116 - The Exploits of Bhananda and Vatsa-pri. 

Nabhaga declined the Kingdom and Bhanandana became king—He had a son Vatsa-pri—A Baitya hing Kujrimbha, who had a magic club called Sunanda, opened a great hole near king Viduratha’s city and carried the princess Mudavati down to Patala—Her brothers failed to rescue her and were made captive—Vatsa-pri killed the Daitya, after she destroyed the clubs magic power, and rescued her and her brothers —She was named Sunanda after the club, and Vatsa-pri married her. 

Markandeya spoke:

1 On hearing this herspeech and his son’s, the king, wise in

2 righteousness, addressed his wife and son again,— “Inasmuch as I relinquished the kingdom at my father’s command, I will not take it again; why dost thou, O wife, draw out my soul

3 with vain words? Standing fast in my duties as vaishya I will pay thee taxes, my son. Enjoy thou the whole kingdom, or relinquish it if thou wishest.” 

4 Being addressed thus by his father, prince Bhanandana* then governed the kingdom in righteousness and in like wise

* Or Bhalandana according to Vishnu Pur. IV. i. where his descendants are given 

5 married a wife. Unrepulsed was his discus in the earth, O brahman, and his mind was not set upon unrighteousness. All

6 kings were in subjection to him. He performed a sacrifice according to precept; he rules the earth well. He in sooth was the only lord; his commands pervaded the earth. 

7 A son was born to him, namely Vatsa-pri by name, who, a high-souled king, surpassed his father with the multitude of

8 his good qualities. And his wife was Saunanda, daughter of Viduratha, who was devoted to her husband, an illustrious woman. He gained her by his valour in slaying the Daitya king Kujrimbha,† the enemy of Indra. 

† The Calcutta text reads Kujumbha here and in verse 9, incorrectly see verse 16.

Kraushtuti spoke:

9 Adorable sir, how did he gain her through the destruction of Kujrimhha? Tell me this story with benignant mind. 

Markandeya spoke:

10 There was a king named Viduratha* whose fame was celebrated in the earth. Two sons were born to him, Su-niti and

* The story shows that this king’s capital was near the river Nirvindhya which was apparently in the Malwa region (see verses 27 and 33). There were several kings of this name, but I have found none who had two sons of the names mentioned. 

11 Su-mati. Now Viduratha went to the forest once upon a time to hunt. He beheld a very great pit, as it were the earth’s

12 mouth thrust up. On seeing it he pondered, “What is this dreadfal thing? I trow it is a hole down to Patala: it has

13 not belonged to the earth a long while.” While thinking thus, he saw in a lonely wood there an ascetic brahman named Suvrata

14 approaching, and the king being astonished asked him, — “What is this? It is very deep and displays the earth’s belly which is situated within.” 

The rishi spoke

15 “Knowest thou it not, king? for thou art deemed by me to have spies as thine eyes, † A king ought to know everything

† For vag-arthas, which the Calcutta and Bombay editions have, read charak shas as in the Poona edition, 

16 that passes on the face of the earth. A very valiant fierce Danava dwells in Rasatala; because he makes the earth to

17 yawn, †† he is therefore called Ku-jrimbha. Whatever has been produced, whether produced on the earth or in heaven, is wrought by him, O king; how is it then that thou dost not

†† Jrimbhayati.

18 know him, Sir? That wicked-souled demon carried off the club named Su-nanda, which Tvashtri fashioned of yore; there-with

19 be slays his enemies in battle. Hidden within Patala that Asura cleaves this earth with it, and makes doors of exit for

20 all the Asuras; with that weapon, the club Su-nanda, the earth has been pierced in this spot. How shalt thou. Sir, enjoy 

21 this earth unless thou conquerest him? That fierce, mighty adversary of the gods, armed with the club, destroys sacrifices

22 and, fattens up the Daityas. If thou slayest this foe, whose sphere is in Patala, thou shalt thereby become lord of all the

23 earth, the supreme monarch. That mighty demon’s club is called Saunanda by men-folk; and the wise moreover speak of

24 it* as partly strong and partly weak; yet when touched by a woman it loses its power on that day,† O king; on the following

* For tam read tad as in the Poona edition. 

† On the day on which it is touched, sparsha-dine (comment.)

25 day it issues forth with its power regained. That demon of evil ways does not know then the majestic power of the club, nor the defect which comes at the touch of a woman’s fingers, that is, the collapse of its power. 

26 “Thus I have declared to thee, O king, the might of that evil-souled Danava and of his club. As I have spoken, so do

27 thou comport thyself. This hole which he has made in the earth is near thy city, O king; why art thou foolishly †† unconcerned about it, Sir? “ 

†† For yatha read vritha as in the Poona edition. 

28 Now when that rishi, had spoken thus and departed, the king went to his city and took counsel with his ministers who

29 were skilled in counsel within his city. He made known to the ministers all that story as he had heard it, both the majestic

30 power of the club and also the waning of its power. Now his daughter Muda-vati, who was by his side, heard that counsel which the king was taking with his ministers. 

31 But some days afterwards, the Daitya Kujrimbha carried off that maiden, who was possessed of energy, from a grove, while

32 she was accompanied by her maiden-friends. On hearing that, the king’s eyes were distraught with anger, and he said to his two sons, “Hasten quickly ye two who are well acquainted

33 with the forests: there is a hole on the bank of the Nir-vindha; § go ye down thereby to Rasatala and slay him who with most evil mind has carried Muda-vati off.” 

§ Or Nirvindhya, as in the Poona edition, which is the preferable form; - see canto lvii, verse 24, note ††.

