13.031
The story of Vītahavya.
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O uplifter of the Kuru lineage, I have heard this great narrative from you; you speak of Brahminhood, which is very difficult to attain, O best of speakers. (13-31-1)
It is heard that formerly Brahminhood was attained by Viśvāmitra, and you say, O best one, that it is difficult to attain. (13-31-2)
Vītahavya, the royal sage, I have heard, attained the state of a Brāhmaṇa; that very thing, O son of Gangā, I wish to hear from you, O mighty one. (13-31-3)
O best of kings, by what action did he obtain Brahminhood? Was it by a boon, by austerity, or otherwise? Please explain that to me. (13-31-4)
Bhishma said.
Hear, O king, how King Vītahavya, who was greatly renowned, though born a Kṣatriya, again attained the state of a Brāhmaṇa, honored by the world. (13-31-5)
O dear one, Śaryāti, the righteous-souled and well-known son of the great-souled Manu, who ruled his subjects with righteousness, was born. (13-31-6)
O king, in his lineage, two kings were born together: Hehaya and Tālajaṅgha, the best among the victorious in the Vatsa line. (13-31-7)
O Bhārata, from the ten wives of Hehaya, a hundred famous sons were born, all of them heroic and never turning back. (13-31-8)
Those who possess equal form and power, who are learned and skilled in battle, who have exerted themselves in the science of archery and in the Veda, and indeed everywhere, are those who have made effort. (13-31-9)
O king, among the Kāśis also, there was a king named Haryaśva, the grandfather of Divodāsa, who became well-known as the best among the victorious. (13-31-10)
O best of men, he was slain in battle by the descendants of Vītahavya, having come to the region between the Gaṅgā and Yamunā. (13-31-11)
But after slaying him, the best of men, the Hehaya great chariot-warriors returned to the beautiful city of the Vatsas, free from any fear. (13-31-12)
But the heir of Haryaśva, the king of Kāśi, was anointed. Sudeva, who resembled a god, was like another Dharma incarnate. (13-31-13)
While he, the righteous king of Kāśi, was protecting the earth, he was completely conquered in battle by all the Vītahavyas who came there. (13-31-14)
Having conquered him as well in battle, they returned the way they had come. Then Saudevi, the king of Kāśī, Divodāsa, was anointed. (13-31-15)
But Divodāsa, having understood the strength of those great-souled ones, established the mighty city of Vārāṇasī by the command of Śakra (Indra). (13-31-16)
It was crowded with brāhmaṇas and warriors, filled with merchants and servants, abounding in heaps of many goods, and prosperous with markets and shops. (13-31-17)
O best of kings, on the northern bank of the Gaṅgā at the edge of the embankment, and on the southern bank of the Gomati, there is a city like the Amaravati of Śakra (Indra). (13-31-18)
O Bhārata, there, the Hehayas, having come, again surrounded that king, the tiger among kings, who was dwelling there. (13-31-19)
Having come forth, the mighty king Divodāsa, radiant with great splendor, gave them battle—a terrible conflict equal to that between the gods and asuras. (13-31-20)
But he, O great king, after fighting in battle for one hundred and ten days, with most of the vehicles destroyed, then fell into misery. (13-31-21)
O king, with his warriors slain and his treasury exhausted, the ruler Divodāsa abandoned the city and became intent on flight. (13-31-22)
But he, the king and destroyer of enemies, having approached the hermitage of the wise Bharadvāja with joined palms, sought refuge there. (13-31-23)
The king said.
