Janamejaya said: - -
1. You should speak to me about the greatness of the Brahmanas, as Markandeya told it to the Pandavas.
Vaishampayana said: - -
2. The son of Pandu spoke thus to Markandeya, “You should speak to me about the greatness of the Brahmanas.” Markandeya replied, “Hear the account of the Brahmanas in the days of old.”
Markandeya said: - -
3. A king of Ayodhya, born in Ikshvaku’s dynasty, named Parikshit (once) went out hunting.
4. Pursuing a deer alone on a single horse he went away to a great distance (from his followers and retinue).
5. Fatigued and afflicted with hunger and thirst, he saw in that part of the country where he was (thus) led, a dark and dense forest.
6. He entered it (the forest). Seeing in the deep forest a charming lake, he with his horse bathed there.
7. Thus being refreshed and placing some lotus-stalks before the horse (for him to eat), he sat on the side of the lake. Lying down there he heard a sweet strain of music.
8. Hearing it he reflected, “I do not see any trace of any human being here: - - whose strain of music is then this?”
9. He then saw a damsel of great beauty and grace gathering flowers and singing (as she was doing it). She soon came near the king.
10. To her said he, “O blessed lady, who are you and to whom do you belong?” “She replied, I am a maiden.” The king said, “I ask you to be mine.”
11. To him replied the maiden, “Give me a pledge, only then I can be yours.” The king asked about the pledge and the maiden said, “I must never see water.”
12. The king asked, “Be it so” and he then married her. Having married her, the king Parikshit sported with her in great joy and sat with her in silence.
13. When he was thus living, his soldiers arrived at that spot.
14. Seeing the kings, the soldiers stood surrounded him. Cheered by the arrival of his soldiers, the king entered a Palakin and went to his city. Arriving at his own city, he lived with her in privacy.
15. Even those who were stationed near him could not see him. Thereupon his chief minister asked those women that waited upon him, “What is your business?” The women said,
16. “We see here a matchlessly beautiful damsel and the king has married her giving her a pledge, namely that he would never show her any water.”
17-18. Having heard all this, he (the minister) made an artificial forest containing many trees with numerous fruits and flowers. He excavated a large and deep tank within that forest in one of its comers. He covered it with a net of pearls and its water looked like ambrosia. One day he spoke thus to the king in private. “This is a beautiful forest having no water any where. Sport here in joy.”
19-20. At these words of the minister, he (the king) entered that forest with his beautiful wife. One day when he was sporting in that charming forest, he became tired and fatigued and afflicted with hunger and thirst. He then saw a bower of Madhavi (creeper).
21. Entering it with his beloved, the king saw a tank full of water which was transparent and which was as sweet as nectar. Seeing it with his beautiful wife, he sat down on its bank.
22. Then the king thus spoke to that lady, “Cheerfully bathe in this water.” Having heard his words, she got down under the water, but she did not reappear again.
23. When the king searched for her, he did not find any trace of her. He then ordered the water of the tank to be pumped out. He thereupon saw a frog sitting at the mouth of a hole. On seeing this, the king passed the following order in anger.
24. “Kill all frogs wherever they are to be found. Whoever wishes to see me, let him come to me with a dead frog as tribute.”
25. When this fearful destruction of frogs went on, the frightened frogs went to their king and told him all that had happened.
26. Thereupon the king of the frogs, assuming the garb of an ascetic Brahmana, came to that monarch and thus spoke to him,
27. “O king, do not allow anger to take possession of you. Be king, you should not destroy the innocent frogs.”
28-29. O undeteriorating one, do not destroy the frogs. Pacify your wrath. The prosperity and ascetic merit of those that have their souls steeped in ignorance always suffer diminution. Pledge yourself not to be angry with the frogs. What need have you to commit such a sin? what purpose will be served by killing the frogs?”
30. To him the king whose heart was full of the grief for the disappearance of his dear one thus spoke,
31. “I will never forgive the frogs. I will certainly destroy them. My beloved wife has been devoured by one of these wicked wretches. The frogs Therefore, will always deserve to be killed by me. O learned man, you shall not intercede on their behalf.”
