KATHA SARIT SAGAR CHAPTER V

CHAPTER V. 

    Having said this, Vararuchi continued his tale as follows: 

    In course of time Yogananda became enslaved by his passions, apd like a mad elephant he disregarded every restraint. Whom will not a sudden access of prosperity intoxicate? Then I reflected with, myself, "The king has burst all bonds, and my own religious duties are neglected being interfered with by my care for his affairs, therefore it is better for me to draw out that S'akatala from his dungeon and make him my colleague in the ministry; even if he tries to oppose me, what harm can he do as long as I am in office?" Having resolved on this I asked permission of the king, and drew S'akatala out of the deep dungeon. Brahmans are always softhearted. Now the discreet S'akatala made up his mind, that it would be difficult to overthrow Yogananda as long as I was in office, and that he had accordingly better imitate the cane which bends with the current, and watch a favourable moment for vengeance, so at my request he resumed the office of minister and managed the king's affairs. 

    Once on a time Yogananda went outside the city, and beheld in the middle of the Ganges a hand, the five fingers of which were closely pressed together. That moment he summoned me and said, "What does this mean?" But I displayed two of my fingers in the direction of the hand. Thereupon that hand disappeared, and the king, exceedingly astonished, again asked me what this meant, and I answered him, " That hand meant to say, by shewing its five fingers, ' What cannot five men united effect in this world?' Then I, king, shewed it these two fingers, wishing to indicate that nothing is impossible when even two men are of one mind." When I uttered this solution of the riddle the king was delighted, and S'akatala was despondent seeing that my intellect would be difficult to circumvent. 

     One day Yogananda saw his queen leaning out of the window and asking questions of a Brahman guest that was looking up. That trivial circumstance threw the king into a passion, and he gave orders that the Brahman should be put to death; for jealousy interferes with discernment. Then as that Brahman was being led off to the place of execution in order that he might be put to death, a fish in the market laughed aloud, though it was dead. The king hearing it immediately prohibited for the present the execution of that Brahman, and asked me the reason why the fish laughed. I replied that I would tell him after I had thought over the matter; and after I had gone out Sarasvati came to me secretly on my thinking of her and gave me this advice; " Take up a position on the top of this palm tree at night so as not to be observed, and tbou sbalt without doubt hear the reason why the fish laughed." Hearing this I went at night to that very place, and ensconced myself on the top of the palm tree, and saw a terrible female Rakshasa coming past with her children; when they asked her for food, she said, " Wait, and I will give you to-morrow morning the flesh of a Brahman, he was not killed to-day." They said to their mother, "Why was he not killed to-day?" Then she replied," He was not executed because a fish in the town, though dead, laughed when it saw him." The sons said, "Why did the fish laugh?" She continued, "The fish of course said to himself all the king's wives are dissolute, for in every part of this harem there are men dressed up as women, and nevertheless while these escape, an innocent Brahman is to be put to death and this tickled the fish so that he laughed. For demons assume these disguises, insinuating themselves into everything, and laughing at the exceeding want of discernment of kings." After I had heard that speech of the female Rakshasa I went away from thence, and in the morning I informed the king why the fish laughed. The king after detecting in the harem those men clothed as women, looked upon me with great respect, and released that Brahman from the sentence of death.

    I was disgusted by seeing this and other lawless proceedings on the part of the king, and, while I was in this frame of mind, there came to court a new painter. He painted on a sheet of canvass the principal queen and Yogananda, and that picture of his looked as if it were alive, it only lacked speech and motion. And the king being delighted loaded that painter with wealth, and had the painting set up on a wall in his private apartments. Now one day when I entered into the king's private apartments, it occurred to me that the painting of the queen did not represent all her auspicious marks; from the arrangement of the other marks I conjectured by means of my acuteness that there ought to be a spot where the girdle comes, and I painted one there. Then I departed after thus giving queen all her lucky marks. Then Yogananda entered and saw that spot, and asked his chamberlains who had painted it. And they indicated me to him as the person who had painted it. Yogananda thus reflected while burning with anger ; " No one except myself knows of that spot, which is in a part of the queen's body usually concealed, then how can this Vararuchi have come thus to know it? No doubt he has secretly corrupted my harem, and this is how he came to see there those men disguised as women." Foolish men often find such coincidences. Then of his own motion he summoned S'akatala, and gave him the following order: "You must put Vararuchi to death for seducing the queen." S'akatala said, " Your Majesty's orders shall be executed," and went out of the palace, reflecting, "I should not have power to put Vararuchi to death, for he possesses godlike force of intellect; and he delivered me from calamity; moreover he is a Brahman, therefore I had better hide him and win him over to my side." Having formed this resolution, he came and told me of the king's causeless wrath which had ended in his ordering my execution, and thus concluded, "I will have some one else put to death in order that the news may get abroad, and do you remain hidden in my house to protect me from this passionate king." In accordance with this proposal of his, I remained concealed in his house, and he had some one else put to death at night in Border that the report of my death might be spread. When he had in this way displayed his statecraft, I said to him out of affection, " You have shewn yourself an unrivalled minister in that you did not attempt to put me to death; for I cannot be slain, since I have a Rakshnsa to friend, and lie' will come, on being only thought of, and at my request will devour the whole world. As for this king he is a friend of mine, being a Brahman named Indradatta, and he ought not to be slain." Hearing this, that minister said " Shew me the Rakshasa." Then I shewed him that Rakshasa who came with a thought; and on beholding him, S'akatala was astonished and terrified. And when the Rakshasa had disappeared, S'akatala again asked me " How did the Rakshasa become your friend ?" Then I said " Long ago the heads of the police as they went through the city night after night on inspecting duty, perished one by one. On hearing that, Yogananda made me head of the police, and as I was on my rounds at night, I saw a Rakshasa roaming about, and he said to me, "Tell me, who is considered the best-looking woman in this city?" When I heard that, I burst out laughing and said " You fool, any woman is good-looking to the man who admires her." Hearing my answer, he said " You are the only man that has beaten me." And now that I had escaped death by solving his riddle, he again said to me, " I am pleased with you, henceforth you are my friend, and I will appear to you when you call me to mind." Thus he spoke and disappeared, and I returned by the way that I came. Thus the Rakshasa has become my friend, and my ally in trouble. When I had said this, S'akatala made a second request to me, and I shewed him the goddess of the Ganges in human form who came when I thought of her. And that goddess disappeared when she had been gratified by me with hymns of praise. But S'akatala became from thenceforth my obedient ally.

     Now once on a time that minister said to me when my state of concealment weighed upon my spirits; " why do you, although you know all things, abandon yourself to despondency? Do you not know that the minds of kings are most undiscerning, and in a short time you will be cleared from all imputations; in proof of which listen to the following tale..

     The story of sivavarman  

      There reigned here long ago a king The story of Sivararman. named A'dityavarman, and he had a very wise minister, named S'ivavarman. Now it came to pass that one of that king's queens became pregnant, and when he found it out, the king said to the guards of the harem, " It is now two years since I entered this place, then how has this queen become pregnant? Tell me." Then they said, " No man except your minister S'ivavarman is allowed to enter here, but he enters without any restriction." When he heard that, the king thought, " Surely he is guilty of treason against me, and yet if I put him to death publicly, I shall incur reproach," thus reflecting, that king sent that S'ivavarman on some pretext to Bhogavarman a neighbouring chief, who was an ally of his, and immediately afterwards the king secretly sent off a messenger to the same chief, bearing a letter by which he was ordered to put the minister to death. When a week had elapsed after the minister's departure, that queen tried to escape out of fear, and was taken by the guards with a man in woman's attire, then A'dityavarman when he heard of it was tilled with remorse, and asked himself why he had causelessly brought about the death of so excellent a minister. In the meanwhile S'ivavarman reached the Court of Bhogavarman, and that messenger came bringing the letter; and fate would have it so that after Bhogavarman had read the letter he told to S'ivavarman in secret the order he had received to put him to death. 

