The Story of Vivimsha

Verse 1 (markandeya.116.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच क्षुपः खनित्रपुत्रस्तु प्राप्य राज्यं यथा पिता । तथैव पालयामास प्रजाधर्मेण रञ्जयन् ॥ 116.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca kṣupaḥ khanitraputrastu prāpya rājyaṁ yathā pitā tathaiva pālayāmāsa prajādharmeṇa rañjayan

Markandeya said: Kshupa, son of Khanitra, having obtained the kingdom, protected it just as his father had, delighting his subjects through righteousness.

Verse 2 (markandeya.116.2)

स दानशीलो यष्टा च यज्ञानामवनीपतिः । समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च व्यवहारादिवर्त्मनि ॥ 116.2 ॥

sa dānaśīlo yaṣṭā ca yajñānāmavanīpatiḥ samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca vyavahārādivartmani

That lord of the earth was charitable, a performer of sacrifices, and even-tempered toward foe and friend alike in the ways of conduct.

Verse 3 (markandeya.116.3)

एकदा स महीपालो निजस्थानगतो मुने । सूतैरुक्तो यथा पूर्वं क्षुपो राजा तथाऽभवत् ॥ 116.3 ॥

ekadā sa mahīpālo nijasthānagato mune sūtairukto yathā pūrvaṁ kṣupo rājā tathā'bhavat

O sage, once, while that king sat at his own residence, the bards told him how King Kshupa had been in former times.

Verse 4 (markandeya.116.4)

ब्रह्मणस्तनयः पूर्वं क्षुपोऽभूत्पृथिवीपतिः । यादृक्चरितमस्यासीत्तादृक्तस्यैव चेष्टितम् ॥ 116.4 ॥

brahmaṇastanayaḥ pūrvaṁ kṣupo'bhūtpṛthivīpatiḥ yādṛkcaritamasyāsīttādṛktasyaiva ceṣṭitam

"Formerly Kshupa, son of Brahma, was lord of the earth; whatever his conduct was, this king's conduct is exactly the same."

Verse 5 (markandeya.116.5)

राजोवाच श्रोतुमिच्छामि चरितं क्षुपस्य सुमहात्मनः । यदि तादृङ्मया शक्यं चेष्टितुं तत्करोम्यहम् ॥ 116.5 ॥

rājovāca śrotumicchāmi caritaṁ kṣupasya sumahātmanaḥ yadi tādṛṅmayā śakyaṁ ceṣṭituṁ tatkaromyaham

The king said: "I wish to hear the deeds of the great-souled Kshupa; if it is possible for me to act as he did, I shall do it."

Verse 6 (markandeya.116.6)

सूता ऊचुः स चकाराकरान्भूप राजा गोब्राह्मणान्पुरा । षष्ठांशेन कृता चोर्व्यामिष्टिस्तेन महात्मना ॥ 116.6 ॥

sūtā ūcuḥ sa cakārākarānbhūpa rājā gobrāhmaṇānpurā ṣaṣṭhāṁśena kṛtā corvyāmiṣṭistena mahātmanā

The bards said: "O king, that king of old made mines productive for cows and brahmins; and by that great soul, a sixth-part levy was imposed upon the earth."

Verse 7 (markandeya.116.7)

राजोवाच तेषां महात्मनां राज्ञां कोऽनुयास्यति मद्विधः । तथाप्युत्कृष्टचेतानां चेष्टासूद्यमवान्भवेत् ॥ 116.7 ॥

rājovāca teṣāṁ mahātmanāṁ rājñāṁ ko'nuyāsyati madvidhaḥ tathāpyutkṛṣṭacetānāṁ ceṣṭāsūdyamavānbhavet

The king said: "Who, like me, could follow after those great-souled kings? Still, one ought to make the effort even toward the deeds of the most excellent minds.

Verse 8 (markandeya.116.8)

तच्छ्रूयतां प्रतिज्ञा या साम्प्रतं क्रियते मया । क्षुपस्यानुकरिष्यामि महाराजस्य चेष्टितम् ॥ 116.8 ॥

tacchrūyatāṁ pratijñā yā sāmprataṁ kriyate mayā kṣupasyānukariṣyāmi mahārājasya ceṣṭitam

So hear the vow that I now make: I shall imitate the conduct of that great King Kshupa.

Verse 9 (markandeya.116.9)

त्रींस्त्रीन्यज्ञान्करिष्यामि सस्यापाते गतागते । पृथिव्यां चतुरन्तायां प्रतिज्ञेयं कृता मया ॥ 116.9 ॥

trīṁstrīnyajñānkariṣyāmi sasyāpāte gatāgate pṛthivyāṁ caturantāyāṁ pratijñeyaṁ kṛtā mayā

At each sowing and each harvest I shall perform three sacrifices; this vow have I made, for the four-cornered earth.

