Chapter V: Part 5

“Having said so much, he asked the king, ‘Why have you come here?’ He replied, ‘Your holiness I I have come a hunting.’ He said, ‘Why dost thou commit a great sin? It is said that one man commits a sin and many men reap the fruits thereof.’ The king said, ‘Your holiness! kindly favour me with your judgment of right and wrong.’ Thereupon the sage said, ‘Attend, your majesty! A great wrong is done in killing an animal that lives in the forest, supporting itself on grass * and water; and it is a very meritorious act in man to cherish beasts and birds. It is said, moreover, that those who render unapprehensive the timid and refuge-seeking, receive the reward of those who are most liberal givers. It is also said, that no religious austerity equals forbearance, and no happiness equals that of contentment, and no wealth equals friendship, and there is no virtue like mercy. Moreover, those men who are conscious of their duties, and show no pride on acquiring riches, accomplishments, learning, renown, or supremacy; and those who are content with their own wives, and are truth-speakers--such men obtain, final salvation hereafter. And those who kill ascetics with matted hair, and without clothes and arms, experience the torments of hell at the last. And the king who does not punish the oppressors of his subjects, he also experiences the torments of hell. And those who have carnal intercourse with a king’s wife, or the wife or daughter of a friend, or with a woman eight or nine months advanced in pregnancy--they are cast into the (lowest and) greatest hell of all. Thus is it declared in the book of law and religion.’”

* The text has tant by mistake, for trin.

“On hearing this, the monarch said, ‘The sins which I have heretofore committed in ignorance are done, and are beyond recall; henceforth, God willing, I will not commit such again.’ The holy sage was pleased at the king’s speaking thus, and said ‘I will grant thee any boon thou may’st ask for; I am highly pleased with thee.’ Then the king spoke, saying, ‘Your holiness! if you are pleased with me, give me your daughter.’ When the sage heard this, he married his daughter to the king, after the manner of Gandharb marriages, and departed to his own place. Then the king took the saint’s daughter and set out for his capital. On the road, about mid-way, the sun set and the moon rose. Then the king, seeing a shady tree, alighted beneath it, and tying the horse to its root, spread his saddle-covering and lay down along with her. Thereupon, at the hour of midnight, a Brahman-devouring demon came and awoke the king, saying, ‘O king! I will devour thy wife.’ The king said, ‘Act not so; whatever thou askest for, I will grant.’ Then the demon said, ‘O king! if thou wilt cut off the head of a Brahman’s son seven years’ old, and give it to me with thine own hand, I will not eat her.’ The king replied, ‘Even so will I do; but do thou come to me seven days hence in my capital, and I will give it thee.’”

“Having bound the king by a promise thus, the demon departed to his own place; and on the morn arriving, the king also left and came to his palace. The minister hearing of it (i e., the king’s arrival) made great rejoicings, and came and presented gifts; and the king, after telling the minister of the adventure (with the demon), asked, ‘Say, what expedient shall we adopt in the matter, for the demon will come on the seventh day?’ The minister said, ‘Your majesty! feel no anxiety whatever; God will make all right.’ After saying so much, the minister had an image made of a maund and a quarter of gold, and jewels studded therein, and having it placed on a cart, and (conveyed away, and) set up at a point where four roads met, he said to the keepers thereof, ‘If any persons come to look at this, say to them that any Brahman who will allow the king to cut off the head of a seven-year-old son of his may take possession of this.’ Having said this, he came away. Thereupon the keepers used to say this to those who came to look at it (the image).”

“Two days passed away without any result. On the third day, however, a weakly Brahman, who had three sons, hearing of this matter, came home and began saying to his wife, ‘If thou wilt give a son of thine to the king for a sacrifice, an image of a maund and a quarter of gold, and studded with jewels, will come into the house.’ On hearing this, his wife said, ‘I will not give the youngest son.’ The Brahman said, ‘The eldest I will not part with.’ When the second son heard this, he said, ‘Father! give me up.’ He replied, ‘Very well.’ Then the Brahman spoke again, saying, ‘Wealth it is which is the source of all happiness in this world. Now, what happiness can reach him who lacks wealth? and if one be poor, his coming into the world is useless.’”

