This chapter describes the Haihaya line of Yadu in which the greatest ruler of the Narmadā valley, Kārtavirya Arjuna, was born. This chapter is captioned after that illustrious king. This chapter corresponds to Bd, P. 2.3.69 & verse-numbers in the notes refer to that chapter.
Sūta said:
1. I shall recount the race of the eldest (son of Yayati) Yadu, of excellent splendour. Listen and understand, even as I recount it in detail and in the proper order.
2. Yadu had five sons, all comparable to the sons of Devas. Sahasrajit was the eldest. (The others were) Kroşhţu, Nila, Jita and Laghu.
3. Sahasrajit’s son was the glorious king named Shatajit. Shatajit had three sons who were well known as very virtuous.
4. They were Haihaya, Haya and the king Venuhaya, It is heard that Haihaya’s successor was Dharmatattva.
5. Dharmatattva’s son was Kirti and his son was Samjñeya. Samjñeya’s successor was the king named Mahişhmān.
6. Mahişhman’s son was the valorous Bhadraśhreņya who was the king of Vārāṇasi and has already been mentioned.
7. Bhadraśhrenya’s successor was the king named Durmada and Durmada’s successor was an intelligent (king) well known by the name Kanaka.
8-9. Kanaka’s successor (sons) were four and they were famous in the worlds- Krutavirya, Kärtavīrya, Krutavarmă and Kruta the fourth. Krutavirya’s son was Arjuna. Born with a thousand arms, he was a king who ruled over the seven continents.
10. He performed a very severe penance for ten thousand years. Kārtvīrya thus propitiated Datta, born of Atri.
11-13. Datta granted him four excellently glorious boons. At the outset, (Arjuna) chose the boon of (being endowed with) a thousand arms. The second was the ability of the prevention (of the world) given up in evil by good people. I (The third was the competence) to protect the earth righteously after conquering it in the same (righteous) way.
1. Bd. P. 2.3.69. reads: ability to prevent one from evil the moment he plans it.
The fourth was victory in numerous battles after killing thousands of enemies but meeting death in a battle (fighting) with a superior warrior.
14. The entire earth consisting of seven continents and many towns and surrounded by seven oceans, was conquered by him in a manner befitting a Kşhatriya.2
2. Verses 14-37 describe the exploits, munificence, righteousness and glory of Kārtavirya. The Gathas sung by Närada about him (vv. 20-22) record in a nutshell Arjuna’s achievements. Generally, these Gathas are quotations from ancient traditional verses.
15. When he started fighting in a battle, banners and chariots befitting it and a thousand arms used to appear by means of the Māyā of that intelligent one.
16. It is heard that without any difficulties ten thousand Yajñas had been performed by that intelligent king in all the seven continents.
17-18. All the Yajñas performed by that mighty-armed king were profoundly splendid. All of them were provided with golden altars with golden sacrificial posts. All of them were graced by the presence of blessed Devas seated in aerial chariots; all of them were always rendered splendid and attractive by Gandharvas and Apsaras-s (celestial damsels).
19. After observing the conduct and the grandeur of that saintly king, Närada and Gandharvas sang the following verse(s) of glory of that king.
20. “Certainly no man can emulate (none can attain) the goal or status of Kārtavīrya by means of Yajñas, Dānas, penances, exploits and learning.
21. In all the seven continents he is seen moving about with his sword drawn and the excellent bows and arrows kept ready as well as seated in his chariot. Though he is the king, he behaves as though he is the follower.*
*Bd.P. ibid v 21 reads yogät (by means of his Yogic Power) for ‘nyo’gat in our Text.
22. While he was protecting the subjects righteously, none of his subjects lost his wealth, no one was grief-stricken and no one had any confusion, thanks to the prowess of that great king”.
23. That king became the sole monarch and emperor of the seven continents for eighty-five thousand years.
24. (In his realm) he himself was the protector of cattle and the fields. As a Yogin, Arjuna became Parjanya (Lord of clouds and rains) and showered in plenty.
25. With his thousand arms rendered tough by frequent contact with the bowstring, he shone like the Sun with his thousands of autumnal rays.
26. Having conquered the royal assembly of (the serpent king) Karkoțaka in Māhişhmati with a thousand elephants, he established his capital there.
27. (Defective) The lotus-eyed king used to check the forceful (speedy) waves of the sea during the rainy season (when the sea is stormy). In a happy mood, he sportingly spewed out water and made an (artificial) rainy season.
28. Shaken and tossed about by him during his (water-sports), Narmadā, wearing garlands with golden fillets approached the king in an apprehensive mannar, with eyebrows like waves producing the gentle (murmuring) sound.
