131 - Marutta’s exploits (concluded)

Canto cxxxii in the Calcutta edition.  

Avikshit called on Marutta to spare the Nagas, but Marutta insisting on his duty refused—Avikshit proposed to fight with him and Marutta, though deprecating such combat, agreed- The rishi intervened, the Nagas restored the dead rishis to life, and all parted affectionately—Marutta's wives and successor are named.  

Markandeya spoke_:

1 Now he, Avikshit, on seeing his son there± grasping his choice bow, and seeing his son’s bow and keen weapon filling all the

†† Tatra of the Bombay edition is better than tasyah.

2 regions of the sky with its fiery light, belching forth a great flame, illuminating all the surface of the earth, penetrating down into Patala, unendurable, dreadful and terrifying, and actually

3 ready for use—he, seeing the king whose countenance was wrinkled with frowns, said, — “Be not thou wrathful, O

4 Marutta; let thy weapon be drawn back.” More than once so said he, lofty-minded Avikshit, to him, the varying course of whose colour speedily vanished in pallor. Listening to his father's speech and looking at him again and again, he,

5 still grasping his bow, prostrated himself before his parents with veneration and replied: -

"Most grievously have the Nagas offended me, O father.

6 While I rule this earth, they despising my might advanced to

7 the hermitage and bit seven youthful munis; and the fire-offerings of these rishis who dwell in the hermitage have been defiled by the evil-behaved Nagas, while I am reigning, O

8 king. Morever every one of the tanks has in truth been defiled by them. This then is the reason; thou must say nothing in their favour, O father. I am not to be turned aside as regards the brahman-killing Nagas.”

Avikshi* spoke:

*The text reads Avikshi here and in the following places. See canto cxxii, verse 2, note. 

9 If these Nagas have slain brahmans, they will go to hell when dead. Let this my word be complied with; desist from using thy weapon. 

Marutta spoke:

10 I will not pardon these wicked offenders. I in truth shall go to hell if I strive not to curb these sinners. Turn me not back, O father! 

Avikshi spoke:

11 These Nagas have come to me for refuge. Because of the veneration due to me draw back thy weapon. Enough of thy wrath, O king!

Marutta spoke:

12 I will not pardon these wicked offenders. How shall I, transgressing my own righteousness, comply with thy word?

13 By inflicting punishment on him who ought to be punished and by protecting the well-behaved, a king gains the sacred worlds and disregards the hells. 

Markandeya spoke:

14 When the son thus repeatedly forbidden by his father draws not back the weapon, he, the father, then spoke again,

15     “Thou injurest these terrified Nagas who have come to me for refuge, although thou art forbidden; I will therefore

16 employ a means to counteract thee. I also acquired skill in weapons; not thou alone art skilled in weapons on the earth; and how great will be thy manhood in my presence, O most ill-behaved one?”

17 Avikshi, the lordly muni, with eyes dusky-red through anger,

18 strung his bow and grasped the weapon of fate. Next, he fitted in his bow the noblest weapon of fate, which was surrounded with fiery light, which could slaughter hosts of

19 foes, which had great vigour. Then made hot by the weapon of conflagration, * quaked the whole heaven and earth with the seas and mountains, O brahman, when the weapon of fate† was raised aloft. 

* Samvarta; see canto cxxx, verse 6.

† Kalastra.

Markandeya spoke:

20 Marutta also, seeing that weapon of fate made ready by his

father, spoke aloud, —

“This my weapon is raised aloft for the punishment of the

21 wicked—not to kill thee. Why dost thou, sir, discharge the weapon of fate at me, thy son, who observe true righteousness

22 and who have ever indeed obeyed thy command? I must protect my subjects fully, illustrious sir; why dost thou thus prepare the weapon to kill me? “

Avikshi spoke:

23 We are determined to accomplish the rescue of him who has come for refuge; thou art his assailant, thou shalt not be

24 let go alive by me. Either slay thou me by the might of thy weapon and then slay the wicked Nagas here; or I will 

25 slay thee with my weapon and save the great Nagas. Fie on the life of that man that shews no favour to one in pain, who has come seeking for protection even though certainly belonging

26 to an enemy's party! A kshatriya am I; these terrified Nagas have come to me for protection; thou indeed art their injurer; why shouldest thou not be killed by me? 

