by Bibek Debroy
‘“He 948 informed the father everything about the prince’s views. The father summoned the brahmana Richika and other excellent brahmanas. With the prince also present, he informed them about the incident. After having reported the account, he told the sages, ‘The excellent brahmanas should now decide what should be done.’ The rishis said, ‘O prince! If you are attracted to this daughter of a vaishya, it will be accepted as dharma, 949 but this has to be carried out in the proper way. The first acceptance of a hand in marriage must be with the daughter of a person whose head has been sprinkled. 950 Once that has been done, she can become your wife. If you enjoy her in that way, there will be no sin. Otherwise, there will be a transgression. You must protect your position by first having a superior wife.’ He 951 disregarded the words the great-souled ones had spoken. He seized her, unsheathed his sword and exclaimed, ‘I have abducted the vaishya’s daughter under the rakshasa form of marriage. 952 If there is anyone who possesses the strength, let him free her.’ O brahmana! The vaishya saw that his daughter had been seized. He quickly sought refuge with the father and pleaded, ‘Save her.’ Enraged, the father instructed his large army. ‘Kill him. The wicked Nabhaga has defiled dharma. Kill him.’ A battle then started between him and the king’s soldiers. He was accomplished in the use of weapons and with those weapons, he brought down many. Hearing that the soldiers had been killed by the prince, the king himself went out to fight, surrounding himself with his own soldiers. A battle followed between the king and his own son. The prince was superior to his father in the use of shastras and astras.
‘“Suddenly, the sage Parivrat 953 arrived, descending from the sky. He told the lord of the earth, ‘Refrain from this battle. O immensely fortunate one! O great-souled one! Your son has acted against dharma. O king! It is not dharma for you to fight with a vaishya. A brahmana must first marry a wife from among brahmanas. After that, a brahmana can have a wife from any of the varnas and no harm will be done. Similarly, a kshatriya’s first wife must be from among daughters of kshatriyas. O king! If he has wives from lower varnas later, he does not deviate from his own dharma. A vaishya must first have a vaishya wife and can marry from a shudra lineage later. If one acts properly in the due order, the vaishya’s family does not suffer. O king! If brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaishyas do not have wives from their own varnas first, but marry others instead, such marriages bring about their downfall. If a person first accepts a hand from a lower varna, without marrying from his own varna first, he assumes that inferior varna. Thus, this extremely evil-minded son of yours has become a vaishya. He no longer possesses the right to fight with a kshatriya like you. O descendant of a king! We do not know of any reason why this battle should continue. Therefore, desist.’”’
Chapter 111
‘Markandeya said, “At this, the king refrained from fighting with his own son. His son married the daughter of the vaishya. After becoming a vaishya, he approached the king and asked, ‘O lord of the earth! Instruct me about what will be my task.’ The king replied, ‘Babhravya and the other ascetics know about the rights dharma confers. They will tell you about the tasks dharma allows you to perform. Act accordingly.’ The sages told the assembly, ‘Animal husbandry, agriculture and trade represent supreme dharma for him.’ The king’s son did what he had been asked to do. Since he had deviated from his own dharma, he followed the dharma that had been instructed by those who knew about dharma.
