The Slaying of King Narishyanta

Verse 1 (markandeya.131.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच स तां लब्ध्वा तथा पत्नीं सुमनां सुमहामुने । प्रणम्य स पितुः पादौ मातुश्च क्षितिपात्मजः ॥ 131.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca sa tāṁ labdhvā tathā patnīṁ sumanāṁ sumahāmune praṇamya sa pituḥ pādau mātuśca kṣitipātmajaḥ

Markandeya said: "O great sage, having thus won his wife Sumana, that prince went and bowed at the feet of his father and mother."

Verse 2 (markandeya.131.2)

सा च तौ श्वशुरौ सूभ्रूर्ननाम सुमना तदा । ताभ्यां तौ च तदा विप्र आशीर्भिरभिनन्दितौ ॥ 131.2 ॥

sā ca tau śvaśurau sūbhrūrnanāma sumanā tadā tābhyāṁ tau ca tadā vipra āśīrbhirabhinanditau

"The fair-browed Sumana also bowed before her father-in-law and mother-in-law, and, O brahmin, both of them welcomed her with their blessings."

Verse 3 (markandeya.131.3)

महोत्सवश्च सञ्जज्ञे नरिष्यन्तस्य वै पुरे । कृतदारे च सम्प्राप्ते दशार्णाधिपतेः पुरात् ॥ 131.3 ॥

mahotsavaśca sañjajñe nariṣyantasya vai pure kṛtadāre ca samprāpte daśārṇādhipateḥ purāt

"When the newly wedded couple returned from the city of the lord of Dasharna, a great festival broke out in Narishyanta's own city."

Verse 4 (markandeya.131.4)

सम्बन्धिनं दशार्णेशं जितांश्च पृथिवीश्वरान् । श्रुत्या पुत्रेण मुमुदे नरिष्यन्तो महीपतिः ॥ 131.4 ॥

sambandhinaṁ daśārṇeśaṁ jitāṁśca pṛthivīśvarān śrutyā putreṇa mumude nariṣyanto mahīpatiḥ

"Hearing that the lord of Dasharna was now his kinsman, and of the kings his son had defeated, King Narishyanta rejoiced greatly on account of his son."

Verse 5 (markandeya.131.5)

सोऽपि रेमे सुमनया महाराजसुतो दमः । वरोद्यानवनोद्देशे प्रसादगिरिसानुषु ॥ 131.5 ॥

so’pi reme sumanayā mahārājasuto damaḥ varodyānavanoddeśe prasādagirisānuṣu

"Prince Dama, for his part, took his delight with Sumana in fine gardens and forest groves, and upon the heights of Mount Prasada."

Verse 6 (markandeya.131.6)

अथ कालेन महता रममाणा दमेन सा । अवाप गर्भे सुमना दशार्णाधिपतेः सुता ॥ 131.6 ॥

atha kālena mahatā ramamāṇā damena sā avāpa garbhe sumanā daśārṇādhipateḥ sutā

"After a long while, Sumana, daughter of the lord of Dasharna, who had all this while taken her pleasure with Dama, conceived a child."

Verse 7 (markandeya.131.7)

सोऽपि राजा नरिष्यन्तो भुक्तभोगो महीपतिः । वयः परिणतिं प्राप्य दमं राज्येऽभिषिच्य च ॥ 131.7 ॥

so’pi rājā nariṣyanto bhuktabhogo mahīpatiḥ vayaḥ pariṇatiṁ prāpya damaṁ rājye’bhiṣicya ca

"King Narishyanta, too, having now enjoyed his fill of worldly pleasures and reached old age, thereupon consecrated Dama to the throne —"

Verse 8 (markandeya.131.8)

वनं जगामेन्द्रसेना पत्नी चास्य तपस्विनी । वानप्रस्थविधानेन स तत्र समतिष्ठत ॥ 131.8 ॥

vanaṁ jagāmendrasenā patnī cāsya tapasvinī vānaprasthavidhānena sa tatra samatiṣṭhata

"and, together with his devout wife Indrasena, departed for the forest, where he took up residence according to the vanaprastha rule of a forest hermit."

