The Katha Sarit Sagara or Ocean of the Streams of Story Part 18

CHAPTER XL.

Then, the next morning, when Naravahanadatta was in Ratnaprabha's house, Gomukha and the others came to him. But Marubhuti, being a little sluggish with intoxication produced by drinking spirits, approached slowly, decorated with flowers, and anointed with unguents. Then Gomukha, with face amused at his novel conception of statesman-like behaviour, out of fun ridiculed him by imitating his stammering utterance and staggering gait, and said to him, "How comes it that you, though the son of Yaugandharayana, do not know policy, that you drink spirits in the morning, and come drunk into the presence of the prince?" When the intoxicated Marubhuti heard this, he said to him in his anger, "This should be said to me by the prince or some superior. But, tell me, who are you that you take upon you to instruct me, you son of Ityaka?" When he said this, Gomukha replied to him smiling, "Do princes reprove with their own mouths an ill-behaved servant? Undoubtedly their attendants must remind him of what is proper. And it is true that I am the son of Ityaka, but you are an ox of ministers, [585] your sluggishness alone would show it; the only fault is that you have no horns." When Gomukha said this to him Marubhuti answered, "You too, Gomukha, have much of the ox-nature about you; but you are clearly of mixed breed, for you are not properly domesticated." When all laughed at hearing this, Gomukha said, "This Marubhuti is literally a jewel, for who can introduce the thread of virtue [586] into that which cannot be pierced even by a thousand efforts? But a jewel of a man is a different kind of thing, for that is easily penetrated; as an ill.u.s.tration listen to the story of the bridge of sand."

Story of Tapodatta.

There lived in Pratishthana a Brahman of the name of Tapodatta. He, though his father kept worrying him, would not learn the sciences in his boyhood. Subsequently he found himself censured by all, and being filled with regret, he went to the bank of the Ganges, in order to perform asceticism for the acquisition of knowledge. [587] There he betook himself to severe mortification of the flesh, and while he was thus engaged, Indra, who had beheld him with astonishment, came to him to prevent him, disguised as a Brahman. And when he had come near him, he kept taking grains of sand from the bank, and throwing them into the billowy water of the Ganges. When Tapodatta saw that, he broke his silence, and asked him out of curiosity--"Brahman, why do you do this unceasingly?" And Indra, disguised as a Brahman, when he had been persistently questioned by him, said, "I am making a bridge over the Ganges for man and beast to cross by." Then Tapodatta said, "You fool, is it possible to make a bridge over the Ganges with sand, which will be carried away at some future time by the current?" When Indra, disguised as a Brahman, heard that, he said to him--"If you know this truth, why do you attempt to acquire knowledge by vows and fasting, without reading or hearing lectures? The horn of a hare [588] may really exist, and the sky may be adorned with painting, and writing may be performed without letters, if learning may be acquired without study. If it could be so acquired, no one in this world would study at all." When Indra, disguised as a Brahman, had said this to Tapodatta, Tapodatta reflected, and thinking that he had spoken truth, put a stop to his self-mortification, and went home.

"So, you see, a wise man is easily made to listen to reason, but the foolish Marubhuti cannot be induced to listen to reason, but when you admonish him, he flies into a pa.s.sion." When Gomukha said this, Harisikha said before the company--"It is true, O king, that the wise are easily induced to listen to reason."

Story of Virupasarman.

For instance, there lived of old time in Benares a certain excellent Brahman, named Virupasarman, who was deformed and poor. And he, being despondent about his misshapen form and his poverty, went to the grove of ascetics there, and began to practise severe mortification of the flesh, through desire for beauty and wealth. Then the king of the G.o.ds [589] a.s.sumed the vile shape of a deformed jackal with a diseased body, and went and stood in front of him. When he saw that unfortunate [590] creature with its body covered with flies, Virupasarman slowly reflected in his mind,--"Such creatures are born into the world on account of actions done in a former life, so is it a small thing for me that I was not made thus by the Creator? Who can overstep the lot prescribed by destiny?" When Virupasarman perceived this, he brought his self-mortification to an end and went home.

"So true is it, O king, that a wise man is instructed with little effort, but one, whose mind is void of discernment, is not instructed even with great exertion." Thus spoke Harisikha, and Gomukha a.s.sented, but Marubhuti, who was drunk and did not understand a joke, said in great anger, "There is power in the speech of Gomukha, but there is no might in the arms of men like you. A garrulous, quarrelsome, effeminate person makes heroes blush." When Marubhuti said this, being eager for a fight, king Naravahanadatta, with a smile on his face, himself tried to appease him, and after dismissing him to his house, the king, who loved the friends of his youth, performed the duties of the day, and so spent it in great comfort. And the next day, when all these ministers came, and among them Marubhuti bowed down with shame, his beloved Ratnaprabha spake thus to the prince: "You, my husband, are very fortunate in that you have these pure-hearted ministers bound to you by the fetters of a love dating from early childhood, and they are happy in possessing such an affectionate master; you have been gained by one another through actions in a former state of existence; of that there can be no doubt." When the queen said this, Tapantaka the son of Vasantaka, the companion in amus.e.m.e.nts of Naravahanadatta, remarked--"It is true; our master has been gained by our actions in a former life. For every thing depends upon the power of actions in a former life--Hear in ill.u.s.tration of it the following tale."

Story of king Vilasasila and the physician Tarunachandra.

