Vatsaprī in Pātāla

This narrative from the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Chapter 113, is about Vatsaprī, a son of King Bhalandana. His brothers were carried off by the asura Kujṛmbha to his home in pātāla (the world under the earth). Vatsaprī went down alone to save them. By the grace of Bhagavān Sūrya he killed Kujṛmbha, and as a result he won the hand of Mudāvatī.

The brothers are carried off

King Bhalandana had several sons. One of them was Vatsaprī, a young man of great courage and devotion. The other brothers were seized by the asura Kujṛmbha and taken to his underground realm in pātāla. Vatsaprī would not leave his brothers. He went down into pātāla, the world beneath the earth, by himself.

The descent, the battle and the victory

Vatsaprī went down through the earth into pātāla and crossed its fearful regions. He faced Kujṛmbha in his fortress. Vatsaprī was a devotee of Bhagavān Sūrya, and by Sūrya’s grace he defeated Kujṛmbha and killed him. He freed his brothers and brought them back to the world above.

For this brave deed Vatsaprī won the hand of Mudāvatī, a princess of great virtue, in honour of his courage.

Sources

• Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Chapter 113