Markandeya spoke:

34 Thereupon those two sons of his, following on the steps of that demon, reached that hole and in excessive wrath fought with

35 Kujrimbha with the aid of their own army. Then occurred a very terrible combat between them with maces, swords, spears,

36 javelins, and axes and arrows withotit intermission. After it that Daitya, who possessed the might of illusive power, bound those two princes in battle after slaying all their soldiers.

37     On hearing of that, the king spoke thus to all his soldiers,

“I have fallen into utter misery, now that my sons are in 

38 bonds, (O best of munis); whoever shall slay that Daitya and shall set my daughter there free, I will bestow even her,

39 the large-eyed maiden, on him.” Even thus the desperate king made a proclamation in his city then in order to obtain the deliverance of his sons and daughter from bondage, O muni. 

40 Bhanandana’s son Vatsa-pri then heard of that promise in sooth, which was proclaimed abroad—he, possessed of strength,

41 skilled in weapons, endowed with heroism. And arriving there he saluted this noblest of kings, and bowing with deference 

42 spoke to him who was his own father’s peerless friend; — “Command me in sooth speedily; I will deliver thy two sons and also thy daughter, after slaying that Daitya through thy very glory.” 

Markandeya spoke:

43 Embracing him. joyfully, who was his dear friend’s son, the 

king said: 

44 “Go thou to full success,* my dear son. My dear son shall stand in my place, if he performs the precept thus. Do this quickly, my dear son, if thy mind is resolute.” 

* For samsiddhai read samsiddhyai, as corrected in the Poona edition.

Markandeya spoke:

45 Then armed with scymitar and bow, having a leathern bowguard and finger-protector bound on him, the heroic prince

46 went in haste to Patala by that hole. The prince made his bow-string twang with an exceedingly vehement sound  then, wherewith the whole of Patala was filled throughout.

47 Hearing the sound of the bow-string, the Danava king, Kujrimbha came forward then in excessive wrath, attended by his 48 army. Then occurred a battle between him and the king’s son, one with his army against the other with his army, mighty

49 against mighty. When the Danava had fought with him for three days, he was filled with rage in his soul and rushed

50 to get his club. Worshipped with perfumes, garlands and incense, it stands in the private apartments, O illustrious sir; for

51 it had been fashioned by the Praja-pati.* Muda-vati, who knew well the secret of the club’s majestic power, bowing her

* See verse 18. 

52 neck very low, touched the noble club then. Until the great demon grasps the club again, till then the beautiful maiden touched it many times under pretence of paying reverence

53 to it. Going back then the king of the demons fought with the club. Vainly fell the blows of the club on those

54 enemies. But iuasmuch as the supreme weapon, the club Saunanda, had lost its power, O muni, the Daitya fought with his weapons and arms against his foe in the battle.

55 With his arms and weapons the demon was not the prince’s equal, and that, his might with the club, had been

56 dissipated by the maiden.† Conquering then the Danava’s weapons and arms, the king’s son forthwith forced him from his chariot; and then the demon grasping his shield and scimitar

† For buddhyd read tanvya as in the Poona edition. the king’s two sons and the slender-shaped maiden Muda-vati.

57 rushed at him again. The prince felled that enemy of the lord of the thirty gods, as he rushed forwards violently incited and displaying his rage,- felled him to the earth with his weapon of fire which gleamed like the Fire that burns up the

58 world finally. That foe of the thirty gods was wounded grievously in the heart by the fiery weapon and quitted his body. And forthwith there was high festival among the huge snakes within the confines of Rasatala. 

59 Then fell a shower of flowers upon the king’s son; the Gandharva lords sang forth, the gods’ instruments of music

60 sounded out. And the prince, after slaying that demon, set free

61 And the king of the serpents, Ananta who is named Sh’esha,

62 took that club, when that Knjrimbha was slain; and he, Shesha lord of all the serpents, was satisfied with her; he rich in austerities had meditated with glee upon the course of Mudavati’s

63 mind. Because the most beautiful maiden had repeatedly touched the club Sunanda, knowing the power of the

64 touch of a woman’s palm * on it, therefore the serpent king in his joy gave Muda-vati then the name Su-nanda, derived from the quality of the club Saunanda, O dvija.

* Read yoshit aa part of the compound yoshit-Karatala-sparsha- &c., and not separately as in the Calcutta edition. 

65 And the prince brought her in company with her two brothers to their father’s presence quickly, and bowing down

66 spoke to him thus— “Here are brought thy two sons, dear father, and here is brought Muda-vati according to thy command; what else I must do, declare thou that.” 

Markandeya spoke:

67 Thereat the king’s heart was filled with gladness, and he exclaimed aloud, “Well done! well done!” and “Splendid!

68 my dear son, my dear son! I am honoured by the thirty gods, my dear son, for three reasons—in that I have both gained thee

69 for my son-in-law, and that the foe has been stricken down, and that my children have come unharmed to me here again; therefore

 70 fore take her hand now on this auspicioas day—I have said it make my word true - that thou, O prince, be joined in joy with my daughter Muda-vati, a maiden of lovely form.” 

The prince spoke:

71 I must obey thy command, dear father; what thou sayest I will do. Thou verily knowest, dear father, that in this matter we are in truth unchanged. 

Markandeya spoke:

72 Then the great king performed the series of marriage rites for them both, for his daughter Muda-vati and Bhanandana’s 

73 son. Thereafter Vatsa-pri in his early manhood sported with her in charming regions and in palaces and on hill-tops.

74     As time passed on, his father Bhanandana grew old and

75 departed to the forest; Vatsa-pri himself became king. He offered up sacrifices continually, while protecting his people with righteousness. Now the people, being protected by that high-souled monarch as if they were his children, prospered;

76 and in his realm there was no confusion among the castes; and no one felt any fear of robbers, rogues or villains, nor any fear of calamities, while he ruled as king.