    The excellent minister S'ivavarman in his turn said to that chief, " put me to death ; if you do not, I will slay myself with my own hand." When he heard that, Bhogavarman was filled with wonder, and said to him, " What does all this mean? Tell me Brahman, if you do not, you will lie under my curse." Then the minister said to him, " King, in whatever land I am slain, on that land God will not send rain for twelve years." When he heard that, Bhogavarman debated with his minister, "that wicked king desires the destruction of our land, for could he not have employed secret assassins to kill his minister? So we must not put this minister to death, moreover we must prevent him from laying violent hands on himself." Having thus deliberated and appointed him guards, Bhogavarman sent S'ivavarman out of his country that moment; so that minister by means of his wisdom returned alive, and his innocence was established from another quarter, for righteousness cannot be undone.

    In the same way your innocence will be made clear, Katyayana; remain for a while in my house; this king too will repent of what he has done. When Sakatala said this to me, I spent those days concealed in his house, waiting my opportunity. 

    Then it came to pass that one day, Kanabhuti, a son of that Yogananda named Hiranyagupta went out hunting, and when he had somehow or other been carried to a great distance by the speed of his horse, while he was alone in the wood the day came to an end; and then he ascended a tree to pass the night. Immediately afterwards a bear, which had been terrified by a lion, ascended the same tree ; he seeing the prince frightened, said to him with a human voice, " Fear not, thou art my friend," and thus promised him immunity from harm. Then the prince confiding in the bear's promise went to sleep, while the bear remained awake. Then the lion below said to the bear, " Bear, throw me down this man, and I will go away." Then the bear said, " Villain, I will not cause the death of a friend." When in course of time the bear went to sleep while the prince was awake, the lion said again, " Man, throw me down the bear." When he heard that, the prince, who through fear for his own safety wished to propitiate the lion, tried to throw down the bear, but wonderful to say, it did not fall, since Fate caused it to awake. And then that bear said to the prince, " become insane, thou betrayer of thy friend," laying upon him a curse destined not to end until a third person guessed the whole transaction. Accordingly the prince, when he reached his palace in the morning went out of his mind, and Yogananda seeing it, was immediately plunged in despondency; and said, " If Vararuchi were alive at this moment, all this matter would be known ;" curse on my readiness to have him put to death! 

    S'akatala, when he heard this exclamation of the king's, thought to himself, "Ha! here is an opportunity obtained for bringing Katyayana out of concealment, and he being a proud man will not remain here, and the king will repose confidence in me." After reflecting thus, he implored pardon, and said to the king, " King, cease from despondency, Vararuchi remains alive." Then Yogananda said. " Let him he brought quickly." Then I was suddenly brought by S'akatala into the presence of Yogananda and beheld the prince in that state ; and by the favour of Sarasvati I was enabled to reveal the whole occurrence ; and I said, " King, he has proved a traitor to his friend" ; then I was praised by that prince who was deli- vered from his curse ; and the king asked me how I had managed to find out what had taken place. Then I said, " King, the minds of the wise see everything by inference from signs, and by acuteness of intellect. So I found out all this in the same way as I found out that mole." When I had said this, that king was afflicted with shame. Then without accepting his munificence, considering myself to have gained all I desired by the clearing of my reputation, I went home : for to the wise character is wealth. And the moment I arrived, the servants of my house wept before me, and when I was distressed at it Upavarsha came to me and said, " Upakosa, when she heard that the king had put you to death, committed her body to the flames, and then your mother's heart broke with grief." Hearing that, senseless with the distraction produced by recently aroused grief, I suddenly fell on the ground like a tree broken by the wind : and in a moment I tasted the relief of loud lamentations ; whom will not the fire of grief, produced by the loss of dear relations, scorch ? Varsha came and gave me sound advice in such words as these, " The only thing that is stable in this ever-changeful world is instability, then why are you distracted though you know this delusion of the Creator" ? By the help of these and similar exhortations I at length, though with difficulty, regained my equanimity ; then with heart disgusted with the world, I flung aside all earthly lords, and choosing self-restraint for my only companion, I went to a grove where asceticism was practised.

     Then, as days went by, once on a time a Brahman from Ayodhya came to that ascetic-grove while I was there : I asked him for tidings about Yogananda's government, and he recognizing me told me in sorrowful accents the following story:-

    "Hear what happened to Nanda after you had left him. Sakatal waiting for it a long time, found that he had now obtained an opportunity of injuring him. While thinking how he might by some device get Yogananda killed, he happened to see a Brahman named Chanakya digging up the earth in his path; he said to him, " Why are you digging up the earth?" The Brahman, whom he had asked, said, I am rooting up a plant of darba grass here, because it has pricked my foot. When he heard that, the minister thought that Brahman who formed such stern resolves out of anger, would be the best instrument to destroy Nanda with. After asking his name he said to him, " Brahman, I assign to you the duty of performing a s'rdddha on the thirteenth day of the lunar fortnight, in the house of king Nanda; you shall have one hundred thousand gold pieces by way of fee, and you shall sit at the board above all others; in the meanwhile come to my house." Saying this, S'akatala took that Brahman to his house, and on the day of the s'rdddha he showed the Brahman to the king, and he approved of him. Then Chanakya went and sat at the head of the table during the s'rdddha, but a Brahman named Subandhu desired that post of honour for himself. Then S'akatala went and referred the matter to king Nanda, who answered, " Let Subandhu sit at the head of the table, no one else deserves the place." Then S'akatala went, and, humbly bowing through fear, communicated that order of the king's to Chanakya, adding, "it is not my fault." Then that Chanakya, being, as it were, inflamed all over with wrath, undoing the lock of hair on the crown of his head, made this solemn vow, " Surely this Nanda must be destroyed by me within seven days, and then my anger being appeased I will bind up my lock." When he had said this, Yogananda was enraged; so Chanakya escaped unobserved, and S'akatala gave him refuge in his house. Then being supplied by S'akatala with the necessary instruments, that Brahman Chanakya went somewhere and performed a magic rite; in consequence of this rite Yogananda caught a burning fever, and died when the seventh day arrived; and S'akatala, having slain Nanda's son Hiranyagupta, bestowed the royal dignity upon Chandragupta a son of the previous Nanda. And after he had requested Chanakya, equal in ability to Brihaspati, to be Chandragupta's prime-minister, and established him in the office, that minister, considering that all his objects had been accomplished, as he had wreaked his vengeance on Yogananda, despondent through sorrow for the death of his sons, retired to the forest." 

    After I had heard this, O Kanabhuti, from the mouth of that Brahman, I became exceedingly afllicted, seeing that all things are unstable; and on account of my affliction came to visit this shrine of Durga, and through her favour having beheld you, O my friend, I have remembered my former birth.

  And having obtained divine discernment I have told you the great tale: now as my curse has spent its strength, I will strive to leave the body; and do you remain here for the present, until there comes to you a Brahman named Gunadhya, who has forsaken the use of three languages, surrounded with his pupils, for he like myself was cursed by the goddess in anger, being an excellent Gana Malyavan by name, who for taking my part has become a mortal. To him you must tell this tale originally told by Siva, then you shall be delivered from your curse, and so shall he. 

    Having said all this to Kanabhuti, that Vararuchi set forth for the holy hermitage of Badarika in order to put off his body. As he was going along he beheld on the banks of the Ganges a vegetable-eating hermit, and while he was looking on, that hermit's hand was pricked with Kussa grass. Then Vararuchi turned his blood, as it flowed out, into sap through his magic power, out of curiosity, in order to test his egotism; on beholding that, the hermit exclaimed, "Ha! I have attained perfection;" and so he became puffed up with pride. Then Vararuchi laughed a little and said to him, "I turned your blood into sap in order to test you, because even now, hermit, you have not abandoned egotism. Egotism is in truth an obstacle in the road to knowledge hard to overcome, and without knowledge liberation cannot be attained even by a hundred vows. But the perishable joys of Svarga cannot attract the hearts of those who long for liberation, therefore, O hermit, endeavour to acquire knowledge by forsaking egotism." Having thus read that hermit a lesson, and having been praised by him prostrate in adoration, Vararuchi went to the tranquil site of the hermitage of Badari. There he, desirous of putting off his mortal condition, resorted for protection with intense devotion to that goddess who only can protect, and she manifesting her real form to him told him the secret of that meditation which arises from fire, to help him to put off the body. Then Vararuchi having consumed his body by that form of meditation, reached his own heavenly home ; and henceforth that Kanabhuti remained in the Vindhya forest eager for his desired meeting with Gunadhya.

KATHA SARIT SAGARA IN ENGLISH CHAPTER IV

 CHAPTER IV.