Verse 9 (markandeya.131.9)

दाक्षिणात्यः सुदुर्वृत्तः संक्रन्दनसुतो वने । वपुष्मान्स मृगान्हन्तुं ययावल्पपदानुगः ॥ 131.9 ॥

dākṣiṇātyaḥ sudurvṛttaḥ saṁkrandanasuto vane vapuṣmānsa mṛgānhantuṁ yayāvalpapadānugaḥ

"Meanwhile Vapushmat, the wicked-natured southern prince, son of Sankrandana, went into that same forest with only a few attendants to hunt deer."

Verse 10 (markandeya.131.10)

स तं दृष्ट्वा नरिष्यन्तं तापसं मलपङ्किनम् । इन्द्रसेनां च तत्पत्नीं तपसातिसुदुर्बलाम् ॥ 131.10 ॥

sa taṁ dṛṣṭvā nariṣyantaṁ tāpasaṁ malapaṅkinam indrasenāṁ ca tatpatnīṁ tapasātisudurbalām

"There he came upon Narishyanta, the ascetic caked in the grime of austerity, and beside him his wife Indrasena, terribly emaciated from her penances."

Verse 11 (markandeya.131.11)

पप्रच्छ कस्त्वं भो विप्रः क्षत्रियो वा वनेचरः । वानप्रस्थमनुप्राप्तो वैश्यो वा मम कथ्यताम् ॥ 131.11 ॥

papraccha kastvaṁ bho vipraḥ kṣatriyo vā vanecaraḥ vānaprasthamanuprāpto vaiśyo vā mama kathyatām

"He asked: 'Tell me, O brahmin — who are you? Are you a kshatriya, or a forest-dweller? Or a vaishya who has taken up the vanaprastha life? Speak.'"

Verse 12 (markandeya.131.12)

ततो मौनव्रती भूपो नहि तस्योत्तरं ददौ । इन्द्रसेना च तत्सर्वमाचष्टास्मै यथातथम् ॥ 131.12 ॥

tato maunavratī bhūpo nahi tasyottaraṁ dadau indrasenā ca tatsarvamācaṣṭāsmai yathātatham

"The king, who had taken a vow of silence, gave him no answer at all; so it was Indrasena who then told him everything, exactly as it was."

Verse 13 (markandeya.131.13)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ज्ञात्वा तं च नरिष्यन्तं वपुष्मान्पितरं रिपोः । प्राप्तोऽसीति वदन्कोपाज्जटासु परिगृह्य च ॥ 131.13 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca jñātvā taṁ ca nariṣyantaṁ vapuṣmānpitaraṁ ripoḥ prāpto’sīti vadankopājjaṭāsu parigṛhya ca

Markandeya said: "Learning that this was Narishyanta, the very father of his enemy, Vapushmat, in fury, cried 'So I have found you at last!' and seized him by his matted hair,"

Verse 14 (markandeya.131.14)

हाहेति चन्द्रसेनायां रुदन्त्यां बाष्पगद्गदम् । चकर्ष कोपात्सङ्गं च वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ॥ 131.14 ॥

hāheti candrasenāyāṁ rudantyāṁ bāṣpagadgadam cakarṣa kopātsaṅgaṁ ca vākyaṁ cedamuvāca ha

"and even as Indrasena wept and wailed 'Ah! Ah!' in a voice choked with tears, he dragged him along in his rage and spoke these words —"

Verse 15 (markandeya.131.15)

निर्जितः समरे येन येन मे सुमना हृता । दमस्य तस्य पितरं हनिष्येऽवतु तं दमः ॥ 131.15 ॥

nirjitaḥ samare yena yena me sumanā hṛtā damasya tasya pitaraṁ haniṣye’vatu taṁ damaḥ

"'The father of that very Dama who defeated me in battle and stole my Sumana away — him I shall now kill! Let Dama try to save him if he can!'"

