burned that champion with the fire of my missiles in the heat of battle, tamer of the foe, he breathed his last and fell headlong.
61–62 The king of the Nīpas had been slain,* and King Ugrāyudha had been slain, my boy, and at this juncture, with my permission, Drupada’s glorious father Prishata received his own patrimony—the kingdom of Ahichhatra, your majesty—and left Kāmpilya. 63 Soon after that, Arjuna defeated Drupada in battle and gave Ahichhatra and Kāmpilya to Drona, 64 and after receiving them both, Drona the supreme conqueror gave Kāmpilya back to Drupada, as you know.†
65 The lineage has now been narrated to you in full: first the lineage of Brahmadatta and Drupada, and then the lineage of bold Ugrāyudha. 66 And now I’ll tell you the ancient tale that was sung for Mārkandeya at his request by Sanatkumāra, 67–68 after Sanatkumāra had declared that ancestral rites and good deeds always result in rewards.‡
Bhārata, your majesty. Listen to the tale of the chaste yogis—Gālava, and Kandarīka, and the third of them, Brahmadatta—across their seven births.
16. The Killing of the Guru’s Cow
1 Mārkandeya said:
Listen, Bhārata. I’ll describe to you the eventual reward for an ancestral rite, which Brahmadatta obtained over seven births. 2 For when an ancestral rite has been performed in the past, impeccable king, but in violation of virtue, the discernment of virtue still develops as a result of it—but slowly.
3 So now, in Kurukshetra, I saw the same seven brahmins that Sanatkumāra had mentioned. They weren’t particularly virtuous, but they were dutiful to the ancestors. 4 They were Vāgdushta the Insulter, Krodhana the Wrathful, Himsra the Cruel, Pishuna the Untrustworthy, Kavi the Wise, Khasrima, and Pitrivartin Obedient to the Ancestors. Their deeds matched their names. 5 They were the sons of Kaushika, Bhārata my boy, and the disciples of Gārgya. And after their father died, they became collectively responsible for the ancestral rites.
6 Once, at their guru’s command, they all took his lawfully acquired brown milking cow out to graze, together with its calf. 7 Then, Bhārata, when they got hungry along the way, in their folly and ignorance they had the cruel idea of killing that very cow. 8 Kavi and Khasrima implored the other brahmins not to do it, but the two of them weren’t able to stop them. 9 Then Pitrivartin, a dutiful brahmin who always made the daily ancestral offering on their behalf, said to all his brothers in a fury:
10 If this cow really has to be killed, then we should all prepare ourselves, and humbly dedicate her to the ancestors, and kill her in the proper fashion. 11 If we do, the cow will acquire merit, no doubt about it. And because the ancestors have been dutifully honoured, it won’t be a sin.
12 They all agreed to that. Then, Bhārata, they killed the cow, dedicated her to the ancestors, and ate her. 13 After they’d all eaten the cow, they told their guru: The cow’s been killed by a tiger. Here’s the calf.
Taking them at their word, the brahmin took back the calf.
14 After they’d behaved deceitfully and improperly towards their guru, in time all those brahmins came to the end of their lives. 15 And because of their cruelty and their disrespect for their guru, those seven brothers—mean brutes who’d indulged themselves in violence—were then born as the sons of a hunter, my boy.
They were strong, and also wise: 16 because they’d dutifully honoured the ancestors and consecrated the cow, they retained their memory and consciousness in their new life. 17 Born among the Dashārnas as seven hunters versed in virtue, they were all devoted to their own duty, but devoid of greed and falsehood. 18 They killed only as much as they needed to keep themselves alive, and the rest of the time, intent upon virtue, they meditated upon that livelihood of theirs. 19 These were their names, your majesty: Nirvaira the Peaceful, Nirvrita the Tranquil, Kshānta the Patient, Nirmanyu the Dispassionate, Kriti the Productive, Vaighasa the Remainder of the Offering, and Mātrivartin Obedient to his Mother. They were very virtuous hunters.
20 As they lived in the forest in this way, my boy, devoted to their violent duties, they loved their old mother and brought pleasure to their father. 21 And when their mother and father succumbed to the law of time, they hung up their bows and gave up their lives in the forest.
22 They were reborn as deer, on beautiful Mount Kālanjara. Because of that good deed of theirs,* they remembered their former lives. And they worried about the terror and distress they had caused.