“Having said this, he took the second son, and gave him up to the guards, and brought away the image to his house; and the people, for their part, took the boy to the minister. Further, when seven days passed away, the demon, too, came. The king took sandal, unbroken rice, flowers, perfumes, lamps, food for the deity, fruits and betel-leaf, and paid adoration to him; and, summoning the boy, took his sword in his hand, and stood ready to sacrifice him. Thereupon the boy first laughed, and then wept. While he was doing this, the king struck him a blow with the sword, so that his head was severed (from his body). True it is, as the sages have said,--Woman is the source (_lit_. mine) of misery in the world, the abode of imprudence * (or immorality), the destroyer of courage (or daring), and the occasioner of infatuation, (and) the bereaver of virtue. Who has pronounced such a source (_lit_, root) of venom to be the highest good? Again, it is said,--Store up wealth against adversity, and disburse wealth to guard your wife, and give up wealth and wife to save your own life.”

* The only meanings assigned to binti in the vocabulary are,
“submission,” “respects,” “solicitation,” none of which seem
to apply here. Deriving the word from the Sanskrit vi-nïti,
I prefer giving it the signification I have done.

Having related so much of the story, the sprite said, “Your majesty! a man weeps at the moment of dying; will you account for this,--Why did he (the boy) laugh?” The monarch replied, “He laughed at the thought of this,--viz., That in infancy a mother protects (her child), and on his growing up the father cherishes him; (and) in both good and bad times a king befriends his subjects,--Such is the way of the world; whereas, my predicament is such that my father and mother have delivered me over to the king through greed of wealth, and he stands, sword in hand, ready to slay me, and the demon desires a sacrifice; no single one of them feels (a spark of) pity.” On hearing this, the sprite went and hung on to that same tree; and the king also speedily arrived there, and binding him, placed him on his shoulder, and carried him off.

TALE XX.

The sprite said, “O king! there is a city named Bishalpur, the king of which was named Bipuleshwar. In his city lived a merchant whose name was Arthdatt, and his daughter’s name was Anaug-manjari. He had married her to a merchant of Kanwalpur, named Munni. Some days after, the merchant crossed the ocean on a mercantile venture; and when she attained to womanhood here (at home), she was standing one day in the pavilion, and observing what was going on in the road, when at that moment a Brahman’s son named Kamalãkar was coming along. The eyes of the pair met, and they became enamoured of each other at first sight. Again, after a quarter of an hour or so, recovering self-possession, the Brahman’s son, in the restlessness consequent on separation from his beloved, proceeded to the house of his friend; and here she, too, was in extreme distress through the pain of separation from him, when, in the meantime, a female companion came and took her up; she had, however, no self-consciousness remaining. Then she (the companion) sprinkled rose-water (over her) and made her smell perfumes, and while so doing, her senses returned, and she said, ‘O Cupid! Mahãdeva burnt thee to ashes, * and yet thou wilt not desist from thy knavish tricks, but comest and inflictest pain on innocent, feeble women.’”

* Mahãdeva, or hiva, was once engaged in religious
meditation, when Kamdeva, or Cupid, excited amorous desires
within his breast; whereupon the angry god reduced him to
ashes by a fiery glance. The curious reader will find a
detailed account of the circumstance in the fifty-sixth
Chapter of the Prem Sagar.

