The Katha Sarit Sagara or Ocean of the Streams of Story Part 15

When he heard this speech of the adorable Siva, the king of Vatsa, with his retinue, wors.h.i.+pped him, and joyfully made up his mind to celebrate the marriage of his son. Then the king congratulated his prime minister, who had before discerned the truth, and summoned the astrologers, and asked them what would be a favourable moment, and they, after being honoured with presents, told him that a favourable moment would arrive within a few days. Again those astrologers said to him--"Your son will have to endure some separation for a short season from this wife of his; this we know, O lord of Vatsa, by our own scientific foresight." Then the king proceeded to make the requisite preparations for the marriage of his son, in a style suited to his own magnificence, so that not only his own city, but the whole earth was made to tremble with the effort of it. Then, the day of marriage having arrived, Kalingasena adorned her daughter, to whom her father had sent his own heavenly ornaments, and Somaprabha came in obedience to her husband's order. Then Madanamanchuka, adorned with a heavenly marriage thread, looked still more lovely; is not the moon truly beautiful, when accompanied by Kartika? And heavenly nymphs, by the order of Siva, sang auspicious strains in her honour: they were eclipsed by her beauty and remained hidden as if ashamed, but the sound of their songs was heard. They sang the following hymn in honour of Gauri, blended with the minstrelsy of the matchless musicians of heaven, so as to make unequalled harmony--"Victory to thee, O daughter of the mountain, that hast mercy on thy faithful votaries, for thou hast thyself come to-day and blessed with success the asceticism of Rati." Then Naravahanadatta, resplendent with excellent marriage-thread, entered the wedding-pavilion full of various musical instruments. And the bride and bridegroom, after accomplis.h.i.+ng the auspicious ceremony of marriage, with intent care, so that no rite was left out, ascended the altar-platform where a fire was burning, as if ascending the pure flame of jewels on the heads of kings. If the moon and the sun were to revolve at the same time round the mountain of gold, [522] there would be an exact representation in the world of the appearance of those two, the bride and the bridegroom, when circ.u.mambulating the fire, keeping it on their right. Not only did the drums of the G.o.ds in the air drown the cymbal-clang in honour of the marriage festival, but the rain of flowers sent down by the G.o.ds overwhelmed the gilt grain thrown by the women. Then also the generous Kalingasena honoured her son-in-law with heaps of gold studded with jewels, so that the lord of Alaka was considered very poor compared with him, and much more so all miserable earthly monarchs. And then the bride and bridegroom, now that the delightful ceremony of marriage was accomplished in accordance with their long-cherished wishes, entered the inner apartments crowded with women, adorned with pure and variegated decoration, even as they penetrated the heart of the people full of pure and various loyalty. Moreover, the city of the king of Vatsa was quickly filled with kings, surrounded with splendid armies, who, though their valour was worthy of the world's admiration, had bent in submission, bringing in their hands valuable jewels by way of presents, as if with subject seas. [523] On that high day of festival, the king distributed gold with such magnificence to his dependants, that the children in their mothers' wombs were at any rate the only beings in his kingdom not made of gold. [524] Then on account of the troops of excellent minstrels and dancing girls, that came from all quarters of the world, with hymns, music, dances and songs on all sides, the world seemed full of harmony. And at that festival the city of Kausambi seemed itself to be dancing, for the pennons agitated by the wind seemed like twining arms, and it was beautified with the toilettes of the city matrons, as if with ornaments. And thus waxing in mirth every day, that great festival continued for a long time, and all friends, relations and people generally were delighted by it, and had their wishes marvellously fulfilled. And that crown-prince Naravahanadatta, accompanied by Madanamanchuka, enjoyed, though intent on glory, the long-desired pleasures of this world.

BOOK VII.

CHAPTER x.x.xV.

May the head of Siva, studded with the nails of Gauri engaged in playfully pulling his hair, and so appearing rich in many moons, [525] procure you prosperity.

May the G.o.d of the elephant face, [526] who, stretching forth his trunk wet with streaming ichor, curved at the extremity, seems to be bestowing successes, protect you.

