Reading section 20

Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded the king called to his memory his former condition and was wrapt in meditation and felt humiliation. With a broken heart he went away from the city and falling dead in a desert he was again born as a jackal. In the following year the princess, again by knowledge, perceived that he was born as a jackal and went to the mount Kotahala to find him out. Finding him there the beautiful daughter of the king thus spoke to her lord as a jackal—"O king, dost thou not remember thy conversation with the heretic which I called to thy memory, when thou wast a dog?" Thus accosted the king perceived what the princess had said was true. Thereupon he abstained from eating and died. He was then born as a wolf but his wife repairing to a lonely forest again called back to the recollection of her husband his former state. "O noble lord, thou art not a wolf but the king Satadhanu. Thou wast born as a dog, then as a jackal and thou hast been born as a wolf".

Parāçara said:—Upon thus recollecting his former state the king renounced his life and was born again as a vulture. His loving queen again found him in that state called back to his memory his former condition. "O king" she cried out, "remember thy true self—do thou renounce this ugly form to which thou hast been condemned by the sin consequent upon thy conversing with a heretic". The king was next born as a crow and the princess making him out by virtue of her knowledge of the pristine birth thus spoke to her lord "O lord, thou art now being born as a crow eating the tributary grain, to whom, in a previous birth, all other kings paid tribute".

Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded of his former birth the king renounced the body and was born again as a peacock. Thereupon the beautiful princess began to pet him and feed him with such food as is agreeable to the peacocks. Thereupon the king, Janaka, undertook the celebration of a mighty horse sacrifice. In the ablutions with which it ended the princess caused his peacock to be bathed, bathing also herself. She then reminded Shatadhanu how he had been successively born as various animals. One recollecting this he renounced his life. He was then born as the son of the high-souled king Janaka.

Then the princess, having a slender person, expressed her desire to her father to be wedded. Her father too announced for a Swayambara. When all had assembled at that meeting that chaste damsel found out her (former) lord and again elected him as her husband. The prince lived happily with her and on the death of her father ruled over the country of Videha. He celebrated many sacrifices and distributed many gifts and begot sons and defeated many enemies in war. Having ruled duly and cherished the earth that king renounced his life in battle as became the warrior caste. The princess again followed him in death and in agreement with sacred precepts once more mounted cheerfully his funeral pyre. Thereupon the king, with the princess, attained to the regions beyond the region of Indra, where all desires are for ever satisfied, obtaining eternal and unequalled bliss in heaven, the consummate happiness that is the reward of conjugal fidelity which is hardly attained.

I have thus described to you, O Maitreya, the sin consequent upon conversing with a heretic and effects of bathing after the solemn sacrifice of a horse. A man should therefore carefully avoid the conversation or coming in contact with a heretic especially at seasons of devotion and when engaged in the performance of the religious rites before a sacrifice. The prudent should look at the sun after seeing a person in whose house domestic ceremonies have been neglected for a month. And there is the greatest need of expiation if they meet persons who live upon other's rice and who have wholly abandoned the Vedas and who dispute the doctrines of sacred writings. A man should not even talk with heretics, those who do forbidden acts, pretended saints, scoundrels, sceptics and hypocrites; communication with such sinful wretches ever at a distance, all association with schismatics pollutes a man; a man should therefore carefully avoid them.

These are the persons, O Maitreya, called naked, the meaning of which term you wanted me to explain. If they witness a Srāddha ceremony that becomes fruitless—communication with whom spoils the piety of one day. These are the heretics with whom the wise should not converse—and speaking to whom destroys the virtue he might have obtained that day. Men fall into hell if they converse with them who uselessly assume the twisted hair and shaven head, who eat without offering food to gods, spirits and guest and those who do not offer cakes and libation of water to their manes.

THE END OF PART III.

PART IV.

SECTION I.

Maitreya said:—"O venerable sir, you have described to me the permanent and occasional observances to be observed by those pious individuals who are diligent in their devotions. You have also described to me the duties which appertain to several castes and several orders of men. I wish you to relate to me now the dynasties of the kings who have ruled over the earth".

