युधिष्ठिर उवाच मान्धाता राजशार्दूलस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः। कथं जातो महाब्रह्मन् यौवनाश्वो नृपोत्तमः॥
Yudhishthira said: O great Brahmana, how was born that excellent king, that foremost of monarchs, the son of Yuvanashva, Mandhata, celebrated over the three worlds?
कथं चैनां परां काष्ठां प्राप्तवानमितद्युतिः। यस्य लोकास्त्रयो वश्या विष्णोरिव महात्मनः॥
Here did that immeasurably effulgent one attain to the highest regal power, for all the three worlds were as much under his rule as they were under that of the high-souled Vishnu?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं चरितं तस्यधीमतः। यथा मान्धातृशब्दश्च तस्य शक्रसमद्युतेः। जन्म चाप्रतिवीर्यस्य कुशलो ह्यसि भाषितुम्॥
I am desirous to hear all about the life and achievements of that intelligent king. I should also like to hear when and how his name became Mandhata, belonging as it did to the greatly effulgent Indra and how that matchlessly powerful hero was born, you are greatly-skilled in the art of narrating all events, (narrate all this to me).
लोमश उवाच शृणुष्वावहितो राजन् राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः। यथा मान्धातृशब्दो वै लोकेषु परिगीयते॥
Lomasha said: O king, hear with attention how the name of Mandhata, that high-souled king, came to be famous all over the world.
इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभातो युवनाश्वो महीपतिः। सोऽयजत् पृथिवीपालः क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः॥
The king Yuvanashva was born in the race of Ikshvaku. O ruler of earth, he performed many sacrifices in which Dakshinas (gifts) were large.
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च प्राप्यधर्मभृतां वरः। अन्यैश्च क्रतुभिर्मुख्यैरयजत् स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः॥
That foremost of all virtuous men, performed one thousand horse-sacrifices. He also performed many other sacrifices in which Dakshinas were in abundance.
अनपत्यस्तु राजर्षिः स महात्मा महाव्रतः। मन्त्रिष्वाधाय तद् राज्यं वननित्यो बभूव ह॥
But that royal sage had no son and therefore that high-souled and greatly vow-observing king made over to his ministers the duties of the state and went to live in the forest.
शास्त्रदृष्टेन विधिना संयोज्यात्मानमात्मवान्। स कदाचिनृपो राजन्नुपवासेन दुःखितः॥
That high-souled king devoted himself to the pursuits, enjoined in the Shastras; and one day, O king, that monarch was much afflicted with observing a fast.
पिपासाशुष्कहदयः प्रविवेशाश्रमं भृगोः। तामेव रात्रिं राजेन्द्र महात्मा भृगुनन्दनः॥ इष्टिं चकार सौद्युम्नेर्महर्षिः पुत्रकारणात्। सम्भृतो मन्त्रपूतेन वारिणा कलशो महान्॥ तत्रातिष्ठत राजेन्द्र पूर्वमेव समाहितः। यत् प्राश्य प्रसवेत् तस्य पत्नी शक्रसमं सुतम्॥
He was suffering from the pangs of hunger and his inner soul seemed perched with thirst. He then entered the hermitage of Bhrigu. O king of kings, on that very night, the great Rishi, who was the delight of Bhrigu's race, had performed a religious ceremony with the object of getting a son born to Sudyumana. A large vessel was there filled with water which was consecrated with mantras and which had been previously deposited there. The water was endued with the virtue of making the wife of Yuvanashava conceive a son equal to Indra.
तं न्यस्य वेद्यां कलशं सुषुपुस्ते महर्षयः। रात्रिजागरणाच्छ्रान्तान् सौद्युम्नि: समतीत्य तान्॥
Having been much fatigued by keeping up nights, those great Rishis placed that jar on the altar and went to sleep.
शुष्ककण्ठः पिपासातः पानीयार्थी भृशं नृपः। तं प्रविश्याश्रमं शान्तः पानीयं सोऽभ्ययाचत्॥
The king was suffering from thirst, his palate was dry and he was eagerly looking for water. Entering the hermitage, greatly tired as he was, he asked for water.
तस्य श्रान्तस्य शुष्केण कण्ठेन क्रोशतस्तदा। नाश्रौषीत् कश्चन तदा शकुनेरिव वाशतः॥
With fatigue and with a perched throat, he cried in a feeble voice which resembled like the inarticulate notes of a bird. Therefore none heard his voice.