Thus the young son of the king of Vatsa, having married in Kausambi Madanamanchuka, whom he loved as his life, remained living as he chose, with his ministers Gomukha and others, having obtained his wish.

And once on a time, when the feast of spring had arrived, adorned with the gus.h.i.+ng notes of love-intoxicated cuckoos, in which the wind from the Malaya mountain set in motion by force the dance of the creepers,--the feast of spring delightful with the hum of bees, the prince went to the garden with his ministers to amuse himself. After roaming about there, his friend Tapantaka suddenly came with his eyes expanded with delight, and stepping up to him, said--"Prince, I have seen not far from here a wonderful maiden, who has descended from heaven and is standing under an asoka-tree, and that very maiden, who illumines the regions with her beauty, advancing towards me with her friends, sent me here to summon you." When Naravahanadatta heard that, being eager to see her, he went quickly with his ministers to the foot of the tree. He beheld there that fair one, with her rolling eyes like bees, with her lips red like shoots, beautiful with b.r.e.a.s.t.s firm as cl.u.s.ters, having her body yellow with the dust of flowers, removing fatigue by her loveliness, [527] like the G.o.ddess of the garden appearing in a visible shape suited to her deity. And the prince approached the heavenly maiden, who bowed before him, and welcomed her, for his eyes were ravished with her beauty. Then his minister Gomukha, after all had sat down, asked her, "Who are you, auspicious one, and for what reason have you come here?" When she heard that, she laid aside her modesty in obedience to the irresistible decree of Love, and frequently stealing sidelong glances at the lotus of Naravahanadatta's face with an eye that shed matchless affection, she began thus at length to relate her own history.

Story of Ratnaprabha.

There is a mountain-chain called Himavat, famous in the three worlds; it has many peaks, but one of its peaks is the mount of Siva which is garlanded with the brightness of glittering jewels, and flashes with gleaming snow, and like the expanse of the heaven, cannot be measured. Its plateaux are the home of magic powers and of magic herbs, which dispel old age, death, and fear, and are to be obtained by the favour of Siva. With its peaks yellow with the brightness of the bodies of many Vidyadharas, it transcends the glory of the peaks of Sumeru itself, the mighty hill of the immortals.

On it there is a golden city called Kanchanasringa, which gleams refulgent with brightness, like the palace of the Sun. It extends many yojanas, and in it there lives a king of the Vidyadharas named Hemaprabha, who is a firm votary of the husband of Uma. And though he has many wives, he has only one queen, whom he loves dearly, named Alankaraprabha, as dear to him as Rohini to the moon. With her the virtuous king used to rise up in the morning and bathe, and wors.h.i.+p duly Siva and his wife Gauri, and then he would descend to the world of men, and give to poor Brahmans every day a thousand gold-pieces mixed with jewels. And then he returned from earth and attended to his kingly duties justly, and then he ate and drank, abiding by his vow like a hermit. While days elapsed in this way, melancholy arose once in the bosom of the king, caused by his childlessness, but suggested by a pa.s.sing occasion. And his beloved queen Alankaraprabha, seeing that he was in very low spirits, asked him the cause of his sadness. Then the king said to her--"I have all prosperity, but the one grief of childlessness afflicts me, O queen. And this melancholy has arisen in my breast on the occasion of calling to mind a tale, which I heard long ago, of a virtuous man who had no son." Then the queen said to him, "Of what nature was that tale?" When asked this question, the king told her the tale briefly in the following words:

Story of Sattvasila and the two treasures.

