Canto XIX - The Episode of Dattātreya

King Arjuna, taking Garga’s advice, propitiates Dattātreya, who grants him the boon that he should reign righteously, prosperously and gloriously—Arjuna is then installed in his kingdom, and his reign is described—The blessedness of worshipping Viṣṇu, who is Dattātreya, expounded—The story of Alarka is then begun.

The son spoke:

Having heard the Ṛṣi speak thus, king Arjuna, Kṛtavīrya’s son, proceeded to Dattātreya’s hermitage and worshipped him with faith; by kneading his feet and other services, and by offering honey and other delicacies, and by bringing garlands, sandal, and other perfumes, water, fruit &c.; also with preparations of rice, and by removing the Ṛṣi’s fragments of food. Pleased therewith the Muni addressed the king in the very same way, as he had formerly addressed the gods.

“Ever indeed am I an object of reproach for my enjoyment of spirituous liquor and other bodily pleasures, and an object of reproach for this enjoyment in that I have my wife here by my side.^[1] Deign thou not thus to obstruct me who am unable to benefit thee; O conciliate one who is able.”

Thus the Muni addressed him; and Arjuna Kārtavīrya, recalling that speech of Garga’s, replied then, bowing before him.

Arjuna spoke:

“Why dost thou beguile me, my lord, resorting to thy illusory devices. Sinless thou art, and this brāhman lady is the path of all existence.”

Thus invoked, the benign brāhman answered him, the illustrious Kārtavīrya, the subduer of the earth.

“Choose thou a boon; since thou hast declared my secret, I have felt thereby intense gratification in thee today, O king. And the men who shall worship me with perfumes, garlands and such like, with offerings also of meat and strong drink, and with sweetmeats accompanied with clarified butter,—and who shall worship me and Lakṣmi with songs also and the worship of brāhmans, and with lute, flute, conchs and other gladsome musical instruments;—to them I will give supreme gratification, children, wives, wealth and other blessings, and I will ward off the violent blows of scorners. Do thou then choose the choice boon that thy mind desires: my face is very gracious to thee through thy declaration of my secret name.”

Kārtavīrya spoke:

“If my lord thou art gracious, then grant me supreme prosperity, whereby I may protect my people and may not incur iniquity. I desire to have knowledge in the customs of others, irresistibility in fight, and the dexterity of a thousand arms. May my paths be unimpeded on hill, in air, in water, and on land, and in all the hells! And may my death come from a superior man! And let me have moreover a guide to the right path when I stray from the path: and may my guests^[2] be worthy of praise in the imperishable bestowal of wealth! And let there be freedom from impoveṛṣment in my country with repeated recollection of me! May my faith in thee be ever in truth unwavering!”

Dattātreya spoke:

“Thou shalt receive all those boons in the matters that thou hast specified; and through my favour thou shalt become a universal monarch.”

Jaḍa spoke:

Thereon Arjuna prostrated himself before Dattātreya. And having convened his subjects, he duly received his inauguration. Then he the Haihaya, established in his kingdom, having received supreme prosperity from Dattātreya, owning exceeding power, made proclamation;—‘Henceforth whoever besides me shall lay hold of a weapon, I shall put him to death as a robber or as one bent on injuring others.’ After this order had been issued, there was no man that bore arms in that country, except that valiant tiger-warrior. He it was who was the guardian of the villages, and he the guardian of the cattle. He it was who was the guardian of the fields and the protector of the dvijas. He also was the guardian of ascetics, and the guardian of caravans; the guardian of those who were sinking amid the fears of robbers, rogues, fire, arms and so forth, as in the sea, and of those who were involved in other calamities; he was the destroyer of hostile warriors. He it was who was ever remembered as the upholder of mankind. And there was exemption from impoveṛṣment, while he ruled as king. He offered many sacrifices, complete with gifts and fees. He also practised austerities. He performed exploits in battles.

Having seen his prosperity and exceeding honour, the Muni Aṅgiras spoke.

“Assuredly kings will not follow in Kārtavīrya’s steps, either with sacrifices, alms-giving, or austerities, or with high exploits in battle.”

On the very day when the king received prosperity from Dattātreya, he performed sacrifice to Dattātreya. And there all his subjects having seen the king’s supreme prosperity that day offered up sacrifices with devout attention.

Such is this magnanimity of the wise Dattātreya, who is Viṣṇu, the guru of all things movable and immovable, endless, high-souled. In the Purāṇas are narrated the manifestations of the hearer of the bow Śārṅga, who is endless, inscrutable, the bearer of the conch discus and club. Whatever man ponders on his highest form, happy is he, and he may soon pass over mundane existence. ‘Ho! I am ever in truth easy of reach by faith even to Vaiṣṇavas,’—how is it that a man should not have recourse to him, whose are these very words? For the destruction of unrighteousness, and for the practice of righteousness, the god, who is without beginning and without end, preserves the stability of nature.

Moreover I tell thee of Alarka^[3] also, the famous birth. And thus has been related the union between the high-souled Rājarṣi Alarka, who was faithful to his father, and Dattātreya.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The text appears obscure.

[2]:

For ’tīthayaḥ read tithayaḥ, days?

[3]:

Read Alarkam for Anarkam.