114 - Nabhaga’s exploits. 

Nabhaga married the vaishya maiden and became a vaishya—He had a son Bhanandana, who with the help of the rishi Nipa conquered the earth and offered the sovereignty to his father Nabhaga—Nabhaga declined it as he was a vaishya, and his wife Su-prabha then explained to him, that she was not really of vaishya descent, but the daughter of Tting Su-deva loho became a vaishya under the rishi Pramati’s curse, because he would not rescue Pramati’s wife from his own friend Nala. 

Markandeya spoke:

1 The king thereupon desisted from battle with his son; and

2 he indeed, that Kings son, married that vaishya maiden. He became a vaishya thereby. Starting up he spoke to tlie king,— “O king, let it be declared to me what I must do.”

The king spoke:

3 Let Babhravya* and the other ascetics, who are engaged in the superintendence of righteousness, declare what is the occupation for this man for the end of righteousness—do thou act accordingly. 

* See note * page 591. 

Markandeya spoke:

4 Then those munis seated in the council announced that for him the tending of cattle and cultivation and trade should be

5 the highest righteousness. And the king’s son complied with what was declared by those expounders of righteousness to be righteousness for him who had fallen from his own sphere of righteousness. 

6 A son was born to him afterwards, who was famed by the name Bhanandana.† Being sent by his mother who said, “Be

† Or Bhalandana according to the Vishnu Pur. IV. i. 

7 a keeper of cattle, my son,” he went forth; and when enjoined thus by his mother, he prostrated himself before his mother and went to the royal rishi Nipa†† who had resorted to mount

†† This was apparently Nipa of the Paurava race, who was king of Kampilya. He had a hundred sons who were all styled Nipas. His dynasty lasted till Ugrayudha killed all the Nipas just before the Pandavas’ time; see Hari-V., xx. 1040, 1060-73,1082-86; Matsya Pur. xlix. 52-59. 

8 Himavat; and approaching him Bhanandana held his feet according to rule, and prostrating himself before this royal 

Rishi spoke:

9       “Adorable sir, verily I have been commanded by my mother tints, ‘Be thou a keeper of cattle’ §; and yet I must protect

§ Go-pala, 

10 the earth; how can there he assent to her? Verily I must protect the earth, || when it may be appropriated¶ by men.

|| Gauh, palaniya. There a double pun here with go, “cattle “and “the earth,”and the verb pal, “to tend “and to protect.”

¶ There is also a play on the words svi -karana, “assent,” in verse 9 and svi-krita, “appropriated,” here.

11 This my earth is assailed by powerful heirs. Shew me how I may gain the earth through thy favour, O lord; I will carry out thy command; I am prostrate before thee.”

Markaudeya spoke:

12 The royal rishi Nipa then gave to bigh-souled Bhananda

13 a complete set of weapons, O brahman. After acquiring skill in the weapons he went to bis paternal uncle’s sons, Vasurata and the other sons, dvija; he was so commanded by that

14 high-souled rishi. He demanded half of the kingdom as befitted his father and paternal grandfather; and they said,—’’ A

15 vaishya’s son thou art; how shalt thou enjoy the earth?” A battle then occurred between Bhananda who was skilled in weapons and those his kinsmen Vasurata and the rest, who were

16 angry and showered weapons on him; but vanquishing them all when their troops had been shattered with his weapons, he, wise in righteousness, took the earth away from them by

17 righteous combat. After vanquishing his foes, he next presented all the earth and the sovereignty to his father; and his father did not accept it, and in front of his wife made answer to the son then. 

Nabhaga spoke:

18 O Bhananda, this kingdom is thine; let it which was ruled by thy ancestors be ruled by thee. 

The king spoke:*

* This heading is superfluous; it is still Nabhaga who speaks.

19 I did not rule the kingdom; I was not devoid of the capacity for it † formerly; but preferring a vaishya’s condition I obeyed

† Nasamarthya-yutah. The commentator explains it by ati-samarthya-yuto ‘pi, “I did not rule the kingdom, although I possessed exceptional capacity formerly.”

