Bhalandana and Vatsaprī

Bhalandana was the son of Nābhāga and the grandson of King Diṣṭa. After conquering the ancestral kingdom from his father’s kinsmen through dharma-yuddha, he ruled the earth righteously and became renowned as a great king. His son Vatsaprī surpassed him in guṇas and gained fame by slaying the powerful Daitya king Kujṛmbha in Pātāla, rescuing the children of King Vidūratha, and winning the hand of the princess Mudāvatī. The account of father and son is narrated by Mārkaṇḍeya and illustrates the virtues of obedience to one’s father, adherence to dharma, and heroic valor in the service of others.

Nābhāga’s Final Word

When Suprabhā revealed the truth of their Kṣatriya origins and urged Nābhāga to accept the kingdom, Nābhāga, who was a knower of dharma, heard the words of both his wife and his son but spoke to them separately. To his wife he said that he had once abandoned the kingdom according to his father’s command and could not take it up again, and asked why she was speaking vain words and taking vain trouble. To his son Bhalandana he said that he would remain in the vaiśya-vṛtti and pay taxes to him. He told Bhalandana to enjoy the entire kingdom, and that if he did not desire it, he could abandon it.

Bhalandana’s Righteous Rule

Prince Bhalandana, having received his father’s command, began to rule the kingdom according to dharma. He married at the appropriate time. On the wheel of the earth, his chariot wheel moved unobstructed. His mind never traveled in the path of adharma, and for that reason all the kings were subject to him. He was performing yajñas according to the vidhi and ruling the kingdom well. Gradually, because his command spread over the earth, he alone became famous as the Pṛthvīśvara, the ruler of enemies.

The Birth of Vatsaprī

Subsequently, a son named Vatsaprī was born to King Bhalandana. That mahātmā surpassed his father in guṇas. Saunandā, the maiden of Vidūratha, became the wife of Vatsaprī. Through his śaurya, he killed the Daitya king Kujṛmbha, who was the enemy of Indra, and obtained this extremely devoted and fortunate lady. When Krauṣṭuki asked Mārkaṇḍeya how Vatsaprī killed Kujṛmbha and obtained Saunandā, the sage narrated the full account.

King Vidūratha and the Pit

There was a king on the earth-maṇḍala named Vidūratha, of famous kīrti. Two sons named Sunīti and Sumati were born to him. One day, while Vidūratha was returning from a hunt, he saw a large pit in the middle of the path. That hollow appeared like the face of Bhūdevī. The King, seeing that terrible pit, wondered what it was and reflected that it was not merely a pit dug in ancient times but appeared to be the path to Pātāla.

Right at that time, in that deserted place, he saw a Brāhmaṇa tapasvī named Suvrata coming. The King showed that deep pit to the Brāhmaṇa and asked for its details.

The Revelation of Suvrata

The Ṛṣi Suvrata replied that it was appropriate for a king to know every account related to the earth, and that Vidūratha was truly worthy to hear about this matter. He explained that a powerful and fierce dānava resided in Rasātala. Because he caused the earth to swell, everyone called him Kujṛmbha. On the earth-maṇḍala and in svarga, every event that happened to every being in the kingdom, he alone was the cause.

Suvrata further narrated that formerly Viśvakarmā had constructed a musala named Sunanda. The evil-minded dānava had stolen it and, during battle, killed enemies with that musala. With that same musala, he dug the earth in Rasātala and created an entrance for all other rākṣasas. With the blows of that musala, he had made the earth-region into a tunnel. The Ṛṣi said that without defeating Kujṛmbha, the King could not enjoy the enjoyments of the kingdom.

He explained that the Daityas, being exceedingly powerful through the musala weapon, destroyed yajña acts, afflicted the Devas, and provided satisfaction to the Daityas. If the King was able to defeat this enemy in Pātāla, he would be capable of becoming the lord of the entire earth and a Parameśvara.

The Ṛṣi then revealed a crucial secret about the musala. People called the musala Saunanda, and wise men also called it so due to its strength. On whichever day the musala received the touch of a woman, on that day it would lose its power. But on the very next day, it would become powerful again as before. The wicked Kujṛmbha did not know this influence of the musala and the fact that it lost its strength due to the touch of a woman’s hand.

Having told the King the strength of the wicked dānavas exactly as it was, the Ṛṣi pointed out that near the King’s own city, Kujṛmbha had made a hole in the earth, and asked how the King could remain unconcerned. After speaking thus, the Ṛṣi departed.

The King’s Council and Mudāvatī’s Knowledge

The King returned to his city and held consultations with his ministers. Whatever matters he had heard regarding the influence of the musala, the loss of power, and other details, he told all of it to the ministers. While the King was holding an assembly with the ministers regarding this matter, the King’s daughter named Mudāvatī was sitting beside them and listening to all of it.

The Abduction of Mudāvatī

Some time after this event, Mudāvatī went to the garden with her companions. The Daitya Kujṛmbha then abducted that maiden. Hearing this, the King became enraged and, with red eyes, spoke to his two sons Sunīti and Sumati, who knew that forest region. He ordered them to go immediately, saying that there was a tunnel on the bank of the Nirvindhyā, and through it they should go to Rasātala and kill the wicked one who had abducted Mudāvatī.