“She was uttering these words, when evening came on, and the moon appeared. Then she said, while gazing at the moonlight, ‘O moon! I used to be told that the water of life is in you, and that you shed it in your beams; to-day, however, even you have begun to pour down venom.’ She then said to her companion, ‘Take me up, and lead me away from this place, for I am being burnt to death by the moonlight.’ Thereupon she raised her and took her to the pavilion, and said, ‘Dost thou feel no shame at uttering such words?’ Then she said, ‘O friend! I am fully aware of all; but Cupid has wounded me, and rendered me void of shame; and I make great efforts to be patient, but the more I continue to be consumed with the fire of separation, the more venom-like does home appear to me.’ The companion said, ‘Keep thy mind at ease; I will relieve thee of all thy suffering.’”

“Having said thus much, the companion went home, and she (the love-lorn) determined in her mind that she would quit this body for his sake, and, being born again, enjoy life well with him. With this longing in her mind, she threw a noose on her neck, and was about drawing it tight, when the companion arrived, and instantly taking the rope off her neck, said, ‘Everything can be attained by living, not by dying.’ She replied, ‘Better is it to die than suffer such pain.’ The companion said, ‘Repose awhile, and I will go and bring him.’”

“Having said this, she went to the place where Kamalãkar was, and taking a secret look at him, perceived that he also was much disturbed by the separation from his beloved, while his friend was rubbing down sandal in rose water and applying it to his body, and fanning him with tender leaves of the plantain-tree; despite which, he was crying out all aflame (with passion) and saying to his friend, ‘Bring me poison, I will sacrifice my life and be released from this suffering. Observing this state of his, she said to herself, ‘However courageous, learned, sagacious, discreet, and patient a man may be, Cupid reduces him to a state of distraction all the same.’ These thoughts having passed through her mind, the companion said to him, ‘O Kamalãkar! Anangmanjari has sent word to thee to come and bestow life on her.’ He replied, ‘She, indeed, has given life to me.’”

“After saying this, he rose up, and the companion went to her (the love-sick maiden), taking him along with her. When he got there, lo! she was lying dead! Thereupon he also uttered a cry of anguish, and therewith his spirit fled. And when it became morning, her household took both of them to the burning-ground, and arranging the pile, placed them thereon and set fire to it, when, in the meantime, her husband also arrived at the burning-ground, on his return from abroad. Then, hearing the sound of the people’s weeping, he went there, and what does he behold but his wife burning with a strange man! He, also, being distracted with love, burnt himself ta death in the same fire. The people of the city, hearing this intelligence, began saying one to another, ‘Neither has eye seen, nor ear heard of so wonderful an event!’”

After relating so much of the story, the sprite said, “O king! whose love, of these three, was greatest?” The king said, “Her husband was the deepest lover.”

“Why?” said the sprite. The king replied, “He, who, on seeing his wife dead for another’s sake, put aside anger, and cheerfully laid down his life through love for her--he is the deepest lover.” Hearing these words, the sprite went again and hung on to that tree. The king, too, went there, bound him, placed him on his shoulder, and carried him off.

TALE XXI.

The sprite said, “Your majesty! there is a city named Jaysthal, the king of which was named Varddhamãn. In his city was a Brahman named Vishnuswami, who had four sons; one a gambler, the second a lover of women, the third a fornicator, the fourth an atheist. The Brahman was one day admonishing his sons, saying, ‘Wealth abides not in the house of him who gambles.’ The gambler became greatly annoyed at hearing this. And he (the father) spoke again, saying, ‘It is said in the Rãjnit (or book of policy), Cut off the nose and ears of a gambler, and expel him from the land, so that others may not gamble; and although the gambler may have a wife and family in his house, do not consider them as in the house, for there’s no knowing when he may lose them (at play). Again, those who are attracted by the wiles of courtesans purchase suffering for their own souls, while they part with their all under the influence of harlots, and take to stealing in the end. It is said, further, that wise men keep far away from such women as ensnare their hearts in a moment; whereas the unwise give up their hearts, and so lose all their honesty, good disposition, reputation, conduct, judgment, piety, and moral character. Moreover, the exhortation of their spiritual preceptors is unpalatable to them. It is also said that--When one has lost his own sense of shame, why should he fear to dishonour any one else? And there is a proverb to the effect that--When will the cat that devours its own young allow a rat to escape!’ He went on to say, ‘Those who do not acquire knowledge in their childhood, and who on attaining to manhood become engrossed in amorous pleasures, and continue to pride themselves on their youth,--those persons, in their old age, are consumed with regretful longings (for that which they have neglected in their youth).’”

