133 - Dama’s exploits. 

Canto cxxxiv in the Calcutta edition.

Narishyanta was succeeded by his son Dama, an accomplished king—Sumana daughter of the king of Dasarna chose him as her husband at her svayam-vara—Three other princes tried to take her by force, and Dama, after appealing to the assembled kings against their conduct, was left in accordance with marriage rules to assert his right by arms—He defeated those kings and married Sumana.

Markandeya spoke:

1 Narishyanta's son was Dama, § the tamer of the wicked and of enemies; like Indra's was his strength; compassion such

§ He and his descendants are given in Vishnu Pur. IV. i.

2 as a muni's was his disposition. That very famous son was born to that king of Indra-sena, a princess descended fronm Babhru, * after abiding nine years in his mother's womb.

* This may be Babhru or Vabhru, son of Druhyu, son of Yayati (Hari-V., xxxii. 1837). There were other kings of the same name later, as Vabhru son of Devavridha (Hari-V., xxxviii. 2010-13, and Matsya Pur. xliv. 56), Babhru son of Vishva-garbha (Hari-V., xcv. 5252), &c. 

3 Because while abiding in her womb he caused his mother to acquire self-restraint, and because it was supposed, ' this prince

4 also will be self-restrained in disposition,' therefore indeed his family priest, who knew the three times, † gave Narishyanta's son the name ' Dama.' ††

† The past, the present and the future. 

†† " Self-control."  

5 Now prince Dama learnt the knowledge of the bow entirely

6 from Vrisha-parvan, king of men; § and he learnt the use of all kinds of weapons thoroughly from the noble Daitya Dundubhi ||

§ This would appear to be Vrisha-parvan, a famous king of the Danavas (Maha-Bh., Adi-p. Ixxxi. 3367-8, Sabha-p.iii. 58-60), whose daughter Sarmishtha married Yayati (ibid., and Adi-p. xcv. 3760-1, Udyoga-p. cxlviii. 5042-5; Hari V., xxx. 1600-3; and Vishnu Pur. IV. x). There was a famous hermitage called Vrisha-parvan's hermitage near Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas (Maha-Bh., Vana-p. clviii. 11541-3, olxxvii. 12340-44), but that Vrisha-parvan appears, to have been contemporary with the Pandavas, according to the first of these last two passages.

|| I have not found a Daitya of this name elsewhere.

7 who dwelt in Tapo-vana; ¶ and he learnt the Vedas and all the Vedangas from Sakti; ** and controlling himself he learnt the practice of religious devotion from the royal rishi Arshti-shena††.  

¶ This means a " grove where austerities are practised"; but there appears to have been a place of this name, for Yayati retired there (Vishnu Pur. IV. x).

** This appears to be Vasishtha's son who was called Sakti (Wilson's Vishnu Pur. — edit. F. Hall—I. p. 8, and III, iii., pp. 35 and 36) and, better, Saktri (Maha-Bh., Adi-p. clxxvii. 6757, clxxviii. 6792-4; Santi-p. cccli.) He was parasara's father (loc. cit.), see canto cxxxiv. verse 32.

†† For Arshni-shena read Arshti-Shena, as in the poona edition. He is mentioned in the Maha-Bh., as having a famous hermitage near Mount. 

8 Him, who was naturally high-souled, who was accomplished in arms and was great in strength, did Sumana, when placed*

*Krita; svayam-vare krite pitra, " at the svayam-vara arranged by her father," would seem better. 

9 at the svayam-vara by her father, choose as her husband, she, daughter of mighty Caru-karman† king of Dasarna, †† while all the kings looked on, who had assembled there for her sake.

† I have not found this name elsewhere.

†† See canto lvii, verse 53. 

10 Now the Madra§ king's son Maha-nada, who was great in 

§ See p. 315, note ††. 

11 strength and prowess, was also deeply enamoured of her, and

so also, were the son of Sankrandana king of Vidarbha, || and prince Vapush-mat, who bore a great bow and was of lofty

|| See canto Ivii, verse 47.  

