The story of Dhundhumara

Markandeya said : great monarch, they (Madhu and Kaitabha) had a son, Dhundhu by name, who was most illustrious and possessed of immense power and energy; and who also observed severe asceticism.

He remained for a time, standing on one leg; and became lean as the skeleton. Much pleased Brahmana granted him a boon, which he asked of the Lord in the following way:

"Such a boon is asked by me, as will render me incapable of being killed by either the celestials, the Danavas the Yakshas or by the snakes, Gandharvas or Rakshasas.'

The grandsire answered him, saying, "So be it and do you go away". Having been thus addressed, he touched his feet by his head and went away.

The most courageous and energetic Dhundhu, too, speedily advanced to Vishnu, after gaining this boon and also recollecting the murder of his father (by that god). at

The unconquerable Dhundhu first defeated all the celestials as well as the Gandharvas; and then he began to cruelly oppress the other celestials with Vishnu at their head.

O foremost of the Bharata race, that wickedminded one came to a country where there was an ocean of sands, known by the name of Ujjalaka. O illustrious one, he, lying in an under-ground cave excavated in the bed of sands, greatly harassed the asylum of Uttanka.

The fearfully powerful son of Madhu and Kaitabha, Dhundhu, laid himself there (in that cave), performing severe religious austerities, with a view to destroy the three worlds.

While, at this time, he was taking his breath, resting very close to the asylum of the Uttanka, who was like the fire in effulgence, then O ruler of the earth, O foremost of the Bharata race, the great king Kuvalashva departed to that country with the Brahmanas, Uttanka and all his sons.

The repressor of enemies, the ruler of men, Kuvalashva was accompanied by the most powerful sons, who were twenty-one thousand in number.

Thereupon at the injunction of Uttanka, the omnipotent Lord Vishnu, imparted to him his own energy, with the object of doing good to the three worlds.

When the haughty one was gone away, a loud noise was heard in the heaven, uttering the words-'this invincible hero will this day be the slayer of Dhundhu.'

The celestials showered heaven-grown flowers upon him from the sky; as also the divine kettle-drums played spontaneously without cessation.

While that intelligent one was proceeding onwards, cool breezes began to blow and showers were poured forth by the chief of the gods, making the earth free from dusts.

O Yudhishthira, the cars of the gods were seen on the sky just when the great Asura, Dhundhu, was below the heaven.

Propelled by curiosity the celestials with the Gandharvas, as well as the great sages, beheld from heaven the combat between Kuvalashva and Dhundhu.

O son of the Kuru race, thereupon that ruler of men, supplied with the energy of Narayana went speedily in all directions with all of his sons. Kuvalashva, excavated that sea of sands.

While the sons of Kuvalashva were digging that sea, they found out, after seven days, the greatly powerful Dhundhu.

O foremost of the Bharata race, the monstrous body of that hero lay in the interior of those sands and shone as the sun in splendour.

Thereupon O great monarch, Dhundhu lay asleep, occupying the whole of the western point of the horizon; and he looked effulgent like the all-destroying fire.

Then the ruler of the earth, and entirely surrounded as he was by all the sons of Kuvalashva. He was also assaulted with the sharp arrows, the maces and clubs, as well as with the axes, iron spikes, shafts and sharp and bright swords. Having been thus wounded, the greatly powerful one rose up in anger; and swallowed up all the various sorts of weapons in great excitement.

Thereupon he vomited from his mouth the fire, that was like the Samvartaka (appearing at the end of the Yoga); and he burnt the sons of the king by these his own flames.

Surrounding the three worlds with the fire emitted from his mouth, the wrathful one seemed in a moment to be a miracle like Lord Kapila of old, who consumed the sons of Sagara (by the fire of his wrath).

O foremost of the Bharata race, after the sons were thus consumed by the fire of wrath, the ruler of earth, Kuvalashva, endued with great energy, approached that high-souled one (Asura) who, now awake, was like a second Kumbhakarna.

O great king, a current of water flowed copiously from the body of the monarch, who now extinguished those flames, O king, by that stream of water endued with the Yuga prowess, he extinguished the fire by the stream of water flowing from his body.

O best of kings he then repressed the evilspirited Daitya by the weapon, called Brahma, with the object of benefiting the three words. O best of the Bharata race, thus having been repressed by that weapon the great Asura, who was the enemy of the gods, as well as the chastiser of all foes, the sage-like king, Kuvalashva became a second chief of the three worlds.

And from that day the lofty-minded king Kuvalashva became known by the name of Dhundhumara and was thought to be unconquerable on account of his slaying Dhundhu.

Thereupon all the celestials as well as the great sages became highly gratified with him. Having been solicited by them to take a boon from them, he folded his hands and bowed down to them; and, O king, being highly delighted, he addressed them, saying,

'Grant me the boon that I may give wealth to the best of the Brahmanas and that I may be unconquerable in respect to all enemies; and I may have friendship with Vishnu; and that I may not entertain any animosity against any body.

That I may have heart always turned towards virtue; and also that I may have an everlasting abode in heaven.' Thereupon the celestials, with the sages and Gandharvas, as also with the intelligent 'Uttanka, highly gratified, said to the king "So be it," O monarch, then they also saluted him with various other blessings.

The celestials as well as the great sages departed to their respective residences. O Yudhishthira, then the king (Kuvalashva) had still three son left.

O descendant of the Bharata race, they (the sons) were called Dridhashva, Kapilashva and Chandrashva, from whom, O king, has sprung the line of greatly powerful kings belonging to that most illustrious race of Ikshyaku.

O blessed one, O the most excellent, thus was slain by Kuvalashva. The great Daitya, Dhundhu, the son of Madhu and Kaitabha. The king Kuvalashva, too, came to be known by the name of Dhundhumara.

By his assuming this appellation, he really became, from that time forward, one of innumerable virtues. Now I have related to you the whole account, which you asked me. By this act of his (Kuvalashva's) the story of Dhundhu's death has become famous.

For it has been associated with the glory of Vishnu. The person, who listens to this history becomes virtuous; and also father of children; and listening to it on the holy days, he becomes blessed with longevity and good fortune. Becoming delivered from all diseases, he even gets no fear of indisposition.