Marutta spoke:

27 Whoever tends to be an obstacle to the protection of the subjects, whether he be a friend or even a kinsman or a father

28 or a spiritual preceptor, he must be killed by a king. I, being such a king, will fight with thee; be not thou angry, O father. I must preserve my own righteousness, I have no anger against thee. 

Markandeya spoke:

29 Seeing those two determined to kill each other, Bhargava and the other munis sprang up then and stood between them. 

30 and said, — “Thou must not discharge thy weapon against this thy father; nor must thou slay this thy son who is renowned for his deeds.”

Marutta spoke:

31 I must as king slay the wicked and guard the good; and these are wicked Nagas. What is my fault in this matter, O ye twice-born? 

Avikshi spoke:

32 I must rescue those who have come to me for refuge, and this my son is an offender, * who kills those that have come for refuge, O brahmans.

*For aparadhyah read aparadhi, as in the Poona edition. 

The rishis spoke:

33 These Nagas whose eyes are rolling about in terror say, ' We will bring to life again those brahmans who were bitten

34 by wicked Nagas.' Enough then of combat! Be ye both appeased, noble kings! Ye both indeed, who are faithful to your promises, are well acquainted with righteomsness. 

Markandeya spoke: 

35 Now Vira approaching, her son said this, - “At my word

36 this thy son has tried to kill the Nagas. That is finished. When the brahmans live unmotested and the dead munis also come to life again, the Nagas may be set free, since they have sought thee for protection.”

Bhavini Spoke:

37 I was formerly entreated by these denizens of Patala; for that

38 reason I commissioned this my husband in this matter. Therefore, has occurred this noble outcome, splendid, in both of them, both in my husband and my son, in thy grandson and thy son. 

Markandeya spoke:

39 Those Nagas then restored those brahmans to life both by means of various divine herbs and by drawing out the poison.

40 The king then bowed at his parents' feet; and he, Avikshit,

41 embracing Marutta affectionately spoke thus— “Be thou a destroyer of thy enemies' pride; long do thou protect the earth; be thou also merry with thy sons and grandsons; and may they not be haters of thee!”

42 Permitted* then by the brahmans and by Vira to depart, the two kings mounted the chariot together; and Bhavini went to her own city.

* For anujnato read anujnatau, as in the Poona edition.  

43 Vira also, best of those who maintain righteousness, after performing very great austerities, gained the same world† as her husband, she an illiistrious wife, devoted to her lord.

† For sa lokatam read sa-lokatam, as in the Poona edition. 

44 Marutta also protected the earth fully in righteousness, and having vanquished the six classes of enemies enjoyed enjoyments

45 as king. And his wife was Prabhavati, the illustrious daughter of the king of Vidarbha; and Suvira's daughter

46 Sauviri was also his wife; Su-kesi, daughter of the Magadha king Ketu-virya was his wife. Kekayi also, daughter of

47 Sindhu-virya king of Madra, and Kekaya's daughter Sairandhri, and Vapush-mati, daughter of the lord of Sindhu, * were also his wives; and Su-sobhana, daughter of the king of C'hedi.

* These names seem to be confused so as to be in impossible combinations, for Sindhu, Kekaya and Madra were distinct countries, see canto lvii, Verses 36 and 37. For Saurindhri read Sairandhri as in the Poona edition. The second line of verse 46 and the first of verse 47 would read better thus, by merely transposing the words, — 

Suta sa, Sindhu-viryasya Sindhu-bhartur Vapush-mati,

Madra-rajasya Sairandhri, Kekayasya sa Kekayi.

“Vapush-mati also daughter of Sindhu-virya lord of Sindhu, Sairandhri daughter of the king of Madra, and Kekayi daughter of the king of Kekaya were also his wives.”

48 was his wife. And his sons by those queens became eighteen kings, O brahman. Chief among them and the eldest son was Narishyanta. 

49 Such in valour was Marutta, a great king, great in strength. His disous was unopposed in the seven continents; equal to

50 whom no other king ever lived or shall live. After hearing of these exploits of that royal rishi, high-souled Marutta, who was

51 endowed with goodness and prowess, and who was of boundless vigour, and of his pre-eminent birth, O brahman, a man is freed from all offences.