Part 5: Kunthu’s life as king and cakrin

His son’s birth-festival was celebrated also by king Śūra; or rather, the world had a continual festival because a Tīrthanātha had arisen. Because the queen had seen a heap of jewels, called ‘kunthu,’ while he was in the womb, his father gave the Master the name Kunthu. Sucking nectar put in his thumb by Śakra, the Blessed One gradually grew up, thirty-five bows tall. At his father’s command he married princesses at the proper time. It is not possible to destroy pleasure-karma otherwise.

When twenty-three thousand, seven hundred and fifty years had passed since his birth, the Ford took the kingdom at his father’s command. When an equal number of years had passed with the Lord as ruler, the cakra-jewel appeared in his armory. The son of Śūra, the object of worship by the world, worshipped the cakra-jewel. For the noble always show courtesy even to servants. Following the cakra-jewel the Lord conquered in turn the lord of Māgadha and the lords of Varadāman and Prabhāsa. He himself conquered the goddess of the Sindhu and Kṛtamālaka, the prince of Mt. Vaitāḍhya, and had the district of the Sindhu conquered by the general. The Lord entered and left Tamisrā, the door having been opened by the general, and had the Mlecchas named Āpātas conquered. The second district of the Sindhu was subdued by the general and the Master went and conquered the prince of Kṣudrahimavat. Saying, “It is the custom,” the Lord wrote his own name on Ṛṣabhakūṭa and then, following the cakra-jewel, he returned from the place. The Lord went to Vaitāḍhya and was worshipped by the lords of the Vidyādharas belonging to the two rows with many kinds of presents. The Lord himself conquered the goddess of the Gaṅgā and Nāṭyamāla, and had the district of the Gaṅgā filled with Mlecchas conquered by the general. The Lord and his retinue entered by the cave Khaṇḍaprapātā opened by the general and left Vaitāḍhya. The nine treasures, Naisarpa, et cetera, living at the mouth of the Gaṅgā, submitted to the Lord voluntarily. The Lord had the second district of the Gaṅgā conquered by the general. So Bharatakṣetra was conquered in six hundred years. Then Śrī Kunthu, the requirements of a cakrabhṛt having been completed, attended by men and gods, returned to Hastināpura. The Lord’s coronation as emperor was celebrated by gods and men and a festival took place in the city for twelve years. Twenty-three thousand, seven hundred and fifty years passed while Śrī Kunthu Svāmin had power as Cakravartin.