“On hearing these words, all four of them came mutually to the decision that it was better for an ignorant man to die than live; and hence, it was best for them to visit some other land and study science. Determining on this, they went to another city, and after some time, having studied and become learned, they set out for their home. What do they see on the road but a Kanjar, * who, after skinning and cutting up a dead tiger, and making a bundle of its bones, was about to take them away. Thereupon they said to one another, ‘Come, let each of us put his knowledge to the proof.’ Having determined on this, one of them called him (the Kanjar) and gave him something, and taking the bundle, sent him away; and, quitting the road, they opened the bundle. One of them arranged all the bones in their proper places, repeated an incantation and sprinkled something over them, so that they became united. In the same way the second brought the flesh together on the bones. The third, in the same manner, fixed the skin on the flesh. The fourth, in the same way, raised it to life. Thereupon it devoured the whole four of them as soon as it arose.”

After reaching this point of the story, the sprite said, “Your majesty! who was the greatest fool of those four?” King Vikram replied, “He who restored it to life was the greatest fool. And it is said, that knowledge without wisdom is of no use whatever; on the contrary, wisdom is superior to learning; and those who lack wisdom die just as he who raised the tiger to life died.” When the sprite heard these words, he went and suspended himself on that same tree. Again did the king bind him, place him on his shoulder, and carry him away as before.

* Kanjar is the name of a low caste of people generally
employed in mean offices, such as carrying away carcasses,
&c. The snake-charmers are of his caste.

TALE XXII.

The sprite said, “Your majesty! there is a city named Biswapur, the king of which was named Bidagdha. A Brahman, named Nãrãyan, dwelt in his city. He one day began thinking to himself, ‘My body has become old, and I am acquainted with the science which enables one to enter another’s body; it is therefore better that I quit this old body, and enter the body of some young man and enjoy life.’ When he had determined on this in his mind, he set about entering a youthful body; but first he wept, and then he laughed, and after that he entered it and came home. All his kinsfolk, however, were aware of what he had done, and thereupon he said to them, ‘I have now become an ascetic.’”

“Having said this, he began to recite (as follows): ‘He who dries up the fountain of hope with the fire of austere devotion, and placing his soul therein, (thus) deadens his senses--he may be termed a wise devotee. But the way of the people of this world is (such), that the body may waste away, the head shake, the teeth drop out, and they walk about with a stick in their old age, yet, even then, desire is not quenched. And thus it is that time passes away--day comes, night arrives, a month is over, a year is completed; one is a child, then an old man, while nothing is known as to who one himself is (_lit_. I am), and who others are, and why one grieves for another. One comes, another goes, and ultimately all life must depart--not one of these will remain. Many and various bodies are there, and many and various minds, and many and various affections, and various kinds of delusions has Brahma created; but the wise escape these, and quenching hope and desire, shaving their heads, taking a staff and water-pot in their hands, subduing the passions of love and anger, become ascetics, and wander barefooted from one place of pilgrimage to another; these same find eternal salvation. This world, moreover, is as a dream; to whom can you impart pleasure in it, to whom pain? It is even like the new leaf shooting from the centre of the plaintain tree, wherein is no pith whatever. And those who pride themselves on riches, youth, or knowledge, are unwise. Again, they who turn devotees, and, taking a water-pot in hand, beg alms from door to door, and nourishing their bodies with milk, clarified butter, and sugar, become lustful, and have sexual intercourse with women, they nullify their religious meditations.’ After repeating so much, he proceeded, saying, ‘I will now go on a pilgrimage.’ On hearing these words, his relations were much pleased.”