O Lord, my family has been destroyed in battle by the Vaitahavyas; I am left alone and bereft, and have come to you for refuge. (13-31-24)
O Lord, out of affection for your disciple, you ought to protect me. My entire lineage has indeed been destroyed by their evil deeds. (13-31-25)
The greatly fortunate and powerful Bharadvāja said to him: "Do not be afraid, do not be afraid, O Saudeva, let your fear go away." (13-31-26)
Today I perform a sacrifice for you, O lord of the peoples, for the sake of a son, so that you may overcome thousands of Vaitahavyas. (13-31-27)
Then the sage performed a sacrifice for the sake of obtaining a son for him. Thereafter, his son was born, who is known as Pratardana. (13-31-28)
O Bhārata, as soon as he was born, he grew to thirteen years in an instant, and mastered the entire Veda and the science of archery. (13-31-29)
By the power of yoga and with the wise Bharadvāja, having gathered his worldly energy, he entered that place. (13-31-30)
Then he, clad in armor, with bow and arrows, shining like fire, advanced, shaking his bow like a cloud pouring forth. (13-31-31)
Seeing him, the son of Sudeva was filled with supreme joy and departed; and the king thought in his mind that the Vaitahavyas had been destroyed. (13-31-32)
Then, after installing Pratardana as the crown prince, the king, having accomplished his purpose, rejoiced. (13-31-33)
Then, for the destruction of the Vaitahavyas, the king sent his son Pratardana, the destroyer of enemies. (13-31-34)
But he, with his chariot, quickly crossed the Ganga; the mighty conqueror of enemy cities went to the city of the Vītahavyas. (13-31-35)
But the Vaitahavyas, having heard the loud sound of chariots, went out with chariots resembling cities, capable of destroying enemy chariots. (13-31-36)
Having emerged, those tiger-like men, who were wounded and were distinguished warriors, together attacked Pratardana with showers of arrows and raised weapons. (13-31-37)
O Yudhishthira, with missiles of various kinds and torrents of chariots, they showered upon the king like clouds upon Mount Himavat. (13-31-38)
King Pratardana, of great energy, warded off their weapons with his own weapons and killed them with arrows as powerful as thunderbolts and fire. (13-31-39)
O king, their finest limbs severed by arrows, they fell by the hundreds and thousands, their blood-soaked bodies strewn like butea flowers. (13-31-40)
When all those sons were slain, Vītahavya then fled, abandoning the city and even Bhṛgu's hermitage. (13-31-41)
Vītahavya, the king, went to Bhṛgu for refuge. Bhṛgu, O king, granted him fearlessness. Then, Bhṛgu's disciple gave him a seat. (13-31-42)
Then Pratardana quickly came there step by step. Having reached the hermitage, the son of Divodāsa spoke. (13-31-43)
O, O! Who are the disciples of the great-souled Bhṛgu here in the hermitage? I wish to see the sage; please tell me about him. (13-31-44)
Having recognized him, Bhrigu then departed from the hermitage. Afterwards, he worshipped him with the highest procedure indeed. (13-31-45)
He said to him, O king, "What is the task?" Thus he asked the king. And the king replied to him the reason for his coming. (13-31-46)
O Brāhmaṇa, let this king Vītahavya be sent away from here. Indeed, by his sons, my entire lineage has been destroyed, and the territory of the Kāśis, along with their treasure, has been ruined. (13-31-47)
I have killed a hundred sons of this man who is proud of his strength. Now, O Brahman, by killing him, I shall become free from my debt to my father. (13-31-48)
Bhṛgu, the best among the upholders of dharma, filled with compassion, said to him: "There is not a single Kṣatriya here; indeed, all these are twice-born." (13-31-49)
Having thus heard the truthful speech of Bhṛgu, Pratardana gently touched his feet, smiled, and spoke these words. (13-31-50)
Thus, O Lord, I am indeed one who has fulfilled his purpose, without doubt, for this king has been made by me, through strength, to abandon his own race. (13-31-51)
Allow me to go; meditate on Brahman and on me together with Śiva. This king has indeed been forsaken by me, O best of the Bhṛgus. (13-31-52)
Then, having received permission from him, King Pratardana departed in the same manner as he had come, O great king, leaving it behind like a serpent leaves its poison. (13-31-53)
By the mere word of Bhṛgu, he became a Brahmarṣi. Vītahavya, O great king, also truly attained the status of a Brahman-knower. (13-31-54)
His son Gṛtsamada, who was another Indra in form, was addressed by the Daityas as "You are Śakra" and was indeed restrained by them. (13-31-55)
O lord of the people, in the Ṛgveda exists the most excellent revelation here, where Gṛtsamada, O Brāhmaṇa, is honored by the Brāhmaṇas. (13-31-56)
He, the celibate and prosperous brāhmaṇa sage, became Gṛtsamada. The son of Gṛtsamada, Suceṭā, also became a twice-born. (13-31-57)
Varchāḥ was the son of Sutejasa, and his son was Vihavya. Vihavya's son was Vitatya, and his son was (so on). (13-31-58)
Satya was the son of Vitatya; Sant was the son of Satya; Carṣi was the son of Śravāsta; and Tama was the son of Śravas. (13-31-59)
O best of the twice-born, from Tamas was born Prakasha as his son. From Prakasha, Vākindra was born, the best among the victorious. (13-31-60)
His son Pramati, who was well-versed in the Veda and Vedāṅgas; in Ghṛtācī, his son named Ruru was born. (13-31-61)
But in Pramadvara, Ruru had a son. He was the brāhmaṇa-sage named Śunaka, whose son was then Śaunaka. (13-31-62)
Thus, O king, Vītahavya, the kṣatriya and foremost among kṣatriyas, attained brāhmaṇa-hood by the grace of Bhṛgu. (13-31-63)
In this very manner, O great king, I have narrated in detail the lineage of the Gārtsamadas, your ancestors; what else do you wish to ask? (13-31-64)
