Third Skandha · Chapter 14
Sourceजनमेजय उवाच श्रुतो वै हरिणा क्लृप्तो यज्ञो विस्तरतो द्विज । महिमानं तथाम्बाया वद विस्तरतो मम ॥ १ ॥ श्रुत्वा देव्याश्चरित्रं वै कुर्वे मखमनुत्तमम् । प्रसादात्तव विप्रेन्द्र भविष्यामि च पावनः ॥ २ ॥ व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि देव्याश्चरितमुत्तमम् । इतिहासं पुराणञ्च कथयामि सुविस्तरम् ॥ ३ ॥ कोसलेषु नृपश्रेष्ठः सूर्यवंशसमुद्भवः । पुष्यपुत्रो महातेजा ध्रुवसन्धिरिति स्मृतः ॥ ४ ॥ धर्मात्मा सत्यसन्धश्च वर्णाश्रमहिते रतः । अयोध्यायां समृद्धायां राज्यं चक्रे शुचिव्रतः ॥ ५ ॥ ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चान्ये तथा द्विजाः । स्वां स्वां वृत्तिं समास्थाय तद्राज्ये धर्मतोऽभवन् ॥ ६ ॥ न चौराः पिशुना धूर्तास्तस्य राज्ये च कुत्रचित् । दम्भाः कृतघ्ना मूर्खाश्च वसन्ति किल मानवाः ॥ ७ ॥ एवं वै वर्तमानस्य नृपस्य कुरुसत्तम । द्वे पत्न्यौ रूपसम्पन्ने ह्यासतुः कामभोगदे ॥ ८ ॥ मनोरमा धर्मपत्नी सुरूपाऽतिविचक्षणा । लीलावती द्वितीया च साऽपि रूपगुणान्विता ॥ ९ ॥ विजहार सपत्नीभ्यां गृहेषूपवनेषु च । क्रीडागिरौ दीर्घिकासु सौधेषु विविधेषु च ॥ १० ॥ मनोरमा शुभे काले सुषुवे पुत्रमुत्तमम् । सुदर्शनाभिधं पुत्रं राजलक्षणसंयुतम् ॥ ११ ॥ लीलावत्यपि तत्पत्नी मासेनैकेन भामिनी । सुषुवे सुन्दरं पुत्रं शुभे पक्षे दिने तथा ॥ १२ ॥ चकार नृपतिस्तत्र जातकर्मादिकं द्वयोः । ददौ दानानि विप्रेभ्यः पुत्रजन्मप्रमोदितः ॥ १३ ॥ प्रीतिं तयोः समां राजा चकार सुतयोर्नृप । नृपश्चकार सौहार्देष्वन्तरं न कदाचन ॥ १४ ॥ चूडाकर्म तयोश्चक्रे विधिना नृपसत्तमः । यथाविभवमेवासौ प्रीतियुक्तः परन्तपः ॥ १५ ॥ कृतचूडौ सुतौ कामं जह्रतुर्नृपतेर्मनः । क्रीडमानावुभौ कान्तौ लोकानामनुरञ्जकौ ॥ १६ ॥ तयोः सुदर्शनो ज्येष्ठो लीलावत्याः सुतः शुभः । शत्रुजित्संज्ञकः कामं चाटुवाक्यो बभूव ह ॥ १७ ॥ नृपतेः प्रीतिजनको मञ्जुवाक्चारुदर्शनः । प्रजानां वल्लभः सोऽभूत्तथा मन्त्रिजनस्य वै ॥ १८ ॥ तथा तस्मिन्नृपः प्रीतिञ्चकार गुणयोगतः । मन्दभाग्यान्मन्दभावो न तथा वै सुदर्शने ॥ १९ ॥ एवं गच्छति काले तु ध्रुवसन्धिर्नृपोत्तमः । जगाम वनमध्येऽसौ मृगयाभिरतः सदा ॥ २० ॥ निघ्नन्मृगान् रुरून्कम्बून्सूकरान्गवयाञ्छशान् । महिषाञ्छरभान्खड्गांश्चिक्रीड नृपतिर्वने ॥ २१ ॥ क्रीडमाने नृपे तत्र वने घोरेऽतिदारुणे । उदतिष्ठन्निकुञ्जात्तु सिंहः परमकोपनः ॥ २२ ॥ राज्ञा शिलीमुखेनादौ विद्धः क्रोधवशं गतः । दृष्ट्वाग्रे नृपतिं सिंहो ननाद मेघनिःस्वनः ॥ २३ ॥ कृत्वा चोर्ध्वं स लाङ्गूलं प्रसारितबृहत्सटः । हन्तुं नृपतिमाकाशादुत्पपातातिकोपनः ॥ २४ ॥ नृपतिस्तरसा वीक्ष्य दधारासिं करे तदा । वामे चर्म समादाय स्थितः सिंह इवापरः ॥ २५ ॥ सेवकास्तस्य ये सर्वे तेऽपि बाणान्पृथक्पृथक् । अमुञ्चन्कुपिताः कामं सिंहोपरि रुषान्विताः ॥ २६ ॥ हाहाकारो महानासीत्सम्प्रहारश्च दारुणः । उत्पपात ततः सिंहो नृपस्योपरि दारुणः ॥ २७ ॥ तं पतन्तं समालोक्य खड्गेनाभ्यहनन्नृपः । सोऽपि क्रूरैर्नखाग्रैश्च तत्रागत्य विदारितः ॥ २८ ॥ स नखैराहतो राजा पपात च ममार वै । चुक्रुशुः सैनिकास्ते तु निर्जघ्नुर्विशिखैस्तदा ॥ २९ ॥ मृतः सिंहोऽपि तत्रैव भूपतिश्च तथा मृतः । सैनिकैर्मन्त्रिमुख्याश्च तत्रागत्य निवेदिताः ॥ ३० ॥ परलोकगतं भूपं श्रुत्वा ते मन्त्रिसत्तमाः । संस्कारं कारयामासुर्गत्वा तत्र वनान्तिके ॥ ३१ ॥ परलोकक्रियां सर्वां वसिष्ठो विधिपूर्वकम् । कारयामास तत्रैव परलोकसुखावहम् ॥ ३२ ॥ प्रजाः प्रकृतयश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च महामुनिः । सुदर्शनं नृपं कर्तुं मन्त्रं चक्रुः परस्परम् ॥ ३३ ॥ धर्मपत्नीसुतः शान्तः पुरुषश्च सुलक्षणः । अयं नृपासनार्हश्च ह्यब्रुवन्मन्त्रिसत्तमाः ॥ ३४ ॥ वसिष्ठोऽपि तथैवाह योग्योऽयं नृपतेः सुतः । बालोऽपि धर्मवान् राजा नृपासनमिहार्हति ॥ ३५ ॥ कृते मन्त्रे मन्त्रिवृद्धैर्युधाजिन्नाम पार्थिवः । तत्राजगाम तरसा श्रुत्वा तूज्जयिनीपतिः ॥ ३६ ॥ मृतं जामातरं श्रुत्वा लीलावत्याः पिता तदा । तत्राजगाम त्वरितो दौहित्रप्रियकाम्यया ॥ ३७ ॥ वीरसेनस्तथाऽऽयातः सुदर्शनहितेच्छया । कलिङ्गाधिपतिश्चैव मनोरमापिता नृपः ॥ ३८ ॥ उभौ तौ सैन्यसंयुक्तौ नृपौ साध्वससंस्थितौ । चक्रतुर्मन्त्रिमुख्यैस्तैर्मन्त्रं राज्यस्य कारणात् ॥ ३९ ॥ युधाजित्तु तदाऽपृच्छज्ज्येष्ठः कः सुततोर्द्वयोः । राज्यं प्राप्नोति ज्येष्ठो वै न कनीयान्कदाचन ॥ ४० ॥ वीरसेनोऽपि तत्राह धर्मपत्नीसुतः किल । राज्यार्हः स यथा राजन् शास्त्रज्ञेभ्यो मया श्रुतम् ॥ ४१ ॥ युधाजित्पुनराहेदं ज्येष्ठोऽयं च यथा गुणैः । राजलक्षणसंयुक्तो न तथायं सुदर्शनः ॥ ४२ ॥ विवादोऽत्र सुसम्पन्नो नृपयोस्तत्र लुब्धयोः । कः सन्देहमपाकर्तुं क्षमः स्यादतिसङ्कटे ॥ ४३ ॥ युधाजिन्मन्त्रिणः प्राह यूयं स्वार्थपराः किल । सुदर्शनं नृपं कृत्वा धनं भोक्तुं किलेच्छथ ॥ ४४ ॥ युष्माकं तु विचारोऽयं मया ज्ञातस्तथेङ्गितैः । शत्रुजित्सबलस्तस्मात्सम्मतो वो नृपासने ॥ ४५ ॥ मयि जीवति कः कुर्यात्कनीयांसं नृपं किल । त्यक्त्वा ज्येष्ठं गुणार्हञ्च सेनया च समन्वितम् ॥ ४६ ॥ नूनं युद्धं करिष्यामि तस्मिन्खड्गस्य मेदिनी । धारया च द्विधा भूयाद्युष्माकं तत्र का कथा ॥ ४७ ॥ वीरसेनस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा युधाजितमभाषत । बालौ द्वौ सदृशप्रज्ञौ को भेदोऽत्र विचक्षण ॥ ४८ ॥ एवं विवदमानौ तौ संस्थितौ नृपती तदा । प्रजाश्च ऋषयश्चैव बभूवुर्व्यग्रमानसाः ॥ ४९ ॥ समाजग्मुश्च सामन्ताः ससैन्याः क्लेशतत्पराः । विग्रहञ्चाभिकाङ्क्षन्तः परस्परमतन्द्रिताः ॥ ५० ॥ निषादा ह्याययुस्तत्र शृङ्गवेरपुराश्रयाः । राजद्रव्यमपाहर्तुं मृतं श्रुत्वा महीपतिम् ॥ ५१ ॥ पुत्रौ च बालकौ श्रुत्वा विग्रहं च परस्परम् । चौरास्तत्र समाजग्मुर्देशदेशान्तरादपि ॥ ५२ ॥ सम्मर्दस्तत्र सञ्जातः कलहे समुपस्थिते । युधाजिद्वीरसेनश्च युद्धकामौ बभूवतुः ॥ ५३ ॥
janamejaya uvāca śruto vai hariṇā klṛpto yajño vistarato dvija | mahimānaṃ tathāmbāyā vada vistarato mama || 1 || śrutvā devyāścaritraṃ vai kurve makhamanuttamam | prasādāttava viprendra bhaviṣyāmi ca pāvanaḥ || 2 || vyāsa uvāca śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi devyāścaritamuttamam | itihāsaṃ purāṇañca kathayāmi suvistaram || 3 || kosaleṣu nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ sūryavaṃśasamudbhavaḥ | puṣyaputro mahātejā dhruvasandhiriti smṛtaḥ || 4 || dharmātmā satyasandhaśca varṇāśramahite rataḥ | ayodhyāyāṃ samṛddhāyāṃ rājyaṃ cakre śucivrataḥ || 5 || brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāścānye tathā dvijāḥ | svāṃ svāṃ vṛttiṃ samāsthāya tadrājye dharmato'bhavan || 6 || na caurāḥ piśunā dhūrtāstasya rājye ca kutracit | dambhāḥ kṛtaghnā mūrkhāśca vasanti kila mānavāḥ || 7 || evaṃ vai vartamānasya nṛpasya kurusattama | dve patnyau rūpasampanne hyāsatuḥ kāmabhogade || 8 || manoramā dharmapatnī surūpā'tivicakṣaṇā | līlāvatī dvitīyā ca sā'pi rūpaguṇānvitā || 9 || vijahāra sapatnībhyāṃ gṛheṣūpavaneṣu ca | krīḍāgirau dīrghikāsu saudheṣu vividheṣu ca || 10 || manoramā śubhe kāle suṣuve putramuttamam | sudarśanābhidhaṃ putraṃ rājalakṣaṇasaṃyutam || 11 || līlāvatyapi tatpatnī māsenaikena bhāminī | suṣuve sundaraṃ putraṃ śubhe pakṣe dine tathā || 12 || cakāra nṛpatistatra jātakarmādikaṃ dvayoḥ | dadau dānāni viprebhyaḥ putrajanmapramoditaḥ || 13 || prītiṃ tayoḥ samāṃ rājā cakāra sutayornṛpa | nṛpaścakāra sauhārdeṣvantaraṃ na kadācana || 14 || cūḍākarma tayoścakre vidhinā nṛpasattamaḥ | yathāvibhavamevāsau prītiyuktaḥ parantapaḥ || 15 || kṛtacūḍau sutau kāmaṃ jahraturnṛpatermanaḥ | krīḍamānāvubhau kāntau lokānāmanurañjakau || 16 || tayoḥ sudarśano jyeṣṭho līlāvatyāḥ sutaḥ śubhaḥ | śatrujitsaṃjñakaḥ kāmaṃ cāṭuvākyo babhūva ha || 17 || nṛpateḥ prītijanako mañjuvākcārudarśanaḥ | prajānāṃ vallabhaḥ so'bhūttathā mantrijanasya vai || 18 || tathā tasminnṛpaḥ prītiñcakāra guṇayogataḥ | mandabhāgyānmandabhāvo na tathā vai sudarśane || 19 || evaṃ gacchati kāle tu dhruvasandhirnṛpottamaḥ | jagāma vanamadhye'sau mṛgayābhirataḥ sadā || 20 || nighnanmṛgān rurūnkambūnsūkarāngavayāñchaśān | mahiṣāñcharabhānkhaḍgāṃścikrīḍa nṛpatirvane || 21 || krīḍamāne nṛpe tatra vane ghore'tidāruṇe | udatiṣṭhannikuñjāttu siṃhaḥ paramakopanaḥ || 22 || rājñā śilīmukhenādau viddhaḥ krodhavaśaṃ gataḥ | dṛṣṭvāgre nṛpatiṃ siṃho nanāda meghaniḥsvanaḥ || 23 || kṛtvā cordhvaṃ sa lāṅgūlaṃ prasāritabṛhatsaṭaḥ | hantuṃ nṛpatimākāśādutpapātātikopanaḥ || 24 || nṛpatistarasā vīkṣya dadhārāsiṃ kare tadā | vāme carma samādāya sthitaḥ siṃha ivāparaḥ || 25 || sevakāstasya ye sarve te'pi bāṇānpṛthakpṛthak | amuñcankupitāḥ kāmaṃ siṃhopari ruṣānvitāḥ || 26 || hāhākāro mahānāsītsamprahāraśca dāruṇaḥ | utpapāta tataḥ siṃho nṛpasyopari dāruṇaḥ || 27 || taṃ patantaṃ samālokya khaḍgenābhyahanannṛpaḥ | so'pi krūrairnakhāgraiśca tatrāgatya vidāritaḥ || 28 || sa nakhairāhato rājā papāta ca mamāra vai | cukruśuḥ sainikāste tu nirjaghnurviśikhaistadā || 29 || mṛtaḥ siṃho'pi tatraiva bhūpatiśca tathā mṛtaḥ | sainikairmantrimukhyāśca tatrāgatya niveditāḥ || 30 || paralokagataṃ bhūpaṃ śrutvā