In the town of Chitrakuta there was a king named Brahmanavara, rightly named, for he was devoted to honouring Brahmans. He had a victorious servant named Sattvasila who devoted himself exclusively to war, and every month Sattvasila received a hundred gold-pieces from that king. But as he was munificent, that gold was not enough for him, especially as his childlessness made the pleasure of giving the sole pleasure to which he was addicted. Sattvasila was continually reflecting--"The Disposer has not given me a son to gladden me, but he has given me the vice of generosity, and that too without wealth. It is better to be produced in the world as an old barren tree or a stone, than as a poor man altogether abandoned to the vice of giving away money." But once on a time Sattvasila, while wandering in a garden, happened by luck to find a treasure: and with the help of his servants he quickly brought home that h.o.a.rd, which gleamed with much gold and glittered with priceless stones. Out of that he provided himself with pleasures, and gave wealth to Brahmans, slaves, and friends, and thus the virtuous man spent his life. Meanwhile his relations, beholding this, guessed the secret, and went to the king's palace, and of their own accord informed the king that Sattvasila had found a treasure. Then Sattvasila was summoned by the king, and by order of the door-keeper remained standing for a moment in a lonely part of the king's courtyard. There, as he was scratching the earth with the hilt of a lilavajra, [528] that was in his hand, he found another large treasure in a copper vessel. It appeared like his own heart, displayed openly for him by Destiny pleased with his virtue, in order that he might propitiate the king with it. So he covered it up again with earth as it was before, and when summoned by the door-keeper, entered the king's presence. When he had made his bow there, the king himself said, "I have come to learn that you have obtained a treasure, so surrender it to me." And Sattvasila for his part answered him then and there, "O king, tell me: shall I give you the first treasure I found, or the one I found to-day." The king said to him--"Give the one recently found." And thereupon Sattvasila went to a corner of the king's courtyard, and gave him up the treasure. Then the king, being pleased with the treasure, dismissed Sattvasila with these words--"Enjoy the first-found treasure as you please." So Sattvasila returned to his house. There he remained increasing the propriety of his name with gifts and enjoyments, and so managing to dispel somehow or other the melancholy caused by the affliction of childlessness.

"Such is the story of Sattvasila, which I heard long ago, and because I have recalled it to mind, I remain sorrowful through thinking over the fact that I have no son." When the queen Alankaraprabha was thus addressed by her husband Hemaprabha, the king of the Vidyadharas, she answered him, "It is true: Fortune does a.s.sist the brave in this way; did not Sattvasila, when in difficulties, obtain a second treasure? So you too will obtain your desire by the power of your courage, as an example of the truth of this, hear the story of Vikramatunga."

Story of the brave king Vikramatunga.

There is a city called Pataliputra, the ornament of the earth, filled with various beautiful jewels, the colours of which are so disposed as to form a perfect scale of colour. In that city there dwelt long ago a brave king, named Vikramatunga, who in giving [529] never turned his back on a suppliant, nor in fighting on an enemy. That king one day entered the forest to hunt, and saw there a Brahman offering a sacrifice with vilva [530] fruits. When he saw him, he was desirous to question him, but avoided going near him, and went off to a great distance with his army in his ardour for the chase. For a long time he sported with deer and lions, that rose up and fell slain by his hand, as if with foes, and then he returned and beheld the Brahman still intent on his sacrifice as before, and going up to him he bowed before him, and asked him his name and the advantage he hoped to derive from offering the vilva fruits. Then the Brahman blessed the king and said to him, "I am a Brahman named Nagasarman, and bear the fruit I hope from my sacrifice. When the G.o.d of Fire is pleased with this vilva sacrifice, then vilva fruits of gold will come out of the fire-cavity. Then the G.o.d of Fire will appear in bodily form and grant me a boon; and so I have spent much time in offering vilva fruits. But so little is my merit that even now the G.o.d of Fire is not propitiated." When he said this, that king of resolute valour answered him--"Then give me one vilva fruit that I may offer it, and I will to-day, O Brahman, render the G.o.d of Fire propitious to you." Then the Brahman said to the king, "How will you, unchastened and impure, propitiate that G.o.d of Fire, who is not satisfied with me, who remain thus faithful to my vow, and am chastened?" When the Brahman said this to him, the king said to him again, "Never mind, give me a vilva fruit, and in a moment you shall behold a wonder." Then the Brahman, full of curiosity, gave a vilva fruit to the king, and he then and there meditated with soul of firm valour--"If thou art not satisfied with this vilva fruit, O G.o.d of Fire, then I will offer thee my own head,"

