Canto 4 - The two brothers Vastupala and Tejapala

[Full title: English translation of the Vasantavilasa, Canto 4: The two brothers Vastupala and Tejapala]

[In the fourth Canto there is a praise of the merits and abilities of the two brothers, Vastupala and Tejapala. Vastupala was appointed by Viradhavala as the Governor of Stambhatirtha (modern Cambay), which he governed were efficiently } Both Vastupala and Tejapala were well versed in the political science laid down by Brhaspati, the preceptor of Gods and Sukracarya the preceptor of demons. Hence having obtained them King Viradhavala began to prosper. They were the ornaments of Caulukya King Viradhavala, like Indra and Visnu in the heaven and the Sun and the Moon in the sky. They shone in the kingdom due to their hands engaged in pulling down the enemies, the ears engrossed in wide learning through listening and the eyes being far-sighted. These two Ministers shone like the well-suited car-ornaments of the Goddess of kingdom. 78 Vastupala and Tejapala possessed the love and affection of Rama and Laksmana, the political wisdom of Brhaspati and Sukra,, and the brilliant 1 ustre of the Sun and the Moon.79 Like Rama and Laksmana they unitedly upheld justice, loved righteousness and possessed valour.80

163 81 Tejapala was quite lustrous and thus his name was completely meaningful. He was to Vastupala like Laksmana to Rama, only difference being Laksmana became a victim to Sakti-missile whereas Tejapala did not. Vastupala shining before the King was like Garuda shining before Visnu. And Tejapala was like Aruna, the younger brother of Garuda, only difference being, Tejapala was Sadacarana-ramya or charming due to good conduct whereas Aruna is known to be lame. Hence how can there be any comparison between the two ?82 Similarly, he cannot be compared with neither the Sun nor the Moon. Because the Sun's Karas or rays are Kathora or harsh to bear where his Karas or taxes were akathora or not harsh to pay. The Moon has a black spot, whereas he does not have any black spot. So also he is not comparable to Sandal-wood tree; because the tree gives shelter to double-tounged serpents, whereas he is never a resort of double-tounged wicked persons. Moreover, he can not be compared to the Ganges swollen with floods. Because, the swollen Ganges uproots only soft trees whereas he destroys very hard enemies. Further, he can not be comparable to the cloud because the cloud with its arrival brings darkness, whereas he brings light and prosperity. Neither can he be compared to the ocean; because the ocean is always by nature unsteady whereas he is always steady and firm. 83 Now, there is a city named Stambhatirtha which was previously enjoyed by Lata-King, which is an ornament of this world and which is superior to Amaravati, the city of Indra. It is served by the nearby sea in which a river

164 merges. It can be compared to the Goddess of earth producing many children, as it gives rise to many boats playing in the river. There arrived ships from many islands fitted with machines, which made the city prosperous; hence, the ships appeared as the sporting-hills of the Goddess of wealth. 84 Once King Viradhavala captured it after fighting a battle as Rama had conquered Lanka. As per the instructions of Viradhavala, Vastupala administered Stambhtirtha for a long period. 85 Kings of different islands brought elephants and horses as gifts to him. It is said that the ocean gifted only one elephant and one horse to Indra, but it brought hundreds of them to Vastupala. The sword held by him in his hand bristling with the lustre of the rays of his finger-nails brought him much fame. Nobody defied his order which was a like a serpent killing anybody stepping over it.86 Vastupala played the roles of all ten incarnations of Lord Visnu. Thus he falsified the conventional saying: "Na devacaritain caret" ( one should not act the role of a God). 87 He was pleased with the learned; was angry upon the enemies; was firm in righteous deeds; and his hand was sporting with giving gifts.88 Having seen Goddess Laksmi who had resided in his chest, Goddess Sarasvati, with a desire to surpass her, made her abode in his lotus-like face.

165 The moon is not really possessed of black spot; but when he tried to cover Vastupala, Vastupala marched against him and the dust of his 89 army became the black spot on the moon. His enemies who came with a desire to fight saw their own reflections in his sword and became averse to fighting. The wives of his enemies having obtained fire-wood were enkindling the fire of his valour by the winds of their signs. 90 Indra is called 'Samkrandana.' Reason is Vastupala. Indra being a God cannot close is eyes and when the dust rising from the marching army of Vastupala entered his thousand eyes he began to Krand or cry out of burning pain. Hence he got the name 'Samkrandana'.91 Lord Visnu is known as Vistara-sravas or 'Far-famed'. But this name came to him because of Vastupala; because, when his fame reached Visnu's world, his seat was occupied by Vastupala's fame. So Visnu came to be known as Vistara-sravas or 'Having the seat given to Vastupala's fame'. 92 The cow in the form of Vastupala's fame was tied down to the post in the form of Lord Siva and hence he got the name 'Shanu "93 How can we describe the benevolent rule of Vastupala ? The death was experienced only by his enemies; the word Jada was used only for water (there was none Jada or idle); there were Kugrahas or 'crocodiles' only in water reservoirs (there were no Kugrahas or evil robbers among men) and Rodha or blockade was practiced only by ascetics in holding there breath. 94

Footnotes for Canto 4:

rajyaikanadyam sa surasuranitividostayoh | raja yogam samasadya vitatana ghanodayam ||1| indropendraviva svarga candradityavivambaram | tavalancakraturubhau rajyam caulukyabhapateh | |2|| dvistakrstitaya hastau bahusrutataya sruti | dirghadasitaya netre tau rajyasya virejatuh ||3|| muktamayi sadavrttarocitau sravanociti | rejaturmantrinavetau rajyasrikundalaviva | 14 || 226