      Having related this episode to Kanabhuti in the Vindhya forest, Vararuchi again resumed the main thread of his narrative. While thus dwelling there with Vyadi and Indradatta, I gradually attained perfection in all sciences, and emerged from the condition of childhood. Once on a time when we went out to witness the festival of Indra, we saw a maiden looking like some weapon of Cupid, not of the nature of an arrow. Then, Indradatta, on my asking him who that lady might be, replied, "She is the daughter of Upavarsha, and her name is Upakosa," and she found out by means of her handmaids who I was, and drawing my soul after her with a glance made tender by love, she with difficulty managed to return to her own house. She had a face like a full moon, and eyes like a blue lotus, she had arms graceful like the stalk of a lotus, and a lovely fullf bosom; she had a neck marked with three lines like a shell, and magnificent coral lips; in short she was a second Lakshmi, so to speak, the store-house of the beauty of king Cupid. Then my heart was cleft by the stroke of love's arrow, and I could not sleep that night through my desire to kiss her bimba (a ancieant fruit) lip. Having at last with difficulty gone off to sleep, I saw, at the close of night, a celestial woman in white garments; she said to me "Upakosa was thy wife in a former birth; as she appreciates merit, she desires no one but thee, therefore, my son, thou oughtest not to feel anxious about this matter. I am Sarasvati that dwell continually in thy frame, I cannot hear to behold thy grief." "When she had said this, she disappeared. Then I woke up and somewhat encouraged I went slowly and stood under a young mango tree near the house of my beloved; then her confidante came and told me of the ardent attachment of Upakosa to me, the result of sudden passion: then I with my pain doubled, said to her, "How can I obtain Upakosa unless her natural protectors willingly bestow her upon me? For death is better than dishonour; so if by any means your friend's heart became known to her parents, perhaps the end might be prosperous.

     " Therefore bring this about, my good woman, save the life of me and of thy friend. "When she heard this, she went and told all to her friend's mother, she immediately told it to her husband Upavarsha, he to Varsha his brother, and Varsha approved of the match. Then, my marriage having been determined upon, Vyadi by the order of my tutor went and brought my mother from Kausambi; so Upakosa was bestowed upon me by her father with all due ceremonies, and I lived happily in Pataliputra with my mother and my wife.

     Now in course of time Varsha got a great number of pupils, and among them there was one rather stupid pupil of the name of Panini; he, being wearied out with service, was sent away by the preceptor's wife, and being disgusted at it and longing for learning, he went to the Himalaya to perform austerities: then he obtained from the god, who wears the moon as a crest, propitiated by his severe austerities, a new grammar, the source of all learning. Thereupon he came and challenged me to a disputation, and seven days passed away in the course of our disputation; on the eighth day he had been fairly conquered by me, but immediately afterwards a terrible menacing sound was uttered by Siva in the firmament; owing to that our Aindra grammar was exploded in the world, and all of us, being conquered by Panini, became accounted fools. Accordingly full of despondency I deposited in the hand of the merchant Hiranyadatta my wealth for the maintenance of my house, and after informing Upakosa of it, I went fasting to mount Himalaya to propitiate S'iva with austerities.

       

      Story of Upakosa and her four lover

      Upakosa on her part anxious for  my success, remained in her own house, bathing every day in the Ganges, strictly observing her vow. One day, when spring had come, she being still beautiful, though thin and slightly pale, and charming to the eyes of men, like the streak of the new moon, was seen by the king's domestic chaplain while going to bathe in the Ganges, and also by the head magistrate, and by the prince's minister; and immediately they all of them became a target for the arrows of love. It happened too somehow or other that she took a long time bathing that day, and as she was returning in the evening, the prince's minister laid violent hands on her, but she with great presence of mind said to him, "Dear Sir, I desire this as much as you, but I am of respectable family, and my husband is away from home. How can I act thus? Some one might perhaps see us, and then misfortune would befall you as well as me. Therefore you must come without fail to my house in the first watch of the night of the spring-festival when the citizens are all excited." When she had said this, and pledged herself, he let her go, but, as chance would have it, she had not gone many steps further, before she was stopped by the king's domestic chaplain. She made a similar assignation with him also for the second watch of the same night; and so he too was, though with difficulty, induced to let her go; but, after she had gone a little further, up comes a third person, the head magistrate, and detains the trembling lady. Then she made a similar assignation with him too for the third watch of the same night, and having by great good fortune got him to release her, she went home all trembling, and of her own accord told her handmaids the arrangements she had made, reflecting, "Death is better for a woman of good family when her husband is away, than to meet the eyes of people who lust after beauty." Full of these thoughts and regretting me, the virtuous lady spent that night in fasting, lamenting her own beauty. Early the next morning she sent a maid-servant to the merchant Hiranyagupta to ask for some money in order that she might honour the Brahmans: then that merchant also came and said to her in private, "Shew me love, and then I will give you what your husband deposited." "When she heard that, she reflected that she had no witness to prove the deposit of her husband's wealth, and perceived that the merchant was a villain, and so tortured with sorrow and grief, she made a fourth and last assignation with him for the last watch of the same night; so he went away. In the meanwhile she had prepared by her handmaids in a large vat lamp-black mixed with oil and scented with musk and other perfumes, and she made ready four pieces of rag anointed with it, and she caused to be made a large trunk with a fastening outside. So on that day of the spring-festival the prince's minister came in the first watch of the night in gorgeous array. When he had entered without being observed Upakosa said to him, "I will not receive you until you have bathed, so go in and bathe." The simpleton to that, and was taken by the handmaids into a secret dark inner apartment. There they took off his under-garments and his jewels, and gave him by way of an under-garment a single piece of rag, and they smeared the rascle from head to foot with a thick coating of that lamp-black and oil, pretending it was an unguent, without his detecting it. While they continued rubbing it into every limb, the second watch of the night came and the chaplain arrived, the handmaids thereupon said to the minister, " here is the king's chaplain come, a great friend of Vararuchi's, so creep into this box" and they bundled him into the trunk, just as he was, all naked, with the utmost precipitation: and then they fastened it outside with a bolt. The priest too was brought inside into the dark room on the pretence of a bath, and was in the same way stripped of his garments and ornaments, and made a fool of by the handmaids by being rubbed with lamp-black and oil, with nothing but the piece of rag on him, until in the third watch the chief magistrate arrived. The handmaids immediately terrified the priest with the news of his arrival, and pushed him into the trunk like his predecessor. After they had bolted him in, they brought in the magistrate on the pretext of giving him a bath, and so he, like his fellows, with the piece of rag for his only garment, was bamboozled by being continually anointed with lamp-black, until in the last watch of the night the merchant arrived. The handmaids made use of his arrival to alarm the magistrate and bundled him also into the trunk, and fastened it on the outside. So those three being shut up inside the box, as if they were bent on accustoming themselves to live in the hell of blind darkness, did not dare to speak on account of fear, though they touched one another. Then Upakosa brought a lamp into the room, and making the merchant enter it, said to him, " give me that money which my husband deposited with you." When he heard that, the rascal said, observing that the room was empty, " I told you that I would give you the money your husband deposited with me." Upakosa calling the attention of the people in the trunk, said " Hear, you gods this speech of Hiranyagupta." When she had said this, she blew out the light, and the merchant, like the others, on the pretext of a bath was anointed by the handmaids for a long time with lamp-black. Then they told him to go, for the darkness was over, and at the close of the night they took him by the neck and pushed him out of the door sorely against his will. Then he made the best of his way home, with only the piece of rag to cover his nakedness, and smeared with the black dye, with the dogs biting him at every step, thoroughly ashamed of himself, and at last reached his own house; and when he got there he did not dare to look his slaves in the face while they were washing off that black dye. The path of vice is indeed a painful one. In the early morning Upakosa accompanied by her handmaids went, without informing her parents, to the palace of the king Nanda, and there she herself stated to the king that the merchant Hiranyagupta was endeavouring to deprive her of money deposited with him by her husband. The king in order to enquire into the matter immediately had the merchant summoned, who said " I have nothing in my keeping belonging to this lady." Upakosa then said, "I have witnesses, my lord; before he went, my husband put the household gods into a box, and this merchant with his own lips admitted the deposit in their presence. Let the box be brought here and ask the gods yourself." Having heard this the king in astonishment ordered the box to be brought. 

