CHAPTER – 121
Markandeya said: – Thereupon repairing to the sin-destroying Gomati, the king, observing regulation, pleased the god Purandara. (1) Having restrained the functions of the body, mind and speech and concentrating his mind, he, with hard penances, began to chant the glories of Indra for a son. (2) O great Muni, being propitiated by his asceticism, devotion and the recitation of hymns the god Indra said to him: (3) “O king, I have been pleased with thee for thy ascetic observances, devotion and the recitation of the hymns. Tell me, what boon you do pray for”. (4)
The King said: – I am sonless, may a son be born to me and may he be the foremost of heroes, pious, religious and successful and may his prosperity never decrease. (5)
Markandeya said: – Sakra having said ‘so be it’ the king, obtaining the accomplishment of his object, returned to his own city for governing his subjects. (6) There he engaged in celebrating sacrifices and governing his subjects well. By the favour of Sakra a son was born to him. (7) His father, the king, gave him the name of Balashwa and trained him in the use of diverse arms. (8) After the demise of his father he sat on the throne and became the king. Balashwa brought all the kings of the earth under his subjection. (9) Having taken the principal portion that king made them all pay revenues and governed all his subjects. (10) Thereupon all those kings and his powerful kinsmen rose up and stopped the payment of revenue. (11) They all, setting themselves up as independent kings in their respective kingdoms and growing discontented, occupied the earth of the king. (12) O Muni, he, then growing weak, began to live in his own city. All other kings made dissensions with him. (10) Approaching him all those kings, who were highly powerful and gifted with riches and various means, imprisoned the Emperor. (14) When his city was besieged he grew angry. But having impoverished treasury and arms he became very much poorly. (15) O foremost of the twice-born, then finding no means for the protection of his army, he, with his mind aggrieved, put his hand on his mouth and began to sigh. (16) Then invoked by his breath there came out through the cavity of his hand hundreds of chariots, serpents, horses and soldiers. (17) That highly powerful and excellent army soon covered the city of the king, O great Muni. (18) Then being encircled by that huge and highly powerful army and issuing out of his city the king vanquished them all.
(19) Having defeated them, brought them under subjection and made them pay tributes, that great king was again crowned with prosperity. (20) And because from the shaking of his hands originated that army which destroyed the enemies, Balashwa was called Karandhama by the people. (21) He was virtuous, great and friendly towards all animals. The king Karandhama became famous in the three worlds. (22) Having obtained this army from virtue he destroyed the enemies of all terror-striken people. (23)