and thereupon offered the fruit. And the seven-rayed G.o.d appeared from the sacrificial cavity, bringing the king a golden vilva fruit as the fruit of his tree of valour. And the Fire-G.o.d, present in visible form, said to that king--"I am pleased with thy courage, so receive a boon, O king." When the magnanimous king heard that, he bowed before him and said--"Grant this Brahman his wish. What other boon do I require?" On hearing this speech of the king's, the Fire-G.o.d was much pleased and said to him--"O king, this Brahman shall become a great lord of wealth, and thou also by my favour shalt have the prosperity of thy treasury ever undiminished." When the Fire-G.o.d had, in these words, bestowed the boon, the Brahman asked him this question; "Thou hast appeared swiftly to a king that acts according to his own will, but not to me that am under vows: why is this, O revered one?" Then the Fire-G.o.d, the giver of boons, answered--"If I had not granted him an interview, this king of fierce courage would have offered his head in sacrifice to me. In this world successes quickly befall those of fierce spirit, but they come slowly, O Brahman, to those of dull spirit like thee." Thus spake the G.o.d of Fire, and vanished, and the Brahman Nagasarman took leave of the king and in course of time became very rich. But the king Vikramatunga, whose courage had been thus seen by his dependents, returned amid their plaudits to his town of Pataliputra.

When the king was dwelling there, the warder Satrunjaya entered suddenly one day, and said secretly to him; "There is standing at the door, O king, a Brahman lad, who says his name is Dattasarman, he wishes to make a representation to you in private." The king gave the order to introduce him, and the lad was introduced, and after blessing the king, he bowed before him, and sat down. And he made this representation--"King, by a certain device of powder I know how to make always excellent gold out of copper. For that device was shewn me by my spiritual teacher, and I saw with my own eyes that he made gold by that device." When the lad said this, the king ordered copper to be brought, and when it was melted, the lad threw the powder upon it. But while the powder was being thrown, an invisible Yaksha carried it off, and the king alone saw him, having propitiated the G.o.d of Fire. And that copper did not turn into gold, as the powder did not reach it; thrice did the lad make the attempt and thrice his labour was in vain. Then the king, first of brave men, took the powder from the desponding lad, and himself threw it on the melted copper; when he threw the powder, the Yaksha did not intercept it, but went away smiling. Accordingly the copper became gold by contact with that powder. Then the boy, astonished, asked the king for an explanation, and the king told him the incident of the Yaksha, just as he had seen it. And having learned in this way the device of the powder from that lad, the king made him marry a wife, and gave him all he wished, and having his treasury prosperously filled by means of the gold produced by that device, he himself enjoyed great happiness together with his wives, and made Brahmans rich.

"Thus you see that the Lord grants their desires to men of fierce courage, seeming to be either terrified or pleased by them. And who, O king, is of more firm valour or more generous than you? So Siva, when propitiated by you, will certainly give you a son; do not sorrow." The king Hemaprabha, when he heard this n.o.ble speech from the mouth of queen Alankaraprabha, believed it and was pleased. And he considered that his own heart, radiant with cheerfulness, indicated that he would certainly obtain a son by propitiating Siva. The next day after this, he and his wife bathed and wors.h.i.+pped Siva, and he gave 90 millions of gold-pieces to the Brahmans, and without taking food he went through ascetic practices in front of Siva, determined that he would either leave the body or propitiate the G.o.d, and continuing in asceticism, he praised the giver of boons, the husband of the daughter of the mountain, [531] that lightly gave away the sea of milk to his votary Upamanyu, saying, "Honour to thee, O husband of Gauri, who art the cause of the creation, preservation, and destruction of the world, who dost a.s.sume the eight special forms of ether and the rest. [532]

Honour to thee, who sleepest on the ever-expanded lotus of the heart, that art Sambhu, the swan dwelling in the pure Manasa lake. [533]

Honour to thee, the exceeding marvellous Moon, of divine brightness, pure, of watery substance, to be beheld by those whose sins are put away; to thee whose beloved is half thy body, [534] and who nevertheless art supremely chaste. Honour to thee who didst create the world by a wish, and art thyself the world."