There dwelt in a city named Vilasapura, the home of Siva, a king rightly named Vilasasila. [591] He had a queen named Kamalaprabha, whom he valued as his life, and he long remained with her addicted to pleasure only. Then in course of time there came upon the king old age, the thief of beauty, and when he beheld it, he was sorely grieved. He thought to himself--"How can I shew to the queen my face marred with grey hairs like a snow-smitten lotus? Alas! it is better that I should die." Busied with reflections like these, the king summoned into his hall of audience a physician named Tarunachandra [592] and thus spake to him respectfully--"My good man, because you are clever and devoted to me, I ask you whether there is any artifice by which this old age can be averted." When Tarunachandra, who was rightly named as being only of the magnitude of one digit, and desiring to become a full moon, heard that, the cunning fellow reflected--"I must make my profit out of this blockhead of a king, and I shall soon discover the means of doing it." Having thus reflected, the physician said to the king: "If you will remain in an underground chamber alone, O king, for eight months, and take this medicine, I engage to remove your old age." [593] When the king heard this, he had such an underground chamber prepared, for fools intent on objects of sense cannot endure reflection. But the ministers used arguments like the following with him--"O king, by the goodness and asceticism and self-denial of men of old time, and by the virtue of the age, elixirs were produced. But these forest remedies, [594]

which we hear of now, O king, owing to the want of proper materials, produce the opposite effect to that which is intended, and this is quite in accordance with the treatises; for rogues do in this way make sport with fools. Does time past ever return, O king?"--Still these arguments did not penetrate into his soul, for it was encased in the thick armour of violent sensual desire. And in accordance with the advice of that physician, he entered that underground chamber alone, excluding the numerous retinue that usually waits upon a king. And alone with one servant belonging to that physician, he made himself a slave to the taking of drugs and the rest of the treatment. And the king remained there in that dark subterranean den, which seemed as if it were the overflowing, through abundance, of the ignorance of his heart. And after the king had spent six months in that underground chamber, that wicked physician, seeing that his senility had increased, brought a certain young man who resembled him in appearance, with whom he had agreed that he would make him king. Then he dug a tunnel into that underground chamber from a distance, and after killing the king in his sleep, he brought his corpse out by the underground pa.s.sage, and threw it into a dark well. All this was done at night. And by the same tunnel he introduced that young man into the underground chamber, and closed that tunnel. What audacious wickedness will not a low fellow, who is held in check by no restraints, commit, when he gets a favourable chance of practising upon fools? Then, the next day, the physician said to all the subjects,--"This king has been made young again by me in six months, and in two months his form will be changed again--So show yourselves to him now at a little distance." Thus he spake, and brought them all to the door of the underground chamber, and shewed them to the young man, telling him at the same time their names and occupations. By this artifice he kept instructing that young man in the underground chamber in the names of all the subjects every day for two months, not excepting even the inhabitants of the harem.

And when a fitting time came, he brought the young man, after he had been well fed, [595] out of the subterranean chamber, saying, "This king has become young again." And then the young man was surrounded by the delighted subjects, who exclaimed "This is our own king restored by drugs." Then the young man, having thus obtained the kingdom, bathed, and performed with much pleasure by the help of his ministers the kingly duties. And from that time forth he lived in much felicity, transacting regal business, and sporting with the ladies of the harem, having obtained the name of Ajara. [596] And all the subjects considered that he was their former king transformed by drugs, not guessing the truth, and not suspecting the proceedings of the physician. And king Ajara, having gained over the subjects and the queen Kamalaprabha by kind treatment, enjoyed the royal fortune together with his friends. Then he summoned a friend called Bheshajachandra and another called Padmadarsana, and made both of them like himself, satisfying them with gifts of elephants, horses, and villages. And he honoured the physician Tarunachandra on account of the advancement he had conferred on him, but he did not repose confidence in him because his soul had fallen from truth and virtue.

And once on a time the physician of his own motion said to the king, "Why do you make me of no account and act independently? Have you forgotten the occasion on which I made you king?" When king Ajara heard that, he said to the physician, "Ha! you are a fool: what man does anything for any one, or gives anything to any one? My friend, it is our deeds in a former state of existence that give and do. Therefore do not boast yourself, for this elevation I attained by asceticism: and I will soon shew you this by ocular proof." When he said this to the physician, the latter reflected as one terrified--"This man is not to be intimidated and speaks like a resolute sage. It is better to overawe that master, the secret of whose character is instability, but that cannot be done with this man, so I must submit to him. In the meanwhile let me wait and see what he will shew me so manifestly." Thus reflecting, the physician said, "It is true," and held his peace.

