776(113)
‘Narada said, “On hearing Suparna’s supreme words, the king thought repeatedly and at last made up his mind. The lord who had performed one thousand sacrifices was generous and was the lord of gifts. Yayati, the king of all the Vatsas and the Kashis, spoke these words. On seeing his beloved friend Tarkshya and Galava, bull among the brahmanas, an example of austerities, and considering that this act of giving alms was praiseworthy and would bring renown to himself, he thought, ‘These two have come to me, ignoring all the other kings of the solar dynasty.’ He said, ‘My birth has become successful today. O Tarkshya! O unblemished one! My country has been saved by you today. O friend! But I wish to tell you that I am no longer as wealthy as you knew me to be earlier. I don’t possess that kind of riches. O friend! My wealth is lesser now. O traveller in the sky! But at the same time, I cannot render your arrival here unsuccessful. Nor do I dare to frustrate the desires of this brahmana rishi. I will give him something that will make his endeavour successful. If one arrives and is frustrated in one’s wishes, one burns down the lineage. O son of Vinata! It is said that there is nothing more evil in the world of the living than saying, “I have nothing.” This destroys and frustrates the hopes of a man who has arrived for something. A man who is thus unsuccessful causes damage to the sons and grandsons.201 This daughter of mine will establish four lineages. She is as beautiful as a daughter of the gods and follows every kind of dharma. O Galava! Because of her beauty, this maiden has always been solicited by gods, men and asuras. Therefore, accept my daughter. Kings will certainly give their kingdoms for her as a bride price, not to speak of eight hundred horses with black ears. Accept Madhavi, this daughter of mine. O lord! The only boon that I ask for is that I should have grandsons through my daughter.’ Having accepted the maiden, Galava left with the bird. Saying, ‘Let us look again,’ he left with the maiden. The bird said, ‘The path for obtaining the horses has now been obtained.’ Having said this, he took Galava’s leave and returned to his own abode.
‘“When the king of the birds had left, Galava, travelled with the maiden, thinking about kings who had the capacity to pay the bride price. He thought of Haryashva Ikshvaku of Ayodhya, supreme among kings, immensely valorous and with the four constituent parts202 in his army. He loved brahmanas and was the beloved of the citizens. He possessed treasuries, granaries and soldiers. He desired peace for his subjects and performed supreme austerities. The brahmana Galava went to Haryashva and said, ‘O Indra among kings! This maiden of mine will give birth and extend lineages. O Haryashva! Accept her as your wife and give me a bride price. I will tell you what the bride price is. Hearing this, arrive at a decision.’”’
777(114)
‘Narada said, “King Haryashva thought about many things. He released warm sighs at the lack of offspring. Then the supreme among kings said, ‘She is high in the six high points.203 She is slim in the seven places that should be slim.204 She is deep in the three places205 that should be deep. She is red in the five places that should be red.206 She is fit to be seen in many worlds of gods and asuras and by many gandharvas. She has many auspicious marks. She is capable of giving birth to many. I am capable of giving birth to a son who will be an emperor.207 O foremost among brahmanas! Tell me the bride price, remembering the state of my riches.’ Galava replied, ‘Give me eight hundred horses that have one black ear each. They must be as white as the moon. They must be built well and they must have been born in this country. Then this beautiful and long-eyed one will be the mother of your children, just as kindling is the womb of fires.’ On hearing these words, King Haryashva, who was overcome with desire, was miserable. The rajarshi told Galava, supreme among rishis, ‘I only have two hundred horses of the sort that you desire, though there are hundreds of other sacrificial horses that are roaming around. O Galava! I will give birth to a single son through her. Grant me this desire as a boon.’ When the maiden heard these words, she told Galava, ‘One who knows about the brahman once granted me a boon. After each time that I give birth, I will become a virgin again. Therefore, give me to the king and accept those supreme horses. By going to four kings in succession, you will obtain all the eight hundred horses. I will also have four sons. O supreme among brahmanas! Act in this way for the sake of your preceptor. I think that this is wise. O brahmana! What do you think?’ Having been thus addressed by the maiden, the sage Galava told King Haryashva, ‘O Haryashva! O best of men! Accept this maiden. Give birth to a single son through her, for one quarter of the bride price.’ He208 applauded Galava and accepted the maiden. At the right time and the right place, he obtained the son that he had wished for. He was named Vasumana. He was greater in riches than the Vasus. That lord of men resembled one of the Vasus and he became a great granter of riches.
