आश्वमेधिक पर्व — राजर्षि मरुत्तको कथा

Yudhishthira said O righteous one, I wish to hear the history of that royal sage Marutta. Do you ( Dvaipayana, describe this to me, O sinless one.

Vyasa said O child, in the golden age Manu was lord wielding the sceptre. His son was known under the name of Prasandhi.

Prasandhi had a son named Kshupa. Kshupa's son was king Ikshvaku.

He, O king, had a hundred sons possessed of pre-eminent picty. And all of them were inade monarchs by king Ikshvaku.

The eldest of them, Vinsha, became an ideal bowman. Vinsha's son, O Bharata, was the auspicious Vivinsha.

Vivinsha, O king, had fifteen sons; all of them powerful archers, respecting Brahmanas and speaking the truth, gentle and everspeaking fair. The eldest brother Khaninetra, oppressed all his brothers.

And having conquered the entire kingdom shorn of all troubles, Khaninetra, could not retain his supremacy; nor were the people satisfied with him.

And dethroning him, they, O foremost of kings invested his son Suvarcha with the rights of sovereignty, and experiences joy.

Seeing the reverses of his father and his expulsion from the empire he was ever busy with encompassing the well-being of the people, being devoted to Brahman, speaking the truth, practising purity and controlling his senses and thoughts. And the subjects were well-pleased with that grcat one constant in virtue.

But he being constantly engaged in virtuous Works, His treasures and vehicles became greatly reduced. And on his treasury having become exhausted, the feudatory princes gathered round him and began to gave him trouble.

Being thus oppressed by many enemies while his treasury, horses and vehicles were impoverished, the king suffered great tribulation along with his retainers and the citizens.

Although his power decreased greatly, yet the enemies could not kill the king, for his power, ( Yudhishthira, was established in virtue.

And when he had reached the worst point of misery along with the citizens, he blew his hand, and from that there appeared a supply of forces.

And then he defeated all the kings living along the borders of his dominions And from this incident, O king, he hath been celebrated as Karandhama.

His son, Karandhama was born at the commencement of the Treta age, equalling Indra himself, gifted with grace, and invincible even by the immortals.

At that time all the kings were under his control; and alike by virtue of his riches and of prowess, he became their emperor.

In short, the righteous king Avikshit became like Indra himself in Heroism; and he was given to sacrifices, delighted in virtue and held his senses under control.

And in energy he resembled the sun and in patience, Earth herself; in intelligence, he was like Brihaspati, and in calmness the mountain Himavan himself.

And that king pleased the hearts of his subjects by act, thought, speech, self control, and forbearance.

The lords who celebrated hundreds of Horse-Sacrifices, and whom the powerful and learned Angira himself served as priest.

His son excelled his father in the possession of good qualities; named Marutta, that lord of kings was righteous and of great fame; having the power of ten thousand elephants, and like unto Vishnu's second self.

Desirous of celebrating a sacrifice, that virtuous king, coming to Mount Meru on the northern side of Himavat, made thousands of shining golden vessels to be forged. There on a huge golden hill he performed the rites. And goldsmiths made numberless basins and vessels and pans and seats.

And the sacrificial ground was near this place. And that righteous king Marutta, with other princes, celebrated a sacrifice there.