The Slaying of Vapushmat

Verse 1 (markandeya.133.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इति प्रतिज्ञाय तदा नरिष्यन्तसुतो दमः । कोपामर्षविवृत्ताक्षः श्भश्रुमावृत्य पाणिना ॥ 133.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti pratijñāya tadā nariṣyantasuto damaḥ kopāmarṣavivṛttākṣaḥ śbhaśrumāvṛtya pāṇinā

Markandeya said: "Having thus vowed, Narishyanta's son Dama, his eyes wide with fury and indignation, stroked his beard with his hand —"

Verse 2 (markandeya.133.2)

हा हतोऽस्मीति पितरं ध्यात्वा देवं विनिंद्य च । प्रोवाच मंत्रिणः सर्वानानिनाय पुरोहितम् ॥ 133.2 ॥

hā hato’smīti pitaraṁ dhyātvā devaṁ viniṁdya ca provāca maṁtriṇaḥ sarvānānināya purohitam

"and, thinking 'Alas, I am ruined!', remembering his father and reproaching fate itself, he summoned all his ministers and had the family priest brought as well."

Verse 3 (markandeya.133.3)

दम उवाच यदत्र कृत्यं तद्ब्रूत ताते प्राप्ते सुरालयम् । श्रुतं भवद्भिर्यत्प्रोक्तं तेन शूद्रतपस्विना ॥ 133.3 ॥

dama uvāca yadatra kṛtyaṁ tadbrūta tāte prāpte surālayam śrutaṁ bhavadbhiryatproktaṁ tena śūdratapasvinā

Dama said: "'Tell me what must now be done. My father has gone to the abode of the gods — you have already heard all that the shudra ascetic has related.'"

Verse 4 (markandeya.133.4)

वृद्धस्तपस्वी स नृपो वानप्रस्थव्रते स्थितः । मौनव्रतधरोऽशस्त्रो मन्मात्रा चेन्द्रसेनया ॥ 133.4 ॥

vṛddhastapasvī sa nṛpo vānaprasthavrate sthitaḥ maunavratadharo’śastro manmātrā cendrasenayā

"'That aged ascetic king had taken up the vanaprastha vow, was bound by a vow of silence, and carried no weapon — only my mother Indrasena was there beside him.'"

Verse 5 (markandeya.133.5)

प्रोक्तं संसृष्टया स्वात्म्याद्याथातथ्यं वपुष्मते । तेनापि खड्गमाकृष्य जटां सव्येन पाणिना ॥ 133.5 ॥

proktaṁ saṁsṛṣṭayā svātmyādyāthātathyaṁ vapuṣmate tenāpi khaḍgamākṛṣya jaṭāṁ savyena pāṇinā

"'My mother herself had told Vapushmat the plain truth of who he was. Yet even so, that wicked-souled man seized my father's matted hair with his left hand, drew his sword with his right —"

Verse 6 (markandeya.133.6)

धृत्वा जघान दुष्टात्मा लोकनाथमनाथवत् । माता च संदिश्य हि मां धिक्छब्दं ब्रुवती सती ॥ 133.6 ॥

dhṛtvā jaghāna duṣṭātmā lokanāthamanāthavat mātā ca saṁdiśya hi māṁ dhikchabdaṁ bruvatī satī

"'and slew that lord of men as though he had no protector at all. My chaste mother, having sent me this message together with words of reproach,'"

Verse 7 (markandeya.133.7)

मन्दभाग्यं च निःश्रीकं प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम् । तमालिंग्य नरिष्यन्तं प्रयाता त्रिदशालयम् ॥ 133.7 ॥

mandabhāgyaṁ ca niḥśrīkaṁ praviṣṭā havyavāhanam tamāliṁgya nariṣyantaṁ prayātā tridaśālayam

"'then, grief-stricken and bereft of all glory, entered the fire — embracing Narishyanta's very body, she too departed for the world of the gods.'"