Verse 16 (markandeya.131.16)

येनाखिलमहीपालपुत्राः कन्यार्थमागताः । अवधूता हनिष्येऽहं पितरं तस्य दुर्मतेः ॥ 131.16 ॥

yenākhilamahīpālaputrāḥ kanyārthamāgatāḥ avadhūtā haniṣye’haṁ pitaraṁ tasya durmateḥ

"'That evil-minded man because of whom every prince who came seeking the maiden was spurned and turned away — his father I shall now kill.'"

Verse 17 (markandeya.131.17)

यौवनास्त्रस्वरूपेषु मदे यस्य दुरात्मनः । स दमो वारयत्वेष हन्मि तस्या रिपोर्गुरुम् ॥ 131.17 ॥

yauvanāstrasvarūpeṣu made yasya durātmanaḥ sa damo vārayatveṣa hanmi tasyā riporgurum

"'This is the father — the very guru — of that evil-souled enemy so drunk with the pride of his youth and his skill in arms. Let Dama try to stop me if he can — I will kill him regardless.'"

Verse 18 (markandeya.131.18)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्त्वा स दुराचारो वपुष्मानवनीपतिः । क्रंदन्त्यामिन्द्रसेनायां शिरश्चिच्छेद तस्य च ॥ 131.18 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityuktvā sa durācāro vapuṣmānavanīpatiḥ kraṁdantyāmindrasenāyāṁ śiraściccheda tasya ca

Markandeya said: "Having said this, the wicked King Vapushmat, even as Indrasena wept and cried out, severed the sage's head there and then."

Verse 19 (markandeya.131.19)

ततो धिग्धिङ्मुनिजना अन्ये च वनवासिनः । तमूचुः स च तं हत्वा जगाम स्वपुरं वनात् ॥ 131.19 ॥

tato dhigdhiṅmunijanā anye ca vanavāsinaḥ tamūcuḥ sa ca taṁ hatvā jagāma svapuraṁ vanāt

"Then the other sages and forest-dwellers cried out 'Shame! Shame!' in condemnation of him; but having killed the sage, he simply left the forest and returned to his own city."

Verse 20 (markandeya.131.20)

गते तस्मिन्विनिश्वस्य सेन्द्रसेना वपुष्मति । प्रेषयामास पुत्रस्य समीपं शूद्रतापसम् ॥ 131.20 ॥

gate tasminviniśvasya sendrasenā vapuṣmati preṣayāmāsa putrasya samīpaṁ śūdratāpasam

"When he had gone, Indrasena, sighing deeply, sent a shudra ascetic as a messenger to her son Dama, who was then still near Vapushmat's own realm."

Verse 21 (markandeya.131.21)

गच्छेथा आशु मे पुत्रं दमं ब्रूहि वचो मम । अभिज्ञो ह्यसि मद्भर्तृवृत्तान्तं प्रोच्यतेऽत्र किम् ॥ 131.21 ॥

gacchethā āśu me putraṁ damaṁ brūhi vaco mama abhijño hyasi madbhartṛvṛttāntaṁ procyate’tra kim

"[She said:] 'Go swiftly and tell my son Dama this message from me — you already know all that has befallen my husband; what more is there to say?'"

Verse 22 (markandeya.131.22)

तथापि वाच्यः पुत्रो मे यद्ब्रवीम्यतिदुःखिता । लंघनामीदृशीं प्राप्तां विलोक्यतां महीपतेः ॥ 131.22 ॥

tathāpi vācyaḥ putro me yadbravīmyatiduḥkhitā laṁghanāmīdṛśīṁ prāptāṁ vilokyatāṁ mahīpateḥ

"'Even so, this at least my son must be told, which I now say in the depths of my grief — let the king take heed of an outrage such as this.'"

