The Story of Avikshit (I)

Verse 1 (markandeya.119.1)

वीर्यचन्द्रसुता सुभूर्वीरा नाम शुभव्रता । स्वयंवरे सा जगृहे महाराजं करन्धमम् ॥ 119.1 ॥

vīryacandrasutā subhūrvīrā nāma śubhavratā svayaṁvare sā jagṛhe mahārājaṁ karandhamam

The daughter of Viryachandra, lovely and of auspicious vows, named Vira, chose at her own svayamvara the great King Karandhama.

Verse 2 (markandeya.119.2)

तस्यां पुत्रं स राजेन्द्रो जनयामास वीर्यवान् । अविक्षितमिति ख्यातिमुपेतं जगतीतले ॥ 119.2 ॥

tasyāṁ putraṁ sa rājendro janayāmāsa vīryavān avikṣitamiti khyātimupetaṁ jagatītale

That mighty king of kings begot upon her a son who became known on earth by the name Avikshit.

Verse 3 (markandeya.119.3)

जाते तस्मिन्सुते राजा स दैवज्ञानपृच्छत । कच्चित्प्रशस्तनक्षत्रे शस्तलग्ने सुतो मम ॥ 119.3 ॥

jāte tasminsute rājā sa daivajñānapṛcchata kaccitpraśastanakṣatre śastalagne suto mama

When that son was born, the king questioned the astrologers: "Was my son born under an auspicious constellation, in an auspicious ascendant?"

Verse 4 (markandeya.119.4)

कच्चिच्चालोकितं जन्म मम पुत्रस्य शोभनैः । ग्रहैः कच्चिन्न दुष्टानां ग्रहाणां दृक्पथं गतम् ॥ 119.4 ॥

kacciccālokitaṁ janma mama putrasya śobhanaiḥ grahaiḥ kaccinna duṣṭānāṁ grahāṇāṁ dṛkpathaṁ gatam

"Was my son's birth beheld by auspicious planets? Did it not fall within the line of sight of malefic planets?"

Verse 5 (markandeya.119.5)

इत्युक्तास्तेन दैवज्ञास्तमूचुर्नृपतिं ततः । शस्ते मुहूर्ते नक्षत्रे लग्ने चैव सुतस्तव ॥ 119.5 ॥

ityuktāstena daivajñāstamūcurnṛpatiṁ tataḥ śaste muhūrte nakṣatre lagne caiva sutastava

Thus questioned by him, the astrologers then said to the king: "In an auspicious moment, constellation, and ascendant, your son —"

Verse 6 (markandeya.119.6)

समुत्पन्नो महावीर्यो महाभागो महाबलः । भविष्यति महाराज महाराजस्तवात्मजः ॥ 119.6 ॥

samutpanno mahāvīryo mahābhāgo mahābalaḥ bhaviṣyati mahārāja mahārājastavātmajaḥ

"— has been born, of great valor, great fortune, and great strength; O great king, this son of yours shall himself become a great king."

Verse 7 (markandeya.119.7)

अवैक्षतेमं देवानां गुरुः शुक्रश्च सप्तमः । सोमश्चतुर्थस्तनयं तवैनं समवैक्षत ॥ 119.7 ॥

avaikṣatemaṁ devānāṁ guruḥ śukraśca saptamaḥ somaścaturthastanayaṁ tavainaṁ samavaikṣata

"The guru of the gods looked upon him, and Venus, seventh from the ascendant; the Moon, fourth, also looked upon this son of yours."

Verse 8 (markandeya.119.8)

उपान्तसंस्थितश्चैव सोमपुत्रोप्यवैक्षत । नावैक्षतेमं सविता न भौमो न शनैश्चरः ॥ 119.8 ॥

upāntasaṁsthitaścaiva somaputropyavaikṣata nāvaikṣatemaṁ savitā na bhaumo na śanaiścaraḥ

"And Mercury too, stationed nearby, looked upon him. But the Sun did not look upon him, nor Mars, nor Saturn."

Verse 9 (markandeya.119.9)

तव पुत्रं महाराज धन्योऽयं तनयस्तव । सर्वकल्याणसम्पत्ति समवेतो भविष्यति ॥ 119.9 ॥

tava putraṁ mahārāja dhanyo ’yaṁ tanayastava sarvakalyāṇasampatti samaveto bhaviṣyati

"Your son, O great king — fortunate is this son of yours; he shall be endowed with the fullness of every blessing."

Verse 10 (markandeya.119.10)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इति दैवज्ञवचनं निशम्य वसुधाधिपः । हर्षपूर्णमनाः प्राह निजस्थानगतस्तदा ॥ 119.10 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti daivajñavacanaṁ niśamya vasudhādhipaḥ harṣapūrṇamanāḥ prāha nijasthānagatastadā

Markandeya said: Having heard this speech of the astrologers, the lord of the earth, his mind filled with joy, then, back in his own hall, spoke.

Verse 11 (markandeya.119.11)

अवैक्षतेमं देवानां गुरुः सोमः सितो बुधः । नावैक्षतैनमादित्यो नार्कसूनुर्न भूमिजः ॥ 119.11 ॥

avaikṣatemaṁ devānāṁ guruḥ somaḥ sito budhaḥ nāvaikṣatainamādityo nārkasūnurna bhūmijaḥ

"The guru of the gods, the Moon, Venus, and Mercury looked upon him; the Sun did not look upon him, nor the Sun's son, nor the son of the Earth."

Verse 12 (markandeya.119.12)

अवैक्षतेति यत्प्रोक्तं भवद्भिर्बहुशो वचः । अविक्षितेति तेनास्य ख्यातं नाम भविष्यति ॥ 119.12 ॥

avaikṣateti yatproktaṁ bhavadbhirbahuśo vacaḥ avikṣiteti tenāsya khyātaṁ nāma bhaviṣyati

"Since the word 'avaikṣata' [he was looked upon] has been repeated so many times by you all, therefore his name shall become renowned as Avikshit."

Verse 13 (markandeya.119.13)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच अविक्षितः सुतस्तस्य वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः । अस्त्रग्राममशेषं स कण्वपुत्रादथाग्रहीत् ॥ 119.13 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca avikṣitaḥ sutastasya vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ astragrāmamaśeṣaṁ sa kaṇvaputrādathāgrahīt

Markandeya said: Avikshit, his son, became versed in the Vedas and their auxiliary sciences; he received the entire body of weaponry from the son of Kanva.

Verse 14 (markandeya.119.14)

स्वरूपेणातिभिषजौ देवानां पार्थिवात्मजः । बुद्ध्या वाचस्पतिं कान्त्या शशाङ्कं तेजसा रविम् ॥ 119.14 ॥

svarūpeṇātibhiṣajau devānāṁ pārthivātmajaḥ buddhyā vācaspatiṁ kāntyā śaśāṅkaṁ tejasā ravim

That son of the king surpassed the twin physicians of the gods in beauty of form, Vachaspati in intellect, the moon in loveliness, and the sun in splendor.

Verse 15 (markandeya.119.15)

धैर्येणाब्धिं तयोर्वीं च सहिष्णुत्वेन वीर्यवान् । शौर्येण न समस्तस्य कश्चिदासीन्महात्मनः ॥ 119.15 ॥

dhairyeṇābdhiṁ tayorvīṁ ca sahiṣṇutvena vīryavān śauryeṇa na samastasya kaścidāsīnmahātmanaḥ

In steadfastness he surpassed the ocean, in forbearance the earth; that mighty one had no equal in valor among the great-souled.

Verse 16 (markandeya.119.16)

स्वयंवरे तं जगृहे हेमधर्मात्मजा वरा । सुदेवतनया गौरी सुभद्रा बलिनः सुता ॥ 119.16 ॥

svayaṁvare taṁ jagṛhe hemadharmātmajā varā sudevatanayā gaurī subhadrā balinaḥ sutā

At her svayamvara, the excellent daughter of Hemadharma chose him — as did Gauri, daughter of Sudeva, and Subhadra, daughter of Bali.

Verse 17 (markandeya.119.17)

लीलावती वीरसुता वीरभद्रसुता निभा । भीमात्मजा मान्यवती दम्भपुत्री कुमुद्वती ॥ 119.17 ॥

līlāvatī vīrasutā vīrabhadrasutā nibhā bhīmātmajā mānyavatī dambhaputrī kumudvatī

Lilavati, daughter of Vira; Nibha, daughter of Virabhadra; Manyavati, daughter of Bhima; Kumudvati, daughter of Dambha.

Verse 18 (markandeya.119.18)

याश्चैनं नाभिनन्दन्ति स्वयंवरकृतक्षणाः । ताश्चापि स बलाद्वीरो जग्राह नृपतेः सुतः ॥ 119.18 ॥

yāścainaṁ nābhinandanti svayaṁvarakṛtakṣaṇāḥ tāścāpi sa balādvīro jagrāha nṛpateḥ sutaḥ

And those who, though the occasion had been made a svayamvara, did not welcome him with delight — those too, that heroic son of the king took by force.

Verse 19 (markandeya.119.19)

निराकृत्य नृपान्सर्वांस्तासां पितृकुलानि च । स्वयं हि वीर्यमाश्रित्य बलवान्न बलोद्धतः ॥ 119.19 ॥

nirākṛtya nṛpānsarvāṁstāsāṁ pitṛkulāni ca svayaṁ hi vīryamāśritya balavānna baloddhataḥ

Repelling all the kings, the paternal families of those princesses, and relying on his own valor alone, that mighty one, though strong, was never proud of his strength.

Verse 20 (markandeya.119.20)

एकदा तु विशालस्य विशालाधिपतेः सुताम् । वैशालिनीं स सुदतीं स्वयंवरकृतक्षणाम् ॥ 119.20 ॥

ekadā tu viśālasya viśālādhipateḥ sutām vaiśālinīṁ sa sudatīṁ svayaṁvarakṛtakṣaṇām

But once, at the occasion made for the svayamvara of the fair-toothed Vaishalini, daughter of Vishala, lord of Vishala —

Verse 21 (markandeya.119.21)

परिभूयाखिलान्भूपान्स्वेच्छया न वृतस्तया । बलाज्जग्राह विप्रर्षे यथान्या बलगर्वितः ॥ 119.21 ॥

paribhūyākhilānbhūpānsvecchayā na vṛtastayā balājjagrāha viprarṣe yathānyā balagarvitaḥ

— overcoming all the kings, though she had not chosen him of her own will, he seized her too by force, O sage among brahmins, just as with the others, proud of his strength.