Verse 8 (markandeya.133.8)

सोऽहमद्य करिष्यामि यन्मे मातुरुदीरितम् । हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं सैन्यं च परिकल्प्यताम् ॥ 133.8 ॥

so’hamadya kariṣyāmi yanme māturudīritam hastyaśvarathapādātaṁ sainyaṁ ca parikalpyatām

"'Now I shall do exactly as my mother bade me. Let the army of elephants, cavalry, chariots and foot-soldiers be made ready at once.'"

Verse 9 (markandeya.133.9)

अनिर्याप्य पितुर्वैरमहत्वा पितृघातकम् । अकृत्वा च वचो मातुर्जीवितुं किमिहोत्सहे ॥ 133.9 ॥

aniryāpya piturvairamahatvā pitṛghātakam akṛtvā ca vaco māturjīvituṁ kimihotsahe

"'Without avenging my father's death, without slaying his murderer, and without fulfilling my mother's command — how could I even wish to go on living?'"

Verse 10 (markandeya.133.10)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच मन्त्रिणस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा हाहेत्युक्त्वा तथा च तत् । कृतवन्तो विमनसः सभृत्यबलवाहनाः ॥ 133.10 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca mantriṇastadvacaḥ śrutvā hāhetyuktvā tathā ca tat kṛtavanto vimanasaḥ sabhṛtyabalavāhanāḥ

Markandeya said: "The ministers, hearing these words, cried 'Alas! Alas!' and, though heavy of heart, made every arrangement accordingly, together with their servants, army and mounts."

Verse 11 (markandeya.133.11)

निर्ययुः सपरीवाराः पुरस्कृत्य दमं नृपम् । गृहीत्वा चाशिषो विप्रात्त्रिकालज्ञात्पुरोधसः ॥ 133.11 ॥

niryayuḥ saparīvārāḥ puraskṛtya damaṁ nṛpam gṛhītvā cāśiṣo viprāttrikālajñātpurodhasaḥ

"They all set out with their full retinue, King Dama at their head, and having first received the blessing of the priest who knew the three times —"

Verse 12 (markandeya.133.12)

अहिराडिव निःश्वस्य दमः प्रायाद्वपुष्मतम् । सीमापालादिसामन्तान्निघ्नन्याम्यां दिश त्वरा ॥ 133.12 ॥

ahirāḍiva niḥśvasya damaḥ prāyādvapuṣmatam sīmāpālādisāmantānnighnanyāmyāṁ diśa tvarā

"Dama set out toward Vapushmat, sighing long like a great serpent-king, and struck down the border-guards and vassal chiefs along the way with all speed."

Verse 13 (markandeya.133.13)

निरीक्ष्य तं समायान्तं वपुष्मान्मर्षपूरितः । संक्रन्दनसुतेनापि दमो ज्ञातो वपुष्मता । आयातः सपरीवारः सामात्यः सपरिच्छदः ॥ 133.13 ॥

nirīkṣya taṁ samāyāntaṁ vapuṣmānmarṣapūritaḥ saṁkrandanasutenāpi damo jñāto vapuṣmatā āyātaḥ saparīvāraḥ sāmātyaḥ saparicchadaḥ

"Seeing him thus approaching, Vapushmat, son of Sankrandana, filled with indignation, recognized him at once — knowing that Dama had come with his full retinue, his ministers, and all his equipage."

Verse 14 (markandeya.133.14)

अकंपितेन मनसा ससैन्यानि दिदेश ह । दूतं च प्रेषयामास निर्गम्य नगराद्बहिः ॥ 133.14 ॥

akaṁpitena manasā sasainyāni dideśa ha dūtaṁ ca preṣayāmāsa nirgamya nagarādbahiḥ

"With an unshaken mind he issued orders to his own troops, and, going out beyond the city, he sent forth a messenger."

Verse 15 (markandeya.133.15)

त्वं शीघ्रतरमागच्छ नरिष्यन्तः प्रतीक्षते । सभार्यक्षत्रबन्धो त्वं समायाहि ममान्तिकम् ॥ 133.15 ॥

tvaṁ śīghrataramāgaccha nariṣyantaḥ pratīkṣate sabhāryakṣatrabandho tvaṁ samāyāhi mamāntikam

"[The messenger said:] 'Come quickly — Narishyanta awaits you! O kinsman of kshatriyas, come, bring even your wife along, and approach me!'"