     Thereupon in a moment that trunk was carried in by many men. Then Upakosa said "Relate truly, O gods, what that merchant said and then go to your own houses; if you do not, I will burn you or open the box in court." Hearing that, the men in the box, beside themselves with fear, said "It is true, the merchant admitted the deposit in our presence." Then the merchant being utterly confounded confessed all his guilt; but the! king, being unable to restrain his curiosity, after asking permission of Upakosa, opened the chest there in court by breaking the fastening, and those three men were dragged out, looking like three lumps of solid darkness, and were with difficulty recognised by the king and his ministers. The whole assembly then burst out laughing, and the king in his curiosity asked Upakosa, what was the meaning of all this; so the virtuous lady told the whole story. All present in court expressed their approbation of Upakosu's conduct, observing: "The virtuous behaviour of women of good family who are protected by their own excellent disposition only, is incredible."

     Then all those coveters of their neighbour's wife were deprived of all their living, and banished from the country. Who prospers by immorality? Upakosd was dismissed by the king, who shewed his great regard for her by a present of much wealth, and said to her : " Henceforth thou art my sister," and so she returned home. Varsha and Upavarsha when they heard it, congratulated that chaste lady, and there was a smile of admiration on the face of every single person in that city.

      In the meanwhile, by performing a very severe penance on the snowy mountain, I propitiated the god, the husband of Parvati, the great giver of all good things ; he revealed to me that same treatise of Panini; and in accordance with his wish I completed it: then I returned home without feeling the fatigue of the journey, full of the nectar of the favour of that god who wears on his crest a digit of the moon; then I worshipped the feet of my mother and of my spiritual teachers, and heard from them the wonderful achievement of Upakosa, thereupon joy and astonishment swelled to the upmost height in my breast, together with natural affection and great respect for my wife.

     Now Varsha expressed a desire to hear from my lips the new grammar, and thereupon the god Kartikeya himself revealed it to him. And it came to pass that Vyadi and Indradatta asked their preceptor Varsha what fee they should give him? He replied, "Give me ten millions of gold pieces." So they, consenting to the preceptor's demand, said to me;" Come with us, friend, to ask the king Nanda to give us the sum required for our teacher's fee; we cannot obtain so much gold from any other quarter: for he possesses nine hundred and ninety millions, and long ago he declared your wife Upakosa, his sister in the faith, therefore you are his brother-in-law; we shall obtain something for the sake of your virtues." Having formed this resolution, we three fellow-students went to the camp of king Nanda in Ayodhya, and the very moment we arrived, the king died; accordingly an outburst of lamentation arose in the kingdom, and we were reduced to despair. Immediately Indradatta, who was an adept in magic, said, "I will enter the body of this dead king; let Vararuchi prefer the petition to me, and I will give him the gold, and let Vyadi guard my body until I return." Saying this, Indradatta entered into the body of king Nanda, and when the king came to life again, there was great rejoicing in the kingdom. While Vyadi remained in an empty temple to guard the body of Indradatta, I went to the king's palace. I entered, and after making the usual salutation, I asked the supposed Nanda for ten million gold pieces as my instructor's fee. Then he ordered a man named S'akatala, the minister of the real Nanda, to give me ten million of gold pieces. That minister, when he saw that the dead king had come to life, and that the petitioner immediately got what he asked, guessed the real state of the case. What is there that the wise cannot understand? That minister said " It shall be given, your Highness," and reflected with himself ; " Nanda's son is but a child, and our realm is menaced by many enemies, so I will do my best for the present to keep his body on the throne even in its present state." Having resolved on this, he immediately took steps to have all dead bodies burnt, employing spies to discover them, and among them was found the body of Indradatta, which was burned after Vyadi had been hustled out of the temple. In the meanwhile the king was pressing for the payment of the money, but S'akatala, who was still in doubt, said to him, " All the servants have got their heads turned by the public rejoicing, let the Brahman wait a moment until I can give it." Then Vyadi came and complained aloud in the presence of the supposed Nanda, " Help, help, a Brahman engaged in magic, whose life had not yet come to an end in a natural way, has been burnt by force on the pretext that his body was untenanted, and this in the very moment of your good fortune." On hearing this the supposed Nanda was in an indescribable state of distraction from grief: but as soon as Indradatta was imprisoned in the body of Nanda, beyond the possibility of escape, by the burning of his body, the discreet S'akatala went out and gave me that ten millions.

      Then the supposed Nanda, full of grief, said in secret to Vyadi, " Though a Brahman by birth I have become a S'udra, what is the use of my royal fortune to me though it be firmly established ?" When he heard that, Vyadi comforted him, and gave him seasonable advice, " You have been discovered by S'akatala, so you must henceforth be on your guard against him, for he is a great minister, and in a short time he will, when it suits his purpose, destroy you, and will make Chandragupta, the son of the previous Nanda, king. Therefore immediately appoint Vararuchi your minister, in order that your rule may be firmly established by the help of his intellect, which is of god-like acuteness." When he had said this, Vyadi departed to give that fee to his preceptor, and immediately Yogananda sent for me and made me his minister. Then I said to the king, " Though your caste as a Brahman has been taken from you, I do not consider your throne secure as long as S'akatala remains in oifice, therefore destroy him by some stratagem." When I had given him this advice, Yogananda threw S'akatala into a dark dungeon, and his hundred sons with him, proclaiming as his crime that he had burnt a Brahman alive. One porringer of barley-meal and one of water was placed inside the dungeon every day for S'akatala and his sons, and thereupon he said to them; "My sons, even one man alone would with difficulty subsist on this barley-meal, much less can a number of people do so. Therefore let that one of us, who is able to take vengeance on Yogananda, consume every day the barley-meal and the water." His sons answered him, "You alone are able to punish him, therefore do you consume them." For vengeance is dearer to the resolute than life itself. So S'akatala alone subsisted on that meal and water every day. Alas ! those whose souls are set on victory are cruel. S'akatala in the dark dungeon, beholding the death agonies of his starving sons, thought to himself, " A man who desires his own welfare should not act in an arbitrary manner towards the powerful, without fathoming their character and acquiring their confidence." Accordingly his hundred sons perished before his eyes, and he alone remained alive surrounded by their skeletons. Then Yogananda took firm root in his kingdom. And Vyadi approached him after giving the present to his teacher, and after coming near to him said, " May thy rule, my friend, last long! I take my leave of thee, I go to perform austerities somewhere." Hearing that, Yogananda, with his voice choked with tears, said to him, " Stop thou, and enjoy pleasures in my kingdom, do not go and desert me." Vyadi answered " King! Life comes to an end in a moment. What wise man, I pray you, drowns himself in these hollow and fleeting enjoyments? Prosperity, a desert mirage, does not turn the head of the wise man." Saying this he went away that moment resolved to mortify his flesh with austerities. Then that Yogananda went to his metropolis Pataliputra, for the purpose of enjoyment, accompanied by me, and surrounded with his whole army. So I having attained prosperity, lived for a long time in that state, waited upon by Upakosa, and bearing the burden of the office of prime-minister to that king, accompanied by my mother and my preceptors. There the Ganges, propitiated by my austerities, gave me every day much wealth, and Sarasvati present in bodily form told me continually what measures to adopt.

Katha Sarit Sagara in English Chapter -3

 CHAPTER III. 

      Having thus spoken while kanabbuti was listening with intent mind, Vararuchi went on to tell his tale in the wood. 

      It came to pass in the course of time, that one day, when the reading of the Vedas was finished, the teacher Varsha, who had performed his daily ceremonies, was asked by us, " How comes it that such a city as this has become the home of Sarasvati and Lakshmi, tell us that, O teacher." I louring this, he bade us listen, for that he was about to tell the history of the city.

