________________
CHAPTER VII
PUBLIC LIFE
ऋषभाद्भरतो जज्ञे वीरः पुत्रशताद्वरः सोऽभिषिच्यर्षभः पुत्रं महाप्राव्राज्यमास्थितः तपस्तेये महाभागः पुलहाश्रमसंश्रयः हिमाह्वयं दक्षिणं वर्ष भरताय पिता ददौ । तस्मात्तु भारतं वर्षे तस्य नाम्ना महात्मनः ॥ भरतस्यान्वभूत्पुत्रः सुमतिर्नाम धार्मिकः ।
[Tr. Risabha's son was Bharata. Risabha performed the rajabhiseka (installation ceremony) of Bharata, and entered sannyasa (asceticism); and, abiding in the vanaprastha stage, the Fortunate One performed austerities! The country of Hima, which is to the south, was given to Bharata by his Father, and came therefore, after his name, to be known as Bhāratavarṣa. Bharata had a virtuous son by name Sumati !]-The Markandeya Purana (Hindu), L. 39-41.
The kalpa trees of the bhogabhumi age had by this time completely disappeared, and the spontaneous cultivation also was not yielding sufficient food for the growing populace. Rișabha Deva, therefore, taught them agriculture (cultivation of sugarcane and other crops) and other useful crafts and arts. He laid the founda
95
