मार्कण्डेय उवाच धुन्धुर्नाम महाराज तयोः पुत्रो महाद्युतिः। स तपोऽतप्यत महन्महावीर्यपराक्रमः॥
Markandeya said : great monarch, they (Madhu and Kaitabha) had a son, Dhundhu by name, who was most illustrious and possessed of immense power and energy; and who also observed severe asceticism.
अतिष्ठदेकपादेन कृशो धमनिसंततः। तस्मै ब्रह्मा ददौ प्रीतो वरं वव्रे स च प्रभुम्॥
He remained for a time, standing on one leg; and became lean as the skeleton. Much pleased Brahmana granted him a boon, which he asked of the Lord in the following way:
देवदानवयक्षाणां सर्पगन्धर्वरक्षसाम्। अवध्योऽहं भवेयं च वर एष वृतो मया।॥
"Such a boon is asked by me, as will render me incapable of being killed by either the celestials, the Danavas the Yakshas or by the snakes, Gandharvas or Rakshasas.'
एवं भवतु गच्छेति तमुवाच पितामहः। स एवमुक्तस्तत्पादौ मूर्धा स्पृश्य जगाम ह॥
The grandsire answered him, saying, "So be it and do you go away". Having been thus addressed, he touched his feet by his head and went away.
स तु धुन्धुर्वरं लब्वा महावीर्यपराक्रमः। अनुस्मरन् पितृवधं दुतं विष्णुमुपागमत्॥
The most courageous and energetic Dhundhu, too, speedily advanced to Vishnu, after gaining this boon and also recollecting the murder of his father (by that god). at
स तु देवान् सगन्धर्वान् जित्वा धुन्धुरमर्षणः। बबाध सर्वानसकृद् विष्णुं देवांश्च वै भृशम्॥
The unconquerable Dhundhu first defeated all the celestials as well as the Gandharvas; and then he began to cruelly oppress the other celestials with Vishnu at their head.
समुद्रे बालुकापूर्णे उज्जालक इति स्मृते। आगम्य च स दुष्टात्मा तं देशं भरतर्षभ।॥ बाधते स्म परं शक्त्या तमुत्तकाश्रमं विभो। अन्तर्भूमिगतस्तत्र बालुकान्तर्हितस्तथा॥
O foremost of the Bharata race, that wickedminded one came to a country where there was an ocean of sands, known by the name of Ujjalaka. O illustrious one, he, lying in an under-ground cave excavated in the bed of sands, greatly harassed the asylum of Uttanka.
मधुकैटभयोः पुत्रो धुन्धुर्भीमपराक्रमः। शेते लोकविनाशाय तपोबलमुपाश्रितः॥
The fearfully powerful son of Madhu and Kaitabha, Dhundhu, laid himself there (in that cave), performing severe religious austerities, with a view to destroy the three worlds.
उत्तङ्कस्याश्रमाभ्याशे निःश्वसन् पावकार्चिषः। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु राजा सबलवाहनः॥ उत्तङ्कविप्रसहितः : कुवलाश्वो महीपतिः। पुत्रैः सह महीपालः प्रययौ भरतर्षभ॥
While, at this time, he was taking his breath, resting very close to the asylum of the Uttanka, who was like the fire in effulgence, then O ruler of the earth, O foremost of the Bharata race, the great king Kuvalashva departed to that country with the Brahmanas, Uttanka and all his sons.
सहस्ररेकविंशत्या पुत्राणामरिमर्दनः। कुवलाश्वो नरपतिरन्वितो बलशालिनाम्॥
The repressor of enemies, the ruler of men, Kuvalashva was accompanied by the most powerful sons, who were twenty-one thousand in number.
तमाविशत् ततो विष्णुर्भगवांस्तेजसा प्रभुः। उत्तङ्कस्य नियोगेन लोकानां हितकाम्यया।॥
Thereupon at the injunction of Uttanka, the omnipotent Lord Vishnu, imparted to him his own energy, with the object of doing good to the three worlds.
तस्मिन् प्रयाते दुर्धर्षे दिवि शब्दो महानभूत्। एष श्रीमानवध्योऽद्य धुन्धुमारो भविष्यति॥
When the haughty one was gone away, a loud noise was heard in the heaven, uttering the words-'this invincible hero will this day be the slayer of Dhundhu.'
दिव्यैश्च पुष्पैस्तं देवाः समन्तात् पर्यवारयन्। देवदुन्दुभयश्चापि नेदुः स्वयमनीरिताः॥
The celestials showered heaven-grown flowers upon him from the sky; as also the divine kettle-drums played spontaneously without cessation.
