Mārkandeya Mahā Purana
136 - Dama's exploits - The slaying of Vapush-mat.
This and the next cantos are the ending given in the Bombay and Poona editions. The Calcntta edition gives a short ending, quite different, which is printed at the end. This ending is printed as an Appendix to the latter edition, but the text there is very incorrect; and I have followed the text in the former editions, noting only such variations as appear worthy of notice.
Dama consulted his ministers and resolved to kill Vapush-mat—He and Vapush-mat met with their armies, and he killed Vapush-mat in fight—He celebrated his father s obsequies with Vapush-mat’s flesh and blood.
Markandeya spoke:
1 When Narishyanta's son Dama uttered this vow, his eyes rolled with anger and passion, while he covered his beard with
2 his hand. Exclaiming " Alas! I am stricken! " he kept his father in mind and reproached Fate; and he addressed all those ministers; he brought the family priest there.
Dama spoke:
3 Tell me what should be done in this matter, now that my dear father has reached the gods' abode. Ye, sirs, have heard
4 what that sudra ascetic has said. That king was aged, an ascetic, engaged in the vana-prastha's vow, observing the rule of silence, unarmed and dwelling with my mother Indra-sena.
5 She who was associated with him told the exact account to Vapush-mat. Thereupon the evil-souled foe, drawing his scymitar and seizing my father's matted locks with his left hand,
6 killed the world's master as if he were a masterless churl. And my mother, having actually commissioned me, was uttering
7 the word " Shame! " and, calling me feeble in lot and void of good fortune, has entered the fire. Embracing him, Narishyanta,
8 she has departed to the abode of the thirty gods. I being such will now do what my mother has said. And let my army composed of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry
9 be arranged. If I drive not away the enmity against my father, if I kill not my father's murderer and comply not with my mother's word, how can I endure to live here?
Markandeya spoke:
10 The ministers hearing his speech exclaimed " Alas! Alas! " and did accordingly therefore, while distraught in mind. Accompanied 11 by his dependants, army, and chariots, and by his retinue, they, placing king Dama at their head and taking the blessings of the brahman family priest who knew the
12 three divisions of time, went forth. Breathing hard like the Serpent king, Dama advanced against Vapush-mat, while slaying the wardens on his boundaries and other neighbouring princes, and hastening* towards the southern region.
* Tvaran of the Calcutta Appendix is better than tvara.
13 Seeing him approaching, Vapush-mat was filled with patience; † and Sankrandana's son Vapush-mat recognized Dama, who had arrived attended by his retinue, by his ministers, and
†Marsha-puritah. This is hardly appropriate, unless it means " was filled with caution."
14 by his dependants. With unwavering mind, he directed his armies; and issuing from his city he despatched a messenger to
15 announce, — " Come thou on more quickly! Narishyanta with his wife awaits thee! O thou of kshatriya caste, approach near
16 me! These sharp arrows discharged by my arm, which are thirsting, shall pierce thy body in battle and drink thy blood."
17 But Dama, on hearing all that speech from the messenger, went on hastily, remembering his previously uttered vow,
18 breathing hard like a serpent. And the man who boasted of his army* was summoned to battle. And then there was an exceedingly fierce combat between Dama and Vapnsh-mat.
*Puman sena-vikatthanah; but Vapushman sainya-katthanah is suggested as better, " And Vapush-mat who boasted of his army was summoned to battle."
19 And the armies fought, both chariot-rider against chariot-rider, elephant-rider against elephant-rider, † horseman against horseman, O brahman rishi. That battle was tumultuous,
† Nagina; this meaning is not in the Dictionary.
20 while all the gods, Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Rakshasas looked on. The earth quaked, O brahman, as Dama fought in that
21 battle. There was no elephant, no chaiiot-rider, no horse which could endure his arrows. Next Vapush-mat's general
22 fought with Dama, and Dama pierced him deeply in the heart with an arrow at close-qnarters. When he fell, his army verily was seized with a panic to flee.
23 Then spoke Dama, tamer of his foes, to their master thus, - "Where goest thou, wicked one, after having slaughtered my
24 father, who was an ascetic and weapon-less and practising
austerities? Thou art a kshatriya; stay thou! " Then stay ing back he, Vapnsh-mat, attended by his younger brother
25 fought with Dama. Mounted in his chariot he fought in company with his sons, relations, and kinsmen. With the arrows discharged from his bow the regions of the sky were then
26 pervaded, †† and he filled Dama and his chariot with multitudes of arrows quickly. And thereupon Dama in wrath excited by
††For the first tatah, tasya would be better.
27 his father's murder split the arrows discharged by them§ and pierced them also with other arrows. In that way he brought
§Chiddhedastami charams or ciccheda tami charams; both readings are admissible.
28 down to Yama's abode the seven sons, the relations and kinsmen and friends* each with a single arrow, O dvija.
* Mitran; the masculine with this meaning is unusual.
29 And Vapush-mat after his sons and kinsmen had been killed, mounted in a chariot fought wrathfully with him in battle with serpent-like arrows. † And Dama split those his arrows,
†The Calcutta Appendix reads sa rathi vibudhopamah, " He, riding in his chariot, resembled a god " — which probably would refer to Dama.
30 O great muni. †† And those two fought together, being exasperated, wishing to conquer each other, each one's bow being quickly split by the impetus of the other's arrows. They both,
††Ca maha-mune, a mere expletive. The Calcutta Appendix reads pratayu- vaca ha.
31 great in strength, grasping their swords, made play. § Dama, reflecting for a moment on the king his father who had been
§ Or " made feints." The Calcutta Appendix rends grihita-khadgam udyamya cikridati Vapushmati, " While Vapush-mat raising the sword in his grasp was making play, " or " making a feint," Dama, &c.
32 killed in the forest, || seized Vapush-mat by the hair and attacked him and felled him to the earth; and with his foot on his neck,
||The Calcutta Appendix reads jnatva pitaram ca sthitam vane.
33 raising his arm he exclaimed, — " Let all the gods, men, Serpents and birds see the heart also of Vapush-mat, who is of
34 kshatriya caste, split open! " And so, saying Dama tore open his heart also, and desirous of drinking¶ was forbidden by the gods from tasting the blood.
¶The Calcutta Appendix reads svatta-kamas for patu-kamas.
35 Then he offered the water-oblation to his dear father with the very blood. Having discharged his debt to his father he
36 returned to his own house. And with Vapush-mat's flesh he offered the cakes to his father, he feasted the brahmans who were sprung from families of Rakshasas. **
**An extraordinary statement.
37 Such verily were the kings born of the Solar Race. Others also were of fine intellect, heroic, sacrificers, learned in righteousness, 38 deeply versed in the Vedanta. And I am not able to mention them fully. * By listening to their exploits, a man is delivered from sins.
*Dama's descendants are given in the Vishnu Pur. IV. i. His son was Hajya-vardhana, who is the subject of cantos cix and cx, above.
Summary of chapter 136 of the Mārkandeya Mahā Purana is as follows:
Upon hearing of his father's cowardly murder, King Dama takes a solemn vow of retribution. Marching against Vapushmat's kingdom, Dama defeats the enemy army, slays Vapushmat in single combat, and performs his father's funeral rites with the enemy king's blood, upholding royal honor and filial duty.