The Righteous Reign of Jalandhara

Verse 1 (padma.6.8.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।देवान्विक्लाव्य समरे विष्णुं स्थाप्यात्ममंदिरे । जालंधरेणाब्धिजेन यत्कृतं ब्रूहि नारद

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca devānviklāvya samare viṣṇuṁ sthāpyātmamaṁdire jālaṁdhareṇābdhijena yatkṛtaṁ brūhi nārada

Yudhishthira said: Having routed the gods in battle and installed Vishnu in his own abode, what did Jalandhara, the ocean's son, do thereafter? Tell me, O Narada.

Verse 2 (padma.6.8.2)

नारद उवाच । शुंभादीनां तु वीराणां दत्त्वा दानं प्रसादजम् । जालंधरो जगामाथ स्वर्गं प्राप्यावलोकयत्

nārada uvāca śuṁbhādīnāṁ tu vīrāṇāṁ dattvā dānaṁ prasādajam jālaṁdharo jagāmātha svargaṁ prāpyāvalokayat

Narada said: Having graciously given gifts to Shumbha and the other heroes, Jalandhara then went to heaven, and, reaching it, surveyed it —

Verse 3 (padma.6.8.3)

हिरण्यवर्षेण जनान्भूषयंतं दिनेदिने । फलंति तरवोऽजस्रं वाजिमेधक्रतोः फलम्

hiraṇyavarṣeṇa janānbhūṣayaṁtaṁ dinedine phalaṁti taravo'jasraṁ vājimedhakratoḥ phalam

a place that adorned its people daily with a rain of gold, where trees ever bore the very fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 4 (padma.6.8.4)

गजवस्त्रसुवर्णानि धेनु कन्या तिलानि च । पुष्पकर्पूरतांबूल कस्तूरी कुंकुमानि च

gajavastrasuvarṇāni dhenu kanyā tilāni ca puṣpakarpūratāṁbūla kastūrī kuṁkumāni ca

Elephants, cloth, gold, cows, maidens, sesame, flowers, camphor, betel, musk, and saffron —

Verse 5 (padma.6.8.5)

ये यच्छंति महात्मानस्ते पश्यंत्यमरावतीम् । वर्षासु गृहदानेन शिशिरेऽग्निप्रदानतः

ye yacchaṁti mahātmānaste paśyaṁtyamarāvatīm varṣāsu gṛhadānena śiśire'gnipradānataḥ

those great souls who give these come to behold Amaravati itself; by the gift of a house in the rains, by the gift of fire in winter,

Verse 6 (padma.6.8.6)

वादित्राणि च सर्वाणि वादयंति शिवालये । प्रपां कुर्वंति ये चैत्रे दध्योदनसमन्विताम्

vāditrāṇi ca sarvāṇi vādayaṁti śivālaye prapāṁ kurvaṁti ye caitre dadhyodanasamanvitām

and by playing every instrument in Shiva's temple; those who set up water-sheds in the month of Chaitra, stocked with curd-rice —

Verse 7 (padma.6.8.7)

यत्र हिंदोलपर्यंकं स्वयमांदोलयंति च । सारिकाशुकहंसाश्च भ्रमद्भ्रमरकोकिलाः

yatra hiṁdolaparyaṁkaṁ svayamāṁdolayaṁti ca sārikāśukahaṁsāśca bhramadbhramarakokilāḥ

where swings and couches sway of their own accord, and mynahs, parrots, swans, and roving bees and cuckoos —

Verse 8 (padma.6.8.8)

कुर्वंतो दूतकार्याणि यच्छंते प्रियसंगमम् । रंभा यत्र पुरे राम मेनका च तिलोत्तमा

kurvaṁto dūtakāryāṇi yacchaṁte priyasaṁgamam raṁbhā yatra pure rāma menakā ca tilottamā

perform the errands of go-betweens and bring about a lover's union; O Rama, where in that city are Rambha, Menaka, and Tilottama,

Verse 9 (padma.6.8.9)

सुषमा सुंदरी यत्र घृताची पुंजिकस्थली । सुकेशी सुमुखी रामा मंजुघोषा च मालिनी

suṣamā suṁdarī yatra ghṛtācī puṁjikasthalī sukeśī sumukhī rāmā maṁjughoṣā ca mālinī

Sushama, Sundari, Ghritachi, Punjikasthali, Sukeshi, Sumukhi, Rama, Manjughosha, and Malini,

Verse 10 (padma.6.8.10)