Verse 22 (markandeya.119.22)

ततस्ते भूभृतः सर्वे बहुशस्तेन मानिना । निराकृताः सुनिर्विण्णाः प्रोचुरन्योन्यमाकुलाः ॥ 119.22 ॥

tataste bhūbhṛtaḥ sarve bahuśastena māninā nirākṛtāḥ sunirviṇṇāḥ procuranyonyamākulāḥ

Then all those kings, having been repeatedly repelled by that proud one, deeply dejected, spoke to one another in agitation.

Verse 23 (markandeya.119.23)

क्षमतां वञ्चनामेतामेकस्माद्बलशालिनाम् । बहूनामेकवर्णानां जन्म धिग्वो महीभृताम् ॥ 119.23 ॥

kṣamatāṁ vañcanāmetāmekasmādbalaśālinām bahūnāmekavarṇānāṁ janma dhigvo mahībhṛtām

"Shall we bear this deception at the hands of one man? Shame on the birth of us, so many kings of the same rank who possess strength!"

Verse 24 (markandeya.119.24)

क्षत्रियो यः क्षतात्त्राणं वध्यमानस्य दुर्मदैः । करोति तस्य तन्नाम वृथैवान्ये हि बिभ्रति ॥ 119.24 ॥

kṣatriyo yaḥ kṣatāttrāṇaṁ vadhyamānasya durmadaiḥ karoti tasya tannāma vṛthaivānye hi bibhrati

"He alone truly bears the name of Kshatriya who gives protection from harm to one being slain by the arrogant; others bear that name in vain."

Verse 25 (markandeya.119.25)

आत्मनोऽपि क्षतत्राणं दुष्टादस्मादकुर्वताम् । भवतां क्षत्रियकुले जातानां कीदृशी मतिः ॥ 119.25 ॥

ātmano ’pi kṣatatrāṇaṁ duṣṭādasmādakurvatām bhavatāṁ kṣatriyakule jātānāṁ kīdṛśī matiḥ

"When you, born in the Kshatriya lineage, do not even protect yourselves from this wicked one, what manner of understanding is this of yours?"

Verse 26 (markandeya.119.26)

उच्चार्यते स्तुतिर्या वः सूतमागधबन्दिभिः । सा सत्या मा वृथा वीरा भवत्वरिविनाशनात् ॥ 119.26 ॥

uccāryate stutiryā vaḥ sūtamāgadhabandibhiḥ sā satyā mā vṛthā vīrā bhavatvarivināśanāt

"Let that praise which the bards, panegyrists, and heralds recite of you, O heroes, become true and not vain, through the destruction of the enemy."

Verse 27 (markandeya.119.27)

चरतां सा तथैवैषा भूपाश्चारैर्दिगन्तरे । पौरुषाश्रयिणः सर्वे विशिष्टकुलसम्भवाः ॥ 119.27 ॥

caratāṁ sā tathaivaiṣā bhūpāścārairdigantare pauruṣāśrayiṇaḥ sarve viśiṣṭakulasambhavāḥ

"May that same praise hold true even where kings send forth their spies into other lands; you are all reliant on manly valor, born of distinguished lineages."

Verse 28 (markandeya.119.28)

बिभेति को न मरणात्को युद्धेन विनाऽमरः । विचिन्त्यैतन्न हातव्यं पौरुषं शस्त्रवृत्तिभिः ॥ 119.28 ॥

bibheti ko na maraṇātko yuddhena vinā ’maraḥ vicintyaitanna hātavyaṁ pauruṣaṁ śastravṛttibhiḥ

"Who does not fear death? Who becomes immortal without battle? Reflecting on this, manliness should not be abandoned by those whose livelihood is arms."

Verse 29 (markandeya.119.29)

एतन्निशम्य ते भूपा विस्पष्टामर्षपूरिताः । ऊचुः परस्परं सर्वे समुत्तस्थुश्च सायुधाः ॥ 119.29 ॥

etanniśamya te bhūpā vispaṣṭāmarṣapūritāḥ ūcuḥ parasparaṁ sarve samuttasthuśca sāyudhāḥ

Hearing this, those kings, filled with unmistakable indignation, spoke to one another, and all rose up together, armed.

Verse 30 (markandeya.119.30)

केचिद्रथानारुरुहुः केचिन्नागांस्तथा हयान् । अन्येऽमर्षपराधीनास्तमुपेताः पदातयः ॥ 119.30 ॥

kecidrathānāruruhuḥ kecinnāgāṁstathā hayān anye ’marṣaparādhīnāstamupetāḥ padātayaḥ

Some mounted their chariots, some elephants and horses; others, overpowered by wrath, approached him on foot.