Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

by Helen M. Johnson | 1931 | 742,503 words

This page describes Expedition of conquest which is the fifth part of chapter I of the English translation of the Brahmadatta-caritra, contained within the “Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra”: a massive Jain narrative relgious text composed by Hemacandra in the 12th century. Brahmadatta in jainism is one of the 63 illustrious beings or worthy persons.

Part 5: Expedition of conquest

One day the Cakravartin set out with immeasurable forces, following the cakra, eager for the conquest of Bharatakṣetra. In the past there was holy Vṛṣabhalāṭchana, best of kings, and he gave his kingdom to his eldest son, Bharata. Making a division the Master gave countries to his other ninety-nine sons. He himself practiced penance and attained emancipation.

The countries with their names are these: in the east: Pragama, Mastaka, Putra, Aṅgāraka, Malla, Aṅga, Malaya, Bhārgava, Prāgjyotiṣa, Vaṃśa, Magadha, Māsavartika; in the south: Bāṇamukta, Vaidarbha, Vanavāsika, Mahīṣaka, Vanarāṣṭra, Tāyika, Aśmaka, Daṇḍaka, Kaliṅga, Iṣika, Puruṣa, Mūlaka, Bhogavardhaka, Kuntula; in the west: Durga, Sūparika, Arbuda, Ārya, Kallī, Vanāya, Sāksika, Nartasādhika, Māheka, Ruru, Kaccha, Surāṣṭrā, Narmada, Sārasvata, Tāpasa; in the north: Kuru, Jāṅgala, Paṭcāla, Sūrasena, Paṭaccara, Kaliṅga, Kāśi, Kausilya, Bhadrakāra, Vṛka, Arthaka, Vigarta, Kauśala, Ambaṣṭa. Sālva, Matsya, Kuniyaka, Mauka, Bālhīka, Kāmboja, Madhudeśa, Madraka, Ātreya, Yavana, Abhīra, Vāna, Vānasa, Kaikaya, Sindhusauvīra, Gāndhāra, Katha, Toṣa, Daseraka, Bhāradvāja, Camūra, Vaprasthāla, Tārṇakarṇaka: these behind the Vindhya: Tripura, Āvanti, Cedi, Kiṣkindha, Naiṣadha, Daśārṇa, Kusumārṇa, Naupala, Antapa, Kausala, Padāma, Vinihotra, Vaidiśa; Videha, Vatsa, Bhadra, Vajra, Siṇḍimbha, Saitava, Kutsa, Bhaṅga—these occupying the middle part of Madhyadeśa.

Conquering the lord of Māgadha, the god-lord of Varadāman, Prabhāsa, Kṛtamāla, and others in turn, his commands kissing the heads of the circle or kings, Brahman’s son himself conquered these ninety-nine countries. The king made the six-part land a one-part land by rooting up, as it were, boundaries that had grown up under different masters. After crushing his enemies, the king set out for Kāmpilya, his commands cherished by crowned kings, covering the earth with soldiers and the sky with dust which they stirred up, with the road shown by the cakra like a door-keeper going in advance, lord of the fourteen jewels and the nine treasures, traveling with unbroken marches, the king arrived at the city. King Brahmadatta entered the city Kāmpilya, which had a concert undertaken from joy, as it were, in the guise of the noise of the drums. Then his coronation lasting for twelve years, like that of Bharata, was commenced by kings coming from every direction.

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