Chapter 8 - Conditions During Jālandhara’s Rule

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

1. O Nārada, tell me what Jālandhara, the Ocean’s son, did after having made the gods flee in the battle, and after having put Viṣṇu in his own abode.

Nārada said:

2-8a. Having given gifts due to being pleased to the heroes like Śumbha, Jālandhara went to heaven, and having reached it saw that the trees constantly bore fruits by decorating men everyday with the shower of gold. It is the fruit of the horse-sacrifice. Those noble ones who give an elephant, a garment, gold, a cow, a girl (in marriage), sesamum-seeds, flowers, camphor, tāmbūla, musk and saffron, see Amarāvatī. (They see Amarāvatī) by giving a house (i.e. a shelter) in the rainy season, fire (i.e. warmth) in the cold season. They play upon all the musical instruments in Śiva’s temple. Those who put up stalls where water is distributed to travellers in Caitra (see Amarāvatī). In that city the swings with couches swing on their own. There sārikās, parrots, swans, wandering bees and cuckoos act as messengers and bring about the union with the dear.

8b-12. There are, O Rāma, (the celestial nymphs like) Rambhā, Menakā, Tilottamā, Suṣamā, Sundarī, Ghṛtācī, Pañjikasthalī, Sukeśī, Sumukhī, Rāmā, Mañjughoṣā and Mālinī; (so also) Mṛgodbhavā, Sukhadā, Dhanadaṃṣṭrā, Tilaprabhā, that cause (men) to receive the fruits of the Aśvamedha sacrifices, and give the fruits of the Rājasūya sacrifices. The celestial nymphs that were sinless, sported there in crores. The son of the Ocean established the demon Śumbha, (dear to him) like his own life in the heaven like this. Having come (back) from the heaven, and having consecrated Niśumbha as the heir-apparent, Jālandhara, due to his own might ruled for a couple of arbuda years (i.e. for two hundred million years).

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

13-14. He fought with the gods in the battle with them. He was not defeated by the gods. What did the brave son of the Ocean do after that? Tell all that in detail to me who desire to listen to it.

Nārada said:

15-17. O king, listen properly to what the Ocean’s son did: Having conquered the gods in the battle, he ruled without any trouble. Gandharvas like Citrasena waited upon the lord of the demons. The lord of the demons also enjoyed the shares in the sacrificial offerings. The mighty one snatched away all the wealth and also other (objects) after having vanquished (the gods).

18-26. O king, when the Ocean’s son was ruling over the earth, no human being died, and nobody would go to hell. There was no other waste than (in) enjoyment. There was no unfortunate barren woman. There no ugly, distressed, wicked or notorious woman was seen. There was no widow, nor was there a poor man. Everywhere there were donors and no recipients. Meritorious persons gave their wealth to brāhmaṇas. In every house the women were endowed with beauty and youth. There were cow’s milk, curd, and ghee. Men there were without old age. All were happy, there was nowhere bondage by means of fetters. Killing was not done by an arrow. Nobody harassed anybody else. Debt was not seen (to be incurred); O king, everywhere there were rich people. O king, the subjects were contented, and rich with all crops. In the houses of men there was the milky juice which was taken out from plantains and sugarcanes and which was very sweet. A man listened to the beneficial words of a woman and a man. There was no one who robbed (people) passing along the way. The streams fall continuously from the sky, so they get mixed with Karmāra(?) ghee and with sugar and are heard to have fallen into the people’s mouths just by recollecting the Ocean’s son.