Chapter 54

“Narada said, ‘King Suhotra also, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell a prey todeath. He was the foremost of heroes, and invincible in battle. The verygods used to come for seeing him. Acquiring his kingdom virtuously, hesought the advice of his Ritwijas and domestic priests and Brahmanas forhis own good, and enquiring of them, used to obey their behests.Well-acquainted with the duty of protecting his subjects, possessed ofvirtue and liberality, performing sacrifices and subjugating foes, kingSuhotra wished for the increase of his wealth. He adored the gods byfollowing the ordinances of the scriptures, and defeated his foes bymeans of his arrows. He gratified all creatures by means of his ownexcellent accomplishments. He ruled the earth, freeing her from Mlecchasand the forest-thieves.[91] The deity of the clouds showered gold untohim from year’s end to year’s end. In those olden days, therefore, therivers (in his kingdom) ran (liquid) gold, and were open to everybody foruse.[92] The deity of the clouds showered on his kingdom large number ofalligators and crabs and fishes of diverse species and various objects ofdesire, countless in number, that were all made of gold. The artificiallakes in that king’s dominions each measured full two miles. Beholdingthousands of dwarfs and humpbacks and alligators and Makaras, andtortoises all made of gold, king Suhotra wondered much. That unlimitedwealth of gold, the royal sage Suhotra performing a sacrifice atKurujangala, gave away unto the Brahmanas, before the completion of thesacrifice. Having performed a thousand Horse-sacrifices, a hundredRajasuyas, many sacred Kshatriya-sacrifices[93] in all of which he madeabundant presents to the Brahmanas and having performed daily rites,almost countless in number, undergone from specified desires, the kingultimately obtained a very desirable end. When, O Srinjaya, such a kingdied, who was superior to thee as regards the four cardinal virtues andwho, superior to thee, was therefore, much superior to thy son, thoushouldst not grieve saying, ‘Oh Swaitya, Oh, Swaitya,’ for thy sonperformed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial present.'”