‘“After some time, the intelligent Galava presented himself again. He met Haryashva, who was delighted in his mind, and told him, ‘O king! A son has been born to you and he is like the young sun in his radiance. O lord of men! It is now time for me to go to another king in search of alms.’ Haryashva was truthful in his words and truthful in his manliness. Since those horses were extremely rare, he returned Madhavi. Madhavi gave up the radiant prosperity of the king. Of her own will, she became a virgin again and followed Galava. The brahmana said, ‘Let the horses remain with you for the moment.’ With the maiden, he went to Divodasa, the lord of his subjects.”’
778(115)
‘“Galava said, ‘There is an immensely valorous lord of men named Divodasa. That lord is the lord of Kashi. He is a descendant of Bhimasena.209 O fortunate one! Let us go there quickly. Do not sorrow. That lord of men is devoted to dharma. He is self-controlled and is devoted to the truth.’”
‘Narada said, “When the sage went to the king, he was greeted with honours. Galava then requested him to have offspring.”
‘“Divodasa replied, ‘O brahmana! I have heard about all this already. There is no need to say more. O supreme among brahmanas! As soon as I heard about this, I wished that this should happen. You have passed over many other kings and have come to me and this shows me great honour. There is no doubt that this will come to pass. O Galava! But so far as horses are concerned, I have the same number. Therefore, I will also give birth to one king through her.’”
‘Narada said, “The foremost among brahmanas agreed to this. He gave the maiden to the lord of the earth and the king accepted her in accordance with the prescribed rites. The rajarshi pleasured with her like Ravi210 with Prabhavati, Vahni211 with Svaha, Vasava with Shachi, Chandra with Rohini, Yama with Dhumorna, Varuna with Gouri, Dhaneshvara212 with Riddhi, Narayana with Lakshmi, the ocean with Jahnavi,213 Rudra with Rudrani, the grandfather214 with the altar, Vasishtha’s son with Adrishyanti, Vasishtha with Akshamala, Chyavana with Sukanya, Pulastya with Sandhya, Agastya with Vaidharbhi, Satyavan with Savitri, Bhrigu with Puloma, Kashyapa with Aditi, Richika’s son215 with Renuka, Koushika with Haimavati, Brihaspati with Tara, Shukra with Shataparva, Bhumipati with Bhumi, Pururava with Urvashi, Richika with Satyavati and Manu with Sarasvati. After King Divodasa pleasured with her, Madhavi gave birth to a single son named Pratardana. At the right time, the illustrious Galava came to Divodasa and told him, ‘O lord of the earth! Return the maiden to me. But keep the horses here, while I go elsewhere for a bride price.’ At the right time, Divodasa, lord of the earth who was established in truth and had dharma in his soul, returned the maiden to Galava.”’
