SECTION LVI
"Narada said, 'King Suhotra also, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell a prey to
death. He was the foremost of heroes, and invincible in battle. The very
gods used to come for seeing him. Acquiring his kingdom virtuously, he
sought the advice of his Ritwijas and domestic priests and Brahmanas for
his own good, and enquiring of them, used to obey their behests.
Well-acquainted with the duty of protecting his subjects, possessed of
virtue and liberality, performing sacrifices and subjugating foes, king
Suhotra wished for the increase of his wealth. He adored the gods by
following the ordinances of the scriptures, and defeated his foes by
means of his arrows. He gratified all creatures by means of his own
excellent accomplishments. He ruled the earth, freeing her from Mlecchas
and the forest-thieves.[91] The deity of the clouds showered gold unto
him from year's end to year's end. In those olden days, therefore, the
rivers (in his kingdom) ran (liquid) gold, and were open to everybody for
use.[92] The deity of the clouds showered on his kingdom large number of
alligators and crabs and fishes of diverse species and various objects of
desire, countless in number, that were all made of gold. The artificial
lakes in that king's dominions each measured full two miles. Beholding
thousands of dwarfs and humpbacks and alligators and Makaras, and
tortoises all made of gold, king Suhotra wondered much. That unlimited
wealth of gold, the royal sage Suhotra performing a sacrifice at
Kurujangala, gave away unto the Brahmanas, before the completion of the
sacrifice. Having performed a thousand Horse-sacrifices, a hundred
Rajasuyas, many sacred Kshatriya-sacrifices[93] in all of which he made
abundant presents to the Brahmanas and having performed daily rites,
almost countless in number, undergone from specified desires, the king
ultimately obtained a very desirable end. When, O Srinjaya, such a king
died, who was superior to you as regards the four cardinal virtues and
who, superior to thee, was therefore, much superior to your son, thou
shouldst not grieve saying, 'Oh Swaitya, Oh, Swaitya,' for your son
performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial present.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 54 ---------------------
