CHAPTER – 116
Markandeya said: – Hearing the words of his wife and son that pious king again said to them.
(1) “I shall never accept the kingdom that I relinquished at the behest of my father. What is the use of speaking in vain? Why do you attract my mind. (2) I have taken to this Vaisya mode of life. I shall pay you the revenue. Do you enjoy this kingdom as you like or give it up”. (3) Having been thus addressed by his father the prince Bhanandana took a wife and began to govern the kingdom piously. (4) O twice-born one, the wheel (of his car) became unobstructed all over the earth. No one had his mind in vice and all the kings became his tributaries. (5) He duty celebrated Yajnas and properly ruled the earth. He alone became the ruler of the earth and his administration extended all over. (6) To him was born a son by name Vatsapri, who, high souled (as he was), excelled, by his accomplishments, even his sire. (7) Viduratha’s daughter Sounanda became his wife. She was equally great and chaste. Having slain Kujrimbha, the king of demons and the enemy of Indra, the king of gods, he obtained her by his own prowess. (8)
Kroushthik said: – “O reverend sir, do you delightedly describe to me how Vatsapri killed Kujrimbha and got her as his wife.” (9)
MARKANDEYA said: – There was an illustrious king on earth by name Viduratha. He had two sons, Suniti and Sumati. (10) Once on a time, going out to the forest a-hunting he saw a huge, widening pit like the mouth of the earth. (11) Seeing it he thought. “What is this dreadful thing? Methinks this is the door to Patala. This is not of the earth”. (12) While thus thinking he saw in that lonely forest a Brahmana ascetic by name Savrata. (13)
The king then wonderingly asked him: – “What it this. The very bottom of the earth is being seen through this deep pit.” (14)
THE RISHI said: – O king, methinks, you do not know this; there should be nothing on earth which a king should not know. (15) There lives a highly powerful and fierce Danava in Rasatala. He makes the earth yawn and therefore he is called Kujrimbha. (16) Whatever wonder is there on earth or in heaven that is his work. How is it that you do not know him?
(17) That vicious-minded one stole away the mace Sunanda which was formerly made by the celestial Architect. He kills his enemies in battle with it. (18) Living in Patala he rives the earth with it and accordingly creates a door for all the Asuras. (19) Now he has riven the earth with that mace Sunanda. How will you enjoy this earth without having killed him? (20) This dreadful and powerful (demon) spoils sacrifices, distresses the gods and welcomes the demons. He has this mace for his weapon. (21) If you can slay that enemy living at the furtherest end of Patala then will you be the lord of the entire earth and the great god. (22) The mace of that powerful one is spoken of by people as Sounanda; O king, intelligent men call it Balavala. (23) O king, when touched by a female that mace grows powerless. On the second day it again grows powerful. (24) The vicious one does not know the prowess of his mace and the fact that it becomes powerless as soon as it is touched by a female. (25) O king, I have thus described to you the power of his mace. (26) Do you now act accordingly. O king, he has made this hole near your city. How are you then at rest?” (27) Having said this he went away. The king too, repairing to his city, began to consult there with his experienced counsellors. (28) He duly described, to his ministers as he had heard, the power of the mace and how it is destroyed.