‘“He had a son who became known by the name of Bhalandana. His mother told him, ‘O son! Go and become a cowherd.’ Having been thus engaged by his mother, he prostrated himself before his own mother. He then went to the royal sage, Nipa, who lived in the Himalaya mountains. Having approached him, as is decreed, he touched his feet. Prostrating himself before the royal sage, Bhalandana said, ‘O illustrious one! My mother has asked me to be a cowherd. Since I am capable of protecting the earth, how can I accept her words? 954 If I accept the task of protecting cattle, this earth of mine will be attacked by powerful heirs. O lord! Through your favours, I will get this earth back from them. I am prostrating myself before you and I will act in accordance with whatever you command me to do.’ O brahmana! At this, the royal sage, Nipa, conferred on the great-souled Bhalandana the knowledge of all weapons. O brahmana! Having obtained knowledge of weapons, as instructed by the great-souled one, 955 he went to his uncle’s sons, Vasurata and the other sons. As his father deserved, he asked for half of the ancestral kingdom. But they said, ‘You are the son of a vaishya. How can you enjoy the earth?’ A battle commenced between Bhalandana and others from his own lineage, Vasurata and the others. He was angry and used his knowledge of weapons to counter their shower of weapons. He mangled all their soldiers with his weapons and defeated them. The one who knew about dharma followed dharma in the battle and won over the earth from them. Having defeated the enemies, he offered the entire earth and the kingdom to his father. But his father did not accept it. In the presence of his wife, he replied to his son. Nabhaga said, ‘O Bhalandana! 956 This kingdom was created by our ancestors. I did not create this kingdom. That wasn’t because of my former lack of ability. I did not follow my father’s commands and preferred to become a vaishya. By marrying the daughter of a vaishya, I caused displeasure to my father. Until everything is submerged in the flood, as a king, I cannot obtain the auspicious worlds. Then again, if I ignore his command and rule over the earth, I will certainly not be entitled to emancipation for one hundred kalpas. Moreover, I am proud and cannot enjoy a kingdom that has been conquered by the strength of your arms. That will be like a weak and inferior person enjoying it. O son! Therefore, enjoy the kingdom yourself, or give it to your heirs. It is better for me to follow my father’s command and not rule over the kingdom.’
‘“At this, his beautiful wife, named Suprabha, laughed. She replied to her husband, ‘O lord of the earth! Accept this prosperous kingdom. O king! You are not a vaishya. Nor have I been born in a vaishya’s lineage. You are a kshatriya and I have also been born in the lineage of a kshatriya. Earlier, there was a king who was known by the name of Sudeva. He had a friend, King Dhumrashva’s son, Nala. Along with this friend, he went to a grove full of mango trees. O king! It was the month of Madhava 957 and along with their wives, they amused themselves. They ate a lot and they drank a lot. He was with his friend and their wives were with them. On the banks of a pond, they saw an extremely beautiful lady. She was the daughter of a king and the wife of Chyavana’s son, Pramati. In a state of intoxication, his evil-minded friend, Nala, seized her. While the king 958 looked on, she exclaimed, ‘Save me! Save me!’ Hearing her screams, her husband, Pramati, quickly arrived there and asked, ‘What is this?’ He saw that while his wife had been seized by the extremely evil-souled Nala, while King Sudeva was present. Pramati told Sudeva, ‘Punish him. O king! In this kingdom, you are the one who rules. This Nala is wicked.’ Sudeva heard her miserable screams and those words, but did not wish to dishonour Nala. He said, ‘I am a vaishya. So that you may be saved, go elsewhere, to a kshatriya.’ Pramati blazed in his energy and seemed to burn him down in rage. He replied to the king. Pramati said, ‘What you have said is exactly true. You are a vaishya. A person who saves others from injuries is a kshatriya. You are a vaishya. As long as a kshatriya wields his weapons, no screams of affliction are heard. Therefore, you are no kshatriya. O worst of your lineage! Become a vaishya.’”’