Having told so much of the story, the sprite said, “Your majesty! why did he weep, and why did he laugh?” Then the king said, “Calling to mind his mother’s love in his infancy, and the happiness of his youth, and from a feeling of affection in having remained so many days in that body, he wept; and having succeeded in his art, and entered a new body, he laughed with pleasure.” On hearing these words, the sprite went and hung on to the same tree; (and) again did the king bind him as before, place him on his shoulder, and carry him away.

TALE XXIII.

This sprite said, “Your majesty! there was a city named Dharmpur, where a king named Dharmaj ruled. In his city was a Brahman named Govind, versed in the whole four Vedas and all the six learned treatises, and a careful observer of all his religious duties; and Haridatt, Somdatt, Yagyadatt and Brahmadatt were his four sons. They were very learned, very clever, and at all times obedient to their father. After some time his eldest son died, and he, too, was at the point of death through grief for him.”

“At that time, Vishnusharma, the king’s family priest, came and began reasoning with him, saying, ‘When this (being) man enters the mother’s womb, he first suffers pain there; secondly, falling under the influence of love in youth, he endures the anguish of separation from his beloved; thirdly, becoming old, he is involved in suffering through his body being feeble. In brief, many are the sorrows attendant on (man’s) being born in the world, and few (are) the joys; for the world is the source of sorrow. If a man were to climb to the top of a tree, or go and sit on the summit of a mountain, or remain hiding in water, or sneak into an iron cage and remain therein, or go and conceal himself in the infernal regions--even then death would not let him escape. Moreover, whatever one may be--whether learned or a fool, rich or poor, wise or unwise, strong or weak--still, this all devouring death lets no one escape. The full duration of a man’s life is a hundred years; of this, half passes away in night, and half of the half in childhood and old age; the remainder is spent in contention, the (distress arising from) separation from those we love, and affliction. Further, the soul that is, is as restless as a watery wave; how, then, can it yield man any peace? And now, in this Iron Age, to meet with truthful men is a difficult matter; while countries are daily laid! waste, kings are avaricious, the earth yields little fruit, thieves and evil doers commit violence on the earth; and but little of religion, devotion, and truth remain in the world; kings are tyrannical, Brahmans covetous, men have fallen under the influence of women, wives have become wanton, sons have begun reviling their fathers, and friends (have begun to display) enmity. Observe, further, that death did not even spare the great Chimanyu, whose maternal uncle was Kanhaiya, and father Arjun. And when Yama * carries off a man, wealth remains behind in his house, and father, mother, wife, son, brothers and kindred--no one proves of any avail; his good and evil deeds, his vices and his virtues alone accompany him; while those same kinsfolk take him to the burning-ground and burn him. And see (how) the night comes to an end on one side, while day dawns on the other; here the moon sets, there the sun rises. In the same way youth departs, old age comes on; thus, also, time goes on passing away, and yet, even while perceiving this, man does not learn wisdom. Observe, again, in the First, or Golden Age, Mandhãta, a great king, who filled (_lit_. covered) the whole earth with the fame of his virtue; and in the Second, or Silver Age, the glorious monarch Rãmchandra, who, bridging the sea, destroyed such a fortress as Lanka, and slew Rãvan; and in the Third Age, Yudhisthir reigned in such a manner that people sing of his renown to this day--yet death did not spare even these. Moreover, the birds which fly in the air, and the animals which dwell in the sea, when the hour arrives, even these fall into trouble. No one has escaped sorrow on coming into this world. To grieve on this account is folly. It is best, therefore, to practise religious duties.’”

* Yama is the judge of the deceased, and ruler of the
infernal regions: also, the god of death.

