Viduragamana-Rajyalabha Parva — History of Sunda and Upasunda

Narada said : O son of Pritha, Yudhishthira, listen to it with your brothers, as I narrate this old story exactly as every thing happened.

In the days of yore there was a Danava chief, named Nikumbha, who was energetic and strong and who was born in the race of Hiranyakashipu.

Two sons were born to him, named Sunda and Upasunda, both of them being chiefs of the Danavas and both of them being very energetic and powerful, very fearful and wicked-minded.

Those two Danavas were both of the same resolution and always engaged in performing the same work and in achieving the same end. They were ever the same to each other in weal and in woe.

Each speaking and doing what was agreeable to each other, the brothers never ate unless they were together and never went anywhere unless together.

Of exactly the same dispositions and habits, they seemed to be one individual divided into two parts. Possessing great energy and the same resolution in every thing, the brothers thus gradually grew up.

Always entertaining the same purpose and ever desiring of subjugating the three worlds, the brothers went after due initiation to the mountains of Vindhya; and going there, they performed served penances.

Exhausted with hunger and thirst with matted locks on their heads and attired in barks of trees, They performed penances for a very long time till at last they received sufficient ascetic merits.

Besmearing themselves with dirts from head to foot, living on air alone and standing on the toes of their own legs, they poured into fire pieces of flesh from their own body. With arms upraised and fixed eyes, they observed their vows for a long period.

(During the course of their ascetic penances), a wonderful incident happened. The Vindhya mountain, heated by their ascetic penance for many long years, began to emit vapours from every part of its body.

Thereupon, seeing their severe penances the celestials were alarmed. The celestials threw many obstacles for impeding their asceticism.

They again and again tempted them with gems and jewels and the most handsome maidens. But those two (brothers), firmly engaged in asceticism, did not break their VOWS,

Then the celestials celestials displayed Maya (delusion) before those (two) illustrious Rishis. It appeared to them as if their sisters, mothers, wives and other relatives, with dishevelled hair, ornaments and robes, were running towards them in terror, pursued and struck down by a Rakshasas who had a lance in his hands. It appeared as if they were all crying, "O save us! O save us.” But even this could not break the vows of those two great vowobserving Rishis.

When all this did not produce any impression on any of the two (Rishis), then the women and all the other apparitions vanished (into space).

Thereupon the Grandsire (Brahma) himself came to those two heroes and the Lord who seeks the welfare of all, asked them to solicit the boon they desired,

Then try two greatly powerful brothers, Sunda and Upasunda, rose from their seat on seeing the Grandsire and they stood before him with joined hands. They both together spoke thus to that celestials Lord, "O Grandsire, if you are pleased with our worship. And, O lord, if you are propitious to us, let us then possess the knowledge of all weapons and of all powers of Maya (delusion); let us possess great strength and assume any form at will; let us be immortal.

Brahma said: Except being immortal, you two will be all that you desire. Ask for some death by which you may be equal to the immortals.

As you have performed these severe penances from the desire of sovereignty alone, I cannot bestow on you the boon of immortality.

You have undergone your ascetic penances for the subjugation of the three worlds; O chiefs of the Danavas, it is for this I cannot grant you what you desire.

Sunda and Upasunda said : O Grandsire, let us then have no fear from any created thing, mobile or immobile in the three worlds, except only from each other.

The Grandsire said : I great you what you have asked, said and desired. Your death is fixed according to your own desire.

Narada said: Having granted them this boon, the Grandsire made them desist from their asceticism; and he then went away to the region of Brahma.

Having received those boons, those two brothers, the chiefs of Danavas, became nonslayable by any creature in the universe. They then returned to their own home.

Seeing those intelligent beings successful in their desire and crowned with success as regards the boon, their friends and relatives became exceedingly glad.

They then cut off their matted locks and wore coronets on their heads. They adorned and attired themselves in costly ornaments and handsome robes. They made the moon to rise untimely and it all times, and all their friends and relatives were always enjoy.

"Eat," "Feed,' “Give," "Make merry, "Sing,” “Drink,” such sounds were heard in every house (in their city).

Here and there arose loud uproars of merriment, mixed with the clapping of hands which filled the city of those two Danavas.

The Danavas, capable of assuming any form at will, engaged themselves in every kind of amusements and sports. They scarcely noticed that time was passing away. They regarded a whole year as if it was but a day.