Parāçara said:— Hear O Maitreya, I shall describe to you the family of Manu beginning with Brahmā and comprising a number of pious, high-minded and heroic princes; It is said, that never does his family become extinct who daily calls to his mind the family of Manu springing from Brahmā. Hear, therefore, O Maitreya, an account of the origin of his family, hearing which all sins shall be removed.

From the mundane egg originated Brahmā, who was Hiranyagarbha, the form of that supreme Brahmā which consists of Vishnu as identical with Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas—the first, uncreated cause of all worlds. From the right thumb of Brahmā originated the Patriarch Daksha whose daughter was Aditi, who was the mother of the sun. From the sun sprang Manu whose sons were Ikshawaku, Nriga, Dwrishta, Saryati, Narishyanta, Pransu, Nabhaga, Nedishta, Karusha, and Prishadhra. Being desirous of having offspring formerly Manu celebrated a sacrifice in honour of Mitra and Varuna; but the ceremony being unsuccessful on account of some irregularity from the presiding priest a daughter Ilā was born. But by the mercy of the two deities however, her sex was changed and she became a man under the name of Sudyumna. And he again became a woman under an imprecation (from Siva) near the hermitage of Buddha, the son of the moon.

One day while she was walking near the hermitage of Buddha, he became attached to her and begot on her a son named Pururavas. After his birth, the noble Rishis, desiring to restore Sudyumna to his sex, prayed to the glorious Vishnu who is the essence of the four Vedas, of mind, of every thing and of nothing and who is the sacrificed male. By his mercy Ilā once more became Sudyumna, in which character he had three sons, Utkala, Gaya and Vinata.

On account of his having been formerly born a female he did not receive any portion of his paternal kingdom. His father however at the request of Vasistha conferred upon him the city of Pratishtā, and he gave it to Pururavas.

Of the other sons of Manu, Prishadhra, on account of the sin consequent upon slaying a cow, was degraded to the condition of a Sudra. From Karusha sprang the heroic persons named Kārushas. The son of Nedistha, named Nābhaga became a Vaiçya; his son was Bhalandana, whose son was the well-known Vatsapri; his son was Pransu, whose son was Prajani, whose son was Khanitra, whose son was the brave Chakshupa, whose son was Vinsa, whose son was Vivinsati, whose son was Khaninetra, whose son was the powerful, rich, and heroic Karandhama, whose son was Avikshit, whose son was the powerful Marutta, regarding whom this celebrated verse is recited—"Who else on this earth has been able to celebrate a sacrifice like one celebrated by Marutta?" All the implements and utensils were made of gold. Indra was intoxicated with the drinking of Soma juice and all the Brāhmans were greatly pleased on having liberal presents. In his sacrifice the winds were the guards and the other celestials were the courtiers. Marutta was a lord paramount; he had a son named Narishyanta; his son was Dama; his son was Rayavarddana; his son was Suddhriti; his son was Nara; his son was Kevala; his son was Banduhmat; his son was Vegavat; his son was Budha; his son was Trinavindu, who had a daughter under name of Ilavita. Being enamored of Trinavindhu, the nymph Alambushā bore him a son named Visāla by whom the city Vaisāli was founded.

Vinata had a son whose name was Hemchandra; his son was Suchandra; his son was Dhumraswa; his son was Srinjaya; his son was Sahadeva; his son was Krisaswa; his son was Somadatta, who performed ten times the sacrifice of a horse; his son was Janemajaya, whose son was Sunati. These kings are known as Vaisālas, of them it is said—"By the mercy of Trinavindhu all the kings of Vaisāli were long-lived, magnanimous and just and brave".