“When Vishnusharmã had reasoned with him in this manner, it came into the Brahman’s mind that he would thenceforth perform meritorious and pious acts. Having thought this over in his mind, he said to his sons, ‘I am about to sit down to a sacrifice; you go and bring me a turtle from the sea.’ On receiving their father’s command, they went to a fisherman, and said, ‘Take a rupee, and catch a turtle for us.’ He took it, and caught one, and gave it to them. Then the eldest of the brothers said to the second, ‘Do thou take it up.’ He said to the youngest, ‘Brother! do thou take it up.’ He replied, saying, ‘I will not touch it; a bad smell will cling to my hands, and I am very nice * in (my) eating.’ The second said, ‘I am very particular in my intercourse with women.’ The eldest said, ‘I am particular in (the matter of) sleeping on a bed.’”

* I hazard this meaning for chatur in the teeth of the
vocabulary and the dictionaries, as, the meanings contained
therein do not seem to me to apply. The student, however,
may, if he pleases, substitute “sharp” or “clever” for
“nice.”

“Thus did the three of them begin wrangling; and leaving the turtle where it was, they proceeded, quarrelling the while, to the king’s gate, and said to the gatekeeper, ‘Three Brahmans have come seeking justice; go thou and tell this to the king.’ On hearing this, the doorkeeper went and informed the king. The king summoned them, and asked, ‘Why are you quarrelling one with another?’ Then the youngest of them said, ‘Your majesty! I am very particular as to food.’ The second said, ‘Lord of the earth! I am very particular as to women.’ The eldest said, ‘Incarnation of justice! I am particular in the matter of beds.’”

“When the monarch heard this, he said, ‘Each of you submit to a trial.’ They said, ‘Very well.’ The king sent for his cook, and said, ‘Prepare various kinds of condiments and meats, and give this Brahman a thoroughly good repast.’ On hearing this, the cook went and prepared food, and taking with him the one who was nice in the matter of food, seated him in front of the dishes. He was on the point of taking up a mouthful and putting it into his mouth, when an offensive smell came from it. He let it go, washed his hands, and came to the king. The king asked, ‘Didst thou enjoy thy repast?’ Then he said, ‘Your majesty! I perceived a disagreeable smell in the food, (and) did not eat.’ The king said again, ‘State the cause of the offensive smell.’ He replied, ‘Your majesty! it was rice which had been grown on a burning-ground; the smell of corpses proceeded from it, and hence I did not eat it.’”

“On hearing this, the king summoned his steward, and asked, ‘Sirrah! from what village does this rice come?’ He replied, ‘From Shibpur, your majesty!’ The king said, ‘Summon the landholder of that village.’ Thereupon the steward had the landholder brought before the monarch. The king asked him, ‘On what land was this rice grown?’ He replied, ‘On a burning-ground, your majesty!’ When the king heard this, he said to that Brahman, ‘Thou art indeed a connoisseur in the matter of food.’”

“After this, he had the one who was nice in the matter of women sent for, and having a bed laid out in an apartment, and all the requisites for enjoyment placed therein, had a beautiful woman brought and placed near him, and the two while lying down began conversing with each other. The king was secretly looking on through a lattice. Now, the Brahman was about to give her a kiss, when smelling her breath, he turned away his face, and went to sleep. The king having witnessed this conduct, entered his palace and sought repose. Rising early in the morning, he came into the court, and summoned that Brahman, and asked, ‘O Brahman! didst thou pass the night pleasantly?’ He replied, ‘Your majesty! I found no pleasure.’ ‘Why?’ asked the king again. The Brahman replied, ‘The smell of a goat proceeded from her mouth, and my mind was much distressed in consequence.’ When the king heard this, he summoned the procuress, and inquired, ‘Whence didst thou bring this (woman)? and who is she?’ She said, ‘She is my sister’s daughter; her mother died when she was three months old, and I brought her up on goat’s milk.’ On hearing this, the monarch said, ‘Thou art indeed a connoisseur in respect of women.’”