     Story of founding of the sity of Patliputra

    There is a sanctifying place of pil- Pataliputra. grimage, named Kanakhala, at the point where the Ganges issues from the hills, where the sacred stream was brought down from the table-land of mount Usinara, by Kanehanapata the elephant of the gods, having cleft it asunder. In that place lived a certain Brahman from the Deccan, performing austerities in the company of his wife, and to him were born there three sons. In the course of time he and his wife went to heaven, and those sons of his went to a place named Rajagriha, for the sake of acquiring learning. And having studied the sciences there, the three, grieved at their unprotected condition, went to the Deccan in order to visit the shrine of the god Kartikeya. Then they reached a city named Chinchini on the shore of the sea, and dwelt in the house of a Brahman named Bhojika, and he gave them his three daughters in marriage, and bestowed on them all his wealth, and having no other children, went to the Ganges to perform austerities. And while they were living there in the house of their father-in-law, a terrible famine arose produced by drought, thereupon the three Brahmans fled, abandoning their virtuous wives, (since no care for their families touches the hearts of cruel men,) then the middle one of the three sisters was found to be pregnant ; and those ladies repaired to the house of Yajnadatta a friend of their father's : there they remained in a miserable condition, thinking each on her own husband, (for even in calamity women of good family do not forget the duties of virtuous wives). Now in course of time the middle one of the three sisters gave birth to a son, and they all three vied with one another in love towards him. So it happened once upon a time that, as S'iva was roaming through the air, the mother of Skanda who was reposing on S'iva' s breast, moved with compassion at seeing their love for their child, said to her husband, " My lord, observe, these three women feel great affection for this boy, and place hope in him, trusting that he may some day support them ; therefore bring it about that he may be able to maintain them, even in his infancy." Having been thus entreated by his beloved, S'iva, the giver of boons, thus answered her : I adopt him as my protege, for in a previous birth he and his wife propitiated me, therefore he has been born on the earth to reap the fruit of his former austerities ; and his former wife has been born again as Patala, the daughter of the king Mahendravarman, and she shall be his wife in this birth also. Having said this, that mighty god told those three virtuous women in a dream, " This young son of yours shall be called Putraka ; and every day when he awakes from sleep, a hundred thousand gold pieces shall be found under his pillow, and at last he shall become a king." 

    Accordingly, when he woke up from sleep, those virtuous daughters of Yajnadatta found the gold and rejoiced that their vows and prayers had brought forth fruit. Then by means of that gold Putraka having in a short time accumulated great treasure, became a king, for good fortune is the result of austerities. Once upon a time Yajnadatta said in private to Putraka, " King, your father and uncles have gone away into the wide world on account of a famine, therefore give continually to Brahmans, in order that they may hear of it and return : and now listen, I will tell you the story of Brahmadatta.

      Story of King Brahamadatta

     There lived formerly in Benares a king named Brahmadatta. He saw a pair of swans flying in the air at night. They shone with the lustre of Miing gold, and were begirt with hundreds of white swans, and so looked like a sudden flash of lightning, surrounded by white clouds. And his desire to behold them again kept increasing so mightily that he took no pleasure in the delights of royalty. And then having taken counsel with his ministers he caused a fair tank to be made according to a design of his own, and gave to all living creatures security from injury. In a short time he perceived that those two swans had settled in that lake, and when they had become tame he asked them the reason of their golden plumage. And then those swans addressed the king with an articulate voice. ' In a former birth, O king, we were born as crows ; and when we were fighting for the remains of the daily offering in a holy empty temple of S'iva, we fell down and died within a sacred vessel belonging to that sanctuary, and consequently we have been born as golden swans with a remembrance of our former birth' ; having heard this the king gazed on them to his heart's content, and derived great pleasure from watching them. 

     " Therefore you will gain back your father and uncles by an unparalleled gift." When Yajnadatta had given him this advice, Putraka did as he recommended; when they heard the tidings of the distribution those Brahmans arrived: and when they were recognized they had great wealth bestowed on them, and were reunited to their wives. Strange to say, even after they have gone through calamities, wicked men having their minds blinded by want of discernment, are unable to put off their evil nature. After a time they hankered after royal power, and being desirous of murdering Putraka they enticed him under pretext of a pilgrimage to the temple of Durga: and having stationed assassins in the inner sanctuary of the temple, they said to him, " First go and visit the goddess alone, step inside." Thereupon he entered boldly, but when he saw those assassins preparing to slay him, he asked them why they wished to kill him. They replied, " We were hired for gold to do it by your father and uncles. "Then the discreet Putraka said to the assassins, whose senses were bewildered by the goddess, "I will give you this priceless jewelled ornament of mine. Spare me, I will not reveal your secret; I will go to a distant land." The assassins said, "So be it, "and taking the ornament they departed, and falsely in formed the father and uncles of Putraka that he was slain. Then those Brahmans returned and endeavoured to get possession of the throne, but they were put to death by the ministers as traitors. How can the ungrateful prosper? 

     In the meanwhile that king Putraka, faithful to his promise, entered the impassable wilds of the Vindhya, disgusted with his relations: as he wandered about he saw two heroes engaged heart and soul in a wrestling match, and he asked them who they were. They replied, "We are the two sons of the Asura Maya, and his wealth belongs to us, this vessel, and this stick, and these shoes; it is for these that we are fighting, and whichever of us proves the mightier is to take them. "When he heard this speech of theirs, Putraka said with a smile "That is a fine inheritance for a man. "Then they said" By putting on these shoes one gains the power of flying through the air; whatever is written with this staff turns out true; and whatever food a man wishes to have in the vessel is found there immediately. "When he heard this, Putraka said "What is the use of fighting? make this agreement, that whoever proves the hest man in running shall possess this wealth." Those simpletons said "Agreed" and set off to run, while the prince put on the shoes and flew up into the air, taking with him the staff and the vessel; then he went a great distance in a short time and saw beneath him a heautiful city named Akarshika and descended into it from the sky. He reflected with himself; "heteerae are prone to deceive, Brahmans are like my father and uncles, and merchants are greedy of wealth; in whose house shall I dwell? "Just at that moment he reached a lonely dilapidated house, and saw a single old woman in it; so he gratified that old woman with a present, and lived unobserved in that broken down old house, waited upon respectfully by the old woman.

    Once upon a time the old woman in an affectionate mood said to Putraka " I am grieved, my son, that you have not a wife meet for you. But here there is a maiden named Patali, the daughter of the king, and she is preserved like a jewel in the upper story of a seraglio. "While he was listening to this speech of hers with open ear, the god of love found an unguarded point, and entered by that very path into his heart. He made up his mind that he must see that damsel that very day, and in the night flew up through the air to where she was, by the help of his magic shoes. He then entered by a window, which was as high above the ground as the peak of a mountain, and beheld that Patali, asleep in a secret place in the seraglio, continually bathed in the moonlight that seemed to cling to her limbs: as it were the might of love in fleshly form reposing after the conquest of this world. While he was thinking how he should awake her, suddenly outside a watchman began to chant; "Young men obtain the fruit of their birth, when they awake the sleeping fair one, embracing her as she sweetly scolds, with her eyes languidly opening. "On hearing this encouraging prelude, he embraced that fair one with limbs trembling with excitement, and then she awoke. When she beheld that prince, there was a contest between shame and love in her eye, which was alternately fixed on his face and averted. When they had conversed together, and gone through the ceremony of the Gandharva marriage, that couple found their love continually increasing, as the night waned away. Then Putraka took leave of his sorrowing wife, and with his mind dwelling only on her went in the last watch of the night to the old woman's house. So every night the prince kept going backwards and forwards, and at last the intrigue was discovered by the guards of the seraglio, accordingly they revealed the matter to the lady's father, and he appointed a woman to watch secretly in the seraglio at night. She, finding the prince asleep, made a mark with red lac upon his garment to facilitate his recognition. In the morning she informed the king of what she had done, and he sent out spies in all directions, and Putraka was discovered by the mark and dragged out from the dilapidated house into the presence of the king. Seeing that the king was enraged, he flew up into the air with the help of the shoes, and enteivd the palace of Patali. He said to her, "We are discover, therefore rise up, let us escape with the help of the shoes, and so taking Patali in his arms he flew away from that place through the air. Then descending from heaven near the bank of the Ganges, he refreshed his weary beloved with cakes provided by means of the magic vessel. When Patali saw the power of Putraka she made a request to him, in accordance with which he sketched out with the staff a city furnished with a force of all four arms. In that city he established himself as king, and his great power having attained full development, he subdued that fatherin-law of his, and became ruler of the sea-engirdled earth. This is that same divine city, produced by magic, together with its citizens; hence it bears the name of Pataliputra, and is the home of wealth and learning. When we heard from the mouth of Varsha the above strange and extraordinarily marvellous story, our minds, Kanabhuti, were for a long time delighted with thrilling wonder.   