And the next day king Ajara went out to roam about and amuse himself with his friends, waited on by Tarunachandra and others. And as he was strolling, he reached the bank of a river, and in it he saw five golden lotuses come floating down the current. And he made his servants bring them, and taking them and looking at them, he said to the physician Tarunachandra, who was standing near him, "Go up along the bank of this river, and look for the place where these lotuses are produced: and when you have seen it, return, for I feel great curiosity about these wonderful lotuses, and you are my skilful friend." When he was thus commissioned by the king, the physician, not being able to help himself, said, "So be it," and went the way he was ordered. And the king returned to his capital, but the physician travelled on, and in course of time reached a temple of Siva that stood on the bank of that river. And in front of it, on the sh.o.r.e of a holy bathing-place in that stream, he beheld a great banyan-tree, and a man's skeleton suspended on it. And while, fatigued with his journey, he was resting after bathing and wors.h.i.+pping the G.o.d, a cloud came there and rained. And from that human skeleton, hanging on the branches of the banyan-tree, when rained upon by the cloud, there fell drops of water. [597] And when they fell into the water of the bathing-place in that river, the physician observed that those golden lotuses were immediately produced from them. The physician said to himself, "Ha! what is this wonder? Whom can I ask in the uninhabited wood? Or rather who knows the creation of Destiny that is full of so many marvels? I have beheld this mine of golden lotuses; so I will throw this human skeleton into the sacred water. Let right be done, and let golden lotuses grow from its back." After these reflections, he flung the skeleton down from the top of that tree: and after spending the day there, the physician set out the next day for his own country, having accomplished the object for which he was sent. And in a few days he reached Vilasapura, and went, emaciated and soiled with his journey, to the court of king Ajara. The door-keeper announced him, and he went in and prostrated himself at the feet of the king; the king asked him how he was, and while he was relating his adventure, the king put every one else out of the hall, and himself said; "So you have seen, my friend, the place where the golden lotuses are produced, that most holy sanctuary of Siva; and you saw there a skeleton on a banyan-tree; know that that is my former body. I hung there in old time by my feet; and in that way performed asceticism, until I dried up my body and abandoned it. And owing to the n.o.bility of my penance, from the drops of rain-water, that fall from that skeleton of mine, are produced golden lotuses. And in that you threw my skeleton into the water of that holy bathing-place, you did what was right, for you were my friend in a former birth. And this Bheshajachandra and this Padmadarsana, they also were friends, who a.s.sociated with me in a former birth. So it is owing to the might of that asceticism, my friend, that recollection of my former birth, and knowledge and empire have been bestowed on me. By an artifice I have given you ocular proof of this, and you have described it with a token, telling how you flung down the skeleton; so you must not boast to me, saying, that you gave me the kingdom, and you must not allow your mind to be discontented, for no one gives anything to any one without the help of actions in a former life. From his birth a man eats the fruit of the tree of his former actions." When the king said this to the physician, he saw that it was true, and he remained satisfied with the king's service, and was never afterwards discontented. And that n.o.ble-minded king Ajara, who remembered his former birth, honoured the physician becomingly with gifts of wealth, and lived comfortably with his wives and friends, enjoying the earth conquered by his policy, and originally obtained by his good actions, without an opponent.

"Thus in this world all the good and bad fortune, that befalls all men at all times, is earned by actions in a former life. For this reason I think we must have earned you for our lord in a former birth, otherwise how could you be so kind to us, while there are other men in existence?" Then Naravahanadatta, having heard in the company of his beloved from the mouth of Tapantaka this strangely pleasing and entertaining tale, rose up to bathe. And after he had bathed, he went into the presence of his father the king of Vatsa, frequently raining nectar into the eyes of his mother, and after taking food, he spent that day and that night in drinking and other pleasures with his parents, and his wife, and his ministers.

CHAPTER XLI.

And the next day, as Naravahanadatta was in the apartments of Ratnaprabha, talking over various subjects with his ministers, he suddenly heard a sound, which appeared to be like that of a man weeping outside in the court-yard of the palace. And when some one asked--"What is that?"--the female attendants came and said, "My lord, the chamberlain Dharmagiri is weeping here. For a foolish friend of his came here just now, and said that his brother, who went on a pilgrimage to holy places, was dead in a foreign land. He, bewildered with grief, forgot that he was in the court and began to lament, but he has been just now taken outside by the servants and conducted to his own house." When the prince heard this, he was grieved, and Ratnaprabha moved with pity said in a despondent tone--"Alas! the grief which is produced by the loss of dear relatives is hard to bear! Why did not the Creator make men exempt from old age and death?" When Marubhuti heard this speech of the queen's, he said; "Queen, how can mortals ever attain this good fortune? For listen to the following story, which I will tell you, bearing on this question."

Story of king Chirayus and his minister Nagarjuna.

In the city of Chirayus there was in old time a king, named Chirayus, [598] who was indeed long-lived, and the home of all good fortune. He had a compa.s.sionate, generous and gifted minister, named Nagarjuna, who was sprung from a portion of a Bodhisattva, who knew the use of all drugs, and by making an elixir he rendered himself and that king free from old age, and long-lived. One day an infant son of that minister Nagarjuna, whom he loved more than any of his other children, died. He felt grief on that account, and by the force of his asceticism and knowledge proceeded to prepare out of certain ingredients the Water of Immortality, [599] in order to prevent mortals from dying. But while he was waiting for the auspicious moment in which to infuse a particular drug, Indra found out what was going on. And Indra, having consulted with the G.o.ds, said to the two Asvins--"Go and give this message to Nagarjuna on the earth from me--'Why have you, though a minister, begun this revolutionary proceeding of making the Water of Life? Are you determined now to conquer the Creator, who indeed created men subject to the law of death, since you propose to make men immortal by preparing the Water of Life? If this takes place, what difference will there be between G.o.ds and men? And the const.i.tution of the universe will be broken up, because there will be no sacrificer and no recipient of sacrifice. So by my advice discontinue this preparation of the Water of Life, otherwise the G.o.ds will be angry, and will certainly curse you. And your son, through grief for whom you are engaged in this attempt, is now in Svarga.'" With this message Indra despatched the two Asvins. And they arrived at the house of Nagarjuna and, after receiving the argha, [600] told Nagarjuna, who was pleased with their visit, the message of Indra, and informed him that his son was with the G.o.ds in heaven. Then Nagarjuna, being despondent, thought; "Never mind the G.o.ds, but if I do not obey the command of Indra, these Asvins will inflict a curse on me. So let this Water of Life go, I have not accomplished my desire; however my son, on account of my good deeds in a former life, has gone to the abode of bliss." Having thus reflected, Nagarjuna said to these two G.o.ds, the Asvins, "I obey the command of Indra, I will desist from making the Water of Life. If you two had not come, I should have completed the preparation of the Water of Life in five days, and freed this whole earth from old age and death." When Nagarjuna had said this, he buried by their advice the Water of Life, which was almost completed, in the earth before their eyes. Then the Asvins took leave of him, and went and told Indra in heaven that their errand was accomplished, and the king of G.o.ds rejoiced.