“After that he had a very fine bed prepared, and caused the Brahman who was a nice judge of beds to sleep thereon. On its becoming morning, the king sent for him, and asked, ‘Didst thou sleep comfortably through the night?’ He replied, ‘Your majesty ‘I had no sleep the whole night long.’ ‘Why?’ asked the king. He replied, ‘Your majesty! in the seventh fold of the bedding there was a hair, which was pricking my back, and I had no sleep in consequence.’ On hearing this, the king looked into the seventh fold of the bedding, and lo! a hair was found. Thereupon he said to him, ‘Thou art indeed a nice judge of beds.’”

After relating so much of the story, the sprite asked, “Who was the greatest connoisseur of those three?” King Bir Yikramajit replied, “He who was the connoisseur in the matter of beds.” When the sprite heard this, he went again and hung on to that tree; (and) the king also went there on the instant, and bound him, placed him on his shoulder, and carried him away.

TALE XXIV.

The sprite said, “Your majesty! in the country of Kaling there was a Brahman named Yagya Sharmã, whose wife’s name was Somadattã. She was very beautiful. The Brahman began offering sacrifices, whereupon his wife had a beautiful boy. When he attained the age of five years, his father began teaching him the _Shãstras_. At the age of twelve years he had finished the study of all the Shãstras, and become a great scholar; and he began to be in constant attendance upon, and to help his father.”

“After the lapse of some time the boy died, and in their sorrow for him his parents uttered loud cries of lamentation and wailing. On receiving this news all his kinsfolk hastened thither, and fastening the boy upon a bier, took him away to the burning-ground; and when there, began repeatedly gazing at him, and saying to one another, ‘See! even in death he appears beautiful!’ They were uttering words like these, and arranging the pyre, while an ascetic was also seated there engaged in religious austerity. He hearing these words began to think to himself, ‘My body has become very old; if I enter this boy’s body, I can practise religious meditation with ease and comfort.’”

“Having thought thus, he entered the body of the child, turned round, and pronouncing the names of Rãm (Balarãm) and Krishn, sat up as one sits up from sleep. When the people witnessed this, they all returned to their homes in astonishment; while his father lost all desire for the world on witnessing this marvel; first he laughed, then he wept.”

After relating so much of the story, the sprite said, “Say, your majesty! why he laughed, and why he wept.” Thereupon the king said, “Seeing the ascetic enter his body, and so learning the art (of changing one’s own body for another) he laughed; and through regret at having to quit his own body he wept, thinking, ‘Thus shall I too some day have to abandon my own body.’” Hearing this, the sprite went again and suspended himself on that tree; and the king, too, arriving close at his heels, bound him, put him on his shoulder, and carried him away.

TALE XXV.

Then the sprite said, “Your majesty! there is a city in the south named Dharmpur, a king of which was named, Mahãbal. Once upon a time another king of that same region led an army against and invested his capital. He continued fighting for several days. When his army went over (in part) to the enemy, and a portion was cut to pieces, then, having no help for it, he took his wife and daughter with him, and went forth by night into the jungle. After he had penetrated several miles (_lit_. kos) into the jungle, the day broke, and a village came in view. Then, leaving the queen and princess seated beneath a tree, he went himself towards the village to get something to eat, and in the meantime (a body of) Bhils came and surrounded him, and told him to throw down his arms.”

“On hearing this, the king commenced discharging arrows, and they did the same from their side. Thus did the fight last for three hours, and several, of the Bhils were slain. In the meantime an arrow struck the king’s forehead with such force that he reeled and fell, and one of them came up and out off the king’s head. When the queen and princess saw the king dead, they took their way back to the jungle weeping and beating their breasts. After having proceeded a _kos_ or two thus, they got tired and sat down, and began to be troubled with many an anxious thought.”