Chapter 112
‘Markandeya said, “O brahmana! Pramati Bhargava invoked that curse on Nala, seeming to burn down the three worlds in his rage. He said, ‘You arrived in a state of intoxication and insolence in my hermitage and seized my wife by force. Therefore, you will soon be reduced to ashes.’ As soon as he spoke these words, a fire emerged from his 959 body and reduced Nala to ashes. On witnessing his powers, Sudeva lost his state of intoxication. He prostrated himself before him and said, ‘You should forgive me. Please forgive me. O illustrious one! Because I was intoxicated from drinking liquor, I spoke those words. Please be pacified and
forgive me. Please take back the curse.’ After Nala had been burnt down, Pramati Bhargava lost his rage and his mind was no longer disturbed. Pacified in this way, he replied, ‘The words that I spoke cannot be falsified. However, since I am pleased with you, I will show you a great favour. There is no doubt that you will become a vaishya. But in that very life, you will soon give up the state of a vaishya and become a kshatriya again. That will happen when someone born as a kshatriya forcibly seizes your daughter. When that seizure happens, on your own, you will change back from being a vaishya to being a kshatriya. O lord of the earth! In this way, my father, Sudeva became a vaishya. O immensely fortunate one! Hear everything about who I am. In the Gandhamadana mountains, there was a royal sage named Suratha. He was an ascetic and controlled in his diet. He had given up all attachment and had retired to the forest. He saw a sharika bird fall down to the ground from the mouth of a hawk. Because of his compassion, the great-souled one immediately lost his senses. When he regained his senses, I was generated from his body. On seeing me, his heart was filled with affection and he accepted me. The lord said, “My daughter was born when I was filled with compassion. Therefore, her name will be Kripavati.” 960 I grew up in the hermitage. Day and night, I roamed around in the forest, along with friends who were like me. The sage Agastya had a famous brother. He was wandering around in the forest, looking for flowers and my friends enraged him. 961 Therefore, he invoked a curse. “Since you have addressed me as a vaishya, I am cursing you that you will become a vaishya.” When the sage said this, I tried to pacify him. “O supreme among brahmanas! I have not committed a crime against you. Why are you cursing me because of a crime someone else has committed?” The rishi replied, “Someone who is not wicked becomes wicked by association with those who are wicked. It is like a pot filled with the five products from a cow 962 becoming polluted when a drop of liquor falls into it. However, you prostrated yourself and said that you had not committed a crime. O child! You have pleased me and I will show you my favours. Listen to what I will do. When you are born as a vaishya and instruct your son about accepting the kingdom, you will get back the memory of your past life. At that time, along with your husband, you will again become a kshatriya. With your husband, you will then obtain the right to enjoy all the divine objects of pleasure.” O Indra among kings! In this way, I was formerly cursed by the maharshi. Earlier, my father had been cursed by Pramati. O king! Thus, you are not a vaishya and my father is also not a vaishya. Since I am not tainted, how can you become tainted because of your association with me? I am not degraded.’”’
Chapter 113
‘Markandeya said, “The king knew about dharma. Hearing her words and those of his son, he again spoke to his wife and son. ‘I will no longer accept a kingdom that I have given up on my father’s instructions. Why are you speaking futile words? Why are you causing me this hardship? In my vow of being a vaishya, I will pay you taxes. As you wish, enjoy the entire kingdom, or give it up.’ Hearing his father’s words, Prince Bhalandana accepted a wife and following dharma, ruled over the kingdom. O brahmana! His wheel was not obstructed anywhere on earth. His mind was never attracted to adharma and all the kings came under his subjugation. Following the ordinances, he performed many sacrifices and ruled over the earth properly. He chastised the enemies and was alone the lord of the earth. He had a son known by the name of Vatsapri. That great-souled one surpassed his father in his store of qualities. His wife was Sounanda, Viduratha’s daughter. The immensely fortunate one was devoted to her husband. He obtained her through his valour, after killing Kujrimbha, the lord of the daityas and Purandara’s enemy.”’
‘Kroushtuki asked, “O illustrious one! How did he kill Kujrimbha and obtain her? O one who possesses a pleasant mind! Please describe that account to me.”
‘Markandeya replied, “There was a king named Viduratha, famous on earth because of his deeds. He had two sons, Suniti and Sumati. Once, Viduratha went to the forest on a hunt. He saw an extremely large pit. It was as if the earth’s mouth was gaping open. On seeing this, he started to think. ‘What is this dreadful thing? For a very long time, this cannot possibly have belonged to earth. I think that this pit must be the gate to Patala.’ While he was thinking like this in that desolate forest, he saw a brahmana ascetic named Suvrata approach. In surprise, the king showed him the pit and asked, ‘What is this? In this forest, what is this extremely deep hole?’ The rishi replied, ‘O lord of the earth! Why don’t you know this? In my view, an Indra among men must know everything that is to be known on the surface of the earth. An extremely valiant and fierce danava resides in Rasatala. He makes the earth yawn and therefore, he is known as Kujrimbha. 963 All the contrary deeds done on earth and heaven are his work. O lord of men! How is it that you have not heard of him? In ancient times, Tvashta built a mace named Sounanda. The evil-souled one seized it and uses it to kill his enemies in battle. Inside Patala, the asura uses it to shatter the earth and create entries for all the asuras. He has used the mace Sounanda to shatter the earth here. Without defeating him, how can you enjoy the entire earth? The fierce and powerful one uses the mace as a weapon to obstruct the sacrifices of the gods and nourish the daityas. This enemy is hidden in Patala. When you kill him, you will truly be the supreme lord and emperor of the earth. People speak of the mace as being strong. However, those who are discriminating know that it is both strong and weak. O king! When it is touched by a woman, on that day, it loses all its energy. But on the second day, it regains all its energy. 964 The one who is wicked in conduct does not know this about the mace’s powers. It is tainted because its energy is destroyed when it is touched by the tip of a woman’s hand. O lord of the earth! I have thus described to you the evil-souled danava’s strength and also about the mace. Now that you have been told, act accordingly. O lord of the earth! He has created this giant pit near your city. How can you have this false sense of security?’ Saying this, he departed and the lord of the earth left for his city. As he had heard, he told his ministers everything about the mace’s powers and about how its energy could be pacified. The lord of the earth consulted with his ministers about what could be done. Standing by his side, his daughter, Mudavati, heard everything.