The Defeat of the Princes

The two princes immediately reached the tunnel. Following the footprints inside, they went and, with extreme anger, fought with Kujṛmbha along with their army. A terrible battle occurred with special weapons such as clubs, spears, battle-axes, śaktis, and arrows. But through māyā-strength, the powerful Daityas completely destroyed the army of the princes in that battlefield and bound the two princes.

Vidūratha’s Proclamation

Hearing the news that his sons were bound, the King felt extreme sorrow in his heart. He spoke to the army and announced that whoever killed those Daityas and released his maiden and his two sons, he would give his daughter Mudāvatī to them. The King, feeling despair, had this announcement made in his city.

Vatsaprī Accepts the Challenge

The powerful, heroic, and astra-endowed Vatsaprī, the son of Bhalandana, heard this announcement. Having saluted his father’s friend, the excellent King Vidūratha, he spoke with humility, asking for the command. He declared that right then, by the King’s tejas and strength, he would slay those Daityas and release the sons and daughter.

With joy, King Vidūratha embraced Vatsaprī, the son of his friend, and told him to go for the accomplishment of the task. He said that if Vatsaprī was able to perform this task, he would consider that the task undertaken by his true friend’s son had been accomplished. He urged the prince, if his mind had shown extreme enthusiasm, to accomplish the task immediately.

The Battle in Pātāla

The great hero Vatsaprī, wearing a sword, bow, finger-guards, and other weapons, followed the tunnel path and quickly reached Pātāla. There, the prince made a fierce bow-string sound, and because of it the entire Pātāla echoed. As soon as the lord of dānavas, Kujṛmbha, heard this sound, he became extremely enraged and came along with his army.

A great battle occurred between the prince, who had a very powerful army, and Kujṛmbha, who was powerful with a vast army. The dānava fought with them for three days and then, with an enraged mind, ran to bring the musala. That musala, constructed by Prajāpati, was kept in the inner apartments, being worshipped with sandalwood, garlands, incense, and lamps.

The Wisdom of Mudāvatī

Previously, Mudāvatī had heard about the influence of the musala during her father’s council. So she bowed her head and touched it. By the time the asura would take the musala, that beautiful lady, under the pretext of worshipping it, was touching it repeatedly.

Subsequently, the lord of asuras entered the battlefield and began to fight with the musala. But the blows of the musala were becoming vain against the enemies. Because the musala named Saunanda had become devoid of power due to Mudāvatī’s touch, the Daityas began to fight with the enemies only through astras and weapons. But the Daityas could not defeat the prince with astras and weapons alone, and the strength of the musala with them also became vain due to the strength of Mudāvatī’s intellect.

The Slaying of Kujṛmbha

The prince neutralized the astras and weapons of those Daityas and immediately made them chariotless. Then the Daitya King again took a sword and shield and rushed upon the prince. While that enemy of Indra was coming speedily with anger, the prince slew that Daitya with the Āgneyāstra, which was shining like the fire of destruction. Kujṛmbha, the enemy of the Devas, had his heart burst by that Āgneyāstra and gave up his life.

At that time, the Uragas who were dwellers of Pātāla celebrated a great festival. A rain of flowers began to fall upon the prince. The Gandharvas sang music. The Deva-dundubhis began to sound.

The Liberation and the Naming of Saunandā

In this manner, the prince Vatsaprī brought an end to the Daitya and released the princes named Sunīti and Sumati, and the princess Mudāvatī.

After Kujṛmbha died, the Nāgarāja named Śeṣa took that musala. The Nāgarāja, who was a tapodhana, understood the intention of the princess Mudāvatī and became satisfied with her. Knowing the influence of the touch of a woman’s hand and that Mudāvatī had touched the musala repeatedly, the Nāgarāja, due to the qualities of Mudāvatī and the musala named Saunanda, gave her the name Saunandā.

The Return and the Marriage

Subsequently, the prince took the maiden along with the two brothers and quickly went near his father Vidūratha, saluted him, and spoke. He said that according to Vidūratha’s command, he had brought the sons and Mudāvatī, and asked what else he should do.

The King, with a heart full of love and a voice of high affection, praised him saying Sādhu Vatsa. He then spoke further, saying that on that day he was being praised even by the Devas for three reasons. First, he had obtained Vatsaprī as his son-in-law. Second, the enemy had died. And third, his sons and daughter had returned with healthy bodies. He told the prince that on this auspicious day, according to his command, Vatsaprī should marry his daughter Mudāvatī, who was endowed with auspicious characteristics, and that if he did so, the King would become a satyavādī.

Vatsaprī replied that Vidūratha’s command was worthy to be followed without fail, and that whatever had been commanded, he would do. He said that Vidūratha also knew that he never rejected the command of those who were venerable.

Afterwards, Vidūratha, the king of kings, performed the marriage ceremony for Mudāvatī and for Vatsaprī, the son of Bhalandana.

Vatsaprī’s Rule

Subsequently, the youth Vatsaprī enjoyed with Mudāvatī in beautiful places and on the tops of palaces. In the course of time, Vatsaprī’s father Bhalandana became old and went to the forests. Then Vatsaprī became the King and began to perform yajñas and rule the people according to dharma. The subjects, being protected by that mahātmā like sons, were prospering increasingly. In his kingdom, there was no varṇa-saṅkara anywhere. During his reign, it was fearless, without calamities caused by thieves, violent animals, or wicked persons.

Source: Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Chapter 113