मृगोद्भवा च सुखदा धनदंष्ट्रा तिलप्रभा । वाजिमेधफलग्राहा राजसूयफलंति याः

mṛgodbhavā ca sukhadā dhanadaṁṣṭrā tilaprabhā vājimedhaphalagrāhā rājasūyaphalaṁti yāḥ

Mrigodbhava, Sukhada, Dhanadamshtra, and Tilaprabha — these apsaras, who bestow the very fruit of an Ashvamedha and a Rajasuya sacrifice,

Verse 11 (padma.6.8.11)

कोटिशो यत्र निःष्पापाः क्रीडंत्यप्सरसो नृप । एवं भूरिसुखे स्वर्गे स्थापयामास सिंधुजः

koṭiśo yatra niḥṣpāpāḥ krīḍaṁtyapsaraso nṛpa evaṁ bhūrisukhe svarge sthāpayāmāsa siṁdhujaḥ

O king, where countless sinless apsaras sport by the millions — in such an abundantly blissful heaven the ocean's son established order.

Verse 12 (padma.6.8.12)

शुंभं प्राणसमं दैत्यं निशुंभं युवराजके । स्वयं जालंधरे पीठे स्वर्गादागत्य सिंधुराट् । वर्षार्बुदद्वयं राज्यं चकारात्मबलेन च

śuṁbhaṁ prāṇasamaṁ daityaṁ niśuṁbhaṁ yuvarājake svayaṁ jālaṁdhare pīṭhe svargādāgatya siṁdhurāṭ varṣārbudadvayaṁ rājyaṁ cakārātmabalena ca

Having made the demon Shumbha, dear as his own life, and Nishumbha the crown-prince, the ocean-king himself, returning from heaven to the Jalandhara-seat, ruled his kingdom by his own might for two hundred million years.

Verse 13 (padma.6.8.13)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । युयुधेऽसुर संग्रामे ससुरैरपराजितः

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca yuyudhe'sura saṁgrāme sasurairaparājitaḥ

Yudhishthira said: '...having fought in battle even against the gods, remaining unconquered...'

Verse 14 (padma.6.8.14)

ततः किमकरोद्राजा सिंधुसूनुः प्रतापवान् । तन्ममाचक्ष्व देवर्षे श्रोतुकामस्य विस्तरात्

tataḥ kimakarodrājā siṁdhusūnuḥ pratāpavān tanmamācakṣva devarṣe śrotukāmasya vistarāt

then what did that mighty king, the ocean's son, do next? O divine sage, tell me that in full — I wish to hear it.

Verse 15 (padma.6.8.15)

नारद उवाच । शृणु राजन्यथातथ्यं कृतसागरसूनुना । स देवान्समरे जित्वा राज्यं चक्रे ह्यकंटकम्

nārada uvāca śṛṇu rājanyathātathyaṁ kṛtasāgarasūnunā sa devānsamare jitvā rājyaṁ cakre hyakaṁṭakam

Narada said: Listen, O king, truly, to what the ocean's son accomplished; having conquered the gods in battle, he made his kingdom free of every thorn.

Verse 16 (padma.6.8.16)

गंधर्वाश्चित्रसेनाद्याः सेवंते चासुरेश्वरम् । यज्ञभागांश्च यो भुंक्ते सर्वेषामसुरेश्वरः

gaṁdharvāścitrasenādyāḥ sevaṁte cāsureśvaram yajñabhāgāṁśca yo bhuṁkte sarveṣāmasureśvaraḥ

Gandharvas headed by Chitrasena served that lord of demons; he, the lord of all demons, enjoyed the sacrificial shares belonging to all.

Verse 17 (padma.6.8.17)

क्षीरसागरतो देवैर्हृतं रत्नादिकं च यत् । तत्सर्वं च तथान्यच्च निर्जित्य हृतवान्बली

kṣīrasāgarato devairhṛtaṁ ratnādikaṁ ca yat tatsarvaṁ ca tathānyacca nirjitya hṛtavānbalī

Whatever jewels and the like had been taken by the gods from the Ocean of Milk — all of that, and more besides, that mighty one conquered and took back.

Verse 18 (padma.6.8.18)

समुद्रतनये राज्यं भुवो राजन्प्रशासति । न कश्चिन्म्रियते मर्त्यो नरकं कोऽपि न व्रजेत्

samudratanaye rājyaṁ bhuvo rājanpraśāsati na kaścinmriyate martyo narakaṁ ko'pi na vrajet

O king, so long as the ocean's son ruled the earth, no mortal died, and no one went to hell.