20 my father’s command to that effect. Because I showed want of affection for my father in that I wedded a vaishya maiden, I did not become a king, who enjoys the sacred worlds until the

21 subversion of the world has arrived. †† If disregarding his command again I rule over the earth,, there is verily no final emancipation from existence for me thereafter even during

†† For yavad-dhuta-samplavah, the Bornbay and Poona editions read yavad abhuta-samplavam. An avyayi-bhava compound is preferable.

22 hundreds of kalpas. Nor indeed is it fit that I, who have my own pride, should enjoy the kingdom which thou hast won by thy arm, when I have no desire for it, like any weakling. *

* For durbalasyeha read durbalasyeva, as in the Poona edition.

23 Rule thou the kingdom thyself the while, or relinquish it to thy heirs. For me it is good to keep my father’s command and not to rule the earth. 

Markandeya ‘spoke:

24 Laughing thereat his wife, the lady Su-prabha by nanie, made answer to her husband, “O king, take the mighty king

25 dom. Thou art no vaishya, nor indeed was I born of a Vaishya family, O king; thou art a kshatriya and I also was born of a

26 family of kshatriyas. Formerly there was a famous king Sudeva † by name, and his friend was king Dhumrashva’s son 

† ‘The most famous king of this name appears to have been Sn-deva of the Kashis who had a great contest with the Vitahavyas, and was father of Dirodasa (Maha-Bh., Anushas.-p. xxx. 1950-54); but this story pays no regard to chronology. 

27 Nala. †† Accompanied by his friend he went to the wood Amravana, § he to sport with his wives in the month of spring, O

†† There were many kings of this name, but none of them (as far as I have found) son of Dhumrashva, One of the kings of Vaishali was Dhumrashva (Vishnu Pur. IV. i.) 

§ I hare not found any wood of this name in western India where this story is laid; but A’mra-vana may mean simply “ a grove of mangoes.”

28 king. ‘Accompanied by those wives and attended by that friend

 29 he enjoyed many kinds of drinks and food then. Afterwards he saw the extremely fascinating and royally born wife of

30 Chyavana’s son Pramati || on the bank of a tank. His friend Nala, who was intoxicated and not in his right mind, laid hold of her, the while she cried out “Save me. Save vie! “even as

|| Cyavana was a famous rishi, son of Bhrigu. He married Sukanya daughter of Manu’s son Saryati, and by her had a son Pramati. Pramati married Ghritaichi; see Maha-Bh., Adi-p. v, 870 and 871, and viii. 939, 940 and Vana-p. cxxii: also Sh’ata-patha Brah. IV. 5; Aitar.-Brah. VIII. iv. 21). Chyavana’s region was in the west. near the mouth of the R. Narmada see Maha-Bh., Vana-p. lxxxix. 8364, 8364 and 8365; cii. 8737-40 and cxxi. 10312.

31 the king looked on. Her husband Pramati, on hearing her

32 cry, at once came up hastily exclaiming “What is it? “Then he saw king Su-deva standing there, and his wife in the

33 grasp of Nala, who was very much out of his senses. Pramati spoke to the king then,- 

“Make this man quiet! And thou art the ruler; thou, Sir, art the king; and this Nala is a bad man, O king.” 

Markandeya spoke:

34 On hearing that distressed rishi’s appeal, Su-deva deterred by reason of Nala’s high position replied,— “I am a vaishya;

35 seek someone else, a kshatriya, in order to rescue her.” Then Pramati enraged, burning forth as it were with splendour, made answer to the king who said “I am a vaishya.” 

Pramati spoke:

36 Be it so! tbou. Sir, art a vaishya.* A kshatriya is so named because he guards one from injury. † Kshatriyas hold the weapon in order that there may be no cry of distress. Thou being such art no kshatriya; verily thou shalt be a vaishya of base family.

* For vaishya read vaishyah, as in the Poona edition. 

                  † Kshatriyah kshata-rakshanat. For a different derivation; see canto cxxii. 24.