113 - Nabhaga’s exploits. 

Karusha’s- descendants were the Karushas—Dishta’s son was Nabhaga; Nabhaga wanted to marry a vaishya maiden—Her father referred the matter to the king Dishta, and the king consulted the rishis—They declared the prince might marry her, provided he first married a kshatriya maiden—He spurned that and took her—The king tried to vanquish him by force, but was caused by a brahman to desist, on the ground that the prince had deqenerated into a vaishya. 

Markandeya spoke:

1 Karusha’s sons were the Karushas,* who were kshatriyas and warriors. Now they were seven hundred valiant men; and from them descended others in thousands. 

* See note f to canto lvii, verse 53, p. 341 ante. 

2 Now Dishta’s† son was Nabhaga; †† he continued in the bloom of youthfulness. He saw a most surpassingly charming

† This Dishta must be the Rishta mentioned in canto cxii, verse 4. The name is given varionsly as Nedishtha, Dishta, and Arishta. The Hari-Vamsha says two of his sons though vaishyas became brahmans (xi. 658); and the Bhagavata Pur. says two of his sons, though kshatriyas obtained brahmanhood (IX. ii. 17). 

†† Nabhaga and his descendants are named in Vishnu Pur, IV. i. The Puranas agree generally that he was degraded to be a vaishya. His descendants and their exploits form the remainder of this Purana. There were other kings afterwards of the same name.

3 vaishya maiden. As soon as he beheld her, the prince was stricken in mind with love; he became absorbed in sighs and

4 reproaches. He went to her father and asked for the vaishya maiden in marriage; and then to the prince, whose mental

5 feelings were under the dominion of the god of love, spoke her father—to the king’s son spoke he, joining his hands respectfully, being afraid of the prince’s father, this speecli as he

6 bowed with deference, O brahman— “Nobles of thy class are the enjoyers of the earth; dependants are we, paying tax to you. Why dost thou earnestly desire connexion with us who are not thy equals? “

The prince spoke:

7 Equality of the human body is wrought by love, folly and other feelings. So indeed the human body is endowed with

8 those very feelings at the appropriate time,* and thus in truth those feelings also come into existence for its benefit. And different feelings, different persons exist when folk exist of

* Or, “season,”

9 separate castes. Moreover, other feelings also † that are inappropriate become proper according to season, and likewise appropriate feelings become inappropriate; for propriety depends

† For anyan api read anyany api, as in the Poona edition. 

10 upon season. As the body is fattened by food and other things that are longed for, so that same body when used†† with

†† Bhuktam. The Poona edition reads bhutam; and the meaning would be “that same body when so constituted with due regard to season is well regulated.”

11 due regard to season is well regulated.§ Do thou accordingly bestow this thy highly esteemed daughter on me; otherwise calamity will be beheld in my body. 

§ Parishishyate. I take this as the, passive of pari-shas; but pari-shas is not in tlie dictionary. 

The vaishya spoke:

12 We are under another’s authority’, and thou art under another’s authority, namely the king’s. When he thy father permits thee, take thou her; I will give her. 

The prince spoke:

13 Those who treat gurus|| with respect should consult their guruns ¶ in all things that must be done; but not in such things as this, things which are not to be done, ** do the words of 

|| Venerable persons, parents or spiritual preceptors. 

¶ For guruvo read guravo here and in the next verse. 

** For tlie text idrisheshv a-karyeshu it seems idrisheshu karyeshu would be better-” but not in snch businesses as this do the words of gurus have scope.”

14 gurus liave scope. What has Love’s conversation to do with listening to gurus? This is incompatible. In other things men should consult their gurus. 

The vaishya spoke:

15 Such, even this, is Love’s talk! I, I here, will ask the guru, thine, the suitor’s. My talk is not based on the speech of love. 