Verse 16 (markandeya.133.16)

इमे मद्बाहुनिर्मुक्ताः शिता बाणाः पिपासिताः । भित्त्वा शरीरं सङ्ग्रामे पास्यन्ति रुधिरं तव ॥ 133.16 ॥

ime madbāhunirmuktāḥ śitā bāṇāḥ pipāsitāḥ bhittvā śarīraṁ saṅgrāme pāsyanti rudhiraṁ tava

"'These sharp, thirsting arrows, loosed from my very arms, shall pierce your body in battle and drink your own blood.'"

Verse 17 (markandeya.133.17)

श्रुत्वा दमस्तु तत्सर्वं दूतप्रोक्तं ययौ त्वरन् । स्मृत्वा प्रतिज्ञां पूर्वोक्तां निःश्वसमुरगो यथा ॥ 133.17 ॥

śrutvā damastu tatsarvaṁ dūtaproktaṁ yayau tvaran smṛtvā pratijñāṁ pūrvoktāṁ niḥśvasamurago yathā

"Hearing all that the messenger relayed, Dama, remembering his earlier vow and heaving long sighs like a serpent, hurried forward without delay."

Verse 18 (markandeya.133.18)

आहूतसमरे चैव पुमान्सेनाविकत्थनः । ततो युद्धमतीवासीद्दमस्य च वपुष्मतः ॥ 133.18 ॥

āhūtasamare caiva pumānsenāvikatthanaḥ tato yuddhamatīvāsīddamasya ca vapuṣmataḥ

"That man, thus challenged to battle, was one much given to boasting of his own army's might; and then a most terrible war broke out between Dama and Vapushmat."

Verse 19 (markandeya.133.19)

रथी च रथिना नागी नागिना हयिना हयी । अयुध्यन्त च विप्रर्षे तद्युद्धं तुमुलं ह्यभूत् ॥ 133.19 ॥

rathī ca rathinā nāgī nāginā hayinā hayī ayudhyanta ca viprarṣe tadyuddhaṁ tumulaṁ hyabhūt

"Chariot-warrior fought chariot-warrior, elephant-rider fought elephant-rider, horseman fought horseman — O sage among brahmins, that battle grew utterly tumultuous."

Verse 20 (markandeya.133.20)

पश्यतां सर्वदेवानां सिद्धगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् । चकम्पे वसुधा ब्रह्मन्युध्यमाने दमे युधि ॥ 133.20 ॥

paśyatāṁ sarvadevānāṁ siddhagandharvarakṣasām cakampe vasudhā brahmanyudhyamāne dame yudhi

"O brahmin, as all the gods, siddhas, gandharvas and rakshasas looked on, the very earth trembled as Dama fought."

Verse 21 (markandeya.133.21)

न गजो न रथी नाश्वस्तस्य बाणसहस्तु यः । ततो दमेन युयुधे सेनाध्यक्षो वपुष्मतः ॥ 133.21 ॥

na gajo na rathī nāśvastasya bāṇasahastu yaḥ tato damena yuyudhe senādhyakṣo vapuṣmataḥ

"No elephant, no charioteer, no horseman could stand before him whose quiver held a thousand arrows. Then Vapushmat's own commander-in-chief came forward to fight Dama himself."

Verse 22 (markandeya.133.22)

हृदि विव्याध च दम इषुणागाद्यमान्तिकम् । तस्मिन्निपतिते सैन्यं पलायनपरं ह्यभूत् ॥ 133.22 ॥

hṛdi vivyādha ca dama iṣuṇāgādyamāntikam tasminnipatite sainyaṁ palāyanaparaṁ hyabhūt

"Dama pierced his heart with a single arrow that sent him straight to Yama's abode. The moment he fell, his entire army broke and turned to flight."

