The Story of Narishyanta

Verse 1 (markandeya.129.1)

क्रौष्टुकिरुवाच मरुत्तचरितं कृत्स्नं भगवन्कथितं त्वया । तत्सन्ततिमशेषेण श्रोतुमिच्छा प्रवर्तते ॥ 129.1 ॥

krauṣṭukiruvāca maruttacaritaṁ kṛtsnaṁ bhagavankathitaṁ tvayā tatsantatimaśeṣeṇa śrotumicchā pravartate

Kraushtuki said: "Blessed one, you have told me in full the story of Marutta. Now I wish to hear, in its entirety, of his lineage."

Verse 2 (markandeya.129.2)

तत्सन्ततौ क्षितीशा ये राज्यार्हा वीर्यशालिनः । तानहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वया ख्यातान्महामुने ॥ 129.2 ॥

tatsantatau kṣitīśā ye rājyārhā vīryaśālinaḥ tānahaṁ śrotumicchāmi tvayā khyātānmahāmune

"Among his descendants, tell me, O great sage, of the kings renowned for their valor who were worthy of the kingdom — these I wish to hear from you."

Verse 3 (markandeya.129.3)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच नरिष्यन्त इति ख्यातो मरुत्तस्याभवत्सुतः । अष्टादशानां पुत्राणां स ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठ एव च ॥ 129.3 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca nariṣyanta iti khyāto maruttasyābhavatsutaḥ aṣṭādaśānāṁ putrāṇāṁ sa jyeṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭha eva ca

Markandeya said: "He who came to be known as Narishyanta was Marutta's son — the eldest and finest among his eighteen sons."

Verse 4 (markandeya.129.4)

वर्षाणां च सहस्राणि सप्ततिं दश पञ्च च । बुभुजै पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां मरुत्तः क्षत्रियर्षभः ॥ 129.4 ॥

varṣāṇāṁ ca sahasrāṇi saptatiṁ daśa pañca ca bubhujai pṛthivīṁ kṛtsnāṁ maruttaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ

"For seventy-five thousand years Marutta, foremost among kshatriyas, enjoyed the whole earth."

Verse 5 (markandeya.129.5)

कृत्वा राज्यं स्वधर्मेण इष्ट्वा यज्ञाननुत्तमान् । नरिष्यन्तसुतं ज्येष्ठमभिषिच्य ययौ वनम् ॥ 129.5 ॥

kṛtvā rājyaṁ svadharmeṇa iṣṭvā yajñānanuttamān nariṣyantasutaṁ jyeṣṭhamabhiṣicya yayau vanam

"Having ruled the kingdom according to his own dharma and performed matchless sacrifices, he consecrated his eldest son Narishyanta and departed for the forest."

Verse 6 (markandeya.129.6)

एकाग्रचित्तः स नृपस्तप्त्वा तत्र तपो महत् । आरुरोह दिवं विप्र यशसावृत्य रोदसी ॥ 129.6 ॥

ekāgracittaḥ sa nṛpastaptvā tatra tapo mahat āruroha divaṁ vipra yaśasāvṛtya rodasī

"Practicing great austerity there with a single-pointed mind, O brahmin, that king enveloped both heaven and earth with his fame and ascended to the celestial world."

Verse 7 (markandeya.129.7)

नरिष्यन्तः सुतः सोऽस्य चिन्तयामास बुद्धिमान् । पितुर्वृत्तं समालोक्य तथान्येषां च भूभृताम् ॥ 129.7 ॥

nariṣyantaḥ sutaḥ so’sya cintayāmāsa buddhimān piturvṛttaṁ samālokya tathānyeṣāṁ ca bhūbhṛtām

"His wise son Narishyanta, reflecting on his father's conduct and that of other kings, fell to thinking thus."

Verse 8 (markandeya.129.8)

अत्र वंशे महात्मानो राजानो मम पूर्वजाः । यज्विनो धर्मतः पृथ्वीं पालयामासुरूर्जिताः ॥ 129.8 ॥

atra vaṁśe mahātmāno rājāno mama pūrvajāḥ yajvino dharmataḥ pṛthvīṁ pālayāmāsurūrjitāḥ

"'In this lineage my great-souled forefathers were mighty kings, performers of sacrifice, who protected the earth according to dharma.'"

Verse 9 (markandeya.129.9)

दातारश्चापि वित्तानां संग्रामेष्वनिवर्तिनः । तेषां कश्चरितं शक्तस्त्वनुयातुं महात्मनाम् ॥ 129.9 ॥

dātāraścāpi vittānāṁ saṁgrāmeṣvanivartinaḥ teṣāṁ kaścaritaṁ śaktastvanuyātuṁ mahātmanām

"'They were also givers of wealth, never retreating in battle — who indeed has the strength to follow the conduct of those great souls?'"