And in the meanwhile Nagarjuna's master, the king Chirayus, anointed his son Jivahara crown-prince. And when he was anointed, his mother, the queen Dhanapara, on his coming in great delight to salute her, said to him, as soon as she saw him, "Why do you rejoice without cause, my son, at having obtained this dignity of crown-prince, for this is not a step to the attainment of the kingly dignity, not even by the help of asceticism? For many crown-princes, sons of your father, have died, and not one of them has obtained the throne, they have all inherited disappointment. For Nagarjuna has given this king an elixir, by the help of which he is now in the eighth century of his age. And who knows how many more centuries will pa.s.s over the head of this king, who makes his short-lived sons crown-princes." When her son heard that, he was despondent, and she went on to say to him, "If you desire the throne, adopt this expedient. This minister Nagarjuna every day, after he has performed the day's devotions, gives gifts at the time of taking food, and makes this proclamation; 'Who is a suppliant? Who wants anything? To whom can I give anything, and what?' At that moment go to him and say, 'Give me your head,'--Then he, being a truthful man, will have his head cut off, and out of sorrow for his death this king will die, or retire to the forest; then you will obtain the crown; there is no other expedient available in this matter." When he heard this speech from his mother, the prince was delighted, and he consented, and determined to carry her advice into effect, for the l.u.s.t of sovereign sway is cruel, and overcomes one's affection for one's friends. Then that prince went, the next day, of his own accord to the house of that Nagarjuna, at the time when he took his food. And when the minister cried out, "Who requires anything, and what does he require?" he entered and asked him for his head. The minister said, "This is strange, my son; what can you do with this head of mine? For it is only an agglomeration of flesh, bone and hair. To what use can you put it? Nevertheless, if it is of any use to you, cut it off, and take it." With these words he offered his neck to him. But it had been so hardened by the elixir that, though he struck at it for a long time, he could not cut it, but broke many swords over it. In the meanwhile the king, hearing of it, arrived, and asked him not to give away his head, but Nagarjuna said to him: "I can remember my former births, and I have given away my head ninety-nine times in my various births. This, my lord, will be the hundredth time of my giving away my head. So do not say anything against it, for no suppliant ever leaves my presence disappointed. So I will now present your son with my head; for this delay was made by me only in order to behold your face." Thus he spoke, and embraced that king, and brought a powder out of his closet, with which he smeared the sword of that prince. Then the prince cut off the head of the minister Nagarjuna with a blow of that sword, as a man cuts a lotus from its stalk. Then a great cry of wailing was raised, and the king was on the point of giving up his own life, when a bodiless voice sounded from the heaven in these words--"Do not do what you ought not, king. You should not lament your friend Nagarjuna, for he will not be born again, but has attained the condition of a Buddha." When king Chirayus heard this, he gave up the idea of suicide, but bestowed great gifts, and out of grief left his throne, and went to the forest. There in time he obtained by asceticism eternal bliss. Then his son Jivahara obtained his kingdom, and soon after his accession he allowed dissension to arise in his realm, and was slain by the sons of Nagarjuna remembering their father's murder. Then through sorrow for him his mother's heart broke. How can prosperity befall those who walk in the path trodden by the ign.o.ble? And a son of that king Chirayus, born to him by another wife, named Satayus, was placed on his throne by his chief ministers.

"Thus, as the G.o.ds would not permit Nagarjuna to carry out the task of destroying death, which he had undertaken, he became subject to death. Therefore it is true that this world of living beings was appointed by the Creator unstable, and full of grief hard to ward off, and even with hundreds of efforts it is impossible for any one to do anything here, which the Creator does not wish him to do." When Marubhuti had told this story, he ceased speaking, and Naravahanadatta rose up with his ministers and performed his daily duties.

CHAPTER XLII.

Then, early the next day, Naravahanadatta went off to the forest for the purpose of hunting, surrounded with elephants, in the company of his father and his friends; but before going he comforted his beloved Ratnaprabha, who was anxious about him, by saying that he would quickly return.

Then the scene of the chase became like a garden adorned with lovely creepers for his delight, for in it the pearls that dropped from the claws of the lions, that had cleft the foreheads of elephants, and now fell asleep in death, were sown like seeds; and the teeth of the tigers that were cut out by the crescent-headed arrows were like buds, and the flowing blood of the deer seemed like shoots, and the wild boars, in which stuck the arrows adorned with heron feathers, seemed like cl.u.s.ters, and the fallen bodies of Sarabhas [601] shewed like fruit, and the arrows falling with deep hum appeared like bees. Gradually the prince became wearied, and desisted from the chase, and went on horseback to another wood with Gomukha, who was also riding. There he began to play at ball, and while he was thus engaged, a certain female ascetic came that way. Then the ball slipped from his hand and fell on her head; whereupon the female ascetic laughed a little, and said to him--"If your insolence is so great now, what will it be if you ever obtain Karpurika for a wife." [602] When Naravahanadatta heard this, he dismounted from his horse, and prostrating himself at the feet of that female ascetic, said to her--"I did not see you, and my ball fell on your head by chance--Reverend one, be propitiated, and pardon that fault of mine." When the female ascetic heard that, she said, "My son, I am not angry with you," and being victorious over her wrath she comforted him with blessings. And then, thinking that the wise truthful ascetic was well disposed to him, Naravahanadatta respectfully asked her--"Who, reverend lady, is this Karpurika spoken of by you? Condescend to inform me, if you are pleased with me, for I am curious on this head." When he said this, bending before her, the female ascetic said to him: "There is on the other side of the sea a city named Karpurasambhava; [603] in it there is a king rightly named Karpuraka, he has a daughter, a lovely maiden, named Karpurika, who appears like a second Lakshmi, deposited in security there by the ocean, having seen that the first Lakshmi had been carried away by the G.o.ds after the churning. And she, as she hates men, does not desire to be married, but she will desire it, if at all, when she sees you. So go there, my son, and you shall win that fair one; nevertheless, while you are going there, you will suffer great hards.h.i.+p in the forest. But you must not be perplexed at that, for all shall end well." When the ascetic had said this, she flew up into the air and disappeared. Then Naravahanadatta, drawn on by the command of Love uttered through her voice, said to his attendant Gomukha, "Come, let us go to Karpurika in the city of Karpurasambhava, for I cannot remain a moment without beholding her." When Gomukha heard that, he said--"King, desist from your rashness. Consider how far off you are from the sea and from that city, and whether the journey is worth taking for the sake of that maiden? Why, on merely hearing her name, do you abandon celestial wives, and alone run after a mere woman who is enveloped in doubt, owing to your not knowing what her intention is." When Gomukha said this to him, the son of the king of Vatsa said, "The speech of that holy ascetic cannot be false. So I must certainly go to find that princess." Having said this, he set out thence on horseback that very moment. And Gomukha followed him silently, though it was against his wish: when a lord does not act on the advice of his servants, their only course is to follow him.

