Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c12.s8.8

c12.s8.8

‘They possessed a noble stature and a tender and bright mien and remained always engaged in their own pursuits. In course of time, however, they began to covet a king’s riches and splendour and objects of pleasure such as women with ornaments, chariots yoked with stately horses. With an eye to these gains they approached king Okkāku (Ikṣvāku), persuaded him to celebrate aśvamedha, puruṣamedha, śamyāprāsa and vājapeyya and received as fees from him wealth, women and chariots, horses and cows, beds and clothes. Coveting more and more they again persuaded him to celebrate sacrifices by the offering of cows, which they said, constituted also the wealth of men as are land, gold or grains, and such were equally fit objects for offering. The slaughter of cows enraged the gods Brahma, Indra and even the Asuras and Rākṣasas and multiplied the diseases which were originally three, viz. desires, hunger and decrepitude, to ninety-eight and further caused to appear discord among the people and within the household, and acts improper and impious among the various classes of men.’