779(116)
‘Narada said, “The famous Madhavi gave up her riches. Truthful to her words, she became a virgin and followed the brahmana Galava. Galava’s thoughts were fixed on accomplishing his own objective. He went to the city of Bhoja to see King Oushinara. He went and told the king, for whom valour was truth, ‘This maiden will bear you two sons who will be kings. Through this, you will attain your objectives, here and in the hereafter. O king! You will have two sons who will be like the sun and the moon. O one learned in all manner of dharma! But as a bride price, you will have to
give me horses that have the complexion of the moon and they must each possess one black ear. You must give me four hundred of these. I am seeking these horses for my preceptor’s sake and not for my own. O great king! If you are capable, do it without thinking about it. O rajarshi! You are without offspring. O king! Give birth to two sons. Through these sons as boats, you will save your ancestors and yourself. O rajarshi! One who bears the fruit of sons is not cast out from heaven. He does not go to the terrible hell, where those without sons go.’ Having heard this and much else spoken by Galava, King Ushinara216 gave him this reply, ‘O Galava! I have heard the words that you have spoken. O brahmana! My heart is inclined towards what you have said, but destiny is powerful. O supreme among brahmanas! I only possess two hundred such horses, though there are many thousands of others that are roaming around. O Galava! I will only have one son through her. O brahmana! I will also follow the path that the others217 have. O supreme among brahmanas! I will also pay you the same price. My riches are for the enjoyment of the inhabitants of the cities and the country, not for myself.218 O one with dharma in the soul! If a king uses the riches of others to satisfy his own desires, he obtains neither dharma nor fame. Therefore, I will accept the maiden. Give her to me. This maiden is like one born from the gods and a single son will be born to me.’ Galava, foremost among brahmanas, then worshipped King Ushinara, who had spoken many beneficial words. After giving her to Ushinara, Galava left for the forest. Like a meritorious one enjoys his prosperity, he219 pleasured with her in mountainous caverns, waterfalls in rivers, diverse gardens, forests, groves, beautiful houses, the roofs of palaces, pavilions, vimanas and secluded rooms. In course of time, a son was born and he was as radiant as the young sun. That supreme among kings was famous by the name of Shibi. The brahmana Galava presented himself and accepted the maiden back. O king! He then left to visit Vinata’s son.”’
780(117)
‘Narada said, “Vinata’s son laughed and told Galava, ‘O brahmana! It is through good fortune that I see that you have been successful.’ On hearing these words spoken by Vinata’s son, Galava told him that one-fourth of his task still remained to be accomplished. Suparna, supreme among birds, told Galava, ‘You should not make any more efforts on this task. You will not be successful. O Galava! In earlier times, in Kanyakubja, Richika tried to obtain Gadhi’s daughter, Satyavati, as his wife, and was told, “O illustrious one! Give me one thousand horses that have the complexion of the moon and possess one black ear each.”220 Richika agreed and went to Varuna’s abode. He obtained the horses at Ashvatirtha221 and gave them to the king.222 The king gave them away to brahmanas at a pundarika sacrifice. Many kings bought these from them, two hundred each. O supreme among brahmanas! While they were being led across the Vitasta, the remaining four hundred were killed.223 O Galava! That being the case, no more can be obtained. O one with dharma in your soul! O bull among the brahmanas! Instead of the two hundred, give Vishvamitra this maiden, together with the six hundred you possess. O bull among brahmanas! You will then transcend your confusion and be successful.’ Galava agreed to this. Taking the maiden with him, and together with Suparna, he went to Vishvamitra.
‘“Galava said, ‘Accept six hundred horses of the kind that you desired. Accept this maiden instead of the two hundred. She has born three sons, devoted to dharma, to rajarshis. O supreme among men! You will give birth to a fourth. Then you will obtain all eight hundred horses in their entirety. After having freed myself of my debt, I will happily perform austerities.’”
‘Narada said, “Vishvamitra saw Galava and the bird and the maiden with the beautiful thighs and said, ‘O Galava! Why did you not give her to me earlier? Then all the four sons would have been mine and would have extended the lineage. I will accept this maiden to have one son through her. Let all the horses remain in my hermitage.’ The immensely radiant Vishvamitra then pleasured with her. Madhavi gave birth to a son named Ashtaka. As soon as the son was born, the immensely radiant Vishvamitra instructed him about dharma and artha and gave him the horses. Ashtaka went to the city that was as radiant as a city of the moon. Having returned the maiden to his disciple,224 Koushika225 left for the forest. Galava, together with Suparna, was delighted in his mind that the dakshina had been paid and told the maiden, ‘You have given birth to one son who will be the lord of generosity, another who will be a warrior, yet another who will be devoted to truth and dharma, and another who will perform sacrifices. O one with the beautiful thighs! Therefore, depart. You have saved your father through sons. O one with the beautiful waist! You have saved four kings226 and me.’ Galava also gave permission to Suparna, the destroyer of serpents, to leave. Returning the maiden to her father, he left for the forest.”’