KATHA SARIT SAGARA IN ENGLISH CHAPTER -2

 

CHAPTER II. 

    Then Pushpadanta wandering on the earth in the form of a man, was known by the name of Vararuchi and Katyayana. Having attained perfection in the sciences, and having served Nanda as minister, being wearied out he went once on a time to visit the shrine of Durga. And that goddess, being pleased with his austerities, ordered him in a dream to repair to the wilds of the Vindhya to behold Kanabhuti. And as he wandered about there in a waterless and savage wood, full of tigers and apes, he beheld a lofty Nyagrodha tree. And near it he saw, surrounded by hundreds of Pisachas, that Pisacha Kanabhuti, in stature like a Shala tree.

     When Kanabhuti bad seen him and respectfully clasped bis feet, Katyayana. sitting down immediately spake to him. "Thou art an observer of the good custom, bow hast thou come into this state?" Having heard this Kanabhuti said to Katyayana, who bad shewn affection towards bim, I know not of myself, but listen to what I heard from Siva at Ujjayini in the place where corpses are burnt; I proceed to tell it thee. The adorable god was asked by Durga" Whence, my lord, comes thy delight in skulls and burning-places ?" He thereupon gave this answer.

     "Long ago when all things had been destroyed at the end of a Kalpa, the universe became water: I then cleft my thigh and let fall a drop of blood; that drop falling into the water turned into an egg, from that sprung the Supreme Soul, the Disposer; from bim proceeded Nature, created by me for the purpose of further creation, and they created the other lords of created beings, and those in turn the created beings, for which reason, my beloved, the Supreme Soul is called in the world the grandfather. Having thus created the world, animate and inanimate, that Spirit became arrogant: thereupon I cut off his bead: then through regret for what I bad done, I undertook a difficult vow. So thus it comes to pass that I carry skulls in my hand, and love the places where corpses are burned. Moreover this world resembling a skull, rests in my hand ; for the two skull-shaped halves of the egg before mentioned are called heaven and earth." When S'iva had thus spoken, I, being full of curiosity, determined to listen ; and Purvati again said to her husband.

       " After how long a time will that Pushpadanta return to us?" Hearing that, Mahesvara spoke to the goddess, pointing me out to her; " That Pisacba whom thou beholde it there, was once a Yakaha, a servant of Kuera, the god of wealth, and he had for a friend a Rakshasa named Sthulasiras; and the lord of wealth perceiving that be associated with that evil one, banished him to the wilds of the Vindhya mountains. But his brother Dirghajangba fell at the feet of the god, and humbly asked when the curse would end. Then the god of wealth said" After thy brother has heard the great tale from Pushpadanta, who lias been born into this world in consequence of a curse, and after he has in turn told it to Malyavan, who owing to a curse has become a human being, he together with those two Ganas shall be released from the effects of the curse." Such were the terms on which the god of wealth then ordained that Malyavan should obtain remission from his curse here below, and thou didst fix the same in the case of 'Pushpadanta' recall it to mind, my beloved." When I hoard that speech of Siva, I came here overjoyed, knowing that the calamity of my curse would be terminated by the arrival of Pushpadanta. "When Kanablmti ceased atfter telling this story, that moment Vararuchi remembered his origin, and exclaimed like one aroused from sleep, " I am that very Pushpadanta, hear that tale from me." Thereupon Katyayana related to him the seven great tales in seven hundred thousand verses, and then Kanabhuti said to him " My lord, thou art an incarnation of S'iva, who else knows this story? 

    Through thy favour that curse has almost left my body. Therefore tell me thy own history from thy birth, thou mighty one, sanctify me yet further, if the narrative may be revealed to such a one as I am." Then Vararuchi, to gratify Kanabhuti, who remained prostrate before him, told all his history from his birth at full length, in the following words:

    Story of Vararuchi, His teacher Varsha, And his fellowo pupils Vyadi And Indradatta.    

    In the city of Kausambi there lived a Brahman called Somadatta,  who also had the title of Agnisikha, and his wife was called Vasudatta. She was the daughter of a hermit, and was born into the world in this position in consequence of a curse; and I was born by her to this excellent Brahman, also in consequence of a curse. Now while I was still quite a child my father died, but my mother continued to support me, as I grew up, by severe drudgery; then one day two Brahmans came to our house to stop a night, exceedingly dusty with a long journey; and while they were staying in our" house there arose the noise of a tabor, thereupon my mother said to me, sobbing, as she called to mind her husband "there, my son, is your father's friend Bhavananda, giving a dramatic entertainment." I answered, " I will go and see it, and will exhibit the whole of it to you, with a recitation of all the speeches." On hearing that speech of mine, those Brahmans were astonished, but my mother said to them " Come, my children, there is no doubt about the truth of what he says; this boy will remember by heart everything that he has heard once." Then they, in order to test me, recited to me a Pratisakhya; immediately I repeated the whole in their presence, then I went with the two Brahmans and saw that play, and when I came home, I went through the whole of it in front of my mother: then one of the Brahmans, named Vyadi, having ascertained that I was able to recollect a thing on hearing it once, told with submissive reverence this tale to my mother.

      Mother, in the city of Vetasa there were two Brahman brothers, Deva- Swamin and Karambaka, who loved one another very dearly, this Indradatta here is the son of one of them, and I am the son of the other, and my name is Vyadi. It came to pass that my father died. Owing to grief for his loss, the father of Indradatta went on the long journey, and then the hearts of our two mothers broke with grief; thereupon being orphans though we had wealth, and, desiring to acquire learning, we went to the southern region to supplicate the lord Kartikeya. And while we were engaged in austerities there, the god gave us the following revelation in a dream. "There is a city called Pataliputra, the capital of king Nanda, and in it there is a Brahman, named Varsha, from him you shall learn all knowledge, therefore go there." Then we went to that city, and when we made enquiries there, people said to us: " There is a blockhead of a Brahman in this town, of the name of Varsha." Immediately we went on with minds in a state of suspense, and saw the house of Varsha in a miserable condition, made a very anthill by mice, dilapidated by the cracking of the walls, untidy, deprived of eaves, looking like the very birth-place of misery.

      Then, seeing Varsha plunged in meditation within the house, we approached his wife, who shewed us all proper hospitality; her body was emaciated and begrimed, her dress tattered and dirty; she looked like the incarnation of poverty, attracted thither by admiration for the Brahman's virtues. Bending humbly before her, we then told her our circumstances, and the report of her husband's imbecility, which we heard in the city. She exclaimed" My children, I am not ashamed to tell you the truth ; listen! I will relate the whole story," and then she, chaste lady, proceeded to tell us the tale which follows:

      There lived in this city an excellent Brahman, named S'ankara Svamin, and he had two sons, my husband Varsha, and Upavarsha ; my husband was stupid and poor, and his younger brother was -just the opposite : and Upavarsha appointed his own wife to manage his elder brother's house. Then in the course of time, the rainy season came on, and at this time the women are in the habit of making a cake of flour mixed with molasses, of an unbecoming and disgusting shape, and giving it to any Brahman who is thought to be a blockhead, and if they act thus, this cake is said to remove their discomfort caused by bathing in the cold season, and their exhaustion caused by bathing in the hot weather ; but when it is given, Brahmans refuse to receive it, on the ground that the custom is a disgusting one. This cake was presented by my sister-in-law to my husband, together with a sacrificial fee ; he received it, and brought it home with him, and got a severe scolding from me ; then he began to be inwardly consumed with grief at his own stupidity, and went to worship the sole of the foot of the god Kartikeya : the god, pleased with his austerities, bestowed on him the knowledge of all the sciences ; and gave him this order " When tliou findest a Brahman who can recollect what he has heard only once, then thou mayest reveal these" thereupon my husband returned home delighted, and when he had reached home, told the whole story to me. From that time forth, he has remained continually muttering prayers and meditating : so find you some one who can remember anything after hearing it once, and bring him here : if you do that, you will both of you undoubtedly obtain all that you desire.

       Having heard this from the wife of Varsha, and having immediately given her a hundred gold pieces to relieve her poverty, we went out of that city ; then we wandered through the earth, and could not find anywhere a person who could remember what he had only heard once : at last we arrived tired out at your house to-day, and have found here this boy, your son, who can recollect anything after once hearing it : therefore give him us and let us go forth to acquire the commodity knowledge.

