SECTION LX
"Narada said, 'Mandhatri' the son of Yuvanaswa, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell
a prey to death. That king vanquished the gods, the Asuras and men. Those
celestials, viz., the twin Aswins, brought him out of his father's womb
by a surgical operations. Once on a time, king Yuvanaswa while chasing
the deer in the forest, became very thirsty and his steeds also became
exceedingly fatigued. Beholding a wreath of smoke, the king (directed by
it) went to a sacrifice and drank the sacred sacrificial butter that lay
scattered there. (The king, thereupon, conceived). Beholding that
Yuvanaswa was quick with child, those best of physicians, viz., the twin
Aswins among the celestials, extracted the child from the king's womb.
Seeing that child of celestial splendour lying on the lap on his father,
the gods said unto one another, 'What shall support this child?' Then
Vasava said, 'Let the child suck my fingers,' Thereupon from the fingers
of Indra issued milk sweet as nectar. And since Indra from compassion,
said, 'He will draw his sustenance from me,' and showed him that
kindness, therefore, the gods named that child Mandhatri.[103] Then jets
of milk and clarified butter dropped into the mouth of Yuvanaswa's son
from the hand of the high-souled Indra. The boy continued to suck the
hand of Indra and by that means to grow. In twelve days he became twelve
cubits in stature and endued with great prowess. And he conquered the
whole of this earth in the course of a single day. Of virtuous soul,
possessed of great intelligence, heroic, devoted to truth and a master of
his passions, Mandhatri vanquished, by his bow Janamejaya and Sudhanwan
and Jaya and Suna[104] and Vrihadratha and Nriga. And the lands lying
between the hill where the sun rises and the hill where he sets, are
known to this day as the dominion of Mandhatri. Having performed a
hundred Horse-sacrifices and a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices also, he gave
away, O monarch, unto the Brahmanas, some Rohita fish made of gold, that
were ten Yojanas in length and one Yojana in breadth. Mountains of
savoury food and comestibles of diverse kinds, after the Brahmanas had
been entertained, were eaten by others, (who came at his sacrifices) and
contributed to their gratification. Vast quantities of food and eatables
and drink, and mountains of rice, looked beautiful as they stood. Many
rivers, having lakes of clarified butter, with diverse kinds of soup for
their mire, curds for their froth and liquid honey for their water,
looking beautiful, and wafting honey and milk, encircled mountains of
solid viands. Gods and Asuras and Men and Yakshas and Gandharvas and
Snakes and Birds, and many Brahmanas, accomplished in the Vedas and their
branches, and many Rishis came to his sacrifices. Amongst those present
there, none was illiterate. King Mandhatri, having bestowed the earth
bounded by the seas and full of wealth upon the Brahmanas, at last
disappeared like the sun. Filling all the points of the compass with his
fame, he repaired to the regions of the righteous. When he died, O
Srinjaya, who excelled you in the four cardinal virtues and who,
superior to thee, was much superior to your son, you shouldst not grieve,
saying, 'Oh, Swaitya, Oh, Swaitya' for the latter who performed no
sacrifice and made no sacrificial gift.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 60 ---------------------