Verse 10 (markandeya.116.10)

यच्च गोब्राह्मणाः पूर्वमददन्भूभृते करम् । तमेव प्रतिदास्यामि ब्राह्मणानां तथा गवाम् ॥ 116.10 ॥

yacca gobrāhmaṇāḥ pūrvamadadanbhūbhṛte karam tameva pratidāsyāmi brāhmaṇānāṁ tathā gavām

And whatever tax the cow-owners and brahmins formerly gave to the king, that same I shall give back to the brahmins and to the cows."

Verse 11 (markandeya.116.11)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इति प्रतिज्ञाय वचः क्षुपस्तत्कृतवांस्तथा । सस्यापाते स यज्ञांस्त्रीनयजद्यजतांवरः ॥ 116.11 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti pratijñāya vacaḥ kṣupastatkṛtavāṁstathā sasyāpāte sa yajñāṁstrīnayajadyajatāṁvaraḥ

Markandeya said: Having made this vow, Kshupa did accordingly; that best of sacrificers performed three sacrifices at each harvest.

Verse 12 (markandeya.116.12)

गोब्राह्मणाः पुरा राज्ञामददद्यं च वै करम् । तावत्संख्यमदाद्वित्तमन्यद्गोब्राह्मणाय सः ॥ 116.12 ॥

gobrāhmaṇāḥ purā rājñāmadadadyaṁ ca vai karam tāvatsaṁkhyamadādvittamanyadgobrāhmaṇāya saḥ

Whatever tax cows and brahmins had formerly given to kings, he gave back that same amount, and gave the cows and brahmins other wealth besides.

Verse 13 (markandeya.116.13)

तस्य पुत्रोऽभवद्वीरः प्रमथायामनिन्दितः । यस्य प्रतापशौर्याभ्यां कृता वश्या महीभृतः ॥ 116.13 ॥

tasya putro'bhavadvīraḥ pramathāyāmaninditaḥ yasya pratāpaśauryābhyāṁ kṛtā vaśyā mahībhṛtaḥ

To him, by his wife Pramatha, a heroic and blameless son was born, by whose might and valor the kings of the earth were made obedient.

Verse 14 (markandeya.116.14)

तस्यापि नन्दिनी नाम वैदर्भी दयिताऽभवत् । विविंशं तनयं तस्यां जनयामास स प्रभुः ॥ 116.14 ॥

tasyāpi nandinī nāma vaidarbhī dayitā'bhavat viviṁśaṁ tanayaṁ tasyāṁ janayāmāsa sa prabhuḥ

His beloved wife too was named Nandini, a princess of Vidarbha; through her that lord begot a son named Vivimsha.

Verse 15 (markandeya.116.15)

विविंशे शासति महीं महीपाले महौजसि । महीतलमभूद्व्याप्तं निरन्तरतया नरैः ॥ 116.15 ॥

viviṁśe śāsati mahīṁ mahīpāle mahaujasi mahītalamabhūdvyāptaṁ nirantaratayā naraiḥ

While that mighty lord of the earth, Vivimsha, ruled, the surface of the earth remained continuously filled with people.

Verse 16 (markandeya.116.16)

ववर्ष काले पर्जन्यो मही सस्यवती तथा । सुफलानि च सस्यानि रसवन्ति फलानि च ॥ 116.16 ॥

vavarṣa kāle parjanyo mahī sasyavatī tathā suphalāni ca sasyāni rasavanti phalāni ca

The rain-cloud rained in due season, and the earth was rich with crops; the crops bore excellent fruit, and the fruits were full of flavor.

Verse 17 (markandeya.116.17)

रसाः पुष्टिकराश्चासन्पुष्टिर्नोन्मादकारिणी । न वित्तनिचया नॄणां प्रभूतां मदहेतवः ॥ 116.17 ॥

rasāḥ puṣṭikarāścāsanpuṣṭirnonmādakāriṇī na vittanicayā nṝṇāṁ prabhūtāṁ madahetavaḥ

The produce was nourishing, but that nourishment did not breed intoxication; nor did men's abundant stores of wealth become a cause of arrogance.

Verse 18 (markandeya.116.18)

तत्प्रतापेन रिपवो भयमापुर्महामुने । स्वास्थ्यं जनः सुहृद्वर्गो मुदमाप सुपूजितः ॥ 116.18 ॥

tatpratāpena ripavo bhayamāpurmahāmune svāsthyaṁ janaḥ suhṛdvargo mudamāpa supūjitaḥ

O great sage, through his might, enemies came to know fear; his people enjoyed well-being, and his circle of friends, duly honored, found joy.

Verse 19 (markandeya.116.19)

इष्ट्वा स यज्ञान्सुबहून्सम्यक्सम्पाल्य मेदिनीम् । सङ्ग्रामे निधनं प्राप्य शक्रलोकमितो गतः ॥ 116.19 ॥

iṣṭvā sa yajñānsubahūnsamyaksampālya medinīm saṅgrāme nidhanaṁ prāpya śakralokamito gataḥ

Having performed very many sacrifices and well protected the earth, he, meeting his death in battle, went from here to the world of Indra.