79) ramalaksmanayoh pritim nitim ca gurusukrayoh | suryacandramasostejasti saramidamaratuh | | 5 | | 80 ) nyayadhaureyata dharmapritibandhah pravirata | tayoradvaitametani ramalaksmanayoriva ||7|| 81) tejamsi palayamllaksmiharmyayorasidharmayoh | tejahpalah svanamaitaccaritarthamasutrayat | | 8|| nirastadusane jyeste yasya bhaktim vitanvatah | ajatasaktibhedasya katham syallaksmanah samah ||6|| 82) vinatanandanasyaysa lasato gopateh purah | sadacaranaramyasyarunastulyo'stu va kutah ||10|| 83) pujabhajastrayastrimsaddevakotirvitanvatah | akathorakarasyasya tulyah kathamivaryama | 191|| kalavatah suvrttasya sadanaksatrasalinah | ajatalanchanasyasya kathamastu samah sasi | | 12 || kurvato'nanyasamanyam svagotram nijasaurabhat | advijihvasrayasyasya na tulyo malayadrumah ||13 || sitalasya mrdoh padankhanatah pratibhubhrtam | kathamuccatasyasya gangapurah samo bhavet ||14 || 227

bhuridharasahasrena bhulokamupakurvatah | akalmasamukhasyasya kathamastu samo'mbudah ||15|| 84 ) itasca latabhupalabhuktau bhumivibhusanam | stambhatirthamiti khyatamaste'tindrapuram puram ||17|| yadupante sritotsangamangamangena pidayan | mahimahinamanitam sevate saritam patih ||18 || vivrtobhayakuloruh prasrtvarapayodhara | yatra prasute satpotan krmilevangana mahim | |16|| nanadvipantarayatasamyatrikavinirmitaih | bhandakutairyadakirna kridasailairiva sriyah | |20|| 85) ekada viradhavalah prasahyasahyavikramah | tadvigrhya samadatta lankamiva raghudvahah || 24 || sriviradhavalasyorvi dhavalasya nidesatah | tatpuram vastupalastu cirakalamapalayat | | 25 || 86 ) dviparsvopayanaidvipanrpastam dvipivikramam | nivesya potaparisu presitairanvakulayan ||26 || 228

hastinam ca hayam caikamaikamindrasya dattavan | vastupalaya tu payorasiretanparah satan ||27 || karalavalasthitaya nakhamsujalasiktaya | yasyasilataya kirttiprasuna srirasuyata | | 28 | | mahodakramatam pranapaharesu patiyasim | acakrama na ko'pyuccairyadajnam bhujagimiva ||26|| 87) srikantena samudrantardadhata'nimisatmam | yena stenadruhapastam nirvaidatvam svayambhuvi | | 30 || visvam visvambharabharam gataparam babhara yah | srimanavisvakseno'sau sada kamathatam dadhat ||31 || varahavapusa mukhyamandalagrai kalilaya | jisnuna yena bhuvane bhrasyanti bhuh sumuddhrta | | 32|| hiranyakasipuddamadanam svakaralilaya | amuna narasimhena vihitam jagatam hitam ||33 || srivamanataya'nena vikramakrantarodasa | acyutena prabhavata balibandho vyadhiyata ||34 || kanthe kutharam vyaparya yenariksatrasantateh purvarnagurumaccakre ramarupena mantrina ||35 || ': 229

: ; harisainyavata yena laksmananugatatmana | rane lankapatidhvato ramena kavisarngina || 36 || balabhadrasapaksasrirvasudevadhikaprabhah | yo'vadhiddisato dvesi sisupalamapi svayam || 37 | | hrsikesascyutakleso visuddhasakalasthitih | vijayi yo nyadhattantamantaranamapi dvisam ||38 || samudgirnasidando yah khanditasesasatravah | hayarudhah kaliprante kalkiti kalito janaih ||36 || dasarhasya dasapyevamavataranayam sprsan | idam mrsodyam cakre yasa devacaritam caret ||40 | | 88 ) yasya tusta | sya rustasya vidusam vidvisamapi | dharmakarmani dhirasya danakelikarah karah || 43 || 89) biksya baksasi sanandamindiram krtamandiram | sparddhayeva mukhambhojam bheje yasya sarasvati | | 44 | | na kalanki vidhuh kintu sthagayitvenamanjasa | anikarajasa yah svamayapalam yaso vyadhat | | 45 | | 90) yasyabhimukhyamatmaiva bheje'sipratibimbitah | ranakelijusah kintu dviso bhutah paranamukhah || 47 || 230

pratapapavakam praptakastam yasyariyositah | parito dipayamasurasu nihsvasamarutaih | | 48 | | 91) yadanikarajojalavyakulikrtalocanah | cakrandanimisasvami tatah sankrandanah smrtah | 50 || 92 ) visnulokagataya yatkirtervisramitum hareh | sravasi vistaribhute tenasau vistarasravah || 51 | | 93 ) yatkirttidhenorubhayakarnasattvagunasthitih | sambhuralanatam bheje tena sthanuriti smrtah | | 52|| 94 ) kim brumo bahudha mudha vayamami ghoroladhililaya 'musminsasati gurjaradhipagira srivastupale bhuvam | marih sarisu nama varisu jadaprakhyatirasiddhrsam kugrahaprasarah payodhisu tatha rodho munisu dhruvam | | 54 | |