te mantrisattamāḥ | saṃskāraṃ kārayāmāsurgatvā tatra vanāntike || 31 || paralokakriyāṃ sarvāṃ vasiṣṭho vidhipūrvakam | kārayāmāsa tatraiva paralokasukhāvaham || 32 || prajāḥ prakṛtayaścaiva vasiṣṭhaśca mahāmuniḥ | sudarśanaṃ nṛpaṃ kartuṃ mantraṃ cakruḥ parasparam || 33 || dharmapatnīsutaḥ śāntaḥ puruṣaśca sulakṣaṇaḥ | ayaṃ nṛpāsanārhaśca hyabruvanmantrisattamāḥ || 34 || vasiṣṭho'pi tathaivāha yogyo'yaṃ nṛpateḥ sutaḥ | bālo'pi dharmavān rājā nṛpāsanamihārhati || 35 || kṛte mantre mantrivṛddhairyudhājinnāma pārthivaḥ | tatrājagāma tarasā śrutvā tūjjayinīpatiḥ || 36 || mṛtaṃ jāmātaraṃ śrutvā līlāvatyāḥ pitā tadā | tatrājagāma tvarito dauhitrapriyakāmyayā || 37 || vīrasenastathā''yātaḥ sudarśanahitecchayā | kaliṅgādhipatiścaiva manoramāpitā nṛpaḥ || 38 || ubhau tau sainyasaṃyuktau nṛpau sādhvasasaṃsthitau | cakraturmantrimukhyaistairmantraṃ rājyasya kāraṇāt || 39 || yudhājittu tadā'pṛcchajjyeṣṭhaḥ kaḥ sutatordvayoḥ | rājyaṃ prāpnoti jyeṣṭho vai na kanīyānkadācana || 40 || vīraseno'pi tatrāha dharmapatnīsutaḥ kila | rājyārhaḥ sa yathā rājan śāstrajñebhyo mayā śrutam || 41 || yudhājitpunarāhedaṃ jyeṣṭho'yaṃ ca yathā guṇaiḥ | rājalakṣaṇasaṃyukto na tathāyaṃ sudarśanaḥ || 42 || vivādo'tra susampanno nṛpayostatra lubdhayoḥ | kaḥ sandehamapākartuṃ kṣamaḥ syādatisaṅkaṭe || 43 || yudhājinmantriṇaḥ prāha yūyaṃ svārthaparāḥ kila | sudarśanaṃ nṛpaṃ kṛtvā dhanaṃ bhoktuṃ kilecchatha || 44 || yuṣmākaṃ tu vicāro'yaṃ mayā jñātastatheṅgitaiḥ | śatrujitsabalastasmātsammato vo nṛpāsane || 45 || mayi jīvati kaḥ kuryātkanīyāṃsaṃ nṛpaṃ kila | tyaktvā jyeṣṭhaṃ guṇārhañca senayā ca samanvitam || 46 || nūnaṃ yuddhaṃ kariṣyāmi tasminkhaḍgasya medinī | dhārayā ca dvidhā bhūyādyuṣmākaṃ tatra kā kathā || 47 || vīrasenastu tacchrutvā yudhājitamabhāṣata | bālau dvau sadṛśaprajñau ko bhedo'tra vicakṣaṇa || 48 || evaṃ vivadamānau tau saṃsthitau nṛpatī tadā | prajāśca ṛṣayaścaiva babhūvurvyagramānasāḥ || 49 || samājagmuśca sāmantāḥ sasainyāḥ kleśatatparāḥ | vigrahañcābhikāṅkṣantaḥ parasparamatandritāḥ || 50 || niṣādā hyāyayustatra śṛṅgaverapurāśrayāḥ | rājadravyamapāhartuṃ mṛtaṃ śrutvā mahīpatim || 51 || putrau ca bālakau śrutvā vigrahaṃ ca parasparam | caurāstatra samājagmurdeśadeśāntarādapi || 52 || sammardastatra sañjātaḥ kalahe samupasthite | yudhājidvīrasenaśca yuddhakāmau babhūvatuḥ || 53 ||
English translation
1-2. Janamejaya spoke O Dvija! I have heard in detail the Devi Yajha, performed by S’ri Visnu. Now describe Her Glory and glorious deeds. After hearing these, the Devi’s glorious deeds, I will also perform that, the best of all sacrifices. Thereby I will no doubt be pure through your favour.
3. Vyasa said O king! Hear, I am describing to you the history of the most auspicious mighty deeds of the Devi, according to the Puranas.
