"Yudhishthira said, 'I have heard this great narrative, O perpetuator of
Kuru's race. Thou, O foremost of eloquent men, hast said that the status
of a Brahmana is exceedingly difficult of acquisition. It is heard,
however, that in former times the status of a Brahmana had been acquired
by Viswamitra. Thou, however, O best of men, tellest us that status is
incapable of being acquired. I have also heard that king Vitahavya in
ancient times succeeded in obtaining the status of a Brahmana. I desire
to hear, O puissant son of Ganga, the story of Vitahavya's promotion. By
what acts did that best of kings succeed in acquiring the status of a
Brahmana? Was it through some boon (obtained from some one of great
puissance) or was it through the virtue of penances? It behoveth thee to
tell me everything.'
"Bhishma said, 'Hear, O monarch, how the royal sage Vitahavya of great
celebrity succeeded in ancient times in acquiring the status of a
Brahmana that is so difficult to attain and that is held in such high
reverence by all the world. While the high-souled Manu in days of yore
was employed in righteously ruling his subjects, he obtained a son of
righteous soul who became celebrated under the name of Saryati. In
Saryati's, race, O monarch, two kings took their birth, viz., Haihaya and
Talajangha. Both of them were sons of Vatsa, O foremost of victorious
kings. Haihaya, O monarch, had ten wives. Upon them he begot, O Bharata,
a century of sons all of whom were highly inclined to fighting. All of
them resembled one another in features and prowess. All of them were
endued with great strength and all of them were possessed of great skill
in battle. They all studied the Vedas and the science of weapons
thoroughly. In Kasi also, O monarch, there was a king who was the
grandfather of Divodasa. The foremost of victorious men, he was known by
the name of Haryyaswa. The sons of king Haihaya, O chief of men (who was
otherwise known by the name of Vitahavya), invaded the kingdom of Kasi
and advancing to the country that lies between the rivers Ganga and
Yamuna, fought a battle with king Haryyaswa and also slew him in it.
Having slain king Haryyaswa in this way, the sons of Haihaya, those great
car-warriors, fearlessly went back to their own delightful city in the
country of the Vatsas. Meanwhile Haryyaswa's son Sudeva, who looked like
a deity in splendour and who was a second god of righteousness, was
installed on the throne of Kasi as its ruler. The delighter of Kasi, that
righteous-souled prince ruled his kingdom for sometime, when the hundred
sons of Vitahavya once more invaded his dominions and defeated him in
battle. Having vanquished king Sudeva thus, the victors returned to their
own city. After that Divodasa, the son of Sudeva, became installed on the
throne of Kasi as its ruler. Realising the prowess of those high-souled
princes, viz., the sons of Vitahavya, king Divodasa, endued with great
energy, rebuilt and fortified the city of Baranasi at the command of
Indra. The territories of Divodasa were full of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas,
and abounded with Vaisyas and Sudras. And they teemed with articles and
provisions of every kind, and were adorned with shops and marts swelling
with prosperity. Those territories, O best of kings, stretched northwards
from the banks of Ganga to the southern banks of Gomati, and resembled a
second Amravati (the city of Indra). The Haihayas once again, O Bharata,
attacked that tiger among kings, as he ruled his kingdom. The mighty king
Divodasa endued with great splendour, issuing out of his capital, gave
them battle. The engagement between the two parties proved so fierce as
to resemble the encounter in days of old between the deities and the
Asuras. King Divodasa fought the enemy for a thousand days at the end of
which, having lost a number of followers and animals, he became
exceedingly distressed. King Divodasa, O monarch, having lost his
army and seeing his treasury exhausted, left his capital and fled away.
Repairing to the delightful retreat of Bhardwaja endued with great wisdom
the king, O chastiser of foes joining his hands in reverence, sought the
Rishi's protection. Beholding King Divodasa before him, the eldest son of
Vrihaspati, viz., Bharadwaja of excellent conduct, who was the monarch's
priest, said unto him, What is the reason of thy coming here? Tell me
everything, O king. I shall do that which is agreeable to thee, without
any scruple.'
"The king said, 'O holy one, the sons of Vitahavya have slain all the
children and men of my house. I only have escaped with life, totally
discomfited by the foe. I seek thy protection. It behoveth thee, O holy
one, to protect me with such affection as thou hast for a disciple. Those
princes of sinful deeds have slaughtered my whole race, leaving myself
only alive.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Unto him who pleaded so piteously, Bharadwaja of
great energy said, Do not fear! Do not fear! O son of Sudeva, let thy
fears be dispelled. I shall perform a sacrifice, O monarch, in order that
thou mayst have a son through whom thou shalt be able to smite thousands
upon thousands of Vitahavya's party. After this, the Rishi performed a
sacrifice with the object of bestowing a son on Divodasa. As the result
thereof, unto Divodasa was born a son named Pratarddana. Immediately on
his birth he grew up like a boy of full three and ten years and quickly
mastered the entire Vedas and the whole of arms. Aided by his Yoga
powers, Bharadwaja of great intelligence had entered into the prince.
Indeed, collecting all the energy that occurs in the object of the
universe, Bharadwaja put them together in the body of prince Pratarddana.
Put on shining mail on his person and armed with the bow, Pratarddana,
his praises sung by bards and the celestial Rishis, shone resplendent
like the risen star of day. Mounted on his car and with the scimitar tied
to his belt, he shone like a blazing fire. With scimitar and shield and
whirling his shield as he went, he proceeded to the presence of his sire.