In the meanwhile the king of Vatsa, having finished his hunting, returned to his city, thinking that that son of his was returning among his own armed followers. And the prince's followers returned with Marubhuti and the others to the city, supposing that the prince was with the armed followers of his father. When they arrived, the king of Vatsa and the others searched for him, and finding that he had not returned, they all went to the house of Ratnaprabha. She at first was grieved at that news, but she called up a supernatural science and was told by it tidings of her husband, and said to her distressed father-in-law; "My husband heard the princess Karpurika mentioned by a female ascetic in the forest, and in order to obtain her he has gone to the city of Karpurasambhava. And he will soon have accomplished his object, and will return here with Gomukha. So dismiss anxiety, for this I have learned from a science." By these words she comforted the king of Vatsa and his retinue. And she despatched another science to wait on her husband during his journey, and dispel his fatigue; for good women who desire their husband's happiness do not account of jealousy.

In the meanwhile Naravahanadatta performed a long journey on horseback in that forest, accompanied by Gomukha. Then a maiden suddenly came up to him in his path and said to him, "I am a science sent by Ratnaprabha, named Mayavati, I will guard you on the path without being seen, so proceed now without fear." Having said this, the incarnate science disappeared, as he gazed at it. By virtue of it, Naravahanadatta continued his journey with his thirst and hunger appeased, praising his beloved Ratnaprabha. And in the evening he reached a wood with a pure lake in it, and with Gomukha he bathed, and took a meal of delicious fruit and water. And at night he tied up the two horses underneath a large tree, after supplying them with gra.s.s, and he and his minister climbed up into it to sleep. While reposing on a broad bough of the tree, he was woke up by the neighings of the terrified horses, and saw a lion that had come close underneath. When he saw it, he wished [604] to get down for the sake of the horses, but Gomukha said to him--"Alas! you are neglecting the safety of your person, and acting without counsel; for kings the first duty is the preservation of their persons, and counsel is the foundation of rule. How can you desire to contend with wild beasts armed with teeth and claws. For it was to avoid these that we just now got up into this tree." When the king had been restrained from descending by these words of Gomukha's, seeing the lion killing the horse, he immediately threw his sword at it from the tree, and succeeded in wounding it with the weapon which was buried in its body. The mighty lion, though pierced with the sword, after killing that horse, slew the other also. Then the son of the king of Vatsa took Gomukha's sword from him, and throwing it, cut the lion in half in the middle. And descending he recovered his sword from the body of the lion, and ascending again to his sleeping place, he pa.s.sed the night there in the tree. In the morning Naravahanadatta got down, and set out to find Karpurika, accompanied by Gomukha. Then Gomukha, beholding him travelling on foot, as the lion had slain his horse, in order to amuse him on the way said; "Listen, king, I will relate you this story, which is particularly appropriate on the present occasion."

Story of king Parityagasena, his wicked wife and his two sons.

There is in this world a city named Iravati, which surpa.s.ses Alaka; [605] in it there dwelt a king named Parityagasena. And he had two beloved queens, whom he valued as his life. One was the daughter of his own minister and her name was Adhikasangama, and the other was of royal race, and was called Kavyalankara. And with those two the king propitiated Durga to obtain a son, and performed penance without food, sleeping on darbha gra.s.s. Then Bhavani, who is kind to her votaries, pleased with his penance, appeared to him in a dream and gave him two heavenly fruits, and thus commanded him: "Rise up and give your two wives these two fruits to eat, and then, king, you will have born to you two heroic sons." Having said this, Gauri disappeared, and the king woke up in the morning and rose delighted at beholding those fruits in his hand. And by describing that dream of his he delighted his wives, and bathed and wors.h.i.+pped the consort of Siva, and broke his fast. And at night he first visited that wife of his Adhikasangama, and gave her one of the fruits, and she immediately ate it. Then the king spent the night in her pavilion, out of respect for her father, who was his own prime minister. And he placed near the head of his bed the second fruit, which was intended for the other queen. While the king was asleep, the queen Adhikasangama rose up, and desiring for herself two similar sons, she took from his head and ate that second fruit also. For women are naturally envious of their rivals. And in the morning, when the king rose up and was looking for that fruit, she said--"I ate that second fruit also." Then the king went away despondent, and after spending the day, he went at night to the apartments of the second queen. And when she asked for that other fruit, he said to her--"While I was asleep, your fellow-wife treacherously devoured it." Then the queen Kavyalankara, not having obtained that fruit, which was to enable her to give birth to a son, remained silently grieved.

In the course of some days that queen Adhikasangama became pregnant, and in due time gave birth to twin sons. And the king Parityagasena rejoiced and made a great feast, since his desire was fulfilled by their birth. And the king gave the name of Indivarasena to the elder of the two, who was of wonderful beauty and had eyes like a blue lotus. And he gave to the younger the name of Anichchhasena, because his mother ate the second fruit against his wish. Then Kavyalankara, the second wife of that king, on beholding this, was angry, and reflected--"Alas! I have been cheated by this rival wife out of having children; so I must without fail revenge myself on her; I must destroy these sons of hers by my cunning." Having thus reflected, she remained thinking over a means of doing this. And as fast as those two princes grew, the tree of enmity grew in her heart.