         Having heard- this speech of Vyadi, my mother said with respect, " All this tallies completely, I repose confidence in your tale : for long ago at the birth of this my only sonn distnict spritual voice  heared from heavan. " A boy has been born who shall be able to remember what he has heard once ; he shall acquire knowledge from Varsha, and shall make the science of grammar famous in the world, and he shall be called Vararuchi by name, because whatever is excellent, shall please him." Having utter-ed this, the voice ceased. Consequently, ever since this boy has grown big, I have been thinking, day and night, where that teacher Varsha can be, and to-day I have been exceedingly gratified at hearing it from your mouth. Therefore take him with you : what harm can there be in it, he is your brother ?" When they heard this speech of my mother's, those two, Vyadi and Indradatta, overflowing with joy, thought that night but a moment in length. Then Vyadi quickly gave his own wealth to my mother to provide a feast, and desiring that I should be qualified to read the Vedas, invested me with the Brahmanical thread. Then Vyadi and Indradatta took me, who managed by my own fortitude to control the excessive grief I felt at parting, while my mother in taking leave of me could with difficulty suppress her tears, and considering that the favour of Kartikeya towards them  had now put forth blossom, set out rapidly from that city ; then in course of time we arrived at the house of the teacher Varsha : he too considered that I was the favour of Kartikeya arrived in bodily form. The next day he placed us in front of him, and sitting down in a consecrated spot, he began to recite the syllable Om with heavenly voice. Immediately the Vedas with the six supplementary sciences rushed into his mind, and then he began to teach them to us ; then I retained what the teacher told us after hearing it once, Vyadi after hearing it twice, and Indradatta after hearing it three times : then the Brahmans of the city hearing of a sudden that divine sound, came at once from all quarters with wonder stirring in their breasts to see what this new thing might be; and with their reverend mouths loud in his praises honoured Varsha with low bows. Then beholding that wonderful miracle, not only Upavarsha, but all the citizens of Pataliputraf kept high festival. Moreover the king Nanda of exalted fortune, seeing the power of the boon of the son of Siva, was delighted, and immediately filled the house of Varsha with wealth, shewing him every mark of respect. 

     

Katha Sarit Sagar English translation of C. H. TAWNEY, M. A

KATHA SARIT SAGARA 

OR 

OCEAN OF THE STREAMS OF STORY. 

PART I. 

CHAPTER I.

   May the dark neck of S'iva, which the god of love has, so to speak, surrounded with nooses in the form of the alluring looks of Parvati reclin- ing on his bosom, assign to you prosperity. May that victor of obstacles, who after sweeping away the stars with his trunk in the delirious joy of the evening dance, seems to create others with the spray issuing from his hissing mouth, protect you.

      After worshipping the goddess of Speech, the lamp that illuminates countless objects, I compose this collection which contains the pith of the Vrihat-Katha. 

     The first book in my collection is called Kathapitha, then conies Kathamukha, then the third book named Lavanaka, then follows Xarava hanadattajanana, and then the book called Chahmlarika, and then Madana manchuka, then the seventh book named llatnaprabha, and then the eighth book named Suryaprabha, then Alankaravati, then S'aktiyasas, and then the eleventh book called Vela, then comes S'asankavati, and then Madiviivati, then comes the book called Paneha followed by Mahabhisheka, and then S'uratamanjari, then Padnuivuti, and then will follow the eighteenth book Vishamasila.

     

     This book is precisely on the model of that from which it is taken, there is not even the slightest deviation, only such language is selected as tends to abridge the prolixity of the work ; the observance of propriety and natural connexion, and the joining together of the portions of the poem so as not to interfere with the spirit of the stories, are as far as possible kept in view : I have not made this attempt through desire of a reputation for ingenuity, but in order to facilitate the recollection of a multitude of various tales. There is a mountain celebrated under the name of Himavat, haunted by Kinnaras, Gandharvas, and Vidyadharas, a very monarch of mighty hills, whose glory has attained such an eminence among mountains that Bhavani the mother of the three worlds deigned to become his daughter; the northernmost summit thereof is a great peak named Kailasa, which towers many thousand yojanas in the air, and as it were, laughs forth with its snowy gleams this boast" Mount Mandara did not become white as mortar even when the ocean was churned with it, but I have become such without an effort." There dwells Mahesvara the beloved of Parvati, the chief of things animate and inanimate, attended upon by Ganas, Vidyadharas and Siddhas. In the upstanding yellow tufts of his matted hair, the new moon enjoys the delight of touching the eastern mountain yellow in the evening twilight. 

    When he drove his trident into the heart of Andhaka, the king of the Asuras, though he was only one, the dart which that monarch had infixed in the heart of the three worlds was, strange to say, extracted. The image of his toe-nails being reflected in the crest-jewels of the gods and Asuras made them seem as if they had been presented with half moons by his favour. J Once on a time that lord, the husband of Parvati, was gratified with praises by his wife, having gained confidence as she sat in secret with him ; the moon-crested one attentive to her praise and delighted, placed her on his lap, and said, " What can I do to please thee ?" Then the daughter of the mountain spake " My lord, if tbou art satisfied with me, then tell me some delightful story that is quite new." And S'iva said to her, " What can there be in the world, my beloved, present, past, or future that thou dost not know ?" Then that goddess, be- loved of S'iva, importuned him. eagerly because she was proud in soul ou account of his affection. Then S'iva wishing to flatter her, began by telling her a very short story, referring to her own divine power.

     " Once on a time Brahma and Narayana roaming through the world in order to behold me, came to the foot of Himavat. Then they beheld there in front of them a great flame-linga; in order to discover the end of it, one of them went up, and the other down; and when they could not find the end of it, they proceeded to propitiate me by means of austerities : and I appeared to them and bade them ask for some boon: hearing that Brahma asked me to become his son; on that account he has ceased to be worthy of worship, disgraced by his overweening presumption. "Then that god Narayana craved a boon of me, saying Oh revered one, may I become devoted to thy service! Then he became incarnate, and was born as mine in thy form; for thou art the same as Narayana, the power of me all-powerful. 

    "Moreover thou wast my wife in a former birth." When S'iva had thus spoken, Parvati asked, "How can I have been thy wife in a former birth? "Then S'iva answered her. "Long ago to the Prajapati Daksha were born many daughters, and amongst them thou, goddess! 

     He gave thee in marriage to me, and the others to Dharma and the rest of the gods. Once on a time he invited all his sons-in-law to a sacrifice. But I alone was not included in the invitation; thereupon thou didst ask him to tell thee why thy husband was not invited. Then he uttered a speech which pierced thy ears like a poisoned needle; ' Thy husband wears a necklace of skulls ; how can he be invited to a sacrifice?' "And then thou, my beloved, didst in anger abandon thy body, exclaiming, ' This father of mine is a villain; what profit have I then in this carcase sprung from him?' "And thereupon in wrath I destroyed that sacrifice of Daksha. 

      Then thou wast born as the daughter of the mount of snow, as the moon's digit springs from the sea. Then recall how I came to the Himalaya in order to perform austerities; and thy father ordered thee to do me service as his guest: and there the god of love who had been sent by the gods in order that they might obtain from me a son to oppose Taraka, was consumed, ;when endeavouring to pierce me, having obtained a favourable opportunity. Then I was purchased by thee, the enduring one, with severe austerities, and I accepted this proposal of thine, my beloved, in order that I might add this merit to my stock.

     Thus it is clear that thou wast my wife in a former birth. What else shall I tell thee? "Thus Siva spake, and when he had ceased, the goddess transported with wrath, exclaimed, " Thou art a deceiver; thou wilt not tell me a pleasing tale even though I ask thee : Do I not know that thou worshippest Sandhya, and bearest Ganga on thy head?" 

     Hearing that, S'iva proceeded to conciliate her and promised to tell her a wonderful tale: then she dismissed her anger. She herself gave the order that no one was to enter where they were; Nandin thereupon kept the door, and S'iva began to speak. "The gods are supremely blessed, men are ever miserable, the actions of demigods are exceedingly charming, therefore I now proceed to relate to thee the history of the Vidyadharas." While S'iva was thus speaking to his consort, there arrived a favourite dependant of Siva's, Pushpadanta, best of Ganas, and his entrance was forbidden by nandin who was guarding the door. 

