The Kingdom Given Up: Kuvalayashva's Renunciation

Verse 1 (markandeya.36.1)

जड उवाच । स एवमनुशिष्टः सन् मात्रा संप्राप्य यौवनम् । ऋतध्वजसुतश्चक्रे सम्यग्दारपरिग्रहम्॥ ३६.१ ॥

jaḍa uvāca sa evamanuśiṣṭaḥ san mātrā saṁprāpya yauvanam ṛtadhvajasutaścakre samyagdāraparigraham

Jada said: Thus instructed by his mother, that son of Ritadhvaja, having attained youth, duly took a wife.

Verse 2 (markandeya.36.2)

पुत्रांश्चोत्पादयामास यज्ञैश्चाप्ययजद्विभुः । पितुश्च सर्वकालेषु चकाराज्ञानुपालनम्॥ ३६.२ ॥

putrāṁścotpādayāmāsa yajñaiścāpyayajadvibhuḥ pituśca sarvakāleṣu cakārājñānupālanam

He begot sons and, being mighty, also performed sacrifices; and at all times he carried out his father's commands.

Verse 3 (markandeya.36.3)

ततः कालेन महता संप्राप्य चरमं वयः । चक्रेऽभिषेकं पुत्रस्य तस्य रज्ये ऋतध्वजः॥ ३६.३ ॥

tataḥ kālena mahatā saṁprāpya caramaṁ vayaḥ cakre 'bhiṣekaṁ putrasya tasya rajye ṛtadhvajaḥ

Then, after a long time, having reached the last stage of life, Ritadhvaja consecrated that son of his in the kingdom.

Verse 4 (markandeya.36.4)

भार्यया सह धर्मात्मा यियासुस्तपसे वनम् । अवतीर्णो महारक्षो महाभागो महीपतिः॥ ३६.४ ॥

bhāryayā saha dharmātmā yiyāsustapase vanam avatīrṇo mahārakṣo mahābhāgo mahīpatiḥ

The righteous, most fortunate lord of the earth and great protector, having stepped down from rule, wished to go to the forest for austerity together with his wife.

Verse 5 (markandeya.36.5)

मदालसा च तनयं प्राहेदं पश्चिमं वच । कामोपभोगसंसर्गप्रहाणाय सुतस्य वै॥ ३६.५ ॥

madālasā ca tanayaṁ prāhedaṁ paścimaṁ vaca kāmopabhogasaṁsargaprahāṇāya sutasya vai

And Madalasa spoke this, her final words, to her son, in order to free him from attachment to sensory enjoyment.

Verse 6 (markandeya.36.6)

मदालसोवाच यदा दुः खमसह्यं ते प्रियबन्धुवियोगजम् । शत्रुबाधोद्भवं वापि वित्तनाशात्मसम्भवम्॥ ३६.६ ॥

madālasovāca yadā duḥ khamasahyaṁ te priyabandhuviyogajam śatrubādhodbhavaṁ vāpi vittanāśātmasambhavam

Madalasa said: When unbearable sorrow arises for you—born of separation from a beloved kinsman, or from the harassment of enemies, or from the loss of wealth—

Verse 7 (markandeya.36.7)

भवेत्तत् कुर्वतो राज्यं गृहधर्मावलम्बिनः । दुः खायतनभूतो हि ममत्वालम्बनो गृही॥ ३६.७ ॥

bhavettat kurvato rājyaṁ gṛhadharmāvalambinaḥ duḥ khāyatanabhūto hi mamatvālambano gṛhī

—such sorrow will indeed come to you while ruling the kingdom, resting on the duties of a householder; for the householder who rests on the sense of 'mine' truly becomes the very abode of sorrow.

Verse 8 (markandeya.36.8)

तदास्मात् पुत्र ! निष्कृष्य मद्दत्तादङ्गुलीयकात् । वाच्यं ते शासनं पट्टे सूक्ष्माक्षरनिवेशितम्॥ ३६.८ ॥

tadāsmāt putra ! niṣkṛṣya maddattādaṅgulīyakāt vācyaṁ te śāsanaṁ paṭṭe sūkṣmākṣaraniveśitam

'Then, O son, at that time draw out from the ring I have given you the instruction inscribed in minute letters on the plate, and read it.'

Verse 9 (markandeya.36.9)

जड उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा प्रददौ तस्मै सौवर्णं साङ्गुलीयकम् । आशिषश्चापि या योग्याः परुषस्य गृहे सतः॥ ३६.९ ॥

jaḍa uvāca ityuktvā pradadau tasmai sauvarṇaṁ sāṅgulīyakam āśiṣaścāpi yā yogyāḥ paruṣasya gṛhe sataḥ

Jada said: Having said this, she gave him that golden ring, along with such blessings as befit a man living as a householder.

Verse 10 (markandeya.36.10)

ततः कुबलयाश्वोऽसौ सा च देवी मदालसा । पुत्राय दत्त्वा तद्राज्यं तपसे काननं गतौ॥ ३६.१० ॥

tataḥ kubalayāśvo 'sau sā ca devī madālasā putrāya dattvā tadrājyaṁ tapase kānanaṁ gatau

Then that Kuvalayashva [Ritadhvaja] and the goddess Madalasa, having given the kingdom to their son, went to the forest for austerities.