________________ 210 Homage to Vaisali despatched a sudra tapas', Indradasa by name, to her son Dama,quoting previous historical instances of sons avenging their father, and addressing a very fine dissertation on royal duties to her son (quoted in the Puranic account). She instanced King Viduratha, who avenged his father's death by punishing the Yavanas; the 'Asura' King Jambhas who avenged it on the Nagas; and the Vasistha Parasara who avenged his father Saktri on the Raksasas. After this emissary left for the Court, Indrasena embraced the body of NTsyanta and became 'sati' in their asrama. (A fitting sequel to the life-history of Sakuntala). On receipt of his mother's message, Dama's wrath was excited and he vowed a most terrible vengeance, namely that he would completely destroy Vapusmat and satisfy his father's spirit with the offering of Vapusmat's blood and flesh in the 'tarpana' and 'brahmana-bhojana' to be performed at his father's funeral rites. He placed the whole matter befere his 'purohita' and ministers and consulted them; they fully supported Dama in his grim resolve, and accompanied him on his Deccan expedition; they attacked and slew all the Wardens of the Marches of Vapusmat's realm, on their rapid march to the South. Ultimately, Vapusmat issued from his capital with a large army and tumultuous battles ensued. (A full description is given of this Southern Campaign). Finally Dama personally smote and felled Vapusmat, and standing on him was about to pierce his heart and drink his blood then and there, but refrained, remembering his vow. He now offered Vapusmat's heart's bood to bis father and also offered 'pinda' to him with his flesh, and fed brahmanas, Paulastyas, and 'raksasas' as well, with that flesh.-A similar ferocity appears in the Bharata dynasty with Bhima-Pandava. Dama's successor, Rajya-or Rastra-vardhana, was a philosopherking and his rule was an ideal and pacific one. (This was to be expected, as Dama-Bharata was succeeded by his Angirasa brahmana cousin, 1. Cf. an equallly fine address of Sakuntala at Dusyanata's court, quoted in the Mahabbarata. 2. Probably the father-in-law of Vatsa-Pri, an earlier Vaigalian king; see above. . 3. May be the same as Kujtmbha, contemporary of this Viduratha, who ruled harshly over the Nagas (who rejoiced at his overthrow); see above. No anachronism, since the much later Kra-Dvaipayana's father, Parasara, was a different person, -Sagara by name and Parasara by 'gotra'.