And in course of time those two princes, having attained manhood, and being mighty of arm, and desirous of conquest, said to their father--"We have attained manhood and we have been trained in the use of weapons, so how can we remain here endowed to no profit with these mighty arms? Out on the arms and the youth of a Kshatriya that longs not for victory! So let us go now, father, and conquer the regions." When the king Parityagasena heard this request of his sons, he was pleased and consented, and made arrangements for their expedition. And he said to them, "If ever you are in difficulties, you must think upon the G.o.ddess Durga the remover of sorrows, for she gave you to me." Then the king sent forth those two sons on their expedition, accompanied by his troops and feudal chiefs, after their mother had performed the auspicious ceremonies to ensure them success. And he sent after them his own sagacious prime minister, their maternal grandfather, whose name was Prathamasangama. Then those two mighty princely brothers, with their army, first marched in due order to the eastern quarter, and subdued it. Then these two irresistible heroes of approved might, to whom many kings had joined themselves, went to the southern quarter to conquer it. And their parents rejoiced on hearing these tidings of them, but their second mother was consumed with the fire of concealed hate. The treacherous queen then got the following false despatch written in the king's name to the chiefs in the princes' camp, by means of the secretary for foreign affairs, whom she had bribed with heaps of treasure--"My two sons, having subdued the earth by the might of their arms, have formed the intention of killing me and seizing my kingdom; so if you are loyal to me, you must without hesitation put to death both those sons of mine."--This letter Kavyalankara sent off secretly by a courier. And the courier went secretly to the camp of those two princes, and gave that letter to the chiefs. And they all, after reading it, reflecting that the policy of kings is very cruel, and considering that that command of their master must not be disobeyed, met and deliberated in the night, and as they saw no way out of the difficulty, determined to kill those two princes, though they had been fascinated by their virtues. But their maternal grandfather, the minister, who was with them, heard of it from a friend that he had among the chiefs, and after informing the princes of the state of affairs, he thereupon mounted them on swift horses, and conveyed them away safely out of the camp.

The two princes, when conveyed away by the minister at night, travelled along with him, and entered the Vindhya forest out of ignorance of the true road. Then, after the night had pa.s.sed, as they slowly proceeded on their way, about noon their horses died, overcome with excessive thirst. And that aged maternal grandfather of theirs, whose palate was dry with hunger and thirst, died exhausted with the heat before the eyes of those two, who were also weary. Then those afflicted brothers exclaimed in their sorrow--"Why has our father reduced to this state us who are innocent, and fulfilled the desire of that wicked second mother of ours?"--In the midst of their lamentation they thought upon the G.o.ddess Ambika, [606] whom their father had long ago pointed out to them as their natural protectress. That moment, by force of thinking on that kind protectress, their hunger, thirst and fatigue left them, and they were strong. Then they were comforted by faith in her, and without feeling the fatigue of the journey, they went to visit that G.o.ddess who dwells in the Vindhya forest. And when those two brothers had arrived there, they began a course of fasting and asceticism to propitiate her. In the meanwhile those chiefs in the camp a.s.sembled together in a band, and went with the intention of doing the princes a mischief; but they could not find them, though they searched everywhere. They said--"The princes have escaped somewhere with their maternal grandfather," and fearing that the whole thing would come out, they went in a fright to the king Parityagasena. And shewing him the letters, they told him the whole story. He, when he heard it, was agitated and said to them in his anger; "I did not send this letter, this is some deception. And how comes it that you did not know, you foolish creatures, that I should not be likely to put to death two sons obtained by severe austerities? They have been put to death as far as you are concerned, but they were saved by their own merits, and their maternal grandfather has exhibited a specimen of his statesmans.h.i.+p." He said this to the chiefs, and though the secretary who wrote the treacherous letter fled, the king quickly had him brought back by his royal power, and after thoroughly investigating the whole matter, punished him as he deserved. And he threw into a dungeon his wicked wife Kavyalankara, who was guilty of such a crime as trying to slay his sons. For how can an evil deed audaciously done, the end of which is not considered through the mind being blinded with excessive hate, help bringing ruin? And as for those chiefs, who had set out with his two sons and returned, the king dismissed them, and appointed others in their place. And with their mother he continued to seek for tidings of those sons, plunged in grief, devoted to righteousness, thinking upon Durga.

In the meanwhile that G.o.ddess, who has her shrine in the Vindhya mountains, was pleased with the asceticism of the prince Indivarasena and his younger brother. And she gave Indivarasena a sword in a dream, and appearing to him, thus addressed him--"By the power of this sword thou shalt conquer enemies hard to overcome, and whatever thou shalt think of thou shalt obtain, and by means of it you shall both gain the success you desire." When the G.o.ddess had said that, she disappeared, and Indivarasena, waking up, beheld that sword in his hand. Then he comforted his younger brother by shewing him that sword, and describing to him his dream, and in the morning he and his brother broke their fast on wild fruits. Then he wors.h.i.+pped that G.o.ddess, and having his fatigue removed by her favour, he departed rejoicing, with the sword in his hand, in the company of his brother. And after he had travelled a long distance, he found a great and splendid city, looking like the peak of Meru on account of its golden houses. There he beheld a terrible Rakshasa standing at the gate of the high street, and the hero asked him what was the name of the town, and who was its king. That Rakshasa said--"This city is called Sailapura, and it is possessed by our lord Yamadanshtra, the slayer of his foes, king of the Rakshasas." When the Rakshasa said this, Indivarasena attempted to enter, in order to slay Yamadanshtra, but the Rakshasa at the door tried to prevent him, upon which the mighty Indivarasena killed him, cutting off his head with one stroke of his sword. After slaying him, the hero entered the royal palace, and beheld inside it the Rakshasa Yamadanshtra sitting on his throne, having a mouth terrible with tusks, with a lovely woman at his left hand, and a virgin of heavenly beauty on his right hand. And when Indivarasena saw him, he went with the sword given him by Durga in his hand, and challenged him to fight, and the Rakshasa drew his sword and stood up to resist him. And in the course of the fight Indivarasena frequently cut off the Rakshasa's head, but it grew again. [607] Seeing that magic power of his, and having had a sign made to him by the virgin at the Rakshasa's side, who had fallen in love with him at first sight, the prince, after cutting off the head of the Rakshasa, being quick of hand, again cut it in two with a stroke of his sword. Then the Rakshasa's magic was baffled by contrary magic, and his head did not grow again, and the Rakshasa died of the wound.