29. Formerly, following its (Narmada’s) course, that (king) had plunged into the great ocean and flooded the forest near the shore creating artificial rainy season.
30. When the great ocean was agitated by his thousand arms, the great Asuras in the nether-worlds used to become stunned and motionless.
31. Giant fishes and great serpents concealed under great billows were crushed and scattered in the flood of foam, the eddies and whirlpools which were unbearably furious.
32. Agitating it by means of his thousand arms, the king made the ocean resemble the milky sea churned by Devas and Asuras.
33. (Defective verse) On seeing the terrible, prominent king, the (aquatic beings) were afraid that the ocean was once again being churned by the Mandara mountain for the sake of Amruta (nectar) and at once felt uprooted (utpăţita in A).
34. Great serpents bent down their heads and stood motionless like the stumps of the plantain trees standing still in the evening hours, when the wind does not blow.
35. (Defective verse) Proudly he went to Lankā. With his bow and five hundred arrows he overpowered Rävana along with his army. He defeated and brought him to Mähishmati and imprisoned him there.
36. (Sage) Pulastya himself went to Arjuna and propitiated him. The king released Paulastya (Rāvana) at the request of Pulastya.
37. The sound produced by the twang of the bowstrings by his thousand arms was like the thunder at the time of the close of the Yugas, when the trees* of the clouds of dissolution seem to burst.
*Vruksha in the text needs emendation as Vrunda as in Bd. P.v. 38. It means a collection, a mass’ (of clouds).
38. Sad indeed that his thousand powerful arms were cut off by Bhargava (Paraśhurāma) in battle, as though they were golden palm trees.
39. Once upon a time, the thirsty Sun-god begged alms of him. The Lord of the people bestowed on the Sun-god the seven continents as alms.
40. With a desire to consume (everything), the Sun-god blazed at the tips of his arrows and burnt cities, cowherd colonies, villages and all the towns.
41. Thanks to the prowess of that chief of men (Arjuna), the (Sun-god) of great fame burnt the mountains and forests of Kártavīrya.
42. The Sun-god in the company of Haihaya (Kártavīrya) burnt everything including continents along with forests. He burnt the empty hermitage of Varuna’s son completely.
43. Varuņa had obtained this glorious and excellent son formerly. He was famous by the name of sage Vasişhtha otherwise known as Apava.
44-45. Out of anger the powerful Apava cursed Arjuna then,1 “O Haihaya, since you have not spared this forest of mine another man will set aside even this difficult task achieved by you. He will be Kunti’s son named Arjuna.2 He will not be a king.
1. The curse motif and that of boon were very popular with Purana writers to explain an unlikely or miraculous event. Here both are used to explain Kartavirya’s death at the hands of Parashurāma. Kārtavirya is stated to have sought such a boon from Datta (supra v. 13) and received a curse from Apava Vasışhtha (vv. 46-47) for destroying (i.e. helping the Sun-god to destroy) his hermitage.
2. Apava’s curse was of a twofold nature. Kärtavirya Arjuna will meet physical death at the hands of Parashurama and he will be superseded in reputation by another Arjuna (Kunti’s son) for a similar act (viz. burning of Khandava forest).
46-47. O Arjuna, the extremely powerful Rama, the foremost among those who strike with weapons, will cut off and shatter your thousand arms. The powerful, Brahmana and Sage of great strength will kill you.” Then, as a result of the curse of that intelligent (sage), Rāma became the cause of his death.
48. Such a boon had been chosen by the king himself formerly (from Datta). He had a hundred sons, five of whom were great warriors.
49-50. They were Shūrasena, Vrushtyädya, Vrusha and Jayadhvaja. All of them were well-trained in the use of miraculous weapons. They were heroic, strong, pious-souled and renowned. They ruled over Avanti. King Jayadhvaja’s son was the valorous Talajangha.
51-52. He had a hundred sons who constituted the clan of Talajanghas. Five families among those noble-souled Haihayas are very famous, viz. the numerous Virahotras (Vitihotra in Bd.P.), Bhojas and Avartis, Tundikeras and the valorous Tålajanghas.
53. Virahotra’s son was king Ananta. Durjaya was his son. His son was Amitradarśhana.
54. That king had the boon of never losing his wealth. The great king protected the subjects by means of his prowess.
55-56. An intelligent person who recounts the story of the birth of Kärtavīrya, shall regain lost wealth. He will not lose wealth (further). He will be rich. His Dharma will flourish and he will be honoured in heaven like Tvashtr or like a man of charitable inclination.