When the king had praised Siva in these words and fasted for three nights, the G.o.d appeared to him in a dream, and spake as follows: "Rise up, O king, there shall be born to thee a heroic son that shall uphold thy race. And thou shalt also obtain by the favour of Gauri, a glorious daughter who is destined to be the queen of that treasure-house of glory, Naravahanadatta, your future emperor." When Siva had said this, he disappeared, and Hemaprabha woke up, delighted, at the close of night. And by telling his dream he gladdened his wife Alankaraprabha, who had been told the same by Gauri in a dream, and dwelt on the agreement of the two visions. And then the king rose up and bathed and wors.h.i.+pped Siva, and after giving gifts, broke his fast, and kept high festival.

Then, after some days had pa.s.sed, the queen Alankaraprabha became pregnant by that king, and delighted her beloved by her face redolent of honey, with wildly rolling eyes, so that it resembled a pale lotus with bees hovering round it. Then she gave birth in due time to a son, (whose n.o.ble lineage was proclaimed by the elevated longings of her pregnancy,) as the sky gives birth to the orb of day. As soon as he was born, the lying-in chamber was illuminated by his might, and so was made red as vermilion. And his father gave to that infant, that brought terror to the families of his enemies, the name of Vajraprabha, that had been appointed for him by a divine voice. Then the boy grew by degrees, being filled with accomplishments, and causing the exultation of his family, as the new moon fills out with digits, [535] and causes the sea to rise.

Then, not long after, the queen of that king Hemaprabha again became pregnant. And when she was pregnant, she sat upon a golden throne, and became truly the jewel of the harem, adding special l.u.s.tre to her settings. And in a chariot, in the shape of a beautiful lotus, manufactured by help of magic science, she roamed about in the sky, since her pregnant longings a.s.sumed that form. But when the due time came, a daughter was born to that queen, whose birth by the favour of Gauri was a sufficient guarantee of her loveliness. And this voice was then heard from heaven--"She shall be the wife of Naravahanadatta"--which agreed with the words of Siva's revelation. And the king was just as much delighted at her birth as he was at that of his son, and gave her the name of Ratnaprabha. And Ratnaprabha, adorned with her own science, grew up in the house of her father, producing illumination in all the quarters of the sky. Then the king made his son Vajraprabha, who had begun to wear armour, take a wife, and appointed him crown-prince. And he devolved on him the burden of the kingdom and remained at ease; but still one anxiety lingered in his heart, anxiety about the marriage of his daughter.

One day the king beheld that daughter, who was fit to be given away in marriage, sitting near him, and said to the queen Alankaraprabha, who was in his presence; "Observe, queen, a daughter is a great misery in the three worlds, even though she is the ornament of her family, a misery, alas! even to the great. For this Ratnaprabha, though modest, learned, young and beautiful, afflicts me because she has not obtained a husband." The queen said to him--"She was proclaimed by the G.o.ds as the destined wife of Naravahanadatta, our future emperor, why is she not given to him?" When the queen said this to him, the king answered: "In truth the maiden is fortunate, that shall obtain him for a bridegroom. For he is an incarnation of Kama upon earth, but he has not as yet attained his divine nature: therefore I am now waiting for his attainment of superhuman knowledge." [536]

While he was thus speaking, Ratnaprabha, by means of those accents of her father, which entered her ear like the words of the bewildering spell of the G.o.d of love, became as if bewildered, as if possessed, as if asleep, as if in a picture, and her heart was captivated by that bridegroom. Then with difficulty she took a respectful leave of her parents, and went to her own private apartments, and managed at length to get to sleep at the end of the night. Then the G.o.ddess Gauri, being full of pity for her, gave her this command in a dream; "To-morrow, my daughter, is an auspicious day; so thou must go to the city of Kausambi and see thy future husband, and thence thy father, O auspicious one, will himself bring thee and him into this his city, and celebrate your marriage." So in the morning, when she woke up, she told that dream to her mother. Then her mother gave her leave to go, and she, knowing by her superhuman knowledge that her bridegroom was in the garden, set out from her own city to visit him.

