Thereupon going to the city of Bārānasi Nikumbha appeared in a dream to a barber by name Kanduka and said to him. "O sinless one, I shall encompass your well-being. Place a faithful image of mine in the city." O king, what he commanded in a dream was all carried out (43–48). Having duly made an announcement to the king at the gate of the city he began daily to worship him (Nikumbha) with scents, garland, incense, lamps, food, and drink. This appeared to be extremely wondrous (49–50). Thus the lord of Ganas was daily worshipped. Thereupon he began to confer thousands of boons on the citizens, such as sons, gold, long life and various desired-for objects (51). The eldest queen of the king Divodāsa was celebrated by the name of Suyasha. Despatched by her husband that chaste damsel appeared there for a son (52). Offering him a grand Pujā she prayed for a son. Thus did she daily come there for a son (53). But for some reason Nikumbha did not give her a son, thinking "If the king gets enraged I shall accomplish my object" (54). Thereupon after a long time the king was possessed by anger. He said "This ghost, stationed at the main gate, is delightedly conferring hundreds of boons on my citizens; why does he not confer one on me? My people in this city are always worshipping him. I requested of him for a son for my queen. Why does not that ungrateful wretch confer a son on me (55–57)? So this ghost does not deserve good treatment from any, especially from me. I shall therefore have the habitation of this vicious-souled one destroyed" (58). Having made this resolution that vicious-souled, wicked king sacked the house of that king of Ganas (59). Having seen his own house destroyed Nikumbha imprecated a curse on the king saying, "I have committed no offence; and still while my house has been ruined, this city, all on a sudden, shall be shorn of its people" (60).
Thereupon by his curse the city of Bārānasi was divested of its people. Having pronounced that curse against the city Nikumbha went to Mahadeva (61). The inhabitants of Bārānasi suddenly fled away to different directions. The God Siva then built his own house in that city (62). Mahādeva lived there sporting with the daughter of the Mountain-king. On account of the liberation being given even to those who did not deserve it the goddess did not like that place. She then said "I shall not live here" (63). Siva said:—"I do not live in my house. My house (body) remains always intact. I shall not go there. Go you, O goddess, to your house (64)." The three-eyed lord, the slayer of Tripura said these words with a smile. From that time that city has been spoken of as Avimukta by the god Siva himself (65). Thus Bārānasi has been described as Avimukta (66). The pious-souled Deity Maheswara, adored of all the gods, lived there in the company of the goddess for the three Yugas, Satwa, Tretā, and Dwapara (67). The city of that high-souled god disappeared in the Kali Yuga. When that city disappeared Maheswara lived there invisible. Thus Bārānasi was cursed and peopled again (68). Bhadrasenya had a son by name Durdama. Having slain the hundred sons of Bhadrasenya Divodāsa spared him out of mercy considering him a child (69). O great king, the emperor Durdama was adopted by Haihaya as his son. In order to put an end to hostilities, Bhadrasenya's son the high souled Kshatriya king Durdama took back again his ancestral kingdom which had been forcibly occupied by Divodāsa (70-71). Divodāsa begat on Vrishadvati the heroic Pratardana. That boy son of his again defeated Durdama (72). Pratardana had two sons by name Vatsa and Bhāga. Vatsa's son was Alarka whose son was Sannati (73). Alarka, the king of Kāshi, was truthful and devoted to Brahman. The ancient sages composed the following hymn in praise of the royal saint Alarka (74). "This foremost of the rulers of Kashi will enjoy youth and beauty for sixty thousand and sixty hundred years (75)". By the favour of Lopamudrā he gained that longevity. That youthful and beautiful king had an extensive kingdom. After the termination of the curse that mighty-armed king slew the Rakshasa Kshemaka and laid out again the picturesque city of Bārānasi. Sannati's son was the pious Sunitha (76-77). Sunitha's son was the highly illustrious Kshemya whose son was Ketumān whose son was Suketu (78). His son passed by the name of Dharmaketu, whose son was the mighty car-warrior Satya ketu. His son was the king Bibhu whose son was Avarta, and whose son was Sukumāra. His son was the highly pious Dhristaketu, whose son was the king Venuhotra, and whose son was the king Bharga. The province of Vatsa belonged to Vatsa and the land of Bhrigu derived its name from Bhargava (79–82). These sons of Angiras were born in the race of Bhrigu. He had thousands of sons amongst the Brāhmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas. Thus I have described to you the family of Kashi kings. I shall now describe the progeny of Nahusha (83–86).
| [57] | Final emancipation from existence. |
CHAPTER XXX. ACCOUNT OF THE KING YAYATI.