शीतश्च वायुः प्रववौ प्रयाणे तस्य धीमतः। विपांसुलां महीं कुर्वन् ववर्ष च सुरेश्वरः॥
While that intelligent one was proceeding onwards, cool breezes began to blow and showers were poured forth by the chief of the gods, making the earth free from dusts.
अन्तरिक्षे विमानादि देवतानां युधिष्ठिर। तत्रैव समदृश्यन्त धुन्धुर्यत्र महासुरः॥
O Yudhishthira, the cars of the gods were seen on the sky just when the great Asura, Dhundhu, was below the heaven.
कुवलाश्वस्य धुन्धोश्च युद्धकौतूहलान्विताः। देवगन्धर्वसहिताः समवैक्षन् महर्षयः॥
Propelled by curiosity the celestials with the Gandharvas, as well as the great sages, beheld from heaven the combat between Kuvalashva and Dhundhu.
नारायणेन कौरव्य तेजसाऽऽप्यायितस्तदा। स गतो नृपतिः क्षिप्रं पुत्रैस्तैः सर्वतो दिशम्॥ अर्णवं खानयामास कुवलाश्वो महीपतिः।
O son of the Kuru race, thereupon that ruler of men, supplied with the energy of Narayana went speedily in all directions with all of his sons. Kuvalashva, excavated that sea of sands.
कुवलाश्वस्य पुत्रैश्च तस्मिन् वै बालुकार्णवे॥ सप्तभिर्दिवसैः खात्वा दृष्टो धुन्धुर्महाबलः।
While the sons of Kuvalashva were digging that sea, they found out, after seven days, the greatly powerful Dhundhu.
आसीद् घोरं वपुस्तस्य बालुकान्तर्हितं महत्॥ दीप्यमानं यथा सूर्यस्तेजसा भरतर्षभ।
O foremost of the Bharata race, the monstrous body of that hero lay in the interior of those sands and shone as the sun in splendour.
ततो धुन्धुर्महाराज दिशमावृत्य पश्चिमाम्॥ सुप्तोऽभूद् राजशार्दूल कालानलसमद्युतिः।
Thereupon O great monarch, Dhundhu lay asleep, occupying the whole of the western point of the horizon; and he looked effulgent like the all-destroying fire.
कुवलाश्वस्य पुत्रैस्तु सर्वतः परिवारितः॥ अभिद्रुतः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गदाभिर्मुसलैरपि। पट्टिशैः परियैः प्रासैः खङ्गैच विमलैः शितैः॥ स वध्यमानः संक्रुद्धः समुत्तस्थौ महाबलः। क्रुद्धश्चाभक्षयत् तेषां शस्त्राणि विविधानि च।॥
Then the ruler of the earth, and entirely surrounded as he was by all the sons of Kuvalashva. He was also assaulted with the sharp arrows, the maces and clubs, as well as with the axes, iron spikes, shafts and sharp and bright swords. Having been thus wounded, the greatly powerful one rose up in anger; and swallowed up all the various sorts of weapons in great excitement.
आस्याद् वमन् पावकं स संवर्तकसम तदा। तान् सर्वान् नृपतेः पुत्रानदहत् स्वेन तेजसा॥
Thereupon he vomited from his mouth the fire, that was like the Samvartaka (appearing at the end of the Yoga); and he burnt the sons of the king by these his own flames.
मुखजेनाग्निना क्रुद्धो लोकानुद्वर्तयन्निव। क्षणेन राजशार्दूल पुरेव कपिलः प्रभुः॥ सगरस्यात्मजान् क्रुद्धस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्।
Surrounding the three worlds with the fire emitted from his mouth, the wrathful one seemed in a moment to be a miracle like Lord Kapila of old, who consumed the sons of Sagara (by the fire of his wrath).
तेषु क्रोधाग्निदग्धेषु तदा भरतसत्तम॥ तं प्रबुद्धं महात्मानं कुम्भकर्णमिवापरम्। आससाद महातेजाः कुवलाश्वो महीपतिः॥
O foremost of the Bharata race, after the sons were thus consumed by the fire of wrath, the ruler of earth, Kuvalashva, endued with great energy, approached that high-souled one (Asura) who, now awake, was like a second Kumbhakarna.
तस्य वारि महाराज सुस्राव बहु देहतः। तदापीय ततस्तेजो राजा वारिमयं नृप॥ योगी योगेन वछि च शमयामास वारिणा।
O great king, a current of water flowed copiously from the body of the monarch, who now extinguished those flames, O king, by that stream of water endued with the Yuga prowess, he extinguished the fire by the stream of water flowing from his body.