(29) Living by his side his daughter Mudavati heard all the counsels of the king with his ministers. (30) Thereupon after the expiration of a few days the youthful Mudavati, accompanied by her friends, went to a garden. Thence Kujrimbha stole her away. (31) Hearing that and having his eyes agitated by anger the king said to his two sons who were acquainted with that forest: – “Go ye speedily. (32) There is a hole on the bank of the river
Nirvindya. Entering through that to Rasatala kill there the wicked one who has taken away Mudavati. (33)
Markandeya said: – Thereupon those two sons reached that hole and following his foot steps (they went to Rasatala); and accompanied by their army, they in anger, began to fight with Kujrimbha. (34) They set up a highly dreadful encounter with (the discharge of a) number of Parighas, Nishtringsas, darts, Saktis, Parashwadhas and shafts. (35) Thereupon having slain in battle their innumerable army that Daitya, powerful of illusion, enchained those two princes. (36) O foremost of Munis, hearing of his sons being fettered and worked up with great agony the king said to all his soldiers. (37) “I shall confer upon him, this my daughter of expansive eyes who, after having slain the demon, will release my two sons.” (38) O Muni, giving up all hopes of the release of his son and daughter the king made this proclamation in his own city. (39) Thereupon Bhanandana’s son Vatsapri heard of this proclamation. He was an expert in the use of weapons and was gifted with heroism. (40) Then approaching that best friend of his father’s, the foremost of kings and saluting him with all humility he said: -(41) “Please command me immediately; slaying that demon by my own energy I shall release now both your son and daughter.” (42)
Markandeya said: – Having embraced in joy, the son of his most beloved friend, the king said, “Go my child and achieve your object. (43) You will really do the work of a friend’s son if you encompass this. Do this immediately, my child, if you are worked up with energy”. (44) Thereupon taking up his dagger and bow and putting on finger protectors that heroe speedily went to the nether region through that hole. (45) There that prince set up a terrible twang with which the whole of the nether region was filled up. (46) Thereupon hearing that twang of the bow, Kujrimbha, the king of Danavas, encircled by his own army, came there in great anger.
(47) These arose an encounter between demon and the prince who had not the same strength and army as he had. (48) Having fought with him for three days the Danava, his mind filled with anger, ran forward to bring the mace. (49) O great one, that mace, made by the celestial Architect was in the inner apartment and was adored there with incense, garland and scents. (50) Mudavati knew the prowess of that mace. Therefore bending low her neck she touched the mace. (51) Then the great demon again took up the mace, and with a view to adore it touched it again and again. (52) Then that lord of Asuras went there and began to fight with the mace, but the strokes thereof became fruitless on the enemies. (53) O Muni, after his mace Sounanda had lost all its power that demon fought with his enemy in battle with various other weapons. (54) That Asura could not equal the prince in weapons. The mace was his strength – but it was made useless by the force of intellect. (55) Thereupon discomfiting all the weapons of the demon the prince immediately brought him down from the chariot. Then taking up daggers and leathern fences he ran forward. (56) When displaying greatly his prowess Kujrimbha, the enemy of Indra, came there in great anger and with fury; the prince, with his fiery weapon, effulgent like the fire of dissolution, killed him. (57) Having his heart wounded by the fiery weapon, that enemy of gods gave up his ghost. Then there arose a great festivity of the leading serpents in Rasatala. (58) Thereupon flowers were showered upon the prince, the Gandharvas sang and the celestial instruments were sounded. (59) Having slain him the prince too released the two sons of the king and his daughter Mudavati of slender make. (60) After the death of Kujrimbha, the king of the serpents, Ananta, designated Sesha, took up that mace. (61) O ascetic, that king of serpents, Sesha, was greatly pleased with Mudavati. (62) That highly beautiful damsel knew of the power of the touch of a woman’s hand and so she repeatedly touched the mace Sounanda.
(63) O twice-born one, therefore Mudavati was named Sunanda by the king of serpents in great delight. This was on account of the virtue of Sounanda. (64) He then speedily brought her along with her two brothers before the king and saluting him said: -(65) “O father, by your command, I have brought your sons and daughter; command me what more shall I have to do now.” (66) Thereupon the heart of the king was filled with delight. He then exclaimed in sweet words, “well-done, my boy. (67) By three-fold causes I have to-day become a courtier of the gods; you have become my son-in-law, the enemy has been killed and my children have returned unscathed. I command, to-day is an auspicious day, do you accept the hand of my
daughter Mudavati, fair of all limbs and ever delightful, O prince and make my words true”.
(68-70)
The prince said: – “O father, it is my duty that I should carry out your order. But you know whether we have any right in this.” (71) Thereupon the king celebrated the marriage of his daughter Mudavati, with Bhanandana’s son. (72) Vatsapri was in his youth; he spent his days delightedly in their company in pleasant country and on the terraces of the palaces. (73) In time, his father Bhanandana became old and repaired to woods. Vatsapri became the king.
(74) He always performed Yajnas and governed his subjects righteously. That high-souled one being engaged in ruling over his subjects like their father his prosperity began to increase. In his time there was no misalliance and no fear, of the people from wild animals, robbers and wicked people; that king governing the earth there was no impediment whatsoever. (75-76)