4-5. In days of yore, there reigned in the country of Kosala, the king Dhruvasandhi of the Solar Dynasty. He was the son of Puspa and celebrated on account of his great prowess. He was truthful, religious, engaged in doing good to his subjects, obeying the laws of the four castes and As’ramas. He being pure, performed his regal duties in the flourishing city of Ayodhya.
6. The Brahmanas, Ksattriyas, Vais'yas, and S’udras and other good persons all lived religiously under his rule, each abiding by his own profession.
7. No thieves, cheats, cunning persons, vain and arrogant persons, treacherous and illiterate men were allowed to remain in his kingdom.
8. O host of Kurus! Thus ruling virtuously, the king had two wives, both of them young, fair and beautiful and well able to give delights and enjoyments to the king.
9. The first and lovely wife was Manorama, and the second was Lilavati. Both of them were exceedingly handsome, intelligent and qualified.
10. The king enjoyed much with them in palaces, gardens, romantic hills, lakes, and various beautiful mansions.
11. In the auspicious moment, Manorama gave birth to a beautiful child, endowed with all royal qualifications. The child was named, in due course, Sudars’ana.
12. Next within one month, his second wife the fair Lilavati in the auspicious fortnight and in the auspicious day, gave birth to an excellent child.
13. The King then performed the Jata-Karma (ceremonies on the birth of a child) and being very glad, made lots of presents, wealth, etc., to the Brahmanas.
14. The King shewed affection equally to the two children; never he made any distinction between them.
15. The king, the tormenter of the foes, was very glad and performed duly the chuda karana ceremony according to his position and
wealth.
16. The sight of these two sons delighted very much the people. Now seeing these Kritachudas, and playing, the king was merged in the ocean of pleasure.
17-18. Sudars'ana was the eldest; but Satrujit, the second beautiful son by Lilavati was of sweet and persuasive speech. His beautiful figure and sweet words gave very much delight to the king, and for these qualities, the child Satrujit turned out also a favourite of the people and ministers.
19. The king could not show so much affection to the unfortunate Sudars’ana as he showed to Satrujit.
20-21. Thus some days having passed, one day the king Dhruvasandhi went out on an hunting expedition to the forest. He killed in the forest many deer, Ruru (a kind of deer), elephants, boar, hare, buffaloes, rhinoceros, camels and amused himself very much with this hunting affair.
