CHAPTER – 133
MARKANDEYA said: – Narishwanta’s son Dama, the subduer of wicked enemies, had the strength of Sakra and the compassion and character of an ascetic. (1) The king (Narishwanta) begat him on Indrasena. The highly illustrious one lived in his mother’s womb for nine years.
(2) As he suffered endurance by living (so long) in his mother’s womb the prince will be patient by nature. (3) Then his priest, conversant with the present, past and future, gave the name of Dama to the son of Narishwanta. (4) The prince Dama learnt in full the science of archery from the king Brishaparva. (5) He received in full the lessons in diverse arms from Dundubhi, the foremost of Daityas living in the forests of ascetics. (6) He learnt the Vedas and all their divisions from Sakti and that self-controlled (prince) received lessons in yoga from the royal saint Arshmishena. (7) Sumana, at the Sayamvara, invited by her father, accepted him as her husband – accomplished, high-souled, highly powerful and an expert in the use of arms as he was, in the presence of all men who had come there for her. She was the daughter of the powerful Charukarman, the king of Dasharna. (8-9) The highly powerful and heroic son of the king Madra was greatly attached to Sumana. (10) And so were the great bowman and the highly intelligent prince Vapushman, the son of Sangkrandana and the prince of Vidarbha. (11) Seeing Dama, the subduer of wicked enemies, selected by her they began to consult with each other, assailed by Cupid as they were: -(12) ”Taking away this beautiful girl by force from him we shall go to our houses. His amongst us this fair one will be the religiously wedded wife whom she will select of her own accord, according to the rules of Sayamvara. (13-14) If she, of inebriate eyes, does not like any one of us, she then must marry him who will slay Dama.” (15)
Markandeya said: – Having made this resolution the three princes carried away that fair one from the side of Dama. (16) Thereupon some kings, who were on his side, lamented much as well as some others who were the arbitrators. (17) O great Muni, beholding them sorry on all sides, Dama said to them. (18)
Dama said: – O ye kings, Sayamvara is mentioned in the list of religious acts. Do ye consider whether her being carried away by force is fair or wrong. (19) If (to save her) is wrong I should not take any step and must marry another wife. And if it is fair – fie on me if with my life I cannot save her by subduing the enemies. (20) Thereupon the king Charudharma, the lord of Dasharna, making them all silent, addressed the assembly, O great Muni. (21) “Do ye consider, O ye kings, what Dama has said relating to what is right and wrong so that my virtue may not suffer deterioration”. (22)
Markandeya said: – Thereupon some kings said to that lord of the earth: – “There is also sanction for Gandharva marriage that is brought about by attachment towards one other. (23) This is good for the Kshatriyas not for Vaishyas, Sudras and Brahmanas. Your daughters marriage has been celebrated with Dama. (24) Therefore rightly your daughter belongs to Dama. Only he, who is possessed by desire, does otherwise. (25) Then those high-souled kings, who were for the words of the king of Dasharna, said: -(26) “They have foolishly said that the Gandharva form of marriage is the best for Kshatriyas. There is another form of marriage called Rakshasa for the Kshatriyas. (27) He, who has taken her away by force after slaying all the intruders, may also marry her according to the Rakshasa form of marriage. (28) This is the best form of marriage for the Kahatriyas – the other one is the second. This is the duty of the Kshatriyas as laid down by Mahananda and others. (29)
Markandeya said: – Then upon the kings, who had been addressed before, again said words, maintaining their caste and religion out of regard for each other. (30) “True it is that the Rakshasa form of marriage is also sanctioned for the Kshatriyas. But he, of all men, was selected by that maiden as her fitting husband. (31) That is called the Rakshasa form of marriage when one takes away a girl by force after having slain all the relations of her father. But it is not so when she has accepted a husband. (32) In the presence of all the kings she selected Dama. How can here be then either the Gandharva or Rakshasa form of marriage?
(33) Maidenhood does not hold in the case of married women. By marriage the girls are allied to (other) kings. (34) They have taken her away by force from Dama; they have done this by force but it is not fair. (33)
Markandeya said: – Hearing this Dama had his eyes reddened with ire. He then set aright his bow and said: -(36) “If I behold my wife being carried away by powerful men what is the use of my arms who am shorn of manliness? (37) Oh fie on me! fie on my arms! fie on my bravery! fie on my arrows! fie on my bow! and fie on my birth in the family of the high-souled Marutta.
(38) If these foolish and powerful men survive after taking away my wife useless is my proficiency in the use of bow.” (39) Having addressed these words to the kings headed by Mahananda, the powerful Dama, subduer of great enemies, again said. (40)
DAMA said: – How can this all beautiful maiden, of inebriate eyes and born in this family, be the wife by birth of this one or that one? Thinking this, O kings, do ye so fight in battle that ye may, after vanquishing me, make this respectable lady your wife. (42)
Markandeya said: – Having said this he began to shower arrows covering therewith all the kings like darkness. (43) All those heroic kings too discharged arrows, Saktis, clubs, etc. But Dama cut off easily all those weapons discharged by them. (44) O Muni, they too cut off the arrows shot by him. And Narishwanta’s son too cut off the arrows discharged by those kings.
(45) When there was going on a conflict between Dama and all the kings entered there Mahananda with a dagger in his hand. (46) Beholding him approach with a dagger in his hand in that great encounter Purandara discharged a downpour of arrows like a shower. (47) Those weapons and the network of arrows Mahananda, with his dagger, immediately cut off. (48) Thereupon getting in anger upon Dama’s car the highly powerful Mahananda engaged in an encounter with him. (49) Mahananda fighting in many ways Dama, out of light-handedness, discharged an arrow, burning like the fire of dissolution, at his heart. (50) Thereupon taking it out of his heart which was cut Mahananda threw a shining sword at Dama. (51) Dama, with his Sakti, cut this off which was like a fire-brand and about to fall. He also cut off Mahananda’s head with a Vetasa leaf. (52) On Mahananda bring slain all the kings fled away. Then stood there Vapushman, the king of Kundina. (53) Then the son of the king of Deccan, elated with the pride of strength, coming to the battle-field, fought with Dama. (54) The light-
handed heroe (Dama) cut off in battle his dreadful sword, the head of his charioteer and his flag-staff. (55) Having his sword shattered he took up his club of many thorns. That too he immediately cut off from his hand. (56) And as soon as Vapushman was about to take up another powerful weapon Dama, piercing him with an arrow, immediately struck him down on earth. (57) Falling down on earth he began to tremble with all his limbs dislocated. Then the princes made up their minds to fly from the battle-field. (58) Then seeing them thus disinclined to fight, leaving them behind and taking Sumana the self-controlled Dama went away. (59) Then the king of Dasharna duly celebrated the marriage between Dama and Sumana. (60) After his marriage Dama lived for some time in the city of the king of Dasharna and then with his wife went to his own city. (61) Then conferring upon him elephants, horses, chariots, kine, asses, camels, female servants, and many servants, clothes, raiments, bows and vessels filled with many excellent things the king of Dasharna sent him away. (62-63)