Chapter 49 - Conquest of the World by Sagara

Jaimini said:

1. “Then taking permission of Vasiṣṭha, the excellent sage, Sagara accompanied by a great army, marched against the Vidarbhas.

2. Then with great pleasure the king of the Vidarbhas offered to him his daughter whose name was Keśinī. She was unparalleled in beauty etc., and therefore was suitable to him in every respect.

3. In an auspicious hour, that ruler of the earth, a tiger among kings duly took the hand of Keśinī, in marriage, with the fire god as witness.

4. Honoured extremely well by the king of Vidarbhas, he stayed in his palace for a few days and taking leave of him, he set off from that place.

5. (He set off from that place) on being permitted by him. Then he was welcomed by the Pāribarhas. Coming out of their city, the king approached the Śūrasenas.

6. Then he was honoured by the Yādavas, his maternal uncles. After being propitiated by them with plenty of wealth, he started from Madhurā (Pkt. form of Mathurā).

7. Thus by conquering the whole of the earth he made all the kings his vassals (literally, “moving at his hint”) paying revenues and tributes.

8. Thereafter, he permitted the kings to go back to their kingdoms along with their armies. The king then allowed his followers to return.

9. Accompanied by a great army and his royal retinue and camp-followers, he reached his kingdom slowly without afflicting the realms in between.

10. He was honoured by the people of the villages and outlying districts with many gifts and presents. Then, he quickly reached Ayodhyā.

11. On coming to know about his arrival, the citizens became enthusiastic over the great festivities and therefore adorned the city.

12-16. The entire city prepared itself for a great festival. The surface of the ground was sprinkled with water and swept clean. It had hundreds of pots filled with water (signifying auspiciousness). Hundreds of tall flagstaffs were raised. The city was decorated with banners and emblems, fumes of agallochum spread everywhere. The city became bright and resplendent with many flowers of different colours. It was embellished with gem-studded ornamental gateways, lofty town-gates, tall minarets and palaces. Its highways were beautified by means of showers of flowers and fried rice. Every house in the city was prepared for the great festivity. The city had rows of houses where all the deities presiding over the sites of buildings had been worshipped. It was rendered beautiful all round by the delighted citizens and villagers eager to see the king who had conquered all the quarters.

17-20. Then the ministers, counsellors as well as the residents of the harem came there, surrounded by groups of courtezans and ladies of the city. All the citizens assembled there. The king met them and receive d honour, welcome and blessings from them. There were a lot of deafening cheers of ‘Victory’ reverberating in all the quarters. The sweet sounds of different kinds of musical instruments got mixed with them. The king loudly greeted them. Accompanied by those joyous people and delighting his subjects, he entered the excellent city.

21-24. He was greeted and lovingly honoured by the Brāhmaṇas through sweet chants of the Vedic Mantras. He was warmly and highly eulogised by heralds, bards and panegyrists.

The residents of the outlying districts and countries uttered cries of Victory all round. The songsters and musicians began singing to the accompaniment of the sweet notes of the Viṇās (lutes) and Veṇus (flutes) as well as the sound produced by beating the time. The harlots followed him dancing. A graceful white umbrella was spread over him. Showers of fried rice and flowers greeted him allround. Thus he entered the city of Ayodhyā like Indra entering his city.

25. Through a path that was Dṛṣṭipūta (i.e. protected from impurity by sight by disallowing people of wicked vision and keeping it spotlessly clean), that was rendered fragrant through scents and that was traversed first by the Brāhmaṇas, he walked upto a magnificently decorated mansion in the middle of the city.

26. Accompanied by both of his wives, he got down from the vehicle and joyously entered the house of his mother, where the people were delighted and well nourished.

27. With humility, he approached his mother who was seated in a couch. Touching her feet with his head, he made obeisance to her.

28. After congratulating him with blessings in words choked with delight, she got up with great excitement and embraced her son.

29. With great pleasure, she blessed and congratulated both the daughters-in-law. The king honoured her with many a narrative and stayed there for a long time.

30-32. Then, after being permitted by her, he set out from her abode. Thereafter, accompanied by his followers, and fanned with white chowries, the glorious king slowly entered the assembly-hall like the king of the Suras. After entering the highly splendid assembly-hall resorted to by many kings, he bowed down to all elderly persons. He was blessed by them. Then the lord of men sat on a magnificent and splendid throne.

