SECTION 30
Vaisampayana said,--"thus also Sahadeva,
dismissed with affection by king Yudhisthira, marched towards the southern
direction accompanied by a mighty host. Strong in strength, Sahadeva,
vanquishing completely at the outset the Surasenas, brought the king of Matsya
under his sway. And Sahadeva then, defeating Dantavakra, the mighty king of the
Adhirajas and making him pay tribute, re-established him on his throne. The
prince then brought under his sway Sukumara and then king Sumitra, and he next
vanquished the other Matsyas and then the Patacharas. Endued with great
intelligence, Sahadeva then conquered soon enough the country of the Nishadas
and also the high hill called Gosringa, and that lord of earth called Srenimat.
And subjugating next the country called Navarashtra; he marched against Kuntibhoja,
who with great willingness accepted the sway of the conquering hero. And
marching thence to the banks of the Charmanwati, he met the son of king Jambaka,
who had, on account of old hostilities, been defeated before by Vasudeva. The
son of Jambaka gave battle to Sahadeva. And Sahadeva defeating the prince marched
towards the south. The mighty warrior then vanquished the Sekas and others, and
exacted tributes from them and also various kinds of gems and wealth. Allying
himself with the vanquished tribes the prince then marched towards the
countries that lay on the banks of the Narmada. And defeating there in battle
the two heroic kings of Avanti, called Vinda and Anuvinda, supported by a
mighty host, Sahadeva exacted much wealth from them. After this he marched
towards the town of Bhojakata, and there, a fierce encounter took place between
him and the king of that city for two whole days. But the son of Madri,
vanquishing the invincible Bhismaka, then defeated in battle the king of Kosala
and the ruler of the territories lying on the banks of the Venwa, as also the
Kantarakas and the kings of the eastern Kosalas. He then defeating both the
Natakeyas and the Heramvaks in battle, and subjugating the country of Marudha,
reduced Munjagrama by sheer strength. And Sahadeva then vanquished the mighty
monarchs of the Nachinas and the Arvukas and the various forest king of that
part of the country. Sahadeva then reduced to subjection king Vatadhipa. And
defeating in battle the Pulindas, he then marched southward. And Sahadeva then
fought for one whole day with the king of Pandrya. The long-armed hero having
vanquished that monarch marched further to the south. And then he beheld the
celebrated caves of Kishkindhya and in that region fought for seven days with
the monkey-kings Mainda and Dwivida. Those illustrious kings however, without
being tired an the encounter, were gratified with Sahadeva. And joyfully
addressing Sahadeva, they said,--' Sahadeva, go hence, taking with the tribute
from us all. Let the mission of the king Yudhishthira, be accomplished without
hindrance. And taking jewels and gems from them all, he marched towards the
city of Mahishmati, and there Sahadeva did battle with king Nila. The battle
that took place between king Nila and the mighty Sahadeva, was fierce and
terrible. And the encounter was an exceedingly bloody one, and the life of Sahadeva
himself was exposed to great risk, for the god Agni himself assisted king Nila
in that fight. Then the cars, heroes, elephants, and the soldiers in their coats
of mail of Sahadeva's army all appeared to be on fire. And beholding this Sahadeva
became exceedingly anxious. And, at sight of this he could not resolve upon
what he should do.
Janamejaya said,--Why was it that the god
Agni become hostile in battle unto Sahadeva, who was fighting simply for the accomplishment
of a sacrifice and therefore, for the gratification of Agni himself?
Vaisampayana said,--'It is said, O
Janamejaya, that the god Agni while residing in Mahishmati, earned the
reputation of a lover. King Nila had a daughter who was exceedingly beautiful.
She used always to stay near the sacred fire of her father, causing it to blaze
up with vigour. And it so happened that king Nila's fire, even if fanned, would
not blaze up till agitated by the gentle breath of that girl's fair lips. And
it was said in King Nila's palace and in the house of all his subjects that the
god Agni desired that beautiful girl for his bride. And it so happened that he
was accepted by the girl herself. One day the deity assuming the form of a
Brahmana, was happily enjoying the society of the fair one, when he was
discovered by the king. And the virtuous king thereupon ordered the Brahmana to
be punished according to law. At this the illustrious deity flamed up in wrath.
And beholding this, the king wondered much and bent his head low on the ground.
And after some time the king bowing low bestowed the daughter of his upon the
god Agni, disguised as a Brahmana. And the god Vibhavasu (Agni) accepting that
fair-browed daughter of king Nila, became gracious unto that monarch. And Agni,
the illustrious gratifier of all desires also asked the monarch to beg a boon
of him. And the king begged that his troops might never be struck with panic
while engaged in battle. And from that time, those monarchs who from ignorance
of this, desire to subjugate king Nila's city, are consumed by Hutasana (Agni).