"Thou knowest, O my husband, that I am that Ratnaprabha, arrived to-day in a moment, full of impatience, and you all know the sequel." When he heard this speech of hers, that in sweetness exceeded nectar, and beheld the body of the Vidyadhari that was ambrosia to the eyes, Naravahanadatta in his heart blamed the Creator, saying to himself--"Why did he not make me all eye and ear?" And he said to her--"Fortunate am I; my birth and life has obtained its fruit, in that I, O beautiful one, have been thus visited by thee out of affection!" When they had thus exchanged the protestations of new love, suddenly the army of the Vidyadharas was beheld there in the heaven. Ratnaprabha said immediately, "Here is my father come," and the king Hemaprabha descended from heaven with his son. And with his son Vajraprabha he approached that Naravahanadatta, who gave him a courteous welcome. And while they stood for a moment paying one another the customary compliments, the king of Vatsa, who had heard of it, came with his ministers. And then that Hemaprabha told the king, after he had performed towards him the rites of hospitality, the whole story exactly as it had been related by Ratnaprabha, and said, "I knew by the power of my supernatural knowledge that my daughter had come here, and I am aware of all that has happened in this place. [537]

For he will afterwards possess such an imperial chariot. Pray consent, and then thou shalt behold in a short time thy son, the prince, returned here, united to his wife Ratnaprabha." After he had addressed this prayer to the king of Vatsa, and he had consented to his wish, that Hemaprabha, with his son, prepared that chariot by his own magic skill, and made Naravahanadatta ascend it, together with Ratnaprabha, whose face was cast down from modesty, followed by Gomukha and the others, and Yaugandharayana, who was also deputed to accompany him by his father, and thus Hemaprabha took him to his own capital, Kanchanasringaka.

And Naravahanadatta, when he reached that city of his father-in-law, saw that it was all of gold, gleaming with golden ramparts, embraced, as it were, on all sides with rays issuing out like shoots, and so stretching forth innumerable arms in eagerness of love for that son-in-law. There the king Hemaprabha, of high emprise, gave Ratnaprabha with due ceremonies to him, as the sea gave Lakshmi to Vishnu. And he gave him glittering heaps of jewels, gleaming like innumerable wedding fires lighted. [538] And in the city of that festive prince, who was showering wealth, even the houses, being draped with flags, appeared as if they had received changes of raiment. And Naravahanadatta, having performed the auspicious ceremony of marriage, remained there enjoying heavenly pleasures with Ratnaprabha. And he amused himself by looking in her company at beautiful temples of the G.o.ds in gardens and lakes, having ascended with her the heaven by the might of her science.

So, after he had lived some days with his wife in the city of the king of the Vidyadharas, the son of the king of Vatsa determined, in accordance with the advice of Yaugandharayana, to return to his own city. Then his mother-in-law performed for him the auspicious ceremonies previous to starting, and his father-in-law again honoured him and his minister, and then he set out with Hemaprabha and his son, accompanied by his beloved, having again ascended that chariot. He soon arrived, like a stream of nectar to the eyes of his mother, and entered his city with Hemaprabha and his son and his own followers, bringing with him his wife, who made the king of Vatsa rejoice exceedingly with delight at beholding her. The king of Vatsa of exalted fortune, with Vasavadatta, welcomed that son, who bowed at his feet with his wife, and honoured Hemaprabha his new connexion, as well as his son, in a manner conformable to his own dignity. Then, after that king of the Vidyadharas, Hemaprabha, had taken leave of the lord of Vatsa and his family, and had flown up into the heaven and gone to his own city, that Naravahanadatta, together with Ratnaprabha and Madanamanchuka, spent that day in happiness surrounded by his friends.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI.