Verse 23 (markandeya.133.23)

स स्वामिनं ततः प्राह दमः शत्रुं दमस्तथा । क्व यासि दुष्ट पितरं घातयित्वा तपस्विनम् ॥ 133.23 ॥

sa svāminaṁ tataḥ prāha damaḥ śatruṁ damastathā kva yāsi duṣṭa pitaraṁ ghātayitvā tapasvinam

"Then Dama called out to his enemy: 'Wretch! Having slain my father, an ascetic, where now do you flee?'"

Verse 24 (markandeya.133.24)

अशस्त्रं च तपस्यन्तं क्षत्रियोऽसि निवर्तताम् । ततो निवृत्य स दमं योधयामास सानुजः ॥ 133.24 ॥

aśastraṁ ca tapasyantaṁ kṣatriyo’si nivartatām tato nivṛtya sa damaṁ yodhayāmāsa sānujaḥ

"'You slew an unarmed man absorbed in penance — are you truly a kshatriya? Turn and fight!' Hearing this, he wheeled about and, together with his younger brother, engaged Dama in battle."

Verse 25 (markandeya.133.25)

स पुत्रः सह सम्बन्धिबान्धवैर्युयुधे रथी । ततः शरासनान्मुक्तबाणैर्व्याप्तास्ततो दिशः ॥ 133.25 ॥

sa putraḥ saha sambandhibāndhavairyuyudhe rathī tataḥ śarāsanānmuktabāṇairvyāptāstato diśaḥ

"That son [Vapushmat] fought from his chariot along with his kinsmen and allies; and soon every quarter of the sky was filled with arrows loosed from their bows."

Verse 26 (markandeya.133.26)

दमं च सरथं चाशु शरजालैरपूरयत् । ततः पितृवधोत्थेन कोपेन स दमस्तथा ॥ 133.26 ॥

damaṁ ca sarathaṁ cāśu śarajālairapūrayat tataḥ pitṛvadhotthena kopena sa damastathā

"He instantly enveloped Dama, chariot and all, in a web of arrows. Then Dama, filled with the fury born of his father's murder —"

Verse 27 (markandeya.133.27)

चिच्छेद ताञ्छरान्स्तेषां विव्याधान्यैश्च तानपि । एकेनैकेन बाणेन सप्त पुत्रान्स्तथा द्विज ॥ 133.27 ॥

ciccheda tāñcharānsteṣāṁ vivyādhānyaiśca tānapi ekenaikena bāṇena sapta putrānstathā dvija

"cut down their arrows even as he pierced them in turn with his own, and — O brahmin — with one single arrow each, struck down seven of Vapushmat's sons."

Verse 28 (markandeya.133.28)

सम्बन्धिबान्धवान्मित्रान्निनाय यमसादनम् । वपुष्मान्स रथी क्रोधान्निहतात्मजबान्धवः ॥ 133.28 ॥

sambandhibāndhavānmitrānnināya yamasādanam vapuṣmānsa rathī krodhānnihatātmajabāndhavaḥ

"He sent their kinsmen, allies and friends alike to the abode of Yama. And Vapushmat, that charioteer-warrior, enraged now at the slaying of his sons and kinsmen —"

Verse 29 (markandeya.133.29)

युयुधे च स तेनाजौ शरैराशीविषोपमैः । चिच्छेद तस्य तान्बाणान्स दमश्च महामुने ॥ 133.29 ॥

yuyudhe ca sa tenājau śarairāśīviṣopamaiḥ ciccheda tasya tānbāṇānsa damaśca mahāmune

"O great sage, then fought him with arrows venomous as serpents; but Dama cut down every one of those arrows as well."

Verse 30 (markandeya.133.30)

युयुधाते च संरब्धौ परस्परजयैषिणौ । परस्परशराघातविच्छिन्नधनुषौ त्वरा ॥ 133.30 ॥

yuyudhāte ca saṁrabdhau parasparajayaiṣiṇau parasparaśarāghātavicchinnadhanuṣau tvarā

"Both mighty warriors, each locked in a fierce struggle for victory over the other, soon had their very bows shattered by each other's arrow-strokes."