33-34a. He was attended upon by his vassal kings, the rulers of the various outlying territories. Recounting various tales the excellent king stayed there delightedly along with his kinsmen.

34b-35a. By conquering the territories of the various quarters, he kept up his vow. Thereupon, the liberal-minded king duly maintained the three Arthas (the three aims of worldly life viz. wealth, love and righteousness).

35b-38a. He conquered his enemies by means of his own prowess. He became the overlord of all the quarters. Like Viṣṇu, he ruled over the earth under his single Royal umbrella. He fulfilled duly the vow that he had made on being infuriated by the discomfiture of his deceased father. After vanquishing all his enemies, he protected the earth consisting of seven continents, seven oceans, many cities and villages and rows and rows of houses.

38b-39a. As time passed on thus, Vasiṣṭha, the lordly sage came there desirous of seeing the king once again.

39b-40a. On seeing the excellent sage come, the king got up excited. Accompanied by those vassal kings and with the materials of worship in his hands, he greeted the sage.

40b-41a. The highly intelligent king, fully endued with devotion to his preceptor, worshipped the sage duly with articles of worship, water for washing feet (Arghya, Pādya) and other things and bowed down to him.

41b-44a. After blessing Sagara, Vasiṣṭha said—“Be seated”. The king sat in his excellent golden seat along with all those vassal kings and his wives, after being permitted by the sage. Āpava Vasiṣṭha slowly uttered these gentle words to the excellent king who seated near him, even as the other kings were listening.

Vasiṣṭha said:

44b-49a.—“O king, I hope that your kingdom is well-secured internally and externally; that your ministers and groups of counsellors and the people in the entire kingdom are quite well. Fortunately all the enemies along with their entire armies and vehicles have been conquered by you without much effort, in your battles. Having taken a pledge but respecting my words, you made the enemies cast off their old rites and let them go alive. I heard that after defeating them you went, along with your vehicles and armies with a desire for the conquest of the quarters, in order to vanquish others. Having heard now that you have once again conquered the quarters and come back to the city, O excellent king, I have now come to see you out of love.”

Jaimini said:

49b-50a. On being told thus by Vasiṣṭha, Sagara, the conqueror of Tālajaṅgha, replied to the great sage with palms joined in reverence.

Sagara said:

50b-56a. “Indeed we are quite well in every respect, O great sage. There is no doubt about it. All the deities are always favourable to us, O sage. How can miseries and calamities befall me since your holiness always mentally wishes for my welfare.

I have been blessed by your holiness. I have been made delighted with all my task fulfilled since, O preceptor, you yourself have come here to see me. Since you have mentioned my conquest over the enemies and similar things, let me say that it has been carried out entirely due to your blessings.

I think that everything is obtained by the kings due to your favour. Otherwise, what power do I have to kill enemies of such types.

Even my little effort and endeavour is rendered big by you.

Even a small quantity of fruits gives pleasure to the person who planted the tree.”

Jaimini said:

56b-57a. Honoured thus very well by Sagara, Vaṣiṣṭha, the great sage, took leave of him once again and went to his hermitage.

57b-58a. After Vasiṣṭha, had gone back, king Sagara, lived in Ayodhyā with great delight in his mind and ruled over the entire world.

58b-59a. He had two wives endowed with beauty, nice behaviour and good qualities. With them he enjoyed worldly pleasures conducive to his happiness, in a manner befitting his desire.

59b-61a. The two wives named Sumati and Keśinī were equally beautiful with blooming lotus-like faces. They were endowed with beauty, liberal-mindedness and various other good qualities. Their breasts were plump and round. They had bluish curly tresses and they were adorned with all types of ornaments. They were richly endowed with all good characteristic features. They were in their prime of youth. They were very dear to him. They were always near him. They were always engaged in what is pleasing to him and what is conducive to his welfare.

61b-64a. They always captivated his mind by means of their good conduct and graceful activities.

Delighted in his mind as the administration reached the pinnacle of perfection, the king sported with them as he desired and lived in the city.

The appellation ‘Rājā’ (one who delights and pleases) did not suit other kings based on their qualities but it fitted well with the noble-minded Sagara.

64b-66. Even a small quantity of Dharma becomes large, but to that king wealth and love did not become large in that manner (?). He was not greedy in his mind. Hence, he enjoyed wealth without affecting Dharma adversely. For the same purpose, O leading king, he enjoyed love without affecting the other two (i.e. wealth and Dharma).