Mārkandeya Mahā Purana
36 - The Story of Madálasa (concluded).
Rita-dhvaja Kuvalayáshva on reaching old age resigns his kingdom his son Alarka, and Madálasá gives him a token-ring-Both depart to the forest to practise austerities.
Jada spoke.
1 Being thus instructed by his mother, Rita-dhvaja’s son attained
2 his youth and duly married a wife, and begat sons and as a lord offered snerifices, and always closely observed
3 his father’s commands. Then after a long time Rita-dhvaja on reaching extreme old age, anointed his son in the sovereignty,
4 and with righteous soul desirous to depart to the forest practise austerities in company with his wife descended from from throne, a mighty protector, an illustrious king.
5 And Madálasá delivered this her last discourse to her son in order that her son might abandon attachment to sensual pleasures.
Madálasá spoke.
6 “When intolerable pain, arising from separation from thy dear kinsmen, or caused by the opposition of thy enemies, a springing from the destruction of thy wealth or from thy ownself,
7 may befall thee as thou rulest tly kingdom, observing the laws of a householder-for the householder who depends on
8 selfishness makes unhappiness his abode-then, my son, draw forth and read from this ring that I have given thee the writing that is inlaid in delicate letters on the plate.”
Jada spoke.
9 So saying, she gave him a golden ring, and the blessings
10 appropriate for a man who lives the family life. The Kuvalayáśhva and his queen Madálasá, bestowing on their son kingdom, departed to the forest to practise austerities.
Summary of chapter 36 of the Mārkandeya Mahā Purana is as follows:
Having attained transcendent realization through Dattātreya's grace, Alarka returns to his captors and cheerfully surrenders his remaining kingdom to Subāhu. Subāhu joyfully reveals that the war was merely a loving spiritual divine play organized to break Alarka's worldly attachment. Subāhu then transfers the kingdom to the King of Kānshī and both brothers retire into deep forest meditation.