124 - Avikshita’s exploits. 

 Canto cxxv in the Calcutta edition. 

Avikshita’s mother Vira roused up Ms father and allied kings to rescue Amkshita, and they defeated Vishala and his confederates— Avikshita was set free, hut refused to marry the princess as she had seen him overpowered, although she praised him and his father entreated him—She vowed to marry no one else, and departed to the forest and wore herself away with austerities—The gods in compassion sent a messenger to her and promised that she should have a son who should he a universal monarch—She then regained her health. 

Markandeya spoke:

1 Karandhama heard then that his son had been captured; and

2 his wife Vira and other kings also heard it. On hearing that his son had been captured unrighteously, the king pondered a long time in company with the neighbouring§ kings, O

§ For samastaih, read samantaih), with the Bombay edition.

3 great muni.  Some of the kings said, — “All those kings should be slain, who banding themselves all together captured him

4 single-handed unrighteously in fight.” “Let the army be made ready; why sit the others still? Let wicked Vishala be 

5 slain!” said others who -were assembled there. And others said,—    “Righteousness was first discarded in this affair by Avikshit,* who acting unjustly forcibly seized the princess who 

*For mahikshitaih the Bombay edition reads ahavikshita; the correct reading seems to be avikshita and this I have adopted. 

6 did not desire him. In all svayam-varas then he has reduced all the princes to ruin at once; when they combined, he was subdued.”

7       On hearing this their speech Vira, mother of a hero, daughter

8 r of a race of heroes, and wife of a hero, rejoiced and spoke in view of her husband and of the other kings,— “A noble

9 deed, kings, has my son who feasts on noble deeds done, in that vanquishing all the kings he seized the maiden by force. While fighting for that object single-handed? he was captured†

† For yuddha read baddha with the Bombay edition. 

10 unrighteously. Even that I reckon entails no deterioration on my son in battle. For this in truth is manliness, thata

11 man under the influence of passion†† recks not so of good poli cy, just as a lion when attacking recks not. Many maidena§

†† Amarsha-vashan the Bombay edition is better than adharma-vashan.

§ Both editions read kanyaka; but the plural kanyakah is required by the adject, bahvyo.

12 presented for their svayam-vara have been seized by my son in full sight of exceedingly proad kings. What comparison is there between birth in a kshatriya family and entreaty

13 which is used by the feeble? By force verily a kshatriya takes things to himself in the presence of the mighty. On the other hand do not weaklings, being bound with iron chains, pass

14 into subjection? Do kings imbued with righteousness, who do daring deeds, pass thereinto? Awsij then with weak-mindedness

15 Praiseworthy in sooth is his captivity! Let there be the down-rush of your weapons among bodies and heads! After ye have actually taken from the kings their territory,

16 sons and other wealth, then the objects aimed at by your valour, even their wives, || have become matters of importance.* Hasten then quickly to battle; mount ye the chariots;

|| For bharyacharya-nimittani read bharya virya-nimittani as in the Bombay  edition.

* Or, “the objects of your wives and spiritual gaides then attained to importance.” The Bombay edition reads differently in verse 15 and the first, half of verse 16; — “For you also, who, by aooomplishing the slaughter of your foes and by taking away in sooth the territory, sons and other wealth of the kings, stood foremost, a wife became then of exceeding importance as being the sum of the objects of your valour. “But neither text seems satisfactory, and the future appears to be intended rather than the past.

17 make ready the elephants and horses without delay, and also the charioteers.† What think ye of battling with many kings?

† For sa-sarathim read sa-sarathi as in the Poona edition (corrigenda). 

18 Deeds have occurred, indeed, enough to satisfy a warrior in a small battle. Who finds not strength when amongst petty

19 kings and other petty men that inspire no fear? For in sooth, O muni, the man who, after prevailing so as to slay my son’s foes†† which have all pervaded the world, is self-controlled, he shines forth§ a hero, just as the sun after prevailing over the darknesses.” 

†† The Bombay edition reads differently, thus,— “Who finds not strength when amongst petty kings and other yetty men, that inspire no fear in one who has really displayed his prowess against foes? For in sooth the man who, after prevailing over all those men which have pervaded the world, was self-controlled, shone forth, &c.” 

Markandeya spoke:

20 Thus was king Karandhama aroused to boldness by this Ms wife. He set his army in array to slay his son’s foes, muni.

21 Then occurred a conflict between him whose son had been captured

22 and all those kings and Vishala, O great muni. Three days lasted the battle then between king Karandhama and

23 the kings who followed Vishala’s lead. When all that confederacy of kings was almost defeated, || Vishala with arghya offering in

§ Vyarochata † iti. The past tense does not seem happy, and the iti is wrong. Virochate cha is the reading of the Poona edition (corrigenda), and is preferable.

||For parajaya-prayam read parajita-prayam as in the Poona edition (corrigenda.) 

24 hand approached Karandhama then. And that king highly honoured Karandhama with kindly feeling. On his son being

25 set free, ¶ he abode there that night in happiness. And when Vishala taking the maiden -came near, Avikehit spoke before his father touching the marriage, O brahman rishi:- 

¶ For viyukte read vimukte as in the Poona edition (corrigenda)  

26 “O king, I will not take this maiden, nor amy other woman, in whose very sight I have been vanquished by adversaries in

27 fight. Bestow her on some one else, and let her choose some one else, who is unsoathed in fame and valour and has not been

28 subjected to indignity by adversaries. Since I have been vanquished by adversaries just as this weak girl might he, what manhood have I here? there is no difference between her and

29 me. Self-reliance is the quality of men; a girl is always dependant on others. Of what kind is the manhood of that

30 man who is even dependant on others? How shall I, who am, Such, show her again the face which she has often seen, I who have been worsted to the ground in her presence by adverse kings?” 