ब्रह्मास्त्रेण च राजेन्द्र दैत्यं क्रूरपराक्रमम्॥ ददाह भरतश्रेष्ठ सर्वलोकभवाय वै। सोऽस्त्रेण दग्ध्वा राजर्षिः कुवलाश्वो महासुरम्॥ सुरशत्रुममित्रघ्नं त्रैलोक्येश इवापरः।
O best of kings he then repressed the evilspirited Daitya by the weapon, called Brahma, with the object of benefiting the three words. O best of the Bharata race, thus having been repressed by that weapon the great Asura, who was the enemy of the gods, as well as the chastiser of all foes, the sage-like king, Kuvalashva became a second chief of the three worlds.
धुन्धोर्वधात् तदा राजा कुवलाश्वो महामनाः॥ धुन्धुमार इति ख्यातो नाम्नाप्रतिरथोऽभवत्।
And from that day the lofty-minded king Kuvalashva became known by the name of Dhundhumara and was thought to be unconquerable on account of his slaying Dhundhu.
प्रीतैश्च त्रिदशैः सर्वैमहर्षिसहितैस्तदा॥ वरं वृणीष्वेत्युक्तः स प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतस्तदा। अतीव मुदितो राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon all the celestials as well as the great sages became highly gratified with him. Having been solicited by them to take a boon from them, he folded his hands and bowed down to them; and, O king, being highly delighted, he addressed them, saying,
दद्यां वित्तं द्विजावयेभ्यः शत्रूणां चापि दुर्जयः। सख्यं च विष्णुना मे स्याद् भूतेष्वद्रोह एव च॥
'Grant me the boon that I may give wealth to the best of the Brahmanas and that I may be unconquerable in respect to all enemies; and I may have friendship with Vishnu; and that I may not entertain any animosity against any body.
धर्मे रतिश्च सततं स्वर्गे वासस्तथाक्षयः। तथास्त्विति ततो देवैः प्रीतैरुक्तः स पार्थिवः॥ ऋषिभिश्च सगन्धर्वैरुक्तङ्केन च धीमता। सम्भाष्य चैनं विविधैराशीर्वादैस्ततो नृप॥
That I may have heart always turned towards virtue; and also that I may have an everlasting abode in heaven.' Thereupon the celestials, with the sages and Gandharvas, as also with the intelligent 'Uttanka, highly gratified, said to the king "So be it," O monarch, then they also saluted him with various other blessings.
देवा महर्षयश्चापि स्वानि स्थानानि भेजिरे। तस्य पुत्रास्त्रयः शिष्टा युधिष्ठिर तदाभवन्॥
The celestials as well as the great sages departed to their respective residences. O Yudhishthira, then the king (Kuvalashva) had still three son left.
दृढाश्वः कपिलाश्वश्च चन्द्राश्वश्चैव भारत। तेभ्यः परम्परा राजनिक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम्॥ वंशस्य सुमहाभाग राज्ञाममिततेजसाम्।
O descendant of the Bharata race, they (the sons) were called Dridhashva, Kapilashva and Chandrashva, from whom, O king, has sprung the line of greatly powerful kings belonging to that most illustrious race of Ikshyaku.
एवं स निहतस्तेन कुवलाश्वेन सत्तम॥ धुन्धुर्नाम महादैत्यो मधुकैटभयोः सुतः। कुवलाश्वश्च नृपतिधुन्धुमार इति स्मृतः॥
O blessed one, O the most excellent, thus was slain by Kuvalashva. The great Daitya, Dhundhu, the son of Madhu and Kaitabha. The king Kuvalashva, too, came to be known by the name of Dhundhumara.
नाम्ना च गुणसंयुक्तस्तदाप्रभृति सोऽभवत्। एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि॥ धौन्धुमारमुपाख्यानं प्रथितं यस्य कर्मणा।
By his assuming this appellation, he really became, from that time forward, one of innumerable virtues. Now I have related to you the whole account, which you asked me. By this act of his (Kuvalashva's) the story of Dhundhu's death has become famous.
इदं तु पुण्यमाख्यानं विष्णो:समनुकीर्तनम्॥ शृणुयाद् यः स धर्मात्मा पुत्रवांश्च भवेन्नरः। आयुष्मान् भूतिमांश्चैव श्रुत्वा भवति पर्वसु। न च व्याधिभयं किंचित् प्राप्नोति विगतज्वरः॥
For it has been associated with the glory of Vishnu. The person, who listens to this history becomes virtuous; and also father of children; and listening to it on the holy days, he becomes blessed with longevity and good fortune. Becoming delivered from all diseases, he even gets no fear of indisposition.