‘“The daughter had already attained youth. After a few days, surrounded by her friends, she went to a grove and Kujrimbha abducted her from there. Hearing this, the king’s eyes filled with rage. His two sons were acquainted with the forest and he told them, ‘Go there quickly. There is a pit on the banks of the Nirvindhya. Use that to go down to Rasatala and kill the evil-minded one who has abducted Mudavati.’ With their own soldiers, those two angry sons reached the pit. They followed his footsteps and fought with Kujrimbha. Using clubs, swords, spears, javelins, battleaxes and arrows, there was an incessant and extremely terrible battle between them. With the power of maya, the daitya captured the two princes in the battle and killed all the soldiers. O supreme among sages! Hearing that his sons had been captured, the lord of the earth was struck by great grief and told his own soldiers, ‘If anyone kills the daitya and frees my sons, I will bestow my large-eyed daughter on him.’ O sage! Giving up all hopes of his sons being freed from the bondage, the king had this announced in his own city. Bhalandana’s son, Vatsapri, heard this announcement being made. The powerful one was accomplished in the use of weapons and was valiant. The excellent king was a great friend of his father’s. Arriving and humbly greeting him, he said, ‘Quickly command me. I will free your two sons and your daughter. I will use my energy to slay the daitya.’ The king happily embraced the son of his beloved friend and said, ‘O child! Go and be successful in your objective. Had my son been in your place, he would have done exactly that. O child! Swiftly do what your mind is urging you to do.’ The brave one armed himself with his sword and bow and quickly donned fingerguards made out of lizard skin. Using the pit, he swiftly went down to Patala. The son of a king fiercely twanged his bowstring and filled all of Patala with that sound. Kujrimbha, lord of danavas, heard this sou
nd and arrived, filled with great rage and surrounded by his own soldiers. There was a battle between him and the son of the king. One set of powerful soldiers fought against another set of powerful soldiers. The danava fought with him for three days. After that, his heart filled with great rage, he rushed to fetch the mace. O immensely fortunate one! Constructed by Prajapati, 965 it was kept in the inner quarters and worshipped with fragrances, garlands and incense. Mudavati knew about the powers of the mace. She bent down and touched that excellent mace with her head. Before the great asura could seize the mace, the auspicious lady bent down and touched it several times, under the pretext of worshipping it. With the mace, the lord of asuras went out to fight. However, all attempts to bring down the mace on the enemy were unsuccessful. O sage! The supreme weapon, the mace Sounanda, was devoid of energy. In the battle, the daitya then started to fight with the enemy using other astras and shastras. But the asura could not counter the astras and shastras used by the prince. His strength was in the mace and that had been neutralized by the slender-limbed one. The son of the king repulsed the danava’s astras and shastras and deprived him of his chariot. The enemy of Indra of the gods was filled with great anger and again attacked with a sword and a shield. As he descended, the prince killed him with an agneyastra that was like the fire of destruction in its radiance. Wounded severely in the heart by the agneyastra, the life of the enemy of the gods left his body. Immediately, there were great festivities among the great serpents who resided at the extremities of Rasatala. Flowers were showered down on the son of the lord of the earth. The lords of the gandharvas sang and the musical instruments of the gods were sounded.