ततस्तं कलशं दृष्ट्वा जलपूर्णं स पार्थिवः। अभ्यद्रवत वेगेन पीत्वा चाम्भो व्यवासृजत्॥
Thereupon the king, seeing the jar filled with water, quickly ran towards it. He drank the water and put the jar down.
स पीत्वा शीतलं तोयं पिपासातॊ महीपतिः। निर्वाणमगमद्धीमान् सुसुखी चाभवत् तदा॥
That intelligent king, who was very thirsty, drank that cool water; his thirst being quenched he became greatly happy.
ततस्ते प्रत्यबुध्यन्त मुनयः सतपोधनाः। निस्तोयं तं च कलशं ददृशुः सर्व एव ते॥
Those ascetic Rishis then awoke from their sleep and all of them saw that the water of the jar was gone.
कस्य कर्मेदमिति ते पर्यपृच्छन् समागताः। युवनाश्वो ममेत्येवं सत्यं समभिपद्यत॥
The assembled all together and asked one another who had done this. Then Yuvanashva told the truth saying, “It was done by me.”
न युक्तमिति तं प्राह भगवान् भार्गवस्तदा। सुतार्थं स्थापिता ह्यापस्तपसा चैव सम्भृताः॥ मया पत्राहितं ब्रह्म तप आस्थाय दारुणम्। पुत्रार्थं तव राजर्षे महाबलपराक्रम॥
The illustrious son of Bhrigu then said to hirn, O royal sage, O greatly powerful one, "It was not proper. This was kept with the object that a son may be born to you. It was endued with ascetic virtue. Having performed severe asceticism, I infused the virtue of my religious acts in this water, so that a son might be born to you.
महाबलो महावीर्यस्तपोबलसमन्वितः। यः शक्रमपि वीर्येण गमयेद् यमसादनम्॥ अनेन विधिना राजन् मयैतदुपपादितम्। अभक्षणं त्वया राजन् न युक्तं कृतमद्य वै॥
O king, a son would have been bom to you would have been greatly strong, courageous, endued with the prowess of asceticism and who by his might would have even sent Indra to the abode of Yama. It was thus that this water was prepared by me. By drinking this water, O king, you have done what was not proper.
न त्वद्य शक्यमस्माभिरेतत् कर्तुमतोऽन्यथा। नूनं दैवकृतं ह्येतद् यदेवं कृतवानसि॥
It is impossible now to turn back the incident which happened. What you have done was certainly ordained by Fate,
पिपासितेन याः पीता विधिमन्त्रपुरस्कृताः। आपस्त्वया महाराज मत्तपोवीर्यसम्भृताः॥ ताभ्यस्त्वमात्मना पुत्रमीदृशं जनयिष्यसि। विधास्यामो वयं तत्र तवेष्टिं परमाद्भुताम्॥ यथा शक्रसमं पुत्रं जनयिष्यसि वीर्यवान्। गर्भधारण वापि न खेदं समवाप्स्यसि॥
O great king, as you, being very thirsty, have drank the water prepared with sacred hymns which was filled with the virtue of my religious labours, you must bring forth out of your own body a son as described above. We shall perform for your sake a sacrifice of wonderful effect, so that you will bring forth a son equal to Indra. You will not feel any pain at the time of the delivery.
ततो वर्षशते पूर्णे तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः। वाम पार्श्व विनिर्भिद्य सुतः सूर्य इव स्थितः॥ निश्चक्राम महातेजा न च तं मृत्युराविशत्। युवनाश्वं नरपतिं तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
When one hundred years passed away, a son, as effulgent as the sun, came out by rising the left side of that high-souled king. The greatly effulgent child came out, but king Yuvanashva did not die, it was no doubt a great wonder.
ततः शक्रो महातेजास्तं दिदृक्षुरुपागमत्। ततो देवा महेन्द्रं तमपृच्छन्धास्यतीति किम्॥
Then greatly effulgent, Indra came there with the desire of seeing him. Thereupon the celestials asked Indra, “What is to be sucked by this boy?"
प्रदेशिनी ततोऽस्यास्ये शक्रः समभिसंदधे। मामयंधास्यतीत्येवं भाषिते चैव वज्रिणा॥ मान्धातोति च नामास्य चक्रुः सेन्द्रा दिवौकसः।।३१। प्रदेशिनीं शक्रदत्तामास्वाद्य स शिशुस्तदा। अवर्धत महातेजाः किकून् राजंस्त्रयोदश॥
Then Indra gave his own fore finger into his mouth (to suck) and the wielder of thunder said, "he will suck me.” Thereupon the dwellers of heaven with Indra gave him the name Mandhata. Having sucked the fore-finger of Indra, he became greatly strong and he grew to be thirteen cubits.