Verse 10 (markandeya.129.10)

किन्तु तैर्यत्कृतं कर्म धर्म्यमाहवनादिभिः । तदहं कर्तुमिच्छामि तच्च नास्ति करोमि किम् ॥ 129.10 ॥

kintu tairyatkṛtaṁ karma dharmyamāhavanādibhiḥ tadahaṁ kartumicchāmi tacca nāsti karomi kim

"'Yet the righteous deeds they performed, through sacrifice and warfare and the rest — these I too wish to perform. But is that within my reach? What then am I to do?'"

Verse 11 (markandeya.129.11)

धर्मात्पालयतः पृथ्वीं को गणोऽत्र महीपतेः । असम्यक्पालनात्पापी नरेन्द्रो नरकं व्रजेत् ॥ 129.11 ॥

dharmātpālayataḥ pṛthvīṁ ko gaṇo’tra mahīpateḥ asamyakpālanātpāpī narendro narakaṁ vrajet

"'What special credit, after all, does a king get merely for protecting the earth according to dharma? Yet the sinful king who fails to protect it properly is bound for hell.'"

Verse 12 (markandeya.129.12)

सति वित्ते महायज्ञाः कर्तव्या एव भूभृता । दातव्यं चात्र किं चित्रं सीदतामीश्वरो गतिः ॥ 129.12 ॥

sati vitte mahāyajñāḥ kartavyā eva bhūbhṛtā dātavyaṁ cātra kiṁ citraṁ sīdatāmīśvaro gatiḥ

"'When wealth is at hand, a king must certainly perform great sacrifices — what wonder is there in that, or in mere giving? True greatness lies in becoming the refuge of those who are sinking in distress.'"

Verse 13 (markandeya.129.13)

आभिजात्यं तथा लज्जा कोपश्चारि जनाश्रयः । कारयन्ति स्वधर्मश्च सङ्ग्रामादपलायनम् ॥ 129.13 ॥

ābhijātyaṁ tathā lajjā kopaścāri janāśrayaḥ kārayanti svadharmaśca saṅgrāmādapalāyanam

"'Noble birth, and a sense of honor, righteous anger against the enemy, responsibility toward those who depend on him, and his own proper dharma — these are what keep a warrior from ever fleeing the battlefield.'"

Verse 14 (markandeya.129.14)

एतत्सर्वं यथा सम्यङ्मत्पूर्वैः पुरुषैः कृतम् । पित्रा च मे मरुत्तेन तथा तत्केन शक्यते ॥ 129.14 ॥

etatsarvaṁ yathā samyaṅmatpūrvaiḥ puruṣaiḥ kṛtam pitrā ca me maruttena tathā tatkena śakyate

"'All this, which my forefathers and my father Marutta accomplished so perfectly — by what means could I possibly achieve the same?'"

Verse 15 (markandeya.129.15)

तदहं किं करिष्यामि यत्तु तैः पूर्वजैः कृतम् । ये यज्विनो वरा दान्ताः सङ्ग्रामाच्चानिवर्तिनः ॥ 129.15 ॥

tadahaṁ kiṁ kariṣyāmi yattu taiḥ pūrvajaiḥ kṛtam ye yajvino varā dāntāḥ saṅgrāmāccānivartinaḥ

"'What, then, am I to do — I, compared with those forefathers who were excellent performers of sacrifice, self-controlled, and who never turned back from battle,'"

Verse 16 (markandeya.129.16)

महत्सङ्ग्रामसंमर्देष्वविसंवादिपौरुषाः । क्रमेणाहं यतिष्यामि कस्मै तानभिसन्धितुम् ॥ 129.16 ॥

mahatsaṅgrāmasaṁmardeṣvavisaṁvādipauruṣāḥ krameṇāhaṁ yatiṣyāmi kasmai tānabhisandhitum

"'whose valor never once faltered even in the crush of great battles — I shall strive by degrees, but against whom could I even measure myself, since no such war remains to be fought?'"

Verse 17 (markandeya.129.17)

अथवा तैः स्वयं यज्ञाः कृताः पूर्वजनेश्वरैः । अविश्रमद्भिर्नान्यैस्तु कारितास्तत्करोम्यहम् ॥ 129.17 ॥

athavā taiḥ svayaṁ yajñāḥ kṛtāḥ pūrvajaneśvaraiḥ aviśramadbhirnānyaistu kāritāstatkaromyaham

"'Or rather — those former lords of men performed their sacrifices themselves, tirelessly, never delegating them to others. That very thing I shall now do myself.'"

