Sarga 91

Hearing the wondrous words of the great saint Kumbhayoni, Rāma, out of great curiosity and importance of the subject, again asked him, saying: — “O Brahman, why was that dense forest, in which the king Sweta used to perform hard penances, divested of birds and animals? And how did he proceed to that forest devoid of men and animals for undergoing penances? I wish to hear the truth.” Hearing the words of Rāma stricken with curiosity, the highly effulgent saint Agastya said: — “O Rāma, formerly in the golden age, Manu was the king. His son was Ikshwāku. Having installed the irrepressible Ikshwāku, Manu said: ‘Be thou the lord over creatures.’ Saying ‘So be it’ Ikshwāku accepted the command. Thereupon greatly delighted Manu said to his son: — ‘I have been highly pleased with thee. For sooth thou shalt become a very liberal prince. Thou shalt govern the subjects meting out proper punishment unto them, but do not punish them without any fault. If the punishment, which a king inflicts upon the guilty, be just it becomes the instrumental in taking the giver to heaven. Therefore, O my son having large arms, be particularly studious as regards punishment for thereby thou shalt acquire great piety.’ Having in this wise advised Ikshwāku Manu delightedly repaired to the region of Brahmā. After Manu’s departure, the effulgent Ikshwāku thought of the means for creating progeny. Thereupon performing many pious rites Manu’s son engendered a hundred sons. O descendant of Raghu, the youngest of all those sons became stupid and ignorant and did not respect his elder brothers. And thinking that he should therefore be punished he named this son ‘Danda.’ Thereupon finding no other province worthy of Danda he allotted the region between Vindhya and Saivala to him. Danda became king of that picturesque valley. And having reared a fine city there he named it as Madhumanta and appointed Sukracharja of firm vows as his priest. Having thus established his kingdom, Danda, with his priest, began to lord over it filled with healthy and delighted people like unto the lord of celestials in their region. O Rāma, like unto Mahendra governing his kingdom of heaven under the guidance of Vrihaspati, the preceptor of celestials, Danda, the grand-son of Manu, governed his own kingdom with the help of Usanās.”