14.004
Yudhiṣṭhira said;
I wish to hear the story of that royal sage who knows dharma; O Dvaipāyana, O sinless one, please tell me the story of Marutta. (14-4-1)
Vyāsa said;
Formerly, in the Kṛta Yuga, there was Manu, the lord and bearer of the staff. His son, the renowned great archer, was Prajāti. (14-4-2)
Kṣupa, a well-known son of Prajāti, was born. Ikṣvāku, the king who ruled the earth, was the son of Kṣupa. (14-4-3)
O king, he had a hundred sons, all extremely righteous. Ikshvaku, the lord, made all of them rulers of the earth. (14-4-4)
O Bhārata, among them, the eldest was Viṃśa, who was the equal of the bowmen. Viṃśa's son, an auspicious one, was named Viviṃśa. (14-4-5)
O king, there were fifteen sons of Viviṁśa. All of them were valiant in archery, devoted to Brahman, and speakers of the truth. (14-4-6)
Among virtuous people devoted to charity and righteousness who were always pleasant-spoken, their elder Khanīnetra oppressed all of them. (14-4-7)
But khaninetras, though powerful and having conquered a kingdom free from troubles, was not able to protect it; the subjects did not follow him. (14-4-8)
Having set him aside, he anointed Suvarcasa, his son, as ruler of that kingdom, O king, and there was rejoicing then. (14-4-9)
Seeing his father's misdeed and his own banishment from the kingdom, he, self-controlled, conducted himself with the intent to benefit the people. (14-4-10)
He was devoted to Brahman, truthful in speech, pure, endowed with tranquility and self-restraint; the people, always intent on righteousness, followed him, who was noble-minded. (14-4-11)
As his wealth was depleted, despite being engaged in dharma, his resources collapsed. Then, with his treasury diminished, the feudatory chiefs oppressed him from all sides. (14-4-12)
He, tormented by many, with a depleted treasury and lacking means of conveyance, the king, along with his servants and the entire city, reached the utmost distress. (14-4-13)
Even at the final destruction, they were unable to abandon him; for King Yudhishthira was righteous in conduct and always steadfast in dharma. (14-4-14)
But when the king, along with his city, reached supreme distress, then he blew the horn, and then the army appeared. (14-4-15)
Thereupon, he conquered all the neighboring kings. For this reason, O king, Karandhama is renowned. (14-4-16)
His son Kārandhama was born at the beginning of the Tretā yuga. He was not inferior to Indra, illustrious, and very difficult even for the gods to conquer. (14-4-17)
At that time, all the kings were under his control. Indeed, he became their emperor by both conduct and strength. (14-4-18)
He was unwavering in mind, righteous in nature, possessing valor equal to Indra. He was devoted to sacrifice, rejoiced in action, steadfast, and had his senses under control. (14-4-19)
He is like the sun in brightness, equal to the earth in forbearance, equal to Bṛhaspati in intelligence, and as steadfast as Himavat (the Himalaya). (14-4-20)
The king pleased the minds of his people by action, mind, speech, self-restraint, and tranquility. (14-4-21)
He, the lord, who performed a hundred horse-sacrifices according to the proper rite; whom the learned sage Angiras himself caused to perform the sacrifice. (14-4-22)
His son surpassed his father in excellence. Marutta, so named, was a knower of dharma, a universal monarch, and greatly renowned. (14-4-23)
He, whose strength was equal to ten thousand elephants, another Viṣṇu incarnate, being about to perform a sacrifice and righteous in soul, indeed had thousands of fine golden vessels made. (14-4-24)
Having reached Mount Meru, on the northern side of the Himalayas, there he performed an act with his very great golden foot. (14-4-25)
Then goldsmiths made vessels, bowls, pots, and seats, so many that their number could not be counted. (14-4-26)
Near him indeed, that sacrificial ground came into being. There, the righteous king Marutta performed sacrifice according to rule together with all the protectors of the people, as the lord of men. (14-4-27)