32-33. Having heard his words, he (the frog king) thus spoke with his senses and mind much pained, “O king, be kind. I am the king of the frogs, named Ayu. She was my daughter, named Sushobhana. This is but an instance of her bad character. She had deceived many other kings before. Then the king said, “I desire to have her. Let her be given to me by you.”
34. Thereupon her father bestowed her upon him and he spoke to her thus, “Wait upon this king.”
35. Having said this, he thus cursed his daughter in anger, “As you have deceived many kings, for your untruthful conduct, your sons will be haters of Brahmanas.”
36. Having obtained her, the king became greatly enamoured of her for her great accomplishments. Feeling that he had, as it were, obtained the sovereignty of the three worlds, he bowed down his head to the king of the frogs. Honouring him in due form he thus spoke with his voice choked with tears of joy, “I have been much favoured.”
37. The king of the frogs, then biding farewell to his daughter, went away whence he had come.
38. After sometime, the king begot on her three sons. They were named, Shala, Dala and Bala. Sometime after, the king, their father, installing the eldest son on the throne, went to a forest with the desire of practising asceticism.
39. One day Shala, when out in hunting, saw a deer and pursued it on his car.
40. He spoke to the charioteer “Drive me faster.” Having been thus addressed the charioteer said to the king,
41. “Do not entertain such a purpose. This deer is incapable of being caught by you. If however Vami horses were yoked to your chariot, then you could have caught it.” Thereupon the king said to the charioteer. Tell me all about the Vami horses or else I shall kill you,” Having been thus addressed by the king, the charioteer became greatly frightened. He was afraid of the king, he was also afraid of the Vamadeva; and Therefore, he did not tell the king anything. Thereupon the king uplifting his sword again said to him. “Tell me soon or I will certainly kill you.” Being afraid of the king, the charioteer said, “Vami horses are those that belong to Vamadeva, they are as fleet as the mind.
42. When he said this, the king thus spoke to him, “go (at once) to the hermitage of Vamadeva.” Having gone to the hermitage of Vamadeva, he thus spoke to that Rishi,
43. “O exalted one, a deer shot by me is flying away. You should make me capable of catching it by giving me your pair of Vami horses. The Rishi replied, “I give you my pair of Vami horses; but after accomplishing your object, you must soon return them to me.” Having taken those horses and having obtained the Rishi’s permission, the king yoked the paid of Vami horses to his car and then pursued the deer. When he had left the hermitage, he thus spoke to his charioteer. “There (two) jewels of horses the Brahmanas (by no means) deserve to possess. They must not be returned to Vamadeva.” Having said this and caught the deer, he returned to his capital and kept the Vami horses in the inner apartments of his palace.
44. Thereupon the Rishi reflected, “This prince is young. Having obtained an excellent pair of horses, he is sporting with them in great joy without returning them to me. Alas! What a pity!”
45. Having thus thought in his mind, he spoke to one of his disciples after full one month had passed away. “O Atreya, go and ask the king what he had done with the Vami horses. He should return them to your preceptor.”
46. He went to the king and spoke to him as instructed. Thereupon the king replied, “These two horses deserve (only) to be possessed by kings. The Brahmanas do not deserve to possess jewels of such value. What business have Brahmanas with horses? Go back with contentment.”
47. Going back he told all to the preceptor. Having heard this sad news, Vamadeva was filled with wrath and he himself went to the king and asked for his horses. But he declined to give him what he asked.
Vamadeva said: - -
48. O king, give me my Vami horses. By them you have accomplished something which was impossible to be accomplished by you. By transgressing the practices of both the Brahmanas and the Kshatriyas, do not cause your own death by the terrible curse of Varuna.
The king said: - -
49. O Vamadeva, these two excellent, well-trained and docile bulls are fit animals for Brahmanas. Go with them wherever you like. Even the Vedas carry person, like you, (what will you do with horses)?
Vamadeva said: - -
50. O king, the Vedas indeed carry persons like us, but that is in the next world. But in this world animals like these (horses) carry me and also men like me and also all others.
The king said: - -
51. Let four asses carry you or four mules of the best kind or four horses as fleet as the wind. Go away with these, the pair of Vami horses deserve to be possessed only by the Kshatriyas. Therefore, know that those (Vami horses) are not yours.