When that Naravahanadatta had thus obtained a new and lovely bride of the Vidyadhara race, and was the next day with her in her house, there came in the morning to the door, to visit him, his ministers Gomukha and others. They were stopped for a moment at the door by the female warder, and announced within; then they entered and were courteously received, and Ratnaprabha said to the warder, "The door must not again be closed against the entrance of my husband's friends, for they are as dear to me as my own body. And I do not think that this is the way to guard female apartments." After she had addressed the female warder in these words, she said in turn to her husband, "My husband, I am going to say something which occurs to me, so listen. I consider that the strict seclusion of women is a mere social custom, or rather folly produced by jealousy. It is of no use whatever. Women of good family are guarded by their own virtue, as their only chamberlain. But even G.o.d himself can scarcely guard the unchaste. Who can restrain a furious river and a pa.s.sionate woman? And now listen, I will tell you a story."

Story of king Ratnadhipati and the white elephant Svetarasmi.

There is here a great island in the midst of the sea, named Ratnakuta. In it there lived in old times a king of great courage, a devoted wors.h.i.+pper of Vishnu, rightly named Ratnadhipati. [539]

That king, in order to obtain the conquest of the earth, and all kings' daughters as his wives, went through a severe penance, to propitiate Vishnu. The adorable one, pleased with his penance, appeared in bodily form, and thus commanded him--"Rise up, king, I am pleased with thee, so I tell thee this--listen! There is in the land of Kalinga a Gandharva, who has become a white elephant by the curse of a hermit, and is known by the name of Svetarasmi. On account of the asceticism he performed in a former life, and on account of his devotion to me, that elephant is supernaturally wise, and possesses the power of flying through the sky, and of remembering his former birth. And I have given an order to that great elephant, in accordance with which he will come of himself through the air, and become thy beast of burden. That white elephant thou must mount, as the wielder of the thunderbolt mounts the elephant of the G.o.ds, [540] and whatever king thou shalt travel through the air to visit, in fear shall bestow on thee, who art of G.o.d-like presence, tribute in the form of a daughter, for I will myself command him to do so in a dream. Thus thou shalt conquer the whole earth, and all zenanas, and thou shalt obtain eighty thousand princesses." When Vishnu had said this, he disappeared, and the king broke his fast, and the next day he beheld that elephant, which had come to him through the air. And when the elephant had thus placed himself at the king's disposal, he mounted him, as he had been bidden to do by Vishnu, and in this manner he conquered the earth, and carried off the daughters of kings. And then the king dwelt there in Ratnakuta with those wives, eighty thousand in number, amusing himself as he pleased. And in order to propitiate Svetarasmi, that celestial elephant, he fed every day five hundred Brahmans.

Now once on a time the king Ratnadhipati mounted that elephant, and, after roaming through the other islands, returned to his own island. And as he was descending from the sky, it came to pa.s.s that a bird of the race of Garuda struck that excellent elephant with his beak. And the bird fled, when the king struck him with the sharp elephant-hook, but the elephant fell on the ground stunned by the blow of the bird's beak. The king got off his back, but the elephant, though he recovered his senses, was not able to rise up in spite of the efforts made to raise him, and ceased eating. For five days the elephant remained in the same place, where it had fallen, and the king was grieved and took no food, and prayed as follows: "Oh guardians of the world, teach me some remedy in this difficulty; otherwise I will cut off my own head and offer it to you." When he had said this, he drew his sword and was preparing to cut off his head, when immediately a bodiless voice thus addressed him from the sky--"O king do nothing rash; if some chaste woman touches this elephant with her hand, it will rise up, but not otherwise." When the king heard that, he was glad, and summoned his own carefully guarded chief queen, Amritalata. When the elephant did not rise up, though she touched it with her hand, the king had all his other wives summoned. But though they all touched the elephant in succession, he did not rise up; the fact was, not one among them was chaste. Then the king, having beheld all those eighty thousand wives openly humiliated in the presence of men, being himself abashed, summoned all the women of his capital, and made them touch the elephant one after another. And when in spite of it the elephant did not rise up, the king was ashamed, because there was not a single chaste woman in his city.