12 intellect. Now seeing that Dama, tamer of the wicked and of enemies, was chosen by her, ¶ they took counsel thus with one another there, being infatuated by love, -

¶ For te 'tha yatavritatn read te taya tam vritam as in the Poona edition. 

13     “We will seize this beautifully-formed maiden from him by force and go home. She shall be his among us, whom she,

14 the maiden of beautiful hips, shall take with the intention that he shall he her husband according to the ordinance of the svayam-vara—his wife she shall be, delivered over according

15 to righteousness by our wish. Yet if that maiden of intoxicating

eyes do not desire any of us, then she shall be his who shall slay

Dama.”

Markandeya spoke:

16 Having formed this resolve, those three princes seized that most beautifully-formed maiden, as she attended by Dama's

17 side. Thereupon some kings among them who were of his** party cried out, and other kings shouted out on the other side; 

** Tat-paksha, i.e., apparently “of Dama's party."

Gandha-madana in the Himalayas (Vana-p. clviii. 11626-7, Salya-p. xli, Anusas-p. xxv. 1741), and he is there made a contemporary of the pandavas. That Arshtishena or another of the same name was son of Sala (or LaSa), who was son of Su-hotra (Hari-V., xxix. 1518-20; see also the Vayu, Brahma and Bhag. Paranas).  

18 some took a neutral position. Then Dama, looking at those kings all around, made this appeal with full presence of mind, O great muni. 

Dama spoke:

19     “Ho, ye kings! Since men say a svayam-vara is among the duties of righteousness, is it unrighteousness or righteousness

20 that these have seized her by force? If it is unrighteousness, it is no duty of mine that there shall be another wife for me; or if it is righteousness, then enough of the life which is retained in an outrage by an enemy! “

21 Then king Caru-dharman, * king of Dasarna, making that

* Or caru-karman in verse 9 above. 

22 assemblage keep silence, spoke, O great muni_, —”If this which Dama has spoken depends on righteousness or unrighteousness, O kings, declare it then, so that mine and his righteousness be not violated.”

Markandeya spoke:

23 Then certain kings addressed that king, — “With mutual affection the Gandharva ceremony of marriage is ordained for

24 kshatriyas, † but it is not for vaisyas, sudras or twice-born brahmans. And it has been affected by this thy daughter in

† See Manu iii. 26 and 32. 

25 that she has preferred Dama. Thus, according to righteousness this thy daughter belongs to Dama, O king. He who behaves otherwise, proceeds through infatuation as one licentious in soul.”

26 And others, high-souled kings, who belonged to the party of the hostile kings, spoke this speech to the king of Dasarna, O brahman,  

27     ^“Why say they through infatuation that this Gandharva form

is the rule of righteousness for him who is kshatriya-born? But this is certainly not approved. There is another††

†† For na tvasha sasta nanyo hi read na tv esha eva sasto nyo, as in the Poona edition. 

28 form also, the Rakshasa, § for those who live by bearing arms. Now whoever carries off this maiden by force after slaying those who beset his path, his in truth she is by the

§ See Manu iij, 26 and 33.

29 Rakshasa marriage, O kings. Of the two forms of marriage this Rakshasa form is esteemed the more excellent here among kshatriyas; hence Mahananda* and the other princes have acted righteously."

* Or Mahanada, as in verse 10. 

Markandeya spoke:

30 Then the kings, who had first addressed the assembled kings, spoke again this speech dealing with the rigliteousness of their caste as concerned with mutual affection; -

31     “It is true the Rakshasa form also is commended as an excellent ordinance for kshatriyas, but the maiden has approved him, Dama, as her husband under her father's authority. 

32 Now she who is carried off by force by a man, who has killed her

father or kinsman—that is declared to be the Rakshasa

33 ordinance - provided she is living in the possession of no one else as husband. † In this completion of the Gandharva form here—since this maiden chose Dama in the sight of all the

† This is according to the comment., which makes nanya-bhartri-kare sthita a clause qualifying the preceding words. The comment. explains hatva pitri-sambandham as "severing her tie to her father.”