Verse 19 (padma.6.8.19)

न कलिप्रणयादन्यो न भोगादपरः क्षयः । न वंध्या दुर्भगा नारी नालंकारैर्विवर्जिता

na kalipraṇayādanyo na bhogādaparaḥ kṣayaḥ na vaṁdhyā durbhagā nārī nālaṁkārairvivarjitā

There was no destruction save through strife, and no decay from mere enjoyment; no woman was barren or unfortunate, none was without her ornaments.

Verse 20 (padma.6.8.20)

कुरूपा दुर्गता दुष्टाऽयशस्या न च दृश्यते । न तत्र विधवा नारी न कश्चिन्निर्द्धनो जनः

kurūpā durgatā duṣṭā'yaśasyā na ca dṛśyate na tatra vidhavā nārī na kaścinnirddhano janaḥ

No one was seen ugly, wretched, wicked, or dishonored; there was no widow there, and no one was poor.

Verse 21 (padma.6.8.21)

दातारः संति सर्वत्र न प्रतिग्राहिणः क्वचित् । पुण्या जनाः प्रयच्छंति द्विजेभ्यो ह्यात्मनो धनम्

dātāraḥ saṁti sarvatra na pratigrāhiṇaḥ kvacit puṇyā janāḥ prayacchaṁti dvijebhyo hyātmano dhanam

Givers were everywhere; nowhere was there anyone in need; meritorious people freely gave away their own wealth to brahmins.

Verse 22 (padma.6.8.22)

रूपयौवनशालिन्यः सीमंतिन्यो गृहे गृहे । गोक्षीरं दधिसर्पिश्च यत्र निर्जरसो जनाः

rūpayauvanaśālinyaḥ sīmaṁtinyo gṛhe gṛhe gokṣīraṁ dadhisarpiśca yatra nirjaraso janāḥ

In every household were women blessed with beauty and youth; the people there, ageless as gods, enjoyed cow's milk, curd, and ghee.

Verse 23 (padma.6.8.23)

मंगलं तत्र सर्वेषां न क्वचिद्वधबंधनम् । शरेण न च हिंसास्ति न कश्चित्केन बाध्यते

maṁgalaṁ tatra sarveṣāṁ na kvacidvadhabaṁdhanam śareṇa na ca hiṁsāsti na kaścitkena bādhyate

There, auspiciousness reigned for all; nowhere was there killing or imprisonment; there was no violence even from an arrow, and no one was oppressed by anyone.

Verse 24 (padma.6.8.24)

ऋणं न दृश्यते राजन्धनिनः संति सर्वतः । संतुष्टाः सर्वसस्याढ्याः प्रजाः सर्वत्रपार्थिव

ṛṇaṁ na dṛśyate rājandhaninaḥ saṁti sarvataḥ saṁtuṣṭāḥ sarvasasyāḍhyāḥ prajāḥ sarvatrapārthiva

O king, no debt was ever seen; the wealthy were everywhere; and the people, O king, were content and abundant with every crop.

Verse 25 (padma.6.8.25)

केलीक्षुदंडप्रभवश्च दुग्धरसोऽति सुस्वादुतरो गृहे नृणाम् । शुश्राव नारीनरयोर्हितं वचो न चापहर्ताध्वनि गच्छतां सदा

kelīkṣudaṁḍaprabhavaśca dugdharaso'ti susvādutaro gṛhe nṛṇām śuśrāva nārīnarayorhitaṁ vaco na cāpahartādhvani gacchatāṁ sadā

A most delicious juice from playfully-grown sugarcane stalks flowed in the homes of men; women and men heard only kind, beneficial words from one another, and no traveler on the road was ever robbed.

Verse 26 (padma.6.8.26)

पतंत्यखंडा नभसो यतस्ततो धाराश्च कर्मारविमिश्रसर्पिषः । संमिश्रिताः शर्करया परिश्रुताः समुद्रसूनोः स्मरणान्मुखे नृणाम्

pataṁtyakhaṁḍā nabhaso yatastato dhārāśca karmāravimiśrasarpiṣaḥ saṁmiśritāḥ śarkarayā pariśrutāḥ samudrasūnoḥ smaraṇānmukhe nṛṇām

Wherever people merely remembered the ocean's son, unbroken streams of clarified ghee, mixed with sugar, would fall from the sky straight into their mouths.