“Markandeya continued, ‘Do ye again hear from me the glory of the
Brahmanas! It is said that a royal sage of the name of Vainya was once
engaged in performing the horse-sacrifice and that Atri desired to go to
him for alms. But Atri subsequently gave up his desire of wealth, from
religious scruples. After much thought he, of great power, became
desirous of living in the woods, and, calling his wife and sons together,
addressed them thus, ‘Let us attain the highly tranquil and complete
fruition of our desires. May it, therefore, be agreeable to you to repair
quickly to the forest for a life of great merit.’ His wife, arguing from
motives of virtue also then said to him, ‘Hie thee to the illustrious
prince Vainya, and beg of him vast riches! Asked by thee, that royal
sage, engaged in sacrifice will give thee wealth. Having gone there, O
regenerate Rishi, and received from him vast wealth, thou canst
distribute it among thy sons and servants and then thou canst go
whithersoever thou pleasest. This, indeed, is the higher virtue as
instanced by men conversant with religion.’ Atri replied, ‘I am informed,
O virtuous one, by the high-souled Gautama, that Vainya is a pious
prince, devoted to the cause of truth; but there are Brahmanas (about his
persons) who are jealous of me; and as Gautama hath told me this, I do
not venture to go there, for (while) there, if I were to advise what is
good and calculated to secure piety and the fulfilment of one’s desires,
they would contradict me with words unproductive of any good. But I
approve of any counsel and will go there; Vainya will give me kine and
hoards of riches.’
“Markandeya continued, ‘So saying, he, of great ascetic merit, hastened
to Vainya’s sacrifice and reaching the sacrificial altar and making his
obeisance to the king and praising him with well-meaning speeches, he
spoke these words, ‘Blessed art thou, O king! Ruling over the earth, thou
art the foremost of sovereigns! The Munis praise thee, and besides thee
there is none so versed in religious lore’! To him the Rishi Gautama, of
great ascetic merit, then indignantly replied saying, ‘Atri, do not
repeat this nonsense. (It seems) thou art not in thy proper senses. In
this world of ours, Mahendra the lord of all created beings (alone) is
the foremost of all sovereigns!’ Then, O, great prince, Atri said to
Gautama, ‘As Indra, the lord of all creatures, ruleth over our destinies,
so doth this king! Thou art mistaken. It is thou who hast lost thine
senses from want of spiritual perception!’ Gautama replied, ‘I know I am
not mistaken; it is thou who art labouring under a misconception in this
matter. To secure the king’s countenance, thou art flattering him in
(this) assembly of the people. Thou dost not know what the highest
virtue, is nor dost thou feel the need for it. Thou art like a child
steeped in ignorance, for what then hast thou become (so) old in years?’
“Markandeya continued, ‘While those two men were thus disputing in the
presence of the Munis, who were engaged in Vainya’s sacrifice the latter
enquired, ‘What is the matter with them, that maketh them talk so
vociferously?’ Then the very pious Kasyapa learned in all religious lore,
approaching the disputants asked them what was the matter. And then
Gautama, addressing that assembly of great Munis said, ‘Listen, O great
Brahmanas, to the point in dispute between us. Atri hath said that Vainya
is the ruler of our destinies; great is our doubt on this point.’
“Markandeya continued, ‘On hearing this, the great-mind Munis went
instantly to Sanatkumara who was well versed in religion to clear their
doubt. And then he of great ascetic merit, having heard the particulars
from them addressed them these words full of religious meaning. And
Sanatkumara said, ‘As fire assisted by the wind burneth down forests, so
a Brahmana’s energy in union with a Kshatriya’s or a Kshatriya’s joined
with a Brahmana’s destroyeth all enemies. The sovereign is the
distinguished giver of laws and the protector of his subjects. He is (a
protector of created beings) like Indra, (a propounder of morals) like
Sukra, (a counsellor) like Vrihaspati and (hence he is also called) the
ruler of men’s destinies. Who does not think it proper to worship the
individual of whom such terms as ‘preserver of created beings,’ ‘royal,’
‘emperor,’ ‘Kshatriya’ (or saviour of the earth), ‘lord of earth’, ‘ruler
of men’, are applied in praise? The king is (also) styled the prime cause
(of social order, as being the promulgator of laws), ‘the virtuous in
wars,’ (and therefore, preserver after peace), ‘the watchman,’ ‘the
contented,’ ‘the lord,’ ‘the guide to salvation,’ ‘the easily
victorious,’ ‘the Vishnu like,’ ‘of effective wrath,’ ‘the winner of
battles’ and ‘the cherisher of the true religion.’ The Rishis, fearful of
sin, entrusted (the temporal) power to the Kshatriyas. As among the gods
in heaven the Sun dispelleth darkness by his effulgence, so doth the king
completely root out sin from this earth. Therefore is the king’s
greatness reduced from the evidences of the sacred books, and we are
bound to pronounce for that side which hath spoken in favour of the king.’
“Markandeya continued, ‘Then that illustrious prince, highly pleased with
the victorious party, joyfully said to Atri, who had praised him
erewhile. ‘O regenerate Rishi, thou hast made and styled me the greatest
and most excellent of men here, and compared me to the gods; therefore,
shall I give thee vast and various sorts of wealth. My impression is that
thou art omniscient. I give thee, O well-dressed and well-adorned one, a
hundred millions of gold coins and also ten bharas of gold. Then Atri, of
high austere virtues and great spiritual powers, thus welcomed (by the
king), accepted all the gifts without any breach of propriety, and
returned home. And then giving his wealth to his sons and subduing his
self, he cheerfully repaired to the forest with the object of performing
penances.”