34 kings—what Rakshasa marriage has there been here? A maiden when married certainly retains not her maidenhood,

35 and marriage creates a bond†† on a maiden, O kings. These particular princes, who are prepared to take her by force from Dama, let them do so then, if they are strong enough; but that is not good."

†† sambandhah; =svamitvam, "ownership”(comment). 

Markandeya spoke:

36 Hearing that, Dama with eyes reddened with wrath strung

37 his bow and spoke this speech, — "If my own wife is carried off by strong men before my eyes—what then is the value of the existence of an irtipotent man as regards his family or his 

38 two arms? § fie on my weapons! fie on my valour! fie on my

arrows! fie on my bow! fie on my useless birth in the family

§ For bhujamyam read bhujabhyam, as in the Poona edition.  

39 of high-souled Marutta! If these powerful princes in their infatuation take my wife and depart while I live, shame on my useless possession of a bow! "

40 So exclaiming, mighty Dama, the tamer of great enemies, then addressed all those other kings with Mahananda at their 

41 head, — “Here stands the surpassingly bright maiden, pretty in form, and with intoxicating eyes; what has he to do with life,

42 to whom this high-born maiden becomes not wife? Thinking thus, O kings, so strive ye in combat that ye may by vanquishing me proudly make her your wife.”

43 Having challenged them thus, he then discharged a shower of arrows there, covering the kings therewith as a storm of rain

44 covers trees with darkness. Those heroic kings also discharged arrows, pikes, spears and maces, and Dama playfully clove the

45 missiles used by them. They also clove the arrows shot by him, and Narishyanta's son clove the multitudes of arrows

46 discharged by those kings, O muni. As the fight went on then

between Dama and the princes, Mahananda penetrated with

47 sword in hand where Dama was. Dama, seeing him advancing with sword in hand in the great fight, discharged showers of

48 arrows as Indra pours out the rains. Mahananda immediately then clove those his missiles, which composed meshes of arrows, 49 with his sword and avoided others. Mahananda, great in valour, next mounted on Dama's chariot in fury then and fought

50 with Dama. As Mahananda was fighting agilely in many ways, Dama shot an arrow gleaming like the fire of fate into

51 his heart. Mahananda, with himself pierced as he was, pulled out the arrow that had stuck in his heart, and then hurled

52 his glittering sword against Dama. And Dama dashed aside this torch-like sword, which was falling on him, with a pike, and cut Mahananda's head off with a double-edged sword. *

* Vetasa-patra. See canto cxxvi verse 24.

53 When Mahananda was killed, the kings in a mass turned backwards, but Vapush-mat, king of Kundina, † stood his

† See p. 335, note §. 

54 ground; and full of strength, pride, and frenzy he fought with Dama. He was son of a king of the Southern country 

55 and was a habitual fighter. * As that prince was fighting fiercely,

he, Dama, with a scymitar† lightly clove both his

* Rana-gocarah.

† For kara-balam, which form is not in the dictionary, read kara-balena or better kara-palena? 

56 charioteer's head and his banner in the battle. His sword being broken, that prince then seized his mace studded with many spikes, and he, Dama, hastily split that also while it

57 was in his very hand. Whilst Vapash-mat is taking up another choice weapon, during that interval Dama pierced

58 him with an arrow and laid him low on the ground. That prince was laid low on the ground then, powerless in his limbs

59 and quivering, and ceased in his mind from fighting. After gazing on him as he lay so with no more thought of fighting, Dama restraining himself†† abandoned him, and taking Sumana went forth with happy mind. 

†† He did not give him the coup de grace. Vapush-mat re-appears in the next canto. 

60 Then the king of Dasarna filled with pleasure performed the marriage of those two, of Dama and Sumana, according to

61 the ordinances. Dama wedded to his wife remained a short time there in the city of the king of Dasarna, and departed with

62 his wife to his own abode. And the king of Dasarna§ gave him

elephants, horses and chariots, cattle, horses, asses and

§ For Dasarnadhipates casau read Dasarnadhiptis casmai, as in the poona edition. 

63 camels, and many slaves both female and male, clothing, ornaments, bows and other apparel, the choicest household utensils of his own; and sent him away, replete also with those other vessels.