Verse 18 (markandeya.129.18)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इति सञ्चिंत्य यज्ञं स चकारैकं नरेश्वरः । यादृशं न चकारान्यो वित्तोत्सर्गोपशोभितम् ॥ 129.18 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti sañciṁtya yajñaṁ sa cakāraikaṁ nareśvaraḥ yādṛśaṁ na cakārānyo vittotsargopaśobhitam

Markandeya said: "Having thus resolved, that king performed a single sacrifice such as no other had ever performed, resplendent with the lavish outpouring of his wealth."

Verse 19 (markandeya.129.19)

द्विजानां जीवनायालं दत्त्वा तु सुमहाधनम् । ततः शतगुणं तेषां यज्ञार्थमददान्नृपः ॥ 129.19 ॥

dvijānāṁ jīvanāyālaṁ dattvā tu sumahādhanam tataḥ śataguṇaṁ teṣāṁ yajñārthamadadānnṛpaḥ

"Having first given the brahmins vast wealth sufficient for their livelihood, the king then gave them a hundred times as much again for the purpose of the sacrifice itself."

Verse 20 (markandeya.129.20)

गावो वस्त्राण्यलङ्कारं धान्यागारादिकं तथा । प्रत्येकमददात्तेषां सर्वपृथ्वीनिवासिनाम् ॥ 129.20 ॥

gāvo vastrāṇyalaṅkāraṁ dhānyāgārādikaṁ tathā pratyekamadadātteṣāṁ sarvapṛthvīnivāsinām

"Cows, garments, ornaments, and storehouses of grain — he gave each of these separately to every one of them, all the dwellers of the earth."

Verse 21 (markandeya.129.21)

ततस्तेन यदा यज्ञः प्रारब्धो भूभुजा पुनः । प्रारब्धे स मखे यष्टुं ततो नालभत द्विजान् ॥ 129.21 ॥

tatastena yadā yajñaḥ prārabdho bhūbhujā punaḥ prārabdhe sa makhe yaṣṭuṁ tato nālabhata dvijān

"But then, when that king undertook to perform his sacrifice once more, having begun the rite he could not find brahmins to officiate at it."

Verse 22 (markandeya.129.22)

यान्यान्वृणोति स नृपो विप्रानार्त्विज्यकर्मणि । ते ते तमूचुर्यज्ञाय वयमप्यत्र दीक्षिताः ॥ 129.22 ॥

yānyānvṛṇoti sa nṛpo viprānārtvijyakarmaṇi te te tamūcuryajñāya vayamapyatra dīkṣitāḥ

"Whichever brahmins the king chose for the priestly office would say to him, 'We too are consecrated here for this very sacrifice [as sponsors ourselves, not as officiants].'"

Verse 23 (markandeya.129.23)

अन्यं वरय यद्वित्तं त्वयास्माकं विसर्जितम् । तस्यान्तो नास्ति यज्ञेषु दद्यास्त्वं नृपते कथम् ॥ 129.23 ॥

anyaṁ varaya yadvittaṁ tvayāsmākaṁ visarjitam tasyānto nāsti yajñeṣu dadyāstvaṁ nṛpate katham

"'Choose someone else. There is no end to the wealth you have already given us — how, O king, could you possibly give still more for sacrifices?'"

Verse 24 (markandeya.129.24)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच न चाप ऋत्विजो विप्रांस्तदाशेषक्षितीश्वरः । बहिर्वेद्यां तदा दानं स दातुमुपचक्रमे ॥ 129.24 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca na cāpa ṛtvijo viprāṁstadāśeṣakṣitīśvaraḥ bahirvedyāṁ tadā dānaṁ sa dātumupacakrame

Markandeya said: "When that lord of the whole earth thus could not obtain brahmins as officiating priests, he began instead to give gifts outside the sacrificial altar itself."

Verse 25 (markandeya.129.25)

तथापि जगृहुर्नैव धनसम्पूर्णमन्दिराः । द्विजाय दातुं भूयोऽसौ निर्विण्ण इदमब्रवीत् ॥ 129.25 ॥

tathāpi jagṛhurnaiva dhanasampūrṇamandirāḥ dvijāya dātuṁ bhūyo’sau nirviṇṇa idamabravīt

"Yet still they would not accept it, their houses already overflowing with wealth given to brahmins beyond measure. Then, downcast, he spoke thus —"

Verse 26 (markandeya.129.26)

अहोऽतिशोभनं पृथ्व्यां यद्विप्रो नाधनः क्वचित् । अशोभनं च यत्कोशो विफलोयमयज्विनः ॥ 129.26 ॥

aho’tiśobhanaṁ pṛthvyāṁ yadvipro nādhanaḥ kvacit aśobhanaṁ ca yatkośo viphaloyamayajvinaḥ

"'Ah, how splendid it is that on this earth not a single brahmin remains poor anywhere! Yet how unbecoming it is that my treasury now lies useless — as though I were a man who performs no sacrifice at all.'"