Vaishampayana said:—The highly energetic Nahusha begat on his father's daughter Virajā six sons gifted with the effulgence of Indra (1). They were Yati, Yayāti, Sang yāti, Ayati and Yāti. And the sixth was Suyāti; of them Yayāti became the king (2). Yati was the eldest of all. Next to him was Yayāti. On account of his being the foremost of the pious he obtained a daughter of Kakuthsthas by name Go. Yati was an ascetic. Having acquired final liberation he was united with Brahman (3). Of the other five Yayāti conquered this world. He espoused Sukrācharya's daughter Devayani as well as Sharmisthā the daughter of an Asura by name Vrishaparva (4). Devayāni gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu and Vrishaparva's daughter Sharmishthā to Drahyu, Anu, and Puru (5). Being pleased Sakra gave him a highly effulgent, celestial, golden chariot going every where without any interruption. White celestial and excellent horses, fleet like the mind, were yoked to it. By that chariot he used to accomplish every work. Ascending that car, Yayāti, irrepressible in battle, within six nights conquered the entire earth and even the gods with Vāsava (6-7). That car was in the possession of the Pauravas till Sunāmā was born, O Janamejaya (8). Kuru's son the king Parikshit lost that car by the imprecation of the intelligent Gārgya (9). O Janamejaya, that king slew the harsh-speeched boy of Gārgya and accordingly he was guilty of the crime of Brahmanicide (10). With a stench all about his body that royal saint moved about hither and thither. Then cast off both by the citizens and villagers he could not enjoy happiness anywhere (11). Thereupon stricken with grief he could not find relief anywhere. He then sought refuge with the ascetic Indrota born in the race of Shounaka (12). Indrota then undertook the celebration of a horse-sacrifice for purifying that king (13). When he bathed after the termination of a Yajna, that stench disappeared from his body. Then O king, the lord of gods, with pleasure, gave away that celestial car to Vasu the king of Chedis; from him Vrihadratha acquired it (14). From him that car gradually passed into the hands of Jarāsandha. Thereupon slaying Jarāsandha Bhima, the descendant of Kuru, delightedly conferred that most excellent car on Vāsudeva.
Having conquered the earth consisting of seven insular continents with its oceans Yayāti divided it (amongst his sons). Nahusha's son installed Turvasa as the king of the south-eastern quarter, Anu and Druhya as the kings of the northern and eastern divisions respectively, the eldest Yadu as the king of the north-east, and Puru as the king of the Central division. Even now they are righteously ruling over the earth consisting of seven insular continents and various cities in their respective provinces. O foremost of kings, I shall afterwards describe their progeny (15–20). Having been thus blessed with five sons and conferred upon them his bows, arrows and the charge of the kingdom, the foremost of men, that king Yayāti was possessed by decrepitude. Divested of weapons when that ever victorious king cast his eyes on the earth he felt joy. Having thus divided the earth he said to Yadu (21–22):—"Retiring from thy office, O my son, do thou take this decrepitude of mine upon thee. Making over my decrepitude to thee and being gifted with thy youth and beauty I shall range over the earth." Whereto Yadu replied (23):—"I have promised to give alms to a Brāhmana. It has not been decided as yet. Without ascertaining this I cannot accept your decrepitude (24). There are many inconveniences regarding food and drink in decrepitude. Therefore, O king, I do not like to take your decrepitude on me (25). O king, you have many other sons who are more beloved than I. Therefore, O pious king, command any other son of yours to take your decrepitude" (26).
Thus accosted by Yadu the king was filled with anger. Then blaming his son Yayāti, the foremost of speakers, said (27):—"O you of vicious intellect, disregarding me who am your preceptor and who have given you education, whom else can you seek and what religion can you follow?" (28) Having addressed Yadu thus in anger he imprecated a curse on him, saying, "O foolish wight, your sons will be deprived of their kingdom" (29).
That king, the foremost of Bharatas, likewise requested Turvasu, Drahyu and Anu and was equally dishonoured by them all (30). Being enraged that ever victorious Yayāti cursed them all as I had described to you before, O foremost of the royal saints (31). Having thus cursed his four sons who preceded Puru the king said to him, O descendant of Bharata (32). "O Puru, if you agree, I shall transfer this my decrepitude to you and being invested with your beauty and youth I shall roam over this world" (33). His powerful son Puru accepted his decrepitude. Yayāti too, endued with Puru's beauty, ranged over the earth (34). Seeing the termination of pleasures, O foremost of Bharatas, that lord lived in the Chaitraratha forest with Vishrāvyā (35). When he was satiated with enjoyments the king came to Puru and took back from him his decrepitude (36). Hear, O great king, the songs sung there by Yayāti. Hearing them a man withdraws himself from pleasures as a tortoise draws in its limbs (37). "Desire is never satiated with the enjoy ment of its object. It rather assumes proportions like a fire when clarified butter is thrown into it (38). Rice, barley, gold, animals and women, that are on earth, are not sufficient to afford satisfaction to one man. Seeing this even men are not brought to their senses (39). When a man does not commit injury to any creature even by his action, thought and words, he is unified with Brahman (40). When a man is not afraid of another, when no one is afraid of him, when he cherishes no desire or malice he is unified with Brahman (41). Verily does he attain to happiness when a man relinquishes thirst, which wicked people can never cast off, which does not wear out even when a man is possessed by decrepitude and which is like a fatal malady (42). When a man is worn out with age his hairs and teeth fall off but the desire for life and wealth never disappears (43). Whatever pleasure is there in this world derivable from the satisfaction of sensual appetites, whatever great heavenly pleasure is there none of them is equal to the one sixteenth of the pleasure derived from the extinction of desire" (44). Having said this the royal saint Yayāti retired into the forest with his wife and for many long years he carried on hard austerities (45). Having carried on his penances on the Bhrigu hill that great ascetic, renouncing his body, attained to heaven with his wife (46).
O great king, in his family five royal saints were born. By them the whole earth was occupied as by the rays of the sun (47). Hear now of the family of Yadu honored by all the royal saints. In his family Nārāyana Hari, the perpetuator of Vrishni race, took his birth (48), O king, he, who listens to the sacred biography of the king Yāyāti or reads it, acquires health, offspring, long life and renown (49).