Vamadeva said: - -
52. O king, very severe vows have been ordained for the Brahmanas. If I have observed them, then let four fearful and mighty Rakshasas of terrible appearance and iron body pursue you at my command and kill you and then carry you on their sharp lances after cutting up your body into four parts.
The king said: - -
53. O Vamadeva, let those that are armed with bright lances and swords and that know you to be a Brahmana who desires to take life in thought, word and deed, at my command cut you down with all your disciples,
Vamadeva said: - -
54. O king, when you receive from me these Vami horses, you had said, I will return them.” Therefore, give me back my Vami horses, so that you can save your life.
The king said: - -
55. Hunting is ordained for the Kshatriyas. I do not punish you for your untruthfulness. O Brahmana, obeying all your commands, I shall obtain the blessed region.
Vamadeva said: - -
56. A Brahmana can never be punished in thoughts, words or deeds. That learned man who succeeds by ascetic austerities on knowing a Brahmana to be so does not attain to prominence in this world.
Markandeya said: - -
57. O king, when the king had been thus addressed by Vamadeva, there rose four fearful-featured Rakshasas. As they with up lifted lances in their hands came to the king with the intention of killing him, he thus cried aloud,
58. “O Brahmana, if all the Ikshvakus, if Dala (my brother), if all these Vaishyas tell me, even then I will not give up these Vami horses to Vamadeva, for these men can never (then) be virtuous.”
59. When he was thus speaking, they (the Rakshasas) killed him and that lord of earth fell on the ground. Thereupon learning in the death of the king, the Ikshvakus installed Dala on the throne.”
60. Then the Brahmana Vamadeva went to his kingdom and spoke thus to the king Dala, “O king, it has been ordained in all the Shastras that men should give away to the Brahmanas.
61. O king, if you fear sin, then give me my Vami horses back without any delay.” Having heard these words of Vamadeva, that king spoke thus to the charioteer in anger,”
62. Bring me one of those beautiful but poisonous arrows that are kept with you, so that pierced by it, Vamadeva may lie prostrate on the ground in pain and be torn by the dogs.
Vamadeva said: - -
63. O ruler of men, I know you have a son ten years old, born of Shyenajita, your queen. Urged by my word, soon kill your that beloved boy by these fearful arrows
Markandeya said: - -
64. O king, when Vamadeva had said this, the (arrows) killed the prince in the inner apartment. Hearing that he had been killed by his arrows, Dala spoke these words.
The king said: - -
65. O Ikshvakus, I shall today of your good. I will with great force kill this Brahmana. Bring me another of my greatly effulgent arrows. O rulers of earth, behold my prowess today.
Vamadeva said: - -
66. This fearful and poisonous arrow that you aim at me, O ruler of men, you shall not be able to aim or to shoot,
The king said: - -
67. O Ikshvakus, behold, I am incapable of shooting the arrow that has been taken by me; I fail to kill this Brahmana. Let Vamadeva be blessed with a long life.
Vamadeva said: - -
68. Touching your queen with this arrow, you may cleanse yourself off this sin.
Markandeya said: - -
69. The king did as he was directed and then the princess spoke thus to the Rishi.
The Queen said: - -
70. O Vamadeva, let me be able to instruct duly this foolish, husband of mine from day to day imparting to him words of grave import. Let me always wait upon and serve the Brahmanas; and by this, O twice born one, let me acquire the sacred regions after death.
Vamadeva said: - -
71. O princess, O beautiful-eyed lady, you have saved this royal dynasty. Ask of me a matchless boon. I will grant you whatever you ask. O faultless lady, ruler over your kinsmen and over the kingdom of the Ikshvakus.
The Queen said: - -
72. O exalted one, this is the boon I ask, that my husband may now be freed from his sin and that you may think well of his son and kinsmen. O foremost of Brahmanas, this is the boon I ask.
Markandeya said: - -
73. Having heard her these words, O foremost of the Kurus, the Rishi said, “Be it so.” Thereupon that king, becoming exceedingly happy and bowing to the great Rishi, gave him his Vami horses.
Thus ends the one hundred and ninety-second chapter, the history of the frogs, in the Markandeya Samashya of the Vana Parva.