31 When he had thus spoken, the king spoke to the maiden,- “Thou hast heard, dear child, the speech of this high-souled

32 prince as he has been speaking. Choose another as thy husband in whom thy mind delights, O beauteous one. We bestow perfume* on whomsoever thou dost honour.† Adopt one of these two very courses, O sweet-faced one!” 

* Vasam; or “a dwelling,’’ or “clothing.” 

† For adritah read adritih with the Bombay edition; adriti is not in the dictionary. The Poona edition reads yasmims te hy adritam manas with the same sense.

For yat tena read yatnena, as in the Bombay edition.

The maiden spoke:

33 Vanquished he has been by many together, yet they dealt not absolutely honourably in the fight which brought loss to his

34 fame laad valour, O king. Since he set himself sigle-handed to battle with many, like a lion with elephants, he has manifested

35 thereby the highest heroism. It is not only that he stood fast in the battle, but also that they were all defeated.

36 He displayed prowess also abundantly by his efforts. †† All the kings have by unrighteousness conquered him, who is endued with heroism and prowess amd who observed righteous combat; 

37 what, fame is ther herein? And it is certainly not for mere beauty that. I have become desirous of him, O father! His

38 heroism, prowess and fortitude captivate my mind. what need then of much speaking? Do thou make entreaty to this most excellent king on my behalf; no other shall te wy husband. 

Vishala spoke:

39     O prince! my daughter has pronounced this splendid declaration, and there lives not on the earth a royal youth, who is thus

40 indeed thy peer. Thy heroism cannot be gainsaid, and thy prowess is surpassing; purify my family, warrior, by marrying my daughter 

The prince spake:

41 I will not take her nor any other woman, O king, for in my inmost self my intellect is womanish, O lord of men. 

Markandeya spoke

42 Then spoke Karandhama,- “O son, take thou this beautectus- browed daughter of Vishala; she is deeply enamoured of thee.” 

The prince spoke:

43     No infringement of thy command have I ever committed before, O lord; command me in such wise, dear father, as I may obey thy command. 

Markandeya spoke:

44 Since the prince was so exceedingly determined in his sentiments, Vishala also troubled in mind spoke to his daughter,*

* For satam read sutam.

45 — “Turn back thy mind, my daughter, even from this object choose some other as thy husband; there are raany princes here.”

The maiden spoke:

46     A boon I choose, dear father! If this prince wants me not, no other than a course of religious austerities shall be my husband in this life!

Markandeya spoke:

47 Then king Karandhama stayed there three days joyously

48 with Vishala and returned to his own city. Avikshita also, after being soothed by his own father and the other kings avd by precepts of ancient times, returned to his city. 

49 That maiden also went to the forest, being set free by her relatives, and practised austerities, abstaining from food and

50 adhering to utter passionlessness. Now when abstaining from food she had dwelt there three months, she reached the deepest distress, being emaciated, in the lowest condition and prostrated*

*Krishadhama-nisantata ; ni-san-tata om wi-san-tan, not in the dictionary.

 51 The maiden was weakened in energy, extremely thin in body, even ready to die. The princess then made up her mind

52 to quit the body. Thereupon the gods, perceiving that she had made up her mind to abandon herself, assembled and despatched

 53 patched the gods’ messenger to her. Approacbing the maiden he said:- 

“I am a messenger, O princess, sent to thee by the thirty

54 gods; hearken to what must be done! Thou, O lady, must not forsake thy body which is exceedingly difficult to be obtained. Thou, O fortunate one, shalt become the mother of a universal

55 monarch; and along with thy son, who shall have slain his foes and whose command shall be unresisted, thou, illustrious 

56 lady, shalt long enjoy the earth and its seven continents. He must kill the enemy Taru-jit in the presence of the gods, and, Aya and cruel Sh’anku, and then establish the people in righteousness.

57 All the four castes must be fully safeguarded according to their respective rules of righteousness; he must slay the robbers, the mlecchas and others who work wickedness. 

58 He must sacrifice with manifold sacrifices replete with gifts and largesse, and with horse-sacrifices and other sacrifices six thousand in number, O noble lady.’’ 

Markandeya spoke

59 Seeing that messenger of the gods, stationed in the air, ad adorned with heavenly garlands and unguents, the weakened

60 princess then said this, — “Truly thou hast come from Svarga, a messenger of the gods without doubt; nevertheless how 

61 shall I have such a son without a husband? ‘No one but Avikshita shall be my husband in this life,’—this I vowed

62 in my father’s presence. And me he wants not, though he was admonished by my father and his sire Karandhama, and though he was entreated by me also in seemly wise.” 

The gods’ messenger spoke:

63     What need of this further speaking, O illustrious lady! A son shall be born to thee. Abandon not thyself unrighteously!

64 Remain in this very forest and nourish up thy emaciated body. Through the power of austerities all this shall be well for thee. 

Markandeya spoke:

65 After speaking thus, the messenger of the gods went away as he had come. And the beautiful-browed lady nourished up her body day by day.