And in the meanwhile a merchant named Hars.h.a.gupta, who had arrived from Tamralipti, [541] having heard of that event, came there full of curiosity. And in his train there came a servant of the name of Silavati, who was devoted to her husband; when she saw what had taken place, she said to him--"I will touch this elephant with my hand: and if I have not even thought in my mind of any other man than my husband, may it rise up." No sooner had she said this, than she came up and touched the elephant with her hand, whereupon it rose up in sound health and began to eat. [542] But when the people saw the elephant Svetarasmi rise up, they raised a shout and praised Silavati, saying--"Such are these chaste women, few and far between, who, like Siva, are able to create, preserve and destroy this world." The king Ratnadhipati also was pleased, and congratulated the chaste Silavati, and loaded her with innumerable jewels, and he also honoured her master, the merchant Hars.h.a.gupta, and gave him a house near his own palace. And he determined to avoid all communication with his own wives, and ordered that henceforth they should have nothing but food and raiment.

Then the king, after he had taken his food, sent for the chaste Silavati, and said to her at a private interview in the presence of Hars.h.a.gupta, "Silavati, if you have any maiden of your father's family, give her to me, for I know she will certainly be like you." When the king said this to her, Silavati answered--"I have a sister in Tamralipti named Rajadatta; marry her, O king, if you wish, for she is of distinguished beauty." When she said this to the king, he consented and said, "So be it," and having determined on taking this step, he mounted, with Silavati and Hars.h.a.gupta, the elephant Svetarasmi, that could fly though the air, and going in person to Tamralipti, entered the house of that merchant Hars.h.a.gupta. There he asked the astrologers that very day, what would be a favourable time for him to be married to Rajadatta, the sister of Silavati. And the astrologers, having enquired under what stars both of them were born, said, "A favourable conjuncture will come for you, O king, in three months from this time. But if you marry Rajadatta in the present position of the constellations, she will without fail prove unchaste." Though the astrologers gave him this response, the king, being eager for a charming wife, and impatient of dwelling long alone, thus reflected--"Away with scruples! I will marry Rajadatta here this very day. For she is the sister of the blameless Silavati and will never prove unchaste. And I will place her in that uninhabited island in the middle of the sea, where there is one empty palace, and in that inaccessible spot I will surround her with a guard of women; so how can she become unchaste, as she can never see men?" Having formed this determination, the king that very day rashly married that Rajadatta, whom Silavati bestowed upon him. And after he had married her, and had been received with the customary rites by Hars.h.a.gupta, he took that wife, and with her and Silavati, he mounted Svetarasmi, and then in a moment went through the air to the land of Ratnakuta, where the people were anxiously expecting him. And he rewarded Silavati again so munificently, that she attained all her wishes, having reaped the fruit of her vow of chast.i.ty. Then he mounted his new wife Rajadatta on that same air-travelling elephant Svetarasmi, and conveyed her carefully, and placed her in the empty palace in the island in the midst of the sea, inaccessible to man, with a retinue of women only. And whatever article she required, he conveyed there through the air on that elephant, so great was his distrust. And being devotedly attached to her, he always spent the night there, but came to Ratnakuta in the day to transact his regal duties. Now one morning the king, in order to counteract an inauspicious dream, indulged with that Rajadatta in a drinking-bout for good luck. And though his wife, being intoxicated with that banquet, did not wish to let him go, he left her, and departed to Ratnakuta to transact his business, for the royal dignity is an ever-exacting wife. There he remained performing his duties with anxious mind, which seemed ever to ask him, why he left his wife there in a state of intoxication? And in the meanwhile Rajadatta, remaining alone in that inaccessible place, the female servants being occupied in culinary and other duties, saw a certain man come in at the door, like Fate determined to baffle all expedients for guarding her, and his arrival filled her with astonishment. And that intoxicated woman asked him when he approached her, "Who are you, and how have you come to this inaccessible place?" Then that man, who had endured many hards.h.i.+ps, answered her--