23 The deer were named Unmukha with his Head Up, Nityavitrasta the Always Alarmed, Stabdhakarna with his Ears Pricked, Vilochana with his Eyes Peeled, Pandita the Learned, Ghasmara the Hungry, and Nādin the Noisy. 24 Patient, without possessions, and indifferent to the pairs of opposites, they roamed in the woodlands, wondering what precise purpose that memory of their former lives might serve. 25 They roamed in the woodlands as ascetics, all of them equally pure in deeds and moderate in diet. They gave up drinking, and then they gave up their lives. 26 And the footprints they made while they were conquering thirst can be seen on Mount Kālanjara to this very day, exalted Bhārata.
27 Because of that good deed of theirs, my boy, they shed their impurity, passing from pure to purer births. And they became brahminy ducks. 28 Those same seven lived near the water, on a sandy riverbank in a pleasant region. They renounced marital relations,† and they lived in virtue as silent sages. 29 The birds are remembered by name: Sumanas the Gracious, Muni the Sage, Suvāch the Eloquent, Shuddha the Pure, and the fifth was Chhidradarshana the Detector of Defects, and then there were Sunetra the Well-Guided and Svatantra the Self-Willed.
30 In their seventh births the fifth of these was born as Panchika,‡ the sixth became Kandarīka, and the seventh was Brahmadatta. 31 Because of all the asceticism they’d performed during their seven lives, because of the effects of their yoga, and because of their magnificent offering, 32 the sacred knowledge they’d heard in their gurus’ houses in previous lives remained with them as they moved through their rebirths.
33 While they were birds, they all observed chastity. Roaming around the place as they pleased, they passed their time concentrating on the practice of yoga. 34 And while those birds were living there together, Vibhrāja the Radiant, lord of the Nīpas and king of the Paurava lineage, 35 entered that forest. Radiating beauty, streaming with majesty, and surrounded by his queens, he was splendid.
36 When Svatantra the brahminy duck saw the king arriving full of splendour, he was jealous of him. He said: May I become like that, 37 if any of my austerities or observances have been done well. For I’m sick of fasts and austerities that yield no reward.
17. The Cursing of the Birds
1 Mārkandeya said:
At this, two of his brahminy-duck companions said to him: We could be your two attendants, and strive for your pleasure and benefit.
2 Svatantra, who had been intent on yoga, agreed to this, and made up his mind. And thus they made a deal.
Suvāch said to him: 3 Since you’re prioritisi
ng pleasure and wasting your yoga merit by seeking something trivial as your reward, you should heed my words. 4 You’ll become a king, my boy, in the capital city of Kāmpilya. And these two will be your friends and attendants.
5 The four birds cursed and pronounced upon the three who wanted to obtain a kingdom, and made them succumb to their transgression.*6 The three birds who’d been cursed lost their way and stopped doing their yoga. The three of them asked their four companions for help, 7 and won their favour. So now, with the permission of all four, Sumanas told them the result of that favour:
8 Your curse will come to an end, no doubt about it. After falling from here and becoming human beings, you’ll regain your yoga habit. 9 And Svatantra here will become someone who understands the language of every creature, for we only won the favour of the ancestors because of what he did. 10 Since we dutifully consecrated the cow, the ancestors are looking after us: we all have access to knowledge, which is an aid to yoga. 11 So you’ll regain your yoga habit, after you’ve heard a third party speak the single verse that brings the evidence together.
18. King Brahmadatta and the Brahmins
1 Mārkandeya said:
So, while the seven water-birds were absorbed in the practice of yoga, shrinking their bodies by living only on wind and water, 2 King Vibhrāja took a walk in the forest surrounded by his queens, radiating beauty, like Indra Maghavat taking a walk in his own pleasure-grove. 3 Being observant, he observed that those birds were devoted to the practice of yoga. And after thinking the matter over, he went back to the town disaffected with worldly affairs.
4 He had a son called Anuha, who was very proper, and who always took pleasure in the details (anu) of the law. Anuha came of age, 5 and Shuka gave him his daughter Kritvī. She had admirable qualities. She was filled with the virtues of honesty and integrity, and always devoted to the practice of yoga. 6 Indeed, previously, in my presence, wise Sanatkumāra had described that glorious woman as a daughter of the ancestors, Bhīshma.*7 Supreme among those who uphold the virtue of truth, and incomprehensible to those who haven’t mastered themselves, she was yoga incarnate, the wife of yoga incarnate, and also the mother of yoga incarnate. It’s just as I told you earlier, while listing the offspring of the ancestors.
Krishna's Lineage Page 11