19 - The Episode of Dattatreya

King Arjuna, taking Garga’s advice, propitiates Dattátreya, who grants him the boon that he should reign righteously, prosperously and gloriously- Arjuna is then installed in his kingdom, and his reign ne described-The blessedness of worshipping Vishnu, who is Dattatreya, expoundeb-The story of Alarka is then begun. 

The son spoke.

 1 Having heard the Rishi speak thus, king Arjuna, Kriitavírya’s son, proceeded to Dattátreya’s hermitage and wor

2 shipped him with faith; by kneading his feet and other services, and by offering honey and other delicacies, and by bringing garlands, sandal, and other perfumes, water, fruit &c;

3 also with preparations of rice, and by removing the Rishi’s fragments of food. Pleased therewith the Muni addressed the

 4 king in the very same way, as he had formerly addressed the gods. 

“Ever indeed am I an object of reproach for my enjoyment of spirituous liquor and other bodily pleasures, and an object of reproach for this enjoyment in that I have my

 5 wife here by my side.* Deign thou not thus to obstruct me who am unable to benefit thee; O conciliate one who is able.”

* The text appears obscure.

6 Thus the Muni addressed him; and Arjuna Kártavírya, na calling that speech of Garga’s, replied then, bowing before him. 

Arjuna spoke.

7       “Why dost thou beguile me, my lord, resorting to they illusory devices. Sinless thou art, and this bráhman lady is the path of all existence.”

8 Thus invoked, the benign brábman answered him, the illustrious Kártavírya, the subduer of the earth.

 9      “Choose thou a boon; since thou hast declared my secret I have felt thereby intense gratification in thee to-day, 

10.    king. And the men who shall worship me with perfumes, gurlands and such like, with offerings algo of meat and strong.

drink, and with sweetmeats accompanied with clarified butter,

11 -and who shall worship me and Lakshmi with songs also and the worship of bráhmans, and with lute, fute, conchs and other

12 gladsome musical instruments; -to them I will give supreme gratification, children, wives, wealth and other blessings, and I

13 will ward off the violent blows of scorners. Do thou then choose the choice boon that thy mind desires: my face is very gracious to thee through thy declaration of my secret name.”

Kártavírya spoke.

14     “If my lord thou art gracious, then grant me suprome prosperity, wherehy I may protect my people and may not incur

15 iniquity. I desire to have knowledge in the customs of others, irresistibility in fight, and the dexterity of a thousand arng.

16 May my paths be unimpeded on hill, in air, in water, and on land, and in all the hells! And may my death come from a

17 superior man! And let me have Moreover, a guide to the right path when I stray from the path: and may my guests* be worthy of praise in the imporishable bestowal of wealth!

18 And let there be freedom from impoverishment in my country with repeated recollection of me! May my faith in thee be ever in truth unwavering!”

* For ‘tithayaḥ read tithayah, days?

Dattatreya spoke.

19     “Thou shalt receive all those boons in the matters that thou hast specified; and through my favour thou shalt become a universal monarch.”

Jada spoke.

20    Thereon Arjuna prostrated himself before Dattatreya. And having convened his subjects, he duly received his inauguration.

21 Then lie the Haihaya, established in his kingdom, having received supreme prosperity from Dattátreya, owning

22 exceeding power, made proclamation; -”Henceforth whoever besides me shall lay hold of a weapon, I shall put him to death

23 as a robber or as one bent on injuring others.’ After this order had been issued, there was no man that bore arms in 

24 that country, except that valiant tigor-warrior. He it was who was the guardian of the villages, and he the guardian of the cattle. He it was who was the guardian of the

25 fields and the protector of the dvijas. He also was the guardian of ascetics, and the guardian of caravans; the guardian of those who were siuking amid the fears of robbers,

26 rogues, fire, arms and so forth, as in the sea, and of those who were involved in other calamities; he was the destroyer of hostilo warriors. He it was who was ever remembered as

27. the upholder of mankind. And there was exemption from impoverishment, while he ruled as king. He offered many

28 sacrifices, complete with gifts and foes. He also practised austerities. He porformed exploits in battles. 

Having seen his prosperity and exceeding honour, the Muni Angiras spoke.

29     “Assuredly kings will not follow in Kártavírya’s steps, either with sacrifices, alms-giving, or austorities, or with high exploits in battle.”

30.   On the very day when the king received prosperity from

31 Dattatreya, he performed sacrifice to Dattátreya. And there all his subjects having seen the king’s supreme prosperity that day offered up sacrifices with dovont attention. 

32     Such is this magnanimity of the wise Dattatreya, who is Vishnu, the guru of all things movable and immorable,

33 endless, high-sonled. In the Puráņas are narrated the manifestations of the bearer of the bow Sáranga, who is endless

 34 inscrutable, tho bearer of the conch discus and club. what ever man ponders on his highest form, happy is he, and he

 35 may soon pass over mundane existence. “Ho! I am ever it truth easy of reach hy faith even to Vaishṇavas,’-how is it that a man should not have recourse to him, whose are these

36 very words? For the destruction of unrighteousness, and for the practice of righteousness, the god, who is without beginning and without end, preserves the stability of nature.

 37 Moreover, I tell thee of Alarka* also, the famous birth. 

And thus has been related the union between the high-souled Rájarshi Alarka, who was faithful to his father, and Dattátreya. 

* Pead Alarkam for Anarkam.