Saryati had a daughter named Sukanyā. Chyavana married her. He had a pious son named Anartta, who had a son called Revata who governed the country called after the name of his father Anartta and lived at the capital called Kusasthali. The son of this king was Raivata or Kakudmin, the eldest of a hundred bretheren. He had a daughter named Revati. He repaired with her to the region of Brahmā to consult with the god springing from lotus upon whom to confer her. When he reached there the Gandharvas, Haha and Huha, were singing before Brahmā and Raviata waited till they had finished. And the ages passed away during the performance seemed to him as a moment. When they had finished singing Raivata laid himself low before Brahmā and asked him about a fit bridegroom. Brahmā said—"Whom should you wish for a son-in-law?" And bowing again Raivata mentioned to him various persons whom he liked. Nodding his head smiling graciously Brahmā said to him—"Of those whom you have mentioned there is no trace of their family on earth Many ages have passed away whilst you were listening to the songs of Gandharvas. Now the twenty-eighth great age of the present Manu is well-nigh gone. Kali is fast approaching. You alone give away this jewel of a daughter to somebody; all thy friends, ministers, servants, wife, kinsmen, armies, wealth have along since been taken away by the hand of Time".

That king, being terrified again, said, bowing, to Brahmā "O lord, such being the circumstance, upon whom shall I confer this daughter?" Thereupon nodding, the preceptor of the seven worlds—the god, whose throne is lotus, said to the king, standing humbly before—"The being, whose beginning, middle or end we do not know, who exists in all, who is the creator, whose real and infinite nature and essence we do not know is (Vishnu). His power cannot be measured by time, consisting of moments and hours and years; he has no birth or death—all objects are his form—he is eternal—he has no form or name. By the mercy of that imperishable being I am the agent of creation—Rudra is the agent of destruction and Vishnu is the agent of preservation. He, assuming my form creates the universe; in his own essence he provides for its duration; in the form of Rudra he devours all things; and with the body of Ananta he upholds them, In the person of Indra and other celestials he protects mankind and as the sun and moon he dispels darkness. Assuming the nature of fire he bestows warmth and maturity, and in that of earth he nourishes all beings. In the shape of air he gives activity, in the shape of water he gives satisfaction and in the shape of sky he provides space for all objects. He, being creator, creates himself; he, being preserver, preserves himself; he, being destroyer, destroys his own universal form. He is imperishable; there is nothing distinct from him. In him is the world; he is the world; and he, the primeval self-born, is again present in the world. O king, the glorious Vishnu has incarnated a portion of himself on earth. O king, your picturesque city Kusasthali, like the city of Indra, is now called Dwārakā. There reigns a portion of Kesava in the person of Baladeva. O king, confer this daughter of thine upon him, who appears under the guise of a man. He is an excellent bridegroom for this gem of a daughter and she is a fit bride".

Parāçara said:—Being thus advised by the deity springing from lotus, the king returned to earth and beheld mankind, greatly reduced in size and vigour and weakened in intellect. Thereupon that king, having incomparable wisdom, repairing to his own city Kusathali which he saw greatly changed, gave his daughter to Baladeva whose breast was as fair and radiant as crystal. And beholding that damsel of excessive height the king, whose banner is a palm tree, shortened her with the end of his ploughshare. Being thus shortened she became like other women. Balarāma thus married duly Revali, the daughter of Raivata. And the king, too giving away daughter, retired to the mountain Himalaya and engaged in penances with a subdued mind.

SECTION II.

Whilst Kakudmin Raivata was absent in the region of Brahmā, Rākshasas named Punyjanas devastated his capital Kusasthali. His hundred brothers, afraid of the enemies, fled in different directions and their descendants the Kshatriyas settled all over the country.

From Dhristha originated the Kshatriya race of Dharshtaka; the son of Nabhaga was Nābhaga; his son was Ambarisa; his son was Virupa; his son was Prishadāswa; his son was Rathinara, of whom it is said—"These princes of Rathinara family, although Kshatriyas by birth, were called Angerasas or sons of Angera and were Brāhmans and Kshatriyas".

As Manu was sneezing Ikshawku was born from his nostril. He had a hundred sons of whom the three well-known were Vikukshi, Nimi and Danda. These and fifty under Sakuni were the rulers of the north. Forty-eight were the rulers of the south.