Verse 31 (markandeya.133.31)

गृहीतखड्गावुत्तीर्य चिक्रीडाते महाबलौ । दमः क्षणं नृपं ध्यात्वा पितरं निहतं वने ॥ 133.31 ॥

gṛhītakhaḍgāvuttīrya cikrīḍāte mahābalau damaḥ kṣaṇaṁ nṛpaṁ dhyātvā pitaraṁ nihataṁ vane

"Then both those mighty men, swords in hand, leapt down from their chariots and closed in hand-to-hand combat. For an instant Dama recalled his father, slain in the forest,"

Verse 32 (markandeya.133.32)

केशेष्वाकृष्य चाक्रम्य निपात्य धरणीतले । शिरोधरायां पादेन भुजमुद्यम्य चाब्रवीत् ॥ 133.32 ॥

keśeṣvākṛṣya cākramya nipātya dharaṇītale śirodharāyāṁ pādena bhujamudyamya cābravīt

"and, seizing him by the hair, striking him down and hurling him to the ground, planted his foot upon his neck, raised his arm, and cried out —"

Verse 33 (markandeya.133.33)

पश्यन्तु देवताः सर्वा मानुषाः पन्नगाः खगाः । पाट्यमानं च हृदयं क्षत्रबन्धोर्वपुष्मतः ॥ 133.33 ॥

paśyantu devatāḥ sarvā mānuṣāḥ pannagāḥ khagāḥ pāṭyamānaṁ ca hṛdayaṁ kṣatrabandhorvapuṣmataḥ

"'Let all the gods, all men, serpents and birds now watch — this so-called kshatriya Vapushmat's very heart is being torn open before their eyes!'"

Verse 34 (markandeya.133.34)

एवमुक्त्वा च स दमो हदयं च व्यदारयत् । पातुकामश्च स सुरैः क्षतजेन निवारितः ॥ 133.34 ॥

evamuktvā ca sa damo hadayaṁ ca vyadārayat pātukāmaśca sa suraiḥ kṣatajena nivāritaḥ

"Having said this, Dama tore open his heart; and though he then wished to drink of that blood, the gods themselves restrained him from it."

Verse 35 (markandeya.133.35)

ततश्चकार तातस्य रक्तेनैवोदकक्रियाम् । आनृण्यं प्राप्य स पितुः पुनः प्रायात्स्वमन्दिरम् ॥ 133.35 ॥

tataścakāra tātasya raktenaivodakakriyām ānṛṇyaṁ prāpya sa pituḥ punaḥ prāyātsvamandiram

"Then, with that very blood, he performed the water-offering for his father, and, thus discharged of his filial debt, he set out once more for his own home."

Verse 36 (markandeya.133.36)

वपुष्मतश्च मांसेन पिण्डदानं चकार ह । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयामास रक्षः कुलसमुद्भवान् ॥ 133.36 ॥

vapuṣmataśca māṁsena piṇḍadānaṁ cakāra ha brāhmaṇānbhojayāmāsa rakṣaḥ kulasamudbhavān

"With Vapushmat's very flesh he also performed the pinda-offering, and with that same flesh — the flesh of one born, in conduct, of a rakshasa's line — he fed the brahmins."

Verse 37 (markandeya.133.37)

एवंविधा हि राजानो बभूवुः सूर्यवंशजाः । अन्येऽपि सुधियः शूरा यज्विनो धर्मकोविदाः ॥ 133.37 ॥

evaṁvidhā hi rājāno babhūvuḥ sūryavaṁśajāḥ anye’pi sudhiyaḥ śūrā yajvino dharmakovidāḥ

"Such were the kings born in the solar dynasty, and there were others besides — wise, valiant, devoted to sacrifice, and skilled in dharma,"

Verse 38 (markandeya.133.38)

वेदान्तपारगास्ताञ्च न संख्यातुमिहोत्सहे । एतेषां चरितं श्रुत्वा नरः पापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ 133.38 ॥

vedāntapāragāstāñca na saṁkhyātumihotsahe eteṣāṁ caritaṁ śrutvā naraḥ pāpaiḥ pramucyate

"and versed in the very end of the Vedas — all of them I dare not attempt to enumerate here. Whoever hears of their deeds is freed from every sin."