Verse 23 (markandeya.131.23)

मद्भर्त्राऽधिकृतो राजा चतुर्णां परिपालकः । त्वमाश्रमाणां किं युक्तं तापसान्यन्न रक्षसि ॥ 131.23 ॥

madbhartrā’dhikṛto rājā caturṇāṁ paripālakaḥ tvamāśramāṇāṁ kiṁ yuktaṁ tāpasānyanna rakṣasi

"'The very king my husband himself had once appointed protector of all four ashramas — is it fitting, O guardian of ascetics, that you should fail to protect them?'"

Verse 24 (markandeya.131.24)

भर्ता मम नरिष्यन्तस्तापसस्तपसि स्थितः । विलपन्त्यास्तथा नाथो यथा नासि तथा त्वयि ॥ 131.24 ॥

bhartā mama nariṣyantastāpasastapasi sthitaḥ vilapantyāstathā nātho yathā nāsi tathā tvayi

"'My husband Narishyanta, an ascetic devoted to austerity, had no protector in that hour — I weep now, for it seems as though you too are none to me.'"

Verse 25 (markandeya.131.25)

आकृष्य केशेषु बलादपराधं विना ततः । हतो वपुष्मता ख्यातिमिति ते भूपतिर्गता ॥ 131.25 ॥

ākṛṣya keśeṣu balādaparādhaṁ vinā tataḥ hato vapuṣmatā khyātimiti te bhūpatirgatā

"'Dragged by his very hair, by force, though guilty of no offense — thus was he slain by Vapushmat. This deed has already reached the king as common report.'"

Verse 26 (markandeya.131.26)

एवं स्थिते तत्क्रियतां यथा धर्मो न लुप्यते । तथा च नैव वस्तव्यं माताहं तापसी यतः ॥ 131.26 ॥

evaṁ sthite tatkriyatāṁ yathā dharmo na lupyate tathā ca naiva vastavyaṁ mātāhaṁ tāpasī yataḥ

"'In such a case, let that be done by which dharma is not violated; and I too can no longer remain here, for I too am now but a widowed ascetic, my son.'"

Verse 27 (markandeya.131.27)

पिता वृद्धस्तपस्वी च नापराधेन दूषितः । निहतो येन यत्तस्य कर्तव्यं तद्विचिन्त्यताम् ॥ 131.27 ॥

pitā vṛddhastapasvī ca nāparādhena dūṣitaḥ nihato yena yattasya kartavyaṁ tadvicintyatām

"'Your father was aged, an ascetic, stained by no offense whatsoever — yet he was slain. Consider well what must now be done to the one who did this.'"

Verse 28 (markandeya.131.28)

सन्ति ते मन्त्रिणो वीराः सर्वशास्त्रार्थवेदिनः । तैः सहालोच्य यत्कार्यमेवंभूते कुरुष्व तत् ॥ 131.28 ॥

santi te mantriṇo vīrāḥ sarvaśāstrārthavedinaḥ taiḥ sahālocya yatkāryamevaṁbhūte kuruṣva tat

"'You have valiant ministers who know the meaning of every branch of learning — take counsel with them, and do whatever is right in such a case.'"

Verse 29 (markandeya.131.29)

नास्माकमधिकारोऽत्र तापसानां नराधिप । कुरुष्वैतदितीत्थं त्वमेवं भूपतिभाषितम् ॥ 131.29 ॥

nāsmākamadhikāro’tra tāpasānāṁ narādhipa kuruṣvaitaditītthaṁ tvamevaṁ bhūpatibhāṣitam

"'In matters concerning ascetics this lies beyond our authority, O king — you alone must decide this for yourself' — thus indeed had the king [Narishyanta] himself once said."

Verse 30 (markandeya.131.30)

विदूरथस्य जनको यवनेन यथा हतः । तथायं तव पुत्रस्य कुलं तेन विनाशितम् ॥ 131.30 ॥

vidūrathasya janako yavanena yathā hataḥ tathāyaṁ tava putrasya kulaṁ tena vināśitam

"'Just as Viduratha's father was once slain by a Yavana, so too has this line of yours now been struck down by that very man.'"