Verse 27 (markandeya.129.27)

नार्त्विज्यं कुरुते कश्चिद्यजमानोऽखिलो जनः । द्विजानां न च नो दानं ददतां सम्प्रतीच्छते ॥ 129.27 ॥

nārtvijyaṁ kurute kaścidyajamāno’khilo janaḥ dvijānāṁ na ca no dānaṁ dadatāṁ sampratīcchate

"'Every single person has become a sacrificer himself, and no one performs the priestly office any more; nor will the brahmins, themselves now givers, accept our gifts.'"

Verse 28 (markandeya.129.28)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः कांश्चिद्द्विजान्भक्त्या प्रणिपत्य पुनः पुनः । स्वयज्ञे ऋत्विजश्चक्रे ते प्रचक्रुर्महामखम् ॥ 129.28 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tataḥ kāṁściddvijānbhaktyā praṇipatya punaḥ punaḥ svayajñe ṛtvijaścakre te pracakrurmahāmakham

Markandeya said: "Then, bowing again and again in devotion before a few brahmins, he persuaded them to serve as officiants at his sacrifice, and they carried that great rite through to completion."

Verse 29 (markandeya.129.29)

अत्यद्भुतमिदं चासीद्यदा तस्य महीपतेः । स यज्ञोऽभूत्तदा पृथ्व्यां यजमानोऽखिलो जनः ॥ 129.29 ॥

atyadbhutamidaṁ cāsīdyadā tasya mahīpateḥ sa yajño’bhūttadā pṛthvyāṁ yajamāno’khilo janaḥ

"It was a most wondrous thing: when that king's sacrifice was under way, every single person on the whole earth had become a sacrificer in his own right."

Verse 30 (markandeya.129.30)

द्विजन्मनामभून्नासीत्सदस्यस्तत्र कश्चन । यजमाना द्विजाः केचित्केचित्तेषां तु याजकाः ॥ 129.30 ॥

dvijanmanāmabhūnnāsītsadasyastatra kaścana yajamānā dvijāḥ kecitkecitteṣāṁ tu yājakāḥ

"Not a single brahmin remained there as a mere spectator seated in the assembly — some of the twice-born were sacrificers, and others among that same company served as their officiating priests."

Verse 31 (markandeya.129.31)

नरिष्यन्तो नरपतिरियाज स यदा तदा । तत्प्रदातुर्धनैर्यागं कुर्युः पृथ्व्यामशेषतः ॥ 129.31 ॥

nariṣyanto narapatiriyāja sa yadā tadā tatpradāturdhanairyāgaṁ kuryuḥ pṛthvyāmaśeṣataḥ

"Whenever King Narishyanta performed a sacrifice, people all across the earth would perform sacrifices of their own with the wealth he had given them."

Verse 32 (markandeya.129.32)

प्राच्यां कोट्यस्तु यज्ञानामासन्नष्टादशाधिकाः । प्रतीच्यां सप्त वै कोट्यो दक्षिणस्यां चतुर्दश ॥ 129.32 ॥

prācyāṁ koṭyastu yajñānāmāsannaṣṭādaśādhikāḥ pratīcyāṁ sapta vai koṭyo dakṣiṇasyāṁ caturdaśa

"In the eastern quarter the sacrifices numbered more than eighteen crore; in the west, seven crore; and in the south, fourteen crore."

Verse 33 (markandeya.129.33)

उत्तरस्यां च पञ्चाशदेककालं तदाभवन् । मुने ब्राह्मणयज्ञानां नरिष्यन्तो यदाऽयजत् ॥ 129.33 ॥

uttarasyāṁ ca pañcāśadekakālaṁ tadābhavan mune brāhmaṇayajñānāṁ nariṣyanto yadā’yajat

"And in the north, fifty crore sacrifices of the brahmins took place all at the very same time, O sage, whenever Narishyanta set them in motion."

Verse 34 (markandeya.129.34)

एवं स राजा धर्मात्मा नरिष्यन्तोऽभवत्पुरा । मरुत्ततनयो विप्र विख्यातबलपौरुषः ॥ 129.34 ॥

evaṁ sa rājā dharmātmā nariṣyanto’bhavatpurā maruttatanayo vipra vikhyātabalapauruṣaḥ

"Thus, O brahmin, did Marutta's son Narishyanta become, in ancient days, a righteous king renowned for his strength and valor."