Markandeyapurana 37.10

37.10

so 'pi cakre balodyogamalarkaṃ prati pārthivaḥ /
dūtañca preṣayāmāsa rājyamasmai pradīyatām //

That monarch also made military preparations against Alarka, / and sent a messenger: 'Let the kingdom be given to him.'

That king collected together his army against Alarka, and despatched a messenger to demand that the kingdom should be gived up to Subāhu. Alarka refused, cognizant of his own justice, to give up the kingdom then in obedience to that command, and returned answer to the messenger of the king of Kāśī;—“Let my elder brother come to me with affection and ask for the kingdom for himself. I will not yield up the smallest bit of territory through fear on an attack.” Even wise Subāhu made no request then. Supplication is not the duty of kṣatriyas, for he was mighty in valour.

37.10.p1

so 'pi naicchattadā dātumājñāpūrvaṃ svadharmavit /

He, knowing his own dharma, did not wish to give it at that time upon a mere command,