CHAPTER – 117
Markandeya said: – He begat on Sunanda twelve sons. They were Prangshu, Pravira, Shoora, Suchakra, Vikrama, Krama, Vala, Vataka, Chanda, Prachanda, Suvikrama and Swarupa. They were all great and ever victorious in battle. (1-2) The eldest of them, the highly powerful Prangshu, became the king. The other brothers were submissive to him like servants. (3) His sacrifices, in which various articles were given over by the twice-born and other inferior castes, made good the name of Vasundhara. (4) He used to govern his subjects well like his own begotten sons. With his wealth, that was in his treasury, thousands of sacrifices were celebrated. There was no number of them – (even it could not be numbered) by Ajuta, Koti, Padma, etc. (5-6) His son was Prajati in whose sacrifice partaking of the offering, even the performer of hundred sacrifices, along with other celestials, attained to great delight. (7) That foremost of the powerful killed ninety-nine highly powerful and leading Danavas and their king Jambha, as well as other highly powerful enemies of the immortals.
(8) O Muni, Prajati had five sons headed by Khanitra. Amongst them Khanitra, well-known by his own prowess, became the king. (9) He was of quiet nature, truthful, heroic and ever engaged in the well-being of creatures. He was ever observant of the duties of his own order, used always to attend upon the aged and was well read in various scriptures. (10) He was a good speaker, humble, an expert in fighting and freed from haughtiness. He was beloved of all and used to say, day and night. (11) “Let all creatures be happy always and find delight even in a solitary forest. May they all live happily and be freed from fear. (12) May they not suffer from diseases and mental affliction. May all people cherish friendship towards each other. (13) May good betide the twice-born and may they love each other. May all other Varnas grow prosperous and may all attain their ends. (14) O ye people, may you all wish well of creatures as you do seek that of yourselves and your sons. (15) Such a good feeling should be cherished towards all. If no one offends the other there will be a great good (unto all). (16) Forsooth does a man reap the fruit of an evil committed by him foolishly towards another. For the fruit precedes the doer. (17) O ye people, considering this, do ye cherish good feeling towards all. Do not commit the worldly sins and then you will attain good regions. (18) Good will betide him always on earth who will love me to-day; may he even meet with auspiciousness after auspiciousness who will injure me”. (19) Such was Khanitra, the son of that king. He was gifted with all accomplishments and the goddess of riches embraced him.
(20) Having placed with delight his brothers in various kingdoms he himself ruled this earth abounding in oceans. (21) He placed Shouri in the western portion, Udavasu in the southern, Sunaya in the eastern and Maharatha in the northern. (23) He and they were of separate gotras and had separate priests and ascetics. And their ministers were also hereditary. (23) Suhotra, of Atri’s race, was the priest of Shouri; the priest of Udavasu, Kushavarta was born in the race of Goutama. (24) Pramati, born in the race of Kashyapa, was Sunaya’s priest. And Vashishtha was the priest of the king Maharath. (25) Those kings respectively ruled over their own kingdoms. Khanitra was the king of the whole earth and their emperor. (26) That king Khanitra always sought the well-being of his brothers as well as that of his subjects like unto that of his own sons. (27) Once on a time, Shouri’s minister Vishwavedin said to him, “O king, I have something to speak to you in private: (28) He alone is the king to whom belongs this entire earth and to whom all these kings are dependants. He is succeeded in order by his
son and grandson. (29) As his brothers are entitled to small properties before so their sons inherit smaller states than theirs, and their grandsons still smaller. (30) Thus getting in time poorer from generation to generation, his descendants, O king, become cultivators (in the long run). (31) A brother does not save his brother out of affection. So, O king, the relation, between their sons, becomes more estranged. (32) O king, their sons become more and more distant. Why therefore will his son love (the son of his brother)? (33) And if again a king is pleased some how or other, what is the use of his appointing ministers? (34) If you consult with me you will be able to enjoy the whole kingdom. If you are contented with it why do you keep (uselessly) a small kingdom? (35) A kingdom, which does so many things, requires both an actor and an agent. To wish for a kingdom is your work. You are a doer and we are your agents. Therefore govern your ancestral kingdom through our instrumentality. This will give you and not us fruits in the next world”. (36-37)
THE KING said: – Our eldest brother has become the emperor. Since we are his younger brothers he has been ruling over the entire earth and we are ruling over small territories. (38) O highly intelligent one, we are five brothers and the earth is one; for this reason we have been ruling over separate portions. How can we all rule over the whole earth? (39)
Vishwadevi said: – True it is, O king; if the earth is one, why dost thou not, being the eldest, take it and rule over it? (40) Be thou the head of all the brothers and the emperor of the earth. As I am trying for thee so their ministers are also working for them. (41)
The king said: – Our elderst brother is a king and loves us all like his sons. How can I covet his kingdom then? (42)
Vishwadevi said: – Becoming their eldest and securing the kingdom you may also please them, O king. Amongst men seeking kingdom there is none who is the eldest and none who is the youngest. (43)
Markandeya said: – The king having agreed to this the minister Vishwadevi brought all the brothers to his side. (44) He then engaged their priests in the work of their own benediction and the destruction of Khanitra. (45) He sowed dissension amongst his followers by the various means of conciliation, charity and others. And he set forth continued exertions for continuing his own power. (46) The four priests, having carried on dreadful magical operations day and night, produced four Krityas (female deities). (47) They were greatly fierce, of dreadful faces and of mighty terrific looks. They had uplifted huge darts in their hands and were highly dreadful to look at. (48) They then came where the king Khanitra was. He was not polluted, by any sin and so they were obstructed by the collection of his virtue. (49) Those female deities then simultaneously fell upon the priests of the Kings and Vishwadevi. (50) Thereupon the female deity, by name Nihanti, completely consumed the wicked minister of the king Showri, Vishwadevi, together with the priests. (51)