Verse 31 (markandeya.131.31)

जम्भस्यासुरराजस्य पिता दष्टो भुजङ्गमैः । तेनाप्यखिलपातालवासिनः पन्नगाः हताः ॥ 131.31 ॥

jambhasyāsurarājasya pitā daṣṭo bhujaṅgamaiḥ tenāpyakhilapātālavāsinaḥ pannagāḥ hatāḥ

"'The father of Jambha, king of the asuras, was once bitten by serpents; and because of that alone every serpent dwelling in the netherworld was slain.'"

Verse 32 (markandeya.131.32)

पराशरेण पितरं शक्तिं तं रक्षसाऽऽहतम् । श्रुत्वाऽग्नौ पातितं कृत्स्नं रक्षसामभवत्कुलम् ॥ 131.32 ॥

parāśareṇa pitaraṁ śaktiṁ taṁ rakṣasā’’hatam śrutvā’gnau pātitaṁ kṛtsnaṁ rakṣasāmabhavatkulam

"'And Parashara too, on hearing that a rakshasa had slain his father Shakti, cast the entire race of rakshasas into the sacrificial fire.'"

Verse 33 (markandeya.131.33)

अन्यस्यापि स्ववंशस्य लंघना क्रियते हि या । तां नालं क्षत्रियः सोढुं कि पुनः पितृमारणम् ॥ 131.33 ॥

anyasyāpi svavaṁśasya laṁghanā kriyate hi yā tāṁ nālaṁ kṣatriyaḥ soḍhuṁ ki punaḥ pitṛmāraṇam

"'A kshatriya cannot rightly endure even an insult done to his own lineage by another — how much less, then, the killing of his own father!'"

Verse 34 (markandeya.131.34)

नायं पिता ते निहतो नास्मिञ्छस्त्रं निपातितम् । त्वामत्र निहतं मन्ये त्वयि शस्त्रं निपातितम् ॥ 131.34 ॥

nāyaṁ pitā te nihato nāsmiñchastraṁ nipātitam tvāmatra nihataṁ manye tvayi śastraṁ nipātitam

"'It was not merely your father who was struck down here, nor merely upon him that the weapon fell — no, I say it was upon you yourself that it fell, you yourself who were struck down.'"

Verse 35 (markandeya.131.35)

बिभेत्यस्य हि कः शस्त्रं न्यस्तं येन वनौकसाम् । तव नृपस्य पुत्रस्य मा बिभेतु बिभेतु वा ॥ 131.35 ॥

bibhetyasya hi kaḥ śastraṁ nyastaṁ yena vanaukasām tava nṛpasya putrasya mā bibhetu bibhetu vā

"'Whose weapon strikes fear even into the forest-dwellers — who indeed would not fear it? Whether he fears your royal son or not, that is no longer his concern!'"

Verse 36 (markandeya.131.36)

तवेयं लङ्घनायुक्ता यदस्मिंस्तत्समाचर । वपुष्मति महाराज सभृत्यज्ञातिबान्धवे ॥ 131.36 ॥

taveyaṁ laṅghanāyuktā yadasmiṁstatsamācara vapuṣmati mahārāja sabhṛtyajñātibāndhave

"'This outrage is yours alone to answer — do, O great king, whatever must be done against that Vapushmat, together with his servants, kinsmen and allies.'"

Verse 37 (markandeya.131.37)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इति संक्रान्तसन्देशमिन्द्रसेना विसृज्य तम् । पतिदेहमुपाश्लिष्य विवेशाग्निं मनस्विनी ॥ 131.37 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti saṁkrāntasandeśamindrasenā visṛjya tam patidehamupāśliṣya viveśāgniṁ manasvinī

Markandeya said: "Having sent forth this message, the resolute Indrasena then embraced her husband's body and entered the funeral fire herself."