121 - Karandhama’s exploits. 

Canto cxxii in the Calcutta edition.

Khanimetra propitiated Indra and obtained the gift of a son, Ba lashva—King Balashva was besieged hy his rebellious vassal kings and was delivered by an army which issued frow. his hands that shook with distress—Hence he was named Karandhama.

Markandeya spoke:

1 Thereupon the king went to the sin-destroying river Gomati,* and, practising self-restraint, gratified the god Purandar

* See p. 291, note ††.

2 there. And assiduously practising severe austerities, subduing his voice, body and mind, and controlling himself,

3 the king gratified Indra in order to obtain a son. The adorable Indra, lord of the gods, was gratified with his praise,

4 austerities and faith, and said to him, O great muni, — “By reason of these austerities, faith and praise uttered by thee, I am well satisfied with thee, O king; choose a boon, sir! “

The king spoke:

5       May I who am son-less obtain a son, who shall be chief among all who bear arms, and always unrepulsed in his sover- eignty,† a doer of righteousness, a knower of righteousness, and skilful. 

† For chabhyahataishvaryo read chavyahataishvaryo as in the Poona edition.

Markandeya spoke:

6       And when Indra said to him, “Be it so!” the king gained his desire. The king returned to his own city to protect his

7 people. As he was performing sacrifice there, as he was duly protecting his people, a son was born to him then through

8 Indra’s favour, O brahman. The king, his father, gave him the name Balashva,†† and caused the son to acquire skill in every

† He was also called Suvarchas (Maha-Bh., Ashvam.-p. iii. 72-79) and Balakashva or Subalashva; but his most famous name was Karandhama which is fancifully explained in verse 21, and in the above-mentioned passage of the Maha- Bharata. A king Vibhuti or Ati-vibhuti is sometimes inserted between Khaninetra and this king. This famous Karandhama must be distinguished from another king of the same name, who was fourth in descent from Yayati’s son Turvasu (Hari-V., xxxii. 1839-31; and Matsya Pur,? xlviii. 1, 2.)

9 kind of weapon. When his father died, O brahman, he stood as king in tlie supreme sovereignty.* Balashva brought all

* The Maha-Bh, Bays Khaninetra was deposed by his subjects (Ashvam.-p. iii. 70-72.) 

10 kings on the earth into subjection; and the king after first taking away their choicest property, † made all the kings pay Mm tribute; and he protected his people. 

† Sara-grahana-purvakam; sara = shreshtha-vastu (comment.)

11 Now all those kings as claimants were furious against him; and at all times they neither rose up before him nor paid him tribute.

12 They stood up†† then in their own countries; disregarding contentment as the chief good, those kings seized that king’s territory.

†† Vyuithitah. The root vy-ut-tha is given only in the causal form in the dictionary. 

13 That king held fast his own kingdom by force,§ O muni, and made his stand in his own city. Many kings besieged him.

§ For prithivishe balan the Poona, edition reads prithivisho balan; prithivisho balan appears therefore to be the correct reading. 

14 Kings, very great in valour, possessing military apparatus and riches, assembled then and besieged that king in that city.

15 Now the king was enraged at that siege of his city, hut, having very little treasure and a small army, fell into the utmost

16 distress. Beholding no succour though possessing an army, O best of dvijas, he put his hands before his face and sighed

17 in mental suffering. Then compacted together|| by the breath from his mouth, which issued through the interstice between his hands, there went forth¶ in hundreds warriors aocompanied

|| Samahatah appears to be the reading, but hardly yields a suitable meaning; samahitah, “put into order,” “arrayed” would be preferable.

¶ For hasta-viravan read hasta-vivaran, and for  nir-jagmuh as in the Poona edition.

18 by chariots, elephants and horses. Thereby in a moment all that city of that king was pervaded by a host of forces, choice by reason of their extreme strength, O muni.

19 Surrounded then by that exceeding great host of forces, the king sallied forth from that city and conquered those foes.

20 And after vanquishing them the king, having great good fortune, brought them into subjection and made them pay tribute

21 again as before, illustrious sir. Because from his agitated hands was produced an army which burnt up his

22 foes, Balashva is thence called Karandhama* He was righteous of soul and great of soul; he was heiievolent to all living creatures. King Karandhama was celebrated in the three

* The derivation given here is from karayor dhutayor, but this is insufficient; the root dhma would support this fanciful explanation better than du or dhu. 

23 worlds. And Power, which is denounced by Righteousness itself approaching the ting, who had undergone intense suffering, granted him the destruction of his enemies.† 

† The verse seems involved. The Poona edition has been followed. It reads sampraptam paramam artim for sampraptasya param artim, and nripam for nripah, and the commentator says balam is the subject and ari-vinasanam the object.