Markandeya Purana

दातव्यं रक्षितव्यं च धर्मज्ञेन महीक्षिता । चापं चोद्यम्य योद्धव्यं धर्मशास्त्रानुसारतः॥७.

A king who knows dharma must give and protect, and, raising his bow, must fight according to the rules of dharma.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच दातव्यं कस्य के रक्ष्याः कैर्योद्धव्यं च ते नृप । क्षिप्रमेतत् समाचक्ष्व यद्यधर्मभयं तव॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: To whom should gifts be given? Whom should be protected? By whom should battles be fought, O king? Quickly tell me this, if you fear unrighteousness.

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच दातव्यं विप्रमुख्येभ्यो ये चान्ये कृशवृत्तयः । रक्ष्या भीताः सदा युद्धं कर्तव्यं परिपन्थिभिः॥७.

Hariścandra said: Gifts should be given to eminent Brahmins and to others who are poor. Those who are afraid must always be protected, and battles must be fought against robbers.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच यदि राजा भवान् सम्यग्राजधर्ममवेक्षते । निर्वेष्टुकामो विप्रोऽहं दीयतामिष्टदक्षिणा॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: If you are a king who rightly observes royal duty, and I, a Brahmin, wish to perform a rite, then let the desired offering be given.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः एतद्राजा वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना । पुनर्जातमिवात्मानं मेने प्राह च कौशिकम्॥७.

The birds said: Hearing these words of the king, with joy in his heart, he felt as if reborn and spoke again to Kauśika.

उच्यतां भगवन् यत्ते दातव्यमविशङ्कितम् । दत्तमित्येव तद्विद्धि यद्यपि स्यात् सुदुर्लभम्॥७.

Speak, O revered one, what you wish to be given, without hesitation. Know that it is already granted, even if it is exceedingly difficult to obtain.

हिरण्यं वा सुवर्णं वा पुत्रः पत्नी कलेवरम् । प्राणा राज्यं पुरं लक्ष्मीर्यदभिप्रेतमात्मनः॥७.

Whether it is gold, or jewels, or my son, wife, body, life, kingdom, city, wealth—whatever is desired by you.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच राजन् प्रतिगृहीतोऽयं यस्ते दत्तः प्रतिग्रहः । प्रयच्छ प्रथमं तावद् दक्षिणां राजसूयिकीम्॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: O king, the offering you have given is accepted. First, grant me the royal sacrificial gift.

; राजोवाच ब्रह्मंस्तामपि दास्यामि दक्षिणां भवतो ह्यहम् । व्रियतां द्विजशार्दूल यस्तवेष्टः प्रतिग्रहः॥७.

The king said: O Brahmin, I will indeed give you that sacrificial gift. Choose, O best of twice-born, whatever offering you desire.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच ससागरां धरामेतां सभूभृद्ग्रामपत्तनाम् । राज्यं च सकलं वीर रथाश्व-गजसङ्कुलम्॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: The earth with its oceans, its rulers, villages, and cities, the entire kingdom, O hero, filled with chariots, horses, and elephants.

कोष्ठागारं च कोषं च यच्चान्यद्विद्यते तव । विना भार्यां च पुत्रं च शरीरं च तवानघ॥७.

The treasury and storehouses, and whatever else belongs to you, except your wife, son, and body, O sinless one.

धर्मं च सर्वधर्मज्ञ यो यान्तमनुगच्छति । बहुना वा किमुक्तेन सर्वमेतत् प्रदीयताम्॥७.

And the virtue, O knower of all dharma, that follows one who departs. Why say more? Let all this be given.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः प्रहृष्टेनैव मनसा सोऽविकारमुखो नृपः । तस्यर्षेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा तथेत्याह कृताञ्जलिः॥७.

The birds said: With a joyful mind and an unchanged face, the king, hearing the sage's words, replied 'so be it,' with joined palms.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच सर्वस्वं यदि मे दत्तं राज्यमुर्वो बलं धनम् । प्रभुत्वं कस्य राजर्षे राज्यस्थे तापसे मयि॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: If you have given me everything—kingdom, land, strength, wealth—who, O royal sage, holds authority when the ascetic is established in the kingdom?

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच यस्मिन्नपि मया काले ब्राह्मन् दत्ता वसुन्धरा । तस्मिन्नपि भवान् स्वामी किमुताद्य महीपतिः॥७.