781(118)
‘Narada said, “The king227 wished to hold a svayamvara for her. He went to a hermitage that was at the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna. Madhavi ascended a chariot that was adorned with garlands and flowers. Puru and Yadu228 followed their sister to the hermitage. Serpents, yakshas, men, winged creatures, animals, birds and dwellers of mountains, trees and groves gathered there. There was also an assemblage of lords of men from many countries. The forest was full of rishis who were like Brahma. The beautiful one was asked to choose a groom. But when the suitors were announced in due order, she chose the forest as her groom. The maiden descended from the chariot and bowed down before her relatives. Yayati’s daughter went to the sacred forest and performed austerities. She observed diverse fasts, rites and restraint. She made herself light229 and lived like a doe. She subsisted on excellent grass that was pungent and sweet, with soft and green blades that were like lapis lazuli. She drank excellent water that was holy, pure, cool and clean, flowing from streams. She roamed in forests where the lion, the king of deer, was absent. They were deserted and dense, but were free of conflagrations. Together with the deer, the forest-dwelling one was like a doe. She practised brahmacharya and earned a great deal of dharma.
‘“Yayati followed the conduct of kings who had preceded him. He lived for many thousand years and then succumbed to the dharma of time. Puru and Yadu, supreme among men, extended two lineages. Because of this, Nahusha’s son230 obtained status in this world and the next. Having arrived in heaven, King Yayati attained greatness. Like a maharshi, the illustrious king obtained the best of fruits in heaven. After many thousand years had passed in many excellent ways among the great rajarshis and maharshis who were there, Yayati, confounded by ignorance, insulted all men, gods and the masses of rishis.231 The god Shakra, the destroyer of Bala, detected his folly and all the rajarshis censured him. They glanced at Nahusha’s son and reflected, ‘Who is he, the son of which king? How did he arrive in heaven? What deeds brought him success? What austerities has he performed? How is he known in heaven? By whom is he known?’ The kings who resided in heaven reflected in this way. They glanced at each other and asked such questions about King Yayati. The hundreds of guardians of vimanas, the protectors of the gates of heaven and the keepers of the seats were asked, and replied that they did not know him. All their knowledge was clouded and no one recognized the king. In an instant, the king lost all his energy.”’
782(119)
‘Narada said, “He was divested from his station and lost his seat. His mind trembled and he was tormented by the flames of grief. His garlands withered. His knowledge vanished. His crown and armlets fell down. He was dizzy and all his limbs turned numb. His ornaments and garments were dishevelled. He became invisible. Though he could see, he could not see any of the others. He was void and his mind was empty. He was about to fall down on the surface of the earth. ‘What inauspicious thoughts have I harboured in my mind, causing offence to dharma? What has led me to losing my station?’ The king thought in this way. But the kings, Siddhas and apsaras who were there, could no longer see Yayati. He was without a support and was dislodged. There was a man who was in charge of throwing out those whose merits had been exhausted. O king! On the instructions of the king of the gods,
he came and told Yayati, ‘You are intoxicated because of your insolence. There is no one you have not disrespected. Your pride has dislodged you from heaven. O son of a king! You do not deserve it. No one knows you here. Go and fall down.’ Thus did he speak. ‘Let me fall down among virtuous ones.’ About to fall down, Nahusha’s son spoke these words thrice. That foremost among travellers thought about the path that he should take.
‘“At that moment, he saw four bulls among kings in Naimisha and fell down in the midst of the kings. Pratardana, Vasumana, Ushinara’s son Shibi and Ashtaka were performing a vajapeya sacrifice to satisfy the lord of the gods. The smoke from that sacrifice arose up to the gates of heaven. As he fell down towards the ground, King Yayati smelt this, which was like a river of smoke, like the Ganga, joining earth and heaven. The king floated down towards the ground. He descended among those four prosperous ones, foremost among those who sacrifice. The king fell down among the four who were like the guardians of the world. They were lions among kings and like the great fire into which oblations are offered. They were his relatives.232 Rajarshi Yayati descended in that sacred sanctuary. He was radiant in his beauty and all the kings asked him, ‘Who are you? Whom are you related to? Which country and city are you from? Are you a yaksha, god, gandharva or rakshasa? You do not have the form of man. What objective do you desire?’
Mahabharata: Volume 4 Page 46