वेदास्तं सधनुर्वेदा दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि चेश्वरम्। उपतस्थुर्महाराजध्यातमात्रस्य सर्वशः॥
O great king, the whole of the sacred learning together with the holy science of arms was acquired by that greatly intelligent boy by the simple and unassisted power of his thought.
आजगवं नामधनुः शराः शृङ्गोद्भवाश्च ये। अभेद्यं कवचं चैव सद्यस्तमुपशिश्रियुः॥ सोऽभिषिक्तो मघवता स्वयं शक्रेण भारत। धर्मेण व्यजयल्लोकांस्त्रीन् विष्णुरिव विक्रमैः॥
O descendant of Bharata, the bow, celebrated all over the world by the name of Ajagava and a large number of arrows made of horn, also an impenetrable armour, all came to him on the same day. He was installed on the throne by Indra himself and he then conquered the three worlds in righteous way, as once Vishnu did by three steps.
तस्याप्रतिहतं चक्रं प्रावर्तत महात्मनः। रत्नानि चैव राजर्षि स्वयमेवोपतस्थिरे॥
The wheel of that high-souled king's car was irresistible in its course. Gems and jewels came to that royal sage of their own accord.
तस्यैवं वसुसम्पूर्णा वसुधा वसुधाधिप। तेनेष्टं विविधैर्यज्ञैर्बहुभिः स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः॥
O ruler of earth, this is the region which (once) belonged to him. It abounds in great wealth. He performed may sacrifices in which gifts were in abundance.
चितचैत्यो महातेजाधर्मान् प्राप्य च पुष्कलान्। शक्रस्यार्धासनं राजंल्लब्धवानमितद्युतिः॥
O king, that great, powerful and immeasurably effulgent king erected many sacred piles and performed greatly pious deeds, by which he obtained the privilege of sitting at Indra's side.
एकाहात् पृथिवी तेनधर्मनित्येनधीमता। विजिता शासनादेव सरत्नाकरपत्तना॥
That intelligent king conquered and ruled with virtuous laws the earth with cities and with the sea, the abode of gems.
तस्य चैत्यैर्महाराज क्रतूनां दक्षिणावताम्। चतुरन्ता मही व्याप्ता नासीत् किंचिदनावृतम्॥
O great king, the sacrificial grounds prepared by him were to be found all over the earth. There is not a single spot which is not marked with it.
तेन पद्मसहस्राणि गवां दश महात्मना। ब्राह्मणानां महाराज दत्तानीति प्रचक्षते॥
O great king, that greatly powerful king is said to have given away to the Brahmanas ten thousand Padmas and kine.
तेन द्वादशवार्षिक्यामनावृष्ट्यां महात्मना। वृष्टं सस्यविवृद्ध्यर्थं मिषतो वज्रपाणिनः॥
When there was a draught extending for twelve years, disregarding the wielder of thunder, he caused rain to fall for the growth of crops.
तेन सोमकुलोत्पन्नो गान्धाराधिपतिर्महान्। गर्जन्निव महामेघः प्रमथ्य निहतः शरैः॥
The greatly powerful king of Gandhara, born in the Lunar dynasty, was terrible like the roaring clouds. Those that foolishly attacked him with arrows were immediately killed by him.
प्रजाश्चतुर्विधास्तेन त्राता राजन् कृतात्मना। तेनात्मतपसा लोकास्तापिताश्चातितेजसा॥
O king, that intelligent king protected the four orders of the people and by virtue of his asceticism and religious rites the world was kept from harm by that greatly powerful king.
तस्यैतद् देवयजनं स्थानमादित्यवर्चसः। पश्य पुण्यतमे देशे कुरुक्षेत्रस्य मध्यतः॥
This is the place where he, as effulgent as the sun, performed sacrifices to the celestials. Look as it. Yonder it is in the middle of Kurukshetra.
एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं मान्धातुश्चरितं महत्। जन्म चाचयं महीपाल यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि॥
O ruler of earth, I have thus narrated to you all the great history of Mandhata, the manner in which he was born, a birth which was surely wonderful.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तः स कौन्तेयो लोमशेन महर्षिणा। पप्रच्छानन्तरं भूयः सोमकं प्रति भारत॥
Vaishampayana said : O descendant of Bharata, having been thus addressed by the great Rishi Lomasha, the son of Kunti (Yudhishthira) asked other questions about Somaka.