Beholding the prince, the son of Sudeva, viz., king Divodasa, became
filled with joy. Indeed, the old king thought the sons of his enemy
Vitahavya as already slain. Divodasa then installed his son Pratarddana
as Yuvaraja, and regarding himself crowned with success became
exceedingly happy. After this, the old king commanded that chastiser of
foes, viz., prince Pratarddana to march against the sons of Vitahavya and
slay them in battle. Endued with great powers. Pratarddana, that
subjugator of hostile cities speedily crossed Ganga on his car and
proceeded against the city of the Vitahavyas. Hearing the clatter
produced by the wheels of his car, the sons of Vitahavya, riding on their
own cars that looked like fortified citadels and that were capable of
destroying hostile vehicles, issued out of their city. Issuing out of
their capital, those tigers among men, viz., the sons of Vitahavya, who
were all skilful warriors cased in mail, rushed with uplifted weapons
towards Pratarddana, covering him with showers of arrows. Encompassing
him with innumerable cars, O Yudhisthira, the Vitahavyas poured upon
Pratarddana showers of weapons of various kinds like clouds pouring
torrents of rain on the breast of Himavat. Baffling their weapons with
his own, prince Pratarddana endued with mighty energy slew them all with
his shafts that resembled the lighting fire of Indra. Their heads struck
off, O king, with hundreds and thousands of broad-headed arrows, the
warriors of Vitahavya fell down with blood-dyed bodies like Kinsuka trees
felled by woodmen with their axes on every side. After all his warriors
and sons had fallen in battle, king Vitahavya fled away from his capital
to the retreat of Bhrigu. Indeed, arrived there, the royal fugitive
sought the protection of Bhrigu. The Rishi Bhrigu, O monarch, assured the
defeated king of his protection. Pratarddana followed in the footsteps of
Vitahavya. Arrived at the Rishi's retreat, the son of Divodasa said in a
loud voice.—Ho, listen ye disciples of the high souled Bhrigu that may
happen to be present, I wish to see the sage. Go and inform him of this.
Recognising that it was Pratarddana who had come, the Rishi Bhrigu
himself came out of his retreat and worshipped that best of kings
according to due rites. Addressing him then, the Rishi said,—Tell me, O
king, what is thy business. The king, at this, informed the Rishi of the
reason of his presence.'
"The king said, 'King Vitahavya has come here, O Brahmana. Do thou give
him up. His sons, O Brahmana, had destroyed my race. They had laid waste
the territories and the wealth of the kingdom of Kasi. Hundred sons,
however, of this king proud of his might, have all been slain by me. By
slaying that king himself I shall today pay off the debt I owe to my
father. Unto him that foremost of righteous men, viz., the Rishi Bhrigu,
penetrated with compassion, replied by saying,—There is no Kshatriya in
this retreat. They that are here are all Brahmanas. Hearing these words
of Bhrigu that must accord he thought with truth, Pratarddana touched the
Rishi's feet slowly and, filled with delight, said,—By this, O holy one,
I am without doubt, crowned with success, since this king becomes
abandoned by the very order of his birth in consequence of my prowess.
Give me thy permission, O Brahmana, to leave thee, and let me solicit
thee to pray for my welfare. This king, O founder of the race that goes
by the name, has been compelled to leave of the very community of his
birth, in consequence of my might. Dismissed by the Rishi Bhrigu, king
Pratarddana then departed from that retreat, having even as a snake
vomits forth its real poison and repaired to the place he had come from.
Meanwhile, king Vitahavya attained to the status of a Brahmana sage by
virtue of the words only of Bhrigu. And he acquired also a complete
mastery over all the Vedas through the same cause. Vitahavya had a son
named Gritsamada who in beauty of person was a second Indra. Once on a
time the Daityas afflicted him much, believing him to be none else than
Indra. With regard to that high-souled Rishi, one foremost of Srutis in
the Richs goes like this viz., He with whom Gritsamada stays, O Brahmana,
is held in high respect by all Brahmanas. Endued with great intelligence,
Gritsamada become a regenerate Rishi in the observance of Brahmacharyya.
Gritsamada had a regenerate son of the name of Sutejas. Sutejas had a son
of the name of Varchas, and the son of Varchas was known by the name of
Vihavya. Vihavya had a son of his loins who was named Vitatya and Vitatya
had a son of name Satya. Satya had a son of name Santa. Santa had a son,
viz., the Rishi Sravas. Sravas begot a son named Tama. Tama begot a son
named Prakasa, who was a very superior Brahmana. Prakasa had a son named
Vagindra who was the foremost of all silent reciters of sacred Mantras.
Vagindra begot a son named Pramati who was a complete master of all the
Vedas and their branches. Pramati begot upon the Apsara Ghritachi a son
who was named Ruru. Ruru begot a son upon his spouse Pramadvara. That son
was the regenerate Rishi Sunaka. Sunaka begot a son who is named Saunaka.
It was even thus, O foremost of monarchs, that king Vitahavya, though a
Kshatriya by the order of his birth, obtained the status of a Brahmana, O
chief of Kshatriyas, through the grace of Bhrigu. I have also told thee
the genealogy of the race that sprung from Gritsamada. What else wouldst
thou ask?'