“During this time a king, named Chandrasen, together with his son, while pursuing the game, came into that jungle, and the king noticing the foot-prints of the two (women), said to his son, ‘Whence have the foot-prints of human feet come in this vast forest?’ The prince replied, ‘Your majesty! these are women’s foot-prints; a man’s foot is not so small.’ The king observed, ‘True, man has not got such delicate feet.’ The prince said again, ‘They have just this moment passed.’ The monarch said, ‘Come, let us seek them in the jungle; if we find them, I will give her whose foot this large one is to thee; and I will take the other.’ Having entered into this mutual compact, they went forward, and perceived the two seated. They were delighted on seeing them, and seating them on their horses in the manner agreed upon, they brought them home. The prince took possession of the queen, and the king of the princess.”

Having related so much of the story, the sprite said, “Your majesty! what relationship will there be between the children of these two?” On hearing this, the king held his tongue through ignorance.

Then the sprite said in great glee, “Your majesty! I have been highly pleased at witnessing your patience and courage; I tell you one thing, however; do you attend thereto,--viz.: one, the hairs of whose body are like thorns, and whose body (itself) is like wood, and whose name is Shãntshïl, has come into your city, and he it is who has deputed you to fetch me, (while) he himself is seated in the burning-ground working his spells, and desires to kill you. I therefore forewarn you, that when he has finished his devotions, he will say to you, ‘Your majesty! prostrate yourself so that eight parts of your body may touch the ground.’ You should then say, ‘I am the king of kings, and all potentates bow low in salutation before me; up to this hour I have not bowed in adoration to any one, and I know not how to do so; you are a spiritual teacher, kindly show me how to do so, and then will I do it.’. When he bows down, give him such a blow with your sword that his head may become severed (from his body); then will you reign uninterruptedly; whereas, if you will not do this, he will slay you, and reign permanently.”

Having warned the king in these words, the sprite came out of that corpse, and went his way; and while somewhat of night still remained, the king brought the corpse and placed it before the ascetic. The ascetic became glad on seeing it, and lauded the king greatly. After that, he repeated incantations and raised the corpse to life, and offered up a ‘burnt-offering in sacrifice: and sitting with his face southwards, offered to his god all the materials he had pre? pared; and after offering up betel leaf, flowers, incense, lamps, and consecrated food, he said to the king, “Make obeisance; very glorious will thy dignity become, and the eight supernatural faculties * will always abide in thy house.”

* These powers are--1. Mahima, or the faculty of making
one’s self as bulky as one pleases. 2. Laghims, or the
faculty of making one’s self as light as one pleases. 3.
Anima, or the power of making one’s self infinitely small.
4. Prakamya, or the power of gratifying one’s desires. 5.
Vashita, or power of subjecting all things to one’s will. 6.
Ishita or supreme sway. 7. Prãpti, or the power of obtaining
everything. 8. Kãmãvasãÿitwam, or the power of subduing and
quenching natural desire.

On hearing this, the king called to mind the words of the sprite, and joining his hands, said with the utmost humility, “Your reverence! I know not how to bow in adoration; you, however, are a spiritual teacher; if you will kindly teach me, I will do it.” As the ascetic, on hearing this, lowered his head to prostrate himself, that instant the king struck him such a blow with his sword that his head was severed; and the sprite came and showered down flowers. It is declared that there is nothing unlawful in slaying him who would himself slay another.

At that time Indra and the rest of the gods, having witnessed the king’s courage, mounted their cars and began to raise shouts of victory and exultation. And king Indra said in pleasure to king Bïr Vikramãjït, “Ask a boon.” Then the king joined his hands and said, “Your majesty! Let this story concerning me become famous in the world.” Indra replied, “So long as the moon, sun, earth and sky endure, this story shall be famous; and thou shalt be ruler over the whole earth.”

After saying this, king Indra went to his place, and the king took those two corpses and threw them both into the oil-cauldron. Thereupon the two heroes came and presented themselves, and began to say, “What command is there for us?” The king replied, “When I remember you, then do you come.” Taking from them their promise to do this, the king returned home, and began to attend to his government. It is said that,--Whether one be learned or a fool, a child or a man, he alone who is wise will win success.