When he was slain, the lovely woman and the princess were delighted, and the prince with his younger brother sat down, and asked them the following questions: "Why did this Rakshasa live in such a city as this, guarded by one warder only, and who are you two, and why do you rejoice at his being slain?" When they heard this, the virgin was the one that answered, and she spoke as follows: "In this city of Sailapura there lived a king of the name of Virabhuja, and this is his wife Madanadanshtra, and this Rakshasa came and devoured him by the help of his magic power. And he ate up his attendants, but he did not eat this Madanadanshtra, whom alone he spared because she was beautiful, but he made her his wife. Then he became disgusted with this city though beautiful, and building in it houses of gold, he remained here sporting with Madanadanshtra, having dismissed his retinue. And I am the younger sister of this Rakshasa, and unmarried, but the moment I saw you, I fell in love with you. Accordingly she is glad at his having been slain, and so also am I; so marry me here now, my husband, since love makes me offer myself to you."

When Khadgadanshtra said this, Indivarasena married her then and there by the Gandharva form of marriage. And he remained in that very city, having everything brought to him, on his thinking of it, by the virtue of the sword of Durga, married and accompanied by his younger brother. And once on a time he made a chariot that would fly through the air, produced by thought through the virtue of his sword, that resembled in its powers the philosopher's stone, and placed in it his heroic younger brother Anichchhasena, and sent him off from his retreat to bear tidings of him to his parents. Anichchhasena, for his part, travelled quickly through the air in that chariot, and reached Iravati that city of his father. There he refreshed his grief-worn parents with the sight of him, as the moon refreshes the partridges when exhausted with severe heat. And he approached them, and fell at their feet, and was embraced by them, and when they questioned him, he dispelled their apprehensions with good news of his brother. And he told in their presence the whole adventure of himself and his brother, which in the beginning was sad, but in the end was happy. And there he heard the treacherous device, which his wicked second mother had out of enmity contrived for his destruction. Then Anichchhasena remained there in tranquillity, in the company of his delighted father and his mother, honoured by the subjects. But after some days had pa.s.sed, his fears were aroused by a threatening dream, and he yearned to see his brother again, and said to his father; "I will depart, and by telling my brother Indivarasena that you are anxiously awaiting him, I will bring him back; give me leave to depart, my father." When his father heard that, being anxious for the sight of his son, he and his wife gave Anichchhasena leave to depart, and he immediately mounted his chariot, and reached through the air that city of Sailapura. And when he arrived there, he entered the palace of that brother of his. He saw there his elder brother lying senseless in the presence of Khadgadanshtra and Madanadanshtra, who were weeping. In his perplexity he asked, "What does this mean?" And then Khadgadanshtra said with her eyes fixed on the ground, though the other blamed her for it; "When you were away, your brother one day, on my going to bathe, had a secret intrigue with this Madanadanshtra. And I, on returning from bathing, found him with her, and I abused him. Then he tried to propitiate me, but I, being exceedingly bewildered by unforgiving jealousy, that seemed to have possessed me, thought thus with myself, 'Ah! without taking me into account, he favours another; I believe he shews this insolence confiding in the magic properties of his sword, so I will hide this weapon of his.' After thus reflecting, in my folly I thrust his sword into the fire at night, while he was asleep. The consequence was that his sword was dimmed and he was reduced to this state. And I am grieved for this myself and upbraided by Madanadanshtra. So you have come here now when both our minds are blinded with grief, and we have resolved on death. So take this sword and kill me with it, since I have proved true to the customs of my race and acted cruelly." When Anichchhasena was thus entreated by his brother's wife, he thought that he ought not to slay her on account of her repentance, but prepared to cut off his own head. But at that moment, he heard the following voice come from the air--"Do not act thus, prince, your brother is not dead, but he has been struck senseless by Durga, who is angry at his not having taken sufficient care of the sword, and you must not impute guilt to Khadgadanshtra, for this circ.u.mstance is the consequence of your all having been born into this world on account of a curse. And they were both of them your brother's wives in a former life. So propitiate Durga in order to gain your object." Accordingly Anichchhasena gave up his intention of slaying himself. But he mounted that chariot, and took that fire-dimmed sword, and went to propitiate the soles of the feet of Durga, the dweller in the Vindhya range. There he fasted, and was about to propitiate the G.o.ddess with the offering of his head, when he heard this voice from heaven--"Do not be rash, my son, go; thy elder brother shall live, and the sword shall become pure from stain, for I am pleased with thy devotion." When Anichchhasena heard this speech of the G.o.ddess, he immediately saw that the sword in his hand had recovered its brightness, and he walked round the G.o.ddess, keeping his right hand towards her; and ascending his swift magic car, as if it were his own desire, [608] he returned in a state of anxious expectation to that Sailapura. There he saw that his elder brother had just risen up, having suddenly regained consciousness, and weeping he seized his feet, and his elder brother threw his arms round his neck. And both the wives of Indivarasena fell at the feet of Anichchhasena and said--"You have saved the life of our husband." Then he told the whole story to his brother Indivarasena who questioned him, and he, when he heard it, was not angry with Khadgadanshtra, but was pleased with his brother. [609]