Being engaged in the celebration of an ancestral rite upon Ashtaka day Ikshawku ordered Vikukshi to bring him flesh suitable for the offering. The prince, therefore, went into woods and slew many a deer and other wild animals for the purpose. Being exhausted with hunting he was hungry; accordingly he sat down and ate a hare. And being refreshed he carried the rest of the game to his father. Vaisishtha, the family priest of Ikshawakus, was invited to consecrate the food; but he said that it was impure on account of Vikuksh's having eaten a hare from amongst it. Being thus informed by his spiritual preceptor the father abandoned his son who, in consequence thereof, received the epithet Sasāda (hare-eater). On the demise of his father he piously ruled over the earth. A son, Puranjaya by name, was born to him.

There took place a dreadful conflict in the Treta yuga between the gods and demons in which the former were defeated. They accordingly repaired to Vishnu for help and propitiated him by their adorations. Being propitiated the primeval deity, the eternal ruler of the universe, Nārāyana said to them—"What you have desired is known to me. Hear how your desires shall be fulfilled. There is a foremost Kshatriya king named Puranjaya, son of the royal saint Sasāda. Infusing a portion of myself into his body I shall descend on earth and slay all the demons. Do you so endeavour that Putanjaya might engage in the work of the destruction of Asuras". Hearing those words the celestials bowed unto the glorious Vishnu and went to Paranjaya and addressed him, saying, "O foremost of Kshatriyas, we have come to thee to secure thy help in the destruction of our enemies in which we have been engaged. It will not behove thee to neglect our friendship who have come here". Being thus addressed Puranjaya said—"If Indra, the lord of the three worlds, the king of you all, who is known as the performer of hundred sacrifices, agrees to carry me upon his shoulders, I shall then fight with your enemies and help you". The celestials and Indra immediately said "so be it".

Thereupon Satakratu assumed the shape of a bull and the king mounted upon his shoulder. And being invigorated by the power of the undecaying God, the lord of all moveable and and immoveable things, he slew all the Asuras in the battle between the gods and demons. And in consequence of his destroying the Asura army whilst seated upon the hump of the bull he obtained the appellation Kakutstha. The son of Kakutstha was Anenas, whose son was Pritha, whose son was Viswagaswa, whose son was Arda, whose son was Yuvanāswa, whose son was Sravasta, by whom the city of Srāvasti was founded. The son of Sravasta was Vrihadawa whose son was Kuvalayaswa. This prince, invigorated by the energy of Vishnu, slew the Asura Dhundhu, who had disturbed the pious sage Uttanka, and he was accordingly named Dhundhumara (slayer of Dhundhu). Whilst fighting with the demon he was attended by his twenty one thousand sons, who all, with the exception of three, were consumed by the fiery breath of Dhundhu. These three Were Dhridhāswa, Chandrāswa and Kapilāswa. The son of Dhridhāswa was Baryāswa, whose son was Nikumbha, whose son was Sanhataswa, whose son was Krisāswa, whose son was Basenajit, whose son was another Yuvanāswa.

Being aggrieved in consequence of having no son he lived in the hermitage of saints. And being worked up with compassion of sages engaged in the performance of a religious ceremony for this offspring. When half the night had passed away they finished the ceremony and having placed a vessel of consecrated water upon the altar they slept.

When they had slept the king, distressed with thirst, entered the cottage and did not like to disturb the rishis. He then drank the water in the vessel consecrated and rendered efficacious by sacred texts.

When the Rishis got up in the morning, they said—"Who has drunk this consecrated water? Drinking this the wife of the king Yuvanāswa would have given birth to a valiant son". Hearing this the king said—"I have unknowingly drunk this water".

Accordingly a child was conceived in the belly of Yuvanāswa; it grew and in proper time it ripped open the right side of the king and was born. But the king did not die. The son being born the Rishis said—"Who will be its nurse". There appeared the king of the celestials and said "He shall have me for his nurse (mamayan dhāsyati)". He was thence called Māndhāta. Indra put his fore-finger into the mouth of the infant, who sucked it and drew it from heavenly nectar. And he grew up and became a powerful king and brought the seven continents into his subjection. It is said of him "From the rising of the setting sun all that is lighted by his rays is the land of Māndhāta the son of Yuvanāswa".

Māndhāta married Vindumati, the daughter of Sasāvindu end begot on her three sons Purukutsa, Ambarisha and Muchukunda; he had also fifty daughters.