And from that time, the girls of the city of Mahishmati became rather
unacceptable to others (as wives). And Agni by his boon granted them sexual
liberty, so that the women of that town always roam about at will, each unbound
to a particular husband. And, from that time the monarchs of other countries
forsake this city for fear of Agni. And Sahadeva, beholding his troops
afflicted with fear and surrounded by flames of fire, himself stood there
immovable as a mountain. And purifying himself and touching water, Sahadeva then
addressed Agni, the god that sanctifieth everything, in these words,--
'I bow unto thee, O thou whose track is
always marked with smoke. These my exertions are all for thee. O thou
sanctifier of all, thou art the mouth of the gods and thou art Sacrifice
personified. Thou art called Pavaka because thou sanctifiest everything, and
thou art Havyavahana, because thou carriest the clarified butter that is poured
on thee. The Veda have sprung for ministering unto thee, and, therefore, thou
art called Jataveda. Chief of the gods as thou art, thou art called Chitrabhanu,
Anala, Vibhavasu, Hutasana, Jvalana, Sikhi, Vaiswanara, Pingesa, Plavanga,
Bhuritejah. Thou art he from whom Kumara (Kartikeya) had his origin; thou art
holy; thou art called Rudragarva and Hiranyakrit. Let thee, O Agni, grant me
energy, let Vayu grant me life, let Earth grant me nourishment and strength,
and let Water grant me prosperity. O Agni, thou who art the first cause of the
waters, thou who art of great purity, thou for ministering unto whom the Vedas
have sprung, thou who art the foremost of the deities, thou who art their mouth,
O purify me by thy truth. Rishis and Brahmanas, Deities and Asuras pour
clarified butter every day, according to the ordinance into thee during
sacrifices. Let the rays of truth emanating from thee, while thou exhibitest
thyself in those sacrifices, purify me. Smoke-bannered as thou art and
possessed of flames, thou great purifier from all sins born of Vayu and ever
present as thou art in all creatures, O purify me by the rays of thy truth.
Having cleansed myself thus cheerfully, O exalted one, do I pray unto thee. O
Agni, grant me now contentment and prosperity, and knowledge and gladness.
Vaisampayana continued.--'He that will pour
clarified butter into Agni reciting these mantras, will ever be blessed with
prosperity, and having his soul under complete control will also be cleansed
from all his sins.
"Sahadeva, addressing Agni again,
said,--'O carrier of the sacrificial libations, it behoveth thee not to
obstruct a sacrifice!' Having said this, Sahadeva spreading some kusa grass on
earth sat down in expectation of the approaching fire and in front of those
terrified and anxious troops of his. And Agni, too, like the ocean that never
transgresseth its continents, did not pass over his head. On the other hand
approaching Sahadeva quietly and addressing, Agni that god of men gave him every
assurance and said,--'Rise up from this posture. O rise up, I was only trying
thee. I know all thy purpose, as also Yudhisthira. But, as long as there is a
descendant of king Nila's line, so long should this town be protected by me. I
will, however gratify the desires of thy heart. And at these words of Agni, the
son of Madri rose up with a cheerful heart, and joining his hands and bending
his head worshipped that god of fire, sanctifier of all beings. And at last,
after Agni had disappeared, king Nila came there, and at the command of that
deity, worshipped with due rites Sahadeva. And Sahadeva accepted that worship
and made him pay tribute. And having brought king Nila under his sway thus, the
victorious son of Madri then went further towards the south. Sahadeva then
brought the king of Tripura of immeasurable energy under his sway. And next
turning his forces against the Paurava kingdom, he vanquished and reduced to
subjection the monarch thereof. And he, after this, with great efforts brought
Akriti, the king of Saurashtra and preceptor of the Kausikas under his sway. Sahadeva,
while staying in the kingdom of Saurashtra sent an ambassador unto king Rukmin
of Bhishmaka within the territories of Bhojakata, who, rich in possessions and
intelligence, was the friend of Indra himself. And the monarch along with his
son, remembering their relationship with Krishna, cheerfully accepted the sway.
And the master of battle then, having exacted jewels and wealth from king Rukmin,
marched further to the south. And, endued with great energy and great strength,
he then, reduced to subjection, Surparaka and Talakata, and the Dandakas also. Sahadeva
then vanquished and brought under his subjection numberless kings of the
Mlechchha tribe living on the sea coast, and the Nishadas and the cannibals and
even the Karnapravarnas, and those tribes also called the Kalamukhas who were a
cross between human beings and Rakshasas, and the whole of the Cole mountains,
and also Surabhipatna, and the island called the Copper island, and the
mountain called Ramaka. Sahadeva, having brought under subjection king
Timingila, conquered a wild tribe known by the name of the Kerakas who were men
with one leg. Sahadeva also conquered the town of Sanjayanti and the country of
the Pashandas and the Karahatakas by means of his messengers alone, and made
all of them pay tributes to him. He brought under his subjection and exacted tributes
from the Paundrayas and the Dravidas along with the Udrakeralas and the Andhras
and the Talavanas, the Kalingas and the Ushtrakarnikas, and also the delightful
city of Atavi and that of the Yavanas. And, Sahadeva having arrived at the
sea-shore, then despatched with great assurance messengers unto the illustrious
Vibhishana, the grandson of Pulastya. And the monarch willingly accepted the
sway of the son of
Kunti, for that intelligent and exalted king
regarded it all as the act of Time. And he sent unto the son of Kunti diverse
kinds of jewels and gems, and sandal and also wood, and many celestial
ornaments, and much costly apparel, and many valuable pearls. And Sahadeva, accepting
them all, returned to his own kingdom.
"Thus it was, O king, Sahadeva, having
vanquished by conciliation and war numerous kings and having also made them pay
tribute, came back to his own city. Sahadeva, having presented the whole of
that wealth unto king Yudhisthira regarded himself, as crowned with success and
continued to live happily."
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