Markandeya spoke:

16 When addressed thus the prince became silent. And he, the vaishya, related to that prince’s father all that the prince

17 thought. Thereupon his father summoned, before him the chief dvijas, Richika* and the other brahmans, and the prince; and he made known the matter as it had been announced to

* A famous rishi, son of Bhrigu and father by Satya-vati of Jamadagni see Maha.Bh., Sh’anti-p. xlix. 1716-21; Hari.V., xxvii. 1423-63, and xxxii. 1761-76; and Vishnu Pur. IV. vii. He married Satya-vati, daughter of Gadhi king of Kanya-kubja, by giving a present of a thousand horses for her (Maha Bh., Vana-p. cxv. 10144-153, and Udyoga-p. cxviii. 4005-7). Though Satyavati is connected with the R. Kaushiki (the R. Kosi, see canto lvii, verse 18, note **) in the passages cited above from the Hari V. and Vishnu Pur., yet Richika is generally connected with the west coast around the Gulf of Cambay (see Maha-Bh., Vana-p. cxviii. 10221-27 and the two other passages last cited above), and Dyuti-mat king of S’alva (see canto lviii, verse 6, note §) gave his kingdom to Richika (Maha-Bh., Sh’anti-p. ccxxxiv. 8607, and Anushas-p. cxxxvii. 6267). 

18 him; and after making it known he, being so situated in the matter, said to the munis,— “The best of dvijas deign † to declare what ought to be done.”

† For arhanti read arhantu? “Let the best of dvijas deign, &c.

The rishis spoke:

19 O prince, if thou hast love for this vaishya’s child, then let this ordinance of righteousness†† verily be observed, but let it

†† I.e., marriage.

20 he observed in the order enjoined bylaw. Marriage was enjoined for princes in the first place with the daughter of one who had been royally anointed. Be it so now first in thy case; and immediately afterwards this maiden also shall become thy wife. 

21 In this way no wickedness will attach* to thee when tliou enjoyest her thus; otherwise it does accrue: thy high rank comes from marriage with exalted maidens.† 

* Bhavita in the Poona edition is better than bhavati, 

† The Calcutta edition reads utkrishtabalikam haran; the Poona reading is utkrishtabala sarvada, and the Bornbay reading utkrishtabalaka-nayat. From these readings it would seem the correct reading should be utkrishtabalika-nayat, and I have adopted this. 

Markandeya spoke:

22 When admonished thus, he flung aside altogether that speech of those high-souled munis; and going outside he

23 seized her, and raising his sword aloft exclaimed,—”I have carried off the vaishya’s daughter by the Rakshasa form of marriage; let him who has power here rescue her!

“24 Then the vaishya seeing his daughter seized, O brahman, hastened to that prince’s father for help, exclaiming “Save

25 her!” His father enraged thereat gave command to his great army— “Let him be slain; let wicked Nabhaga who violates

26 righteousness be slain! “Thereon that army fought indeed with the king’s son; it was laid low then in great numbers by

27 him, who was skilled in weapons, with his weapon. The king, on hearing that the army was slain by the prince, went forth

28 himself indeed to fight, surrounded by his army. In the battle then which took place between the king and his son, the father excelled the prince in weapons and arms. 

29 Thereupon a wandering Muni suddenly approached from out the air and spoke back to the king;- 

30 “Cease from combat. O illustrious sir, thy high-souled son is in the right here; moreover, fighting between thee and a

31 vaishya†† is not according to righteousness, O king. A brahman who marries wives among all the castes, provided that he marries first a brahman woman, incurs no injury in his

†† Explained in verses 35 and 36 below. 

32 brahman-hood. Likewise a kshatriya who marries first a kshatriya’s daughter, incurs no harm if he marries wives from lower castes; and therefore, O king, these other wives§ fall not 

§ I.e., daughters of vaishyas and shudras, as the commentator explains.

33 from their own righteousness. Thus a vaishya, who marries first a vaishya woman and afterwards a girl born from a shudra family, is not excluded from the vaishya family. The law is 

34 thus declared in order. Brahmans, kshatriyas, vaishyas, who do not first marry women of the same caste,* fall by marrying

* For sa-varna- read sva-varna-? but the meaning would be the same

35 women of other castes, O king. Whatever excluded woman a man marries after neglecting union in his own caste, of that

36 woman’s caste let him indeed† become a participator. This thy son, who is such, has fallen to vaishya-hood; he is of wretched understanding. He has no right to combat with

† For no ‘pi tad-vastu-bhag read so ‘pi tad-varna-bhag as in the Poona edition.

37 thee a kshatriya. We do not acknowledge this to be a reason for combat, O royal scion; and since this shall be so, desist thou from the business of battle!”