And he heard from the lips of his brother that his parents were eager to see him, and of the fraud of his second mother, that had brought about his separation from them; then he took the sword which his brother handed to him, and mounted a large chariot, which came to him the moment he thought of it, owing to the virtue of the sword, and with his golden palaces, and his two wives, and his younger brother Indivarasena, returned to his own city Iravati. There he alighted from the air, beheld with wonder by the subjects, and entered the palace, and went with his attendants into the presence of the king. And in that condition he beheld his father and his mother, and fell at their feet with his eyes bathed in streaming tears. And they, the moment they beheld their son, embraced him and his younger brother, and having their bodies, as it were, bathed in nectar, they were relieved from their sorrow. And when their daughters-in-law, those two wives of Indivarasena, of heavenly beauty, fell at their feet, they looked on them with delight and welcomed them. And the parents, learning in course of conversation, that they were said by a divine voice to have been appointed in a previous life as his wives, were exceedingly delighted. And they rejoiced with astonishment at the power of their son, which enabled him to travel through the air, and bring golden palaces and do other things of this kind. Then Indivarasena remained, with those two wives and his attendants, in the society of his parents, causing delight to the subjects. And once on a time he took leave of his father, king Parityagasena, and went forth again to conquer the four quarters, accompanied by his younger brother. And the mighty-armed hero conquered the whole earth by the virtue of his sword, and came back bringing with him the gold, elephants, horses and jewels of conquered kings. And he reached his capital, followed out of fear by the conquered earth in the form of the army of dust, that his forces raised. And he entered the palace, where his father advanced to meet him, and he and his brother delighted their mother Adhikasangama by their return. And after he had honoured the kings, Indivarasena spent that day in pleasure, accompanied by his wives and his followers. And on the next day the prince made over the earth to his father by way of tribute from the kings, and suddenly recollected his former birth. Then, like one waking up from sleep, he said to his father--"Father, I remember my former birth; listen, I will tell you all about it. There is a city on the plateau of the Himalayas named Muktapura; in it there lives a king named Muktasena, a king of the Vidyadharas. And by a queen named Kambuvati he had born to him in course of time two virtuous sons, Padmasena and Rupasena. Then a maiden, named adityaprabha, the daughter of a chief of the Vidyadharas, of her own accord, out of love, chose Padmasena for her husband. Hearing of that, a Vidyadhara maiden, of the name of Chandravati, became love-sick also, and came and chose him for her husband. Then Padmasena, having two wives, was continually worried by that wife adityaprabha, who was jealous of her rival. And so Padmasena over and over again importuned his father Muktasena to the following effect: 'I cannot endure every day the ill-temper of my wife, who is blind with jealousy, let me retire to a wood of ascetics to put an end to this misery. Therefore, father, give me permission.' His father, annoyed at his persistence, cursed him and his wives, saying; 'What need is there of your going to a wood of ascetics? Fall into the world of mortals. There this quarrelsome wife of yours, adityaprabha, shall be born in the race of Rakshasas, and become your wife again. And this second, Chandravati, who is virtuous and attached to you, her husband, shall be the wife of a king, and the paramour of a Rakshasa, and shall obtain you as her beloved. And since this Rupasena has been observed by me to follow you his elder brother with affection, he shall be your brother also in that world. There too you shall endure some affliction caused by your wives.' Thus he spoke and ceased, and appointed this as the termination of the curse; 'When you, being a prince, shall conquer the earth and give it to your father, then you and they shall remember your former birth, and be freed from your curse.' When Padmasena had been thus addressed by his own father, he went with those others to the world of mortals. I am that very Padmasena, born here as your son, Indivarasena by name, and I have done what I was appointed to do. And the other Vidyadhara prince, Rupasena, has been born as Anichchhasena my younger brother. And as for my wives adityaprabha [610] and Chandravati, know that they have been born here as these two, Khadgadanshtra and Madanadanshtra. And now we have reached that appointed end of our curse. So let us go, father, to our own Vidyadhara home." Having said this, he together with his brother and his wives, who remembered their former existence, abandoned the human and a.s.sumed the Vidyadhara form. And having wors.h.i.+pped the feet of his father, and taken his two wives in his arms, he went with his younger brother through the air to his own city Muktapura. There the wise prince, gladly welcomed by his father Muktasena, a joy to the eyes of his mother, accompanied by his brother Rupasena, lived with his adityaprabha, who did not again display jealousy, and with Chandravati in happiness.

The minister Gomukha, having told this delightful tale on the road, again said to Naravahanadatta; "Thus the great must endure great pains and gain great glory, but others have little pain and little glory. But you, protected by the might of the science of queen Ratnaprabha, shall without difficulty gain that princess Karpurika."

When Naravahanadatta heard this from the lips of the eloquent Gomukha, he set out on the path with him, insensible to fatigue. And as he travelled, he came in the evening to a pellucid lake, the lotuses on which were in full bloom, and which was full of an abundant supply of cold water, delicious as nectar. Its banks were adorned with pomegranate trees, bread-fruit trees, and rows of mango-trees, and on it the swans sang sweetly. They bathed in it, and devoutly wors.h.i.+pped the beloved [611] of the daughter of Himalaya and refreshed themselves with various fragrant, sweet-tasting, delightful fruits, and then the son of the king of Vatsa and his friend spent the night on the bank of the lake, sleeping on a bed strewn with soft young shoots.