Hariścandra said: Even when I gave land to a Brahmin at any time, you were its master then; how much more so now, O king?

; विश्वामित्र उवाच यदि राजंस्त्वया दत्ता मम सर्वा वसुन्धरा । यत्र मे विषये स्वाम्यं तस्मान्निष्क्रान्तुमर्हसि॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: If you have given me all the earth, O king, wherever my authority prevails, you must depart from there.

श्रोणीसूत्रादिसकलं मुक्त्वा भूषणसंग्रहम् । तरुवल्कलमाबध्य सह पत्न्या सुतेन च॥७.

Leaving behind all ornaments, including girdles and threads, he donned bark garments, together with his wife and son.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः तथेति चोक्त्वा कृत्वा च राजा गन्तुं प्रचक्रमे । स्वपत्न्या शैव्यया सार्धं बालकेनात्मजेन च॥७.

The birds said: Saying 'so be it' and doing so, the king began to depart, with his wife Śaivya and his young son.

व्रजतः स ततो रुद्ध्वा पन्थानं प्राह तं नृपम् । क्व यास्यसीत्यदत्त्वा मे दक्षिणां राजसूयिकीम्॥७.

As he was leaving, someone blocked his path and said to the king: Where are you going, without giving me the royal sacrificial gift?

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच भगवन् राज्यमेतत् ते दत्तं निहतकण्टकम् । अवशिष्टमिदं ब्रह्मन्नद्य देहत्रयं मम॥७.

Hariścandra said: O revered one, this kingdom has been given to you, cleared of all obstacles. Now, O Brahman, only these three bodies of mine remain.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच तथापि खलु दातव्या त्वया मे यज्ञदक्षिणा । विशेषतो ब्राह्मणानं हन्त्यदत्तं प्रतिश्रुतम्॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: Even so, you must give me the sacrificial gift. Especially, it is promised that the Brahmins are harmed if the gift is not given.

यावत् तोषो राजसूये ब्राह्मणानां तभवेन्नृप । तावदेव तु दातव्या दक्षिणा राजसूयिकी॥७.

As long as the Brahmins are satisfied in the Rājasūya, O king, so long must the royal sacrificial gift be given.

प्रतिश्रुत्य च दातव्यं योद्धव्यं चाततायिभिः । रक्षितव्यास्तथा चार्तास्त्वयैव प्राक् प्रतिश्रुतम्॥७.

Having promised, you must give; you must fight with aggressors; and you must protect the afflicted—this was previously promised by you.

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच भगवन् साम्प्रतं नास्ति दास्ये कालक्रमेण ते । प्रसादं कुरु विप्रर्षे सद्भावमनुचिन्त्य च॥७.

Hariścandra said: O revered one, at present I have nothing; I will give to you in due course. Show your grace, O sage, considering my sincerity.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच किम्प्रमाणो मया कालः प्रतीक्ष्यस्ते जनाधिप । शीघ्रमाचक्ष्व शापाग्निरन्यथा त्वां प्रधक्ष्यति॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: What measure of time should I wait for you, O lord of men? Speak quickly, or the fire of my curse will consume you.

; हरिचन्द्र उवाच मासेन तव विप्रर्षे प्रदास्ये दक्षिणाधनम् । साम्प्रतं नास्ति मे वित्तमनुज्ञां दातुमर्हसि॥७.

Hariścandra said: O sage, I will give you the sacrificial wealth within a month. I have no riches now; you should permit me to give.

; विश्वामित्र उवाच गच्छ गच्छ नृपश्रेष्ठ स्वधर्ममनुपालय । शिवश्च तेऽध्वा भवतु मा सन्तु परिपन्थिनः॥७.

Viśvāmitra said: Go, go, O foremost of kings, uphold your own duty. May your path be auspicious, and may there be no obstacles.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः अनुज्ञातश्च गच्छेति जगाम वसुधाधिपः । पद्भ्यामनुचिता गन्तुमन्वगच्छत तं प्रिया॥७.

The birds said: Permitted to depart, the lord of the earth went; his beloved followed him, walking by foot, though it was not her custom.

तं सभार्यं नृपश्रेष्ठं निर्यान्तं ससुतं पुरात् । दृष्ट्वा प्रचुक्रुशुः पौरा राज्ञश्चैवानुयायिनः॥७.

Seeing the great king leaving the city with his wife and son, the citizens cried out, and the followers of the king also.