An ascetic, named Saubhari, versed in Rig Veda lived in the waters for twelve years. There lived a huge fish, who was the sovereign, named Sammada, He had a numerous progeny. His children and grand children used to sport around him in all directions and he lived happily amongst them, playing with them day night before the ascetic. Being disturbed in his devotions that ascetic, in the waters, beholding the sport of the king of fish with his children and grand children, thought within himself—"Blessed is the being, who, although born in a degraded state, is sporting with his children and grand children. This has created envy in me and I wish to sport with my children and grand children". Having thus made up his mind the ascetic speedily came up from the water and being desirous of becoming a householder went to Māndhāta to demand one of his daughters as his wife.

Thereupon hearing of the arrival of the sage the king rose up from his seat and worshipped him with libation. Having taken a seat Saubhari said to the king—"I have made up my mind to marry. Do you, O king, give me one of your daughters as a wife. Don't disappoint my love. If any one comes to the race of Kakutstha with a desire he does not go back disappointed. O king, there are many other sovereigns on this earth who have got daughters; but thy family is renowned above all in granting liberal gifts to them who come with that purpose. O king, you have got fifty daughters—confer one of them upon me so that I may be relieved from the anxiety I feel in consequence of the fear that my request may not be granted".

Parāçara said—Hearing the words of the sage and beholding his body worn out with infirmities (he did not like to satisfy his desire)—but afraid of an imprecation he much disturbed in mind and lowering his head thought some time. The Rishi said—"What are you meditating upon, O king? I have not asked for any such thing which you cannot give. Your daughter must be given to somebody. But if you fulfill my desires what is there that cannot obtained by you?" Thereupon the king; afraid of his displeasure, said—"O illustrious sir, such is the practice in our family, that daughters must be given to such fitting persons as they shall themselves select. I did never expect that such a request would come from you—I do not know why such a desire has taken place in your mind. This has created perplexity in me and I am at a loss what to do". Hearing that the sage thought within himself—"This is merely an indirect way of not yielding to my request, I am an old man, having no attractions for women and his daughters will not accept me. Whatever it may be, I shall to that". Thinking thus, the sage said to Māndhāta—"If such be the custom of your family—give orders that I may be admitted into the interior of your palace. If any one of your daughters selects me I shall take her as my wife—if none of them be willing, I shall desist from such an attempt considering that I am too old for it". Having said this the sage was silent.

Being afraid of the imprecation of the sage, the king ordered the eunuch to conduct him to the inner apartment. As he entered, he assumed a form of beauty far exceeding that of men or gods. Addressing the princesses his guide said to them—"Your father, young ladies, sends this pious sage to you who wanted of him a bride. And the king has promised that he will give her to him who will select him". Hearing these words the princesses were all excited with desire and passion, and like a troop of female elephants encircling the lord of the herd, they all contended to have him as their husband. They said to one another—"Away away, sister, I shall take him as my husband. He has already been selected by me; he is not a meet bridegroom for you. He has been purposely created by Brahmā for me as I have been created to become his wife. As soon as he entered the house I selected him as my husband; why do you prevent him from becoming so?" Thus there arose a conflict amongst the daughters of the king, each contending that I have selected him as my husband. While that blameless sage was thus selected by all the princesses the eunuch went to the king and with down cast looks reported to him what had taken place. Having received all information, the king, perplexed the more, thought—"What is all this! What I am to do now! What is it that I have said" and then with extreme reluctance gave away all his daughters to the sage.

Thus the wished-for marriage of the great sage was accomplished and he took away all the princesses to his hermitage. Thereupon he ordered Viswakarmā like second Brahmā, the inventor of art, to construct separate palaces for each of his wives, to furnish each palace with elegant couches and seats and furniture and to attach to them spacious yards, groves with reservoirs of water where the wild ducks and swans should sport amidst beds of lotuses. Thereupon the celestial architect carried out the orders of the sage. And at the behest of the great sage, Saubhari, the divine and inexhaustible treasure Nanda lived there permanently.

Thereupon the princesses entertained there day and night all their guests and dependant with richest and choicest viands.