Story of Duṣyanta Mahārāja

  janamejaya uvāca

tvattaḥ śrutamidaṁ brahman devadānavarakṣasām

aṁśāvataraṇaṁ samyag gandharvāpsarasāṁ tathā

Janamejaya said: O Brāhmaṇa! I have heard in detail account of births of Devas, Dānavas, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas, Apsaras.

imaṁ tu bhūya icchāmi kurūṇāṁ vaṁśamāditaḥ

kathyamānaṁ tvayā vipra viprarṣigaṇasaṁnidhau

Now I desire to hear accounts of births of kings of Kuru race from beginning. Therefore, O Brāhmaṇa, narrate them before all these Brāhmaṇa Ṛṣis.

vaiśampāyana uvāca

pauravāṇāṁ vaṁśakaro duṣyanto nāma vīryavān

pṛthivyāścaturantāyā goptā bharatasattama

Vaiśampāyana said: O best of Bharata race! Founder of Paurava dynasty was greatly powerful king named Duṣyanta. He was protector of the Earth bounded by the 4 seas.

caturbhāgaṁ bhuvaḥ kṛtsnaṁ yo bhuṅkte manujeśvaraḥ

samudrāvaraṇāṁścāpi deśān sa samitiṁjayaḥ

āmlecchāvadhikān sarvān sabhuṅkte ripumardanaḥ

ratnākarasamudrāntāṁścāturvarṇyajanāvṛtān

That king of men enjoyed 4th part of all the products of the land. He was also the lord of various countries in the midst of the sea. That chastiser of foes had sway even over all the countries beginning from that of up to the sea, mines of gems, Mlecchas, which were full of men of the 4 orders.

na varṇasaṁkarakaro na kṛpyākarakṛjjanaḥ

na pāpakṛt kaścidāsīt tasmin rājani śāsati

During his reign, there were no mixed castes, no tillers of the land, no toilers of the mines and no sinful men.

dharme ratiṁ sevamānā djarmāthtavabhipedire

tadā narā naravyāghra tasmiñjanapadeśvare

nāsīccaurabhayaṁ tāta na kṣudhābhayamaṇvapi

nāsīd vyādhibhayaṁ cāpi tasmiñjanapadeśvare

O best of men! During his reigh, all men were virtuous and they did everything with an eye on virtue. O child! During his reign there was no fear from thieves and no fear from famines, there was no fear of diseases.

svadharme remire varṇā daive karmaṇi niḥspṛhāḥ

tamāśritya mahīpālamāsaṁścaivākuto bhayāḥ

Men of all 4 castes took pleasure in doing their respective duties and they performed all acts without desire of gaining fruits. O protector of the world! Depending upon him, his subjects felt no fear.

kālavarṣī ca parjanyaḥ sasyāni rasavanti ca

sarvaratnasamṛddhā ca mahī paśumatī tathā

Parjanya - Indra, poured showers of rain at the proper time and crops were all juicy. Earth was full of all kinds of wealth and animals.

svakarmaniratā viprā nānṛtaṁ teṣu vidyate

sa cādbhutamahāvīryo vajrasaṁhanano yuvā

Brāhmaṇas were always engaged in their duties and they were very truthful. Duṣyanta was a young prince of wondreful prowess and of a body like thunder bolt.

udyamya mandaraṁ dorbhyo vahet savanakānanam

catuṣpathagadāyuddhe sarvapraharaṇeṣu ca

nāgapṛṣṭhe ̍śvapṛṣṭhe ca babhūva pariniṣṭhitaḥ

bale viṣṇusamaścāsīt tejasā bhāskaropamaḥ

He could support Mandara mountain with his woods and forests, raising it up on his arms. He was an expert in 4 kinds of club fught and also in using of every kind of weapons. He was greatly expert in riding elephants and horse. In strenght he was like Viṣṇu and in splendour he was like sun.

akṣobhyatve ̍rṇavasamaḥ sahiṣṇutve dharāsamaḥ

sammataḥ sa mahīpālaḥ prasannapurarāṣṭravān

bhūyo dharmaparairbhāvairmuditaṁ janamādiśat

In gravity he was like ocean and in patience he was like Earth. Duṣyanta was loved by all his subjects and he ruled very virtuously those contented men.