22-23. While he was hunting thus, a lion got very much enraged, and, from a bush, suddenly jumped and came upon the king. That king of the beasts was already struck with arrows; now seeing the king in front, he loudly roared.
24-25. He angrily lifted his long tail high up in the air and, puffing up his manes, jumped up high in the air to attack and to take the life of the king. Seeing this, instantly the king took sword in his right hand
and shield in his left and stationed himself like another lion before him.
26. The king's followers, one and all, angrily shot arrows on the lion.
27. Then a loud uproar ensued; and all began to hurl arrows as best as they could. But, after all, that dangerous lion fell upon the king.
28-29. Seeing thus, the king struck him with his sword, but the lion also tore asunder the king, with his sharp nails. The king thus struck by the lion, fell on the spot and died. The soldiers cried aloud and killed the lion with arrows.
30. Thus both the king and lion lay dead on the spot; and the soldiers turned back to the palace and gave all the informations to the royal ministers.
31. When the munis heard the demise of the king, they went to the forest, performed the burning of the dead body of the king.
32. The Maharsi Vas’istha performed duly on the same spot, all the funeral ceremonies, thus ensuring the king the safe journey to the next world.
33. All the subjects and the citizens and the Muni Vas’istha counselled each other to install Sudars’ana on the throne as the king.
34-35. The minister-in-chief as well as the other members proposed that as Sudars’ana is the son of the legal wife, calm and quiet, beautiful and endowed with all the royal qualifications, he is fit for the throne. Maharsi Vas’istha said, the royal son, though not attained to proper age is still religious; therefore he is really fit be installed as king on the royal throne.
36. When the wise aged ministers thus decided, Yudhajit, the king of Ujjain, on hearing the decision hastened to the spot.
37. He was the father of Lilavati; on hearing the demise of his son- in-law he came there, so that his daughter’s son might get the kingdom.
38. Next, Virasena, the king of the country of Kalinga and the father of Manorama, came there also with the object that his daughter’s son Sudars’ana be the Emperor.
39. The two kings, accompanied respectively by their own army and soldiers, began to counsel with the aged ministers, each trying so that his daughter’s son may get the throne.
40. Yudhajit made the question “Who is the eldest of the two sons? Is it always the case that the eldest will inherit the kingdom? Will not the youngest ever be able to acquire it?”
41. Virasena said O king! He who is the son of the legal wife inherits the kingdom; this I have heard from the learned who are proficient in the knowledge of the S’astras.
42. Hearing Virasena, Yudhajit repeated “Sudars’ana is not so qualified with royal qualifications and other matters as this son of the late king, Satrujit. How can then Sudars’ana inherit the throne?”
43. O King! Then quarrels ensued amongst the two kings. Now, at this critical juncture, who is able to solve their doubts?
44. Yudhajit then addressed the ministers “You all are prompted by selfish ends; you want to acquire a good deal of money by making Sudars’ana the king.
45-46. I have come to know by your gestures and postures that your decision is to the above affect. After all, as Satrujit possesses many more qualifications than Sudars’ana, he has more claims to the throne; and therefore he is fit to occupy the throne and no other. Morever, let me see as long as I live who can set aside the claims of a qualified prince, in possession of an army, and put forward the claims of a prince who has no qualifications it all.
47. I am ready to fight and I will tear the earth into two pieces by my sword. What more have you to say on this?”
48. Hearing this, Virasena addressed Yudhajit “I see the two boy’s intelligence the same. You are intelligent; kindly mention where is the difference?”
49. O king! The two kings quarrelling with each other, remained there; the subjects and the Risis, seeing this, were very anxious.
50. Hundreds of tributary princes wanting that the two kings might be involved into quarrels with each other, came to the spot, with their soldiers, though they had to undergo great hardships in doing so.
51. Many aborigines, from the inhabitants of Sringaverpur, hearing the demise of the late king, also appeared on the scene with the sole object to plunder.
52. The two princes are minors; and hearing their parties at war with each other, many robbers from various adjoining countries came also there.
53. Thus when the war broke out between the two kings, the great confusion and tumult across within the kingdoms; on the other hand, Yudhajit and Virasena both became ready to fight.
Thus ends the Fourteenth Chapter on the narration of the glories of the Devi and the death of the Kosala king Dhruva Sandhi in the 3rd Adhayaya of S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24739, revision 75592 (2016-08-03T11:57:04Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk03ch14.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.