     Curious to know why even he had been forbidden to enter at that time without any apparent reason, Pushpadanta immediately entered, making use of his magic power attained by devotion to prevent his being seen, and when he had thus entered, he heard all the extraordinary and wonderful adventures of the seven Vidyadharas being narrated by the trident-bearing god, and having heard them he in turn went and narrated them to his wife Jaya; for who can hide wealth or a secret from women? Jaya the doorkeeper being filled with wonder went and recited it in the presence of Parvati. How can women be expected to restrain their speech? And then the daughter of the mountain flew into a passion, and said to her husband, "Thou didst not tell me any extraordinary tale, for Jaya knows it also. 

    "Then the lord of Uma, perceiving the truth by profound meditation, thus spake: "Pushpadanta employing the magic power of devotion entered in where we were, and thus managed to hear it. He narrated it to Jaya ; no one else knows it, my beloved." Having heard this, the goddess exceedingly enraged caused Pushpadanta to be summoned, and cursed him, as he stood trembling before her, saying, "Become a mortal thou disobedient servant. 

      "She cursed also the (gana Malyavn who presumed to intercede on his behalf. Then the two fell at her feet together with Jaya and entreated her to say when the curse would end, and the wife of S'iva slowly uttered this speech " A Yaksha named Supratika who has been made a Pisaeha by the curse of Kuvera is residing in the Vindhya forest under the name of Kanabhuti. When thou shalt see him and, calling to mind thy origin, tell him this tale, then, Pushpadanta, thou shalt be released from this curse. And when Malyavan shall hear this talc from Kanabhuti, then Kanabhuti shall be released, and thou, Malyavan, when thou hast published it abroad, shalt be free also." 

    Having thus spoken the daughter of the mountain ceased, and immediately those Ganas disappeared instantaneously like flashes of lightning. Then it came to pass in the course of time that Gauri full of pity asked S'iva, " My lord, where on the earth have those excellent Pramathas whom I cursed, been born?" And the moon-diademed god answered : "My beloved, Pushpadanta has been born under the name of Vararuchi in that great city which is called Kausambi.

     Moreover Malyavan also has been born in the splendid city called Supratishthita under the name of Gunadhya. This, goddess, is what has befallen them." Having given her this information with grief caused by recalling to mind the degradation of the servants that had always been obedient to him, that lord continued to dwell with his beloved in pleasure-arbours on the slopes of mount Kailasa, which were made of the branches of the Kalpa tree 

नाड़ीचक्र का वर्णन

 

नाड़ीचक्र का वर्णन

 

(अग्निपुराण अध्याय २१४)

     अग्निदेव कहते हैं - वसिष्ठ ! अब मैं नाड़ीचक्र के विषय में कहता हूँ जिसके जानने से श्रीहरि का ज्ञान हो जाता है। नाभि के अधोभाग में कन्द(मूलाधार) है उससे अङ्कुरों की भांति नाड़ियां निकली हुई हैं । नाभि के मध्य में बहत्तर हज़ार नाड़ियां स्थित हैं । इन नाडियों ने शरीर को ऊपर-नीचे दाएं-बाएं सब ओर से व्याप्त कर रखा है और ये चक्राकार होकर स्थित हैं । इनमें प्रधान दस नाड़ियां हैं - इड़ा, पिङ्गला, सुषुम्णा, गान्धारी, हस्तिजिह्वा, पृथा, यशा, अलम्बुषा, कुहू और दसवीं शङ्किनी । ये दस प्राणों का वहन करनेवाली प्रमुख नाड़ियां बतलायी गयीं । प्राण, अपान, समान, उदान, व्यान, नाग, कूर्म, कृकर, देवदत्त और धनञ्जय - ये दस 'प्राणवायु' हैं ।  इनमें प्रथम वायु प्राण दसों का स्वामी है । यह प्राण - रिक्तता की पूर्ति प्रति प्राणों को प्राणयन(प्रेरण) करता है और सम्पूर्ण प्राणियों के हृदयदेश में स्थित रहकर अपान-वायुद्वारा मल-मूत्रादि के त्याग इ होनेवाली रिक्तता को नित्य पूर्ण करता है । जीव में आश्रित यह प्राण श्वासोछवास और कास आदि द्वारा प्रयाण (गमनागमन) करता है, इसलिए इसे 'प्राण' कहा गया है । अपानवायु मनुष्यों के आहार को नीचे की ओर ले जाता है और मूत्र एवं शुक्र आदि को भी नीचे की ओर वहन करता है इस अपानयन के कारण से 'अपान' कहा जाता है । समानवायु मनुष्यों के खाये-पिए और सूंघे हुए पदार्थों को एवं रक्त पित्त कफ और वात को सारे अंगों में समानभाव से ले जाता है इस कारण उसे उसे समान कहा गया है । उदान नामक वायु मुख और अधरों को स्पन्दित करता है नेत्रों की अरुणिमा को बढ़ाता है और मर्मस्थानों को उद्विग्न करता है इसीलिए उसका नाम 'उदान' है । 'व्यान' अंगों को पीड़ित करता है । यही व्याधि को कुपित करता है और कण्ठ को अवरुद्ध कर देता है । व्यापनशील होने से इसे 'व्यान' कहा गया है। 'नागवायु' उदगार(डकार-वमन आदि) में और 'कूर्मवायु' नयनों के उन्मीलन(खोलने) में प्रवृत्त होता है । 'कृकर' भक्षण में और 'देवदत्त' वायु जम्भाई में अधिष्ठित है । 'धनञ्जय' पवन का स्थान  घोष है । यह मृत शरीर का भी परित्याग नहीं करता । इन दसों द्वारा जीव प्रयाण करता है इसलिए प्राणभेद से नाड़ीचक्र के भी दस भेद हैं ।

 

 

 

संक्रान्ति, विषुव, दिन, रात, अयन, अधिमास, ऋण, उनरात्र एवं धन - ये सूर्य की गति से होनेवाली दस दशाएं शरीर में भी होती हैं । इस शरीर में हिक्का(हिचकी), उनरात्र, विजृंभिका(जम्भाई), अधिमास, कास(खांसी), ऋण और निःश्वास 'धन' कहा जाता है । शरीरगत वामनाड़ी 'उत्तरायण' और दक्षिणनाड़ी 'दक्षिणायन' है । दोनों के मध्य में नासिका के दोनों छिद्रों से निर्गत होने वाली श्वासवायु 'विषुव' कहलाती है । इस विषुववायु का ही अपने स्थान से चलकर दुसरे स्थान ये युक्त होना 'संक्रान्ति' है । द्विजश्रेष्ठ वसिष्ठ ! शरीर के मध्य में सुषुम्णा स्थित है, वामभाग में 'इड़ा' और दक्षिणभाग में 'पिङ्गला' है । ऊर्ध्वगतिवाला प्राण 'दिन' माना गया है और अधोगामी अपान को 'रात्रि' कहा गया है । एक प्राणवायु ही दस वायु के रूप में विभाजित है । देह के भीतर जो प्राणवायु का आयाम(बढ़ना) है, उसे 'चन्द्रग्रहण' कहते हैं । वही जब देह से ऊपर तक बढ़ जाता है तब उसे 'सूर्यग्रहण' मानते हैं ।

 

 

 

धनुष के लक्षण

 

(अग्निपुराण अध्याय २४५ )

 

 

 

अग्निदेव कहते हैं: वसिष्ठ ! धनुष के निर्माण के लिए लौह,  श्रृंग या काष्ठ - इन तीन द्रव्यों का प्रयोग करें । प्रत्यञ्चा के लिए तीन वस्तु उपयुक्त हैं - वंश, भङ्ग एवं चर्म ।

 

 

 

दारुनिर्मित श्रेष्ठ धनुष का प्रमाण चार हाथ माना गया है । उसी में क्रमशः एक एक हाथ कम मध्यम और अधम होता है । मुष्टिग्राह के निमित्त धनुष के मध्यभाग में द्रव्य निर्मित करावे ।

 

 

 

धनुष की कोटि कामिनी की भ्रू-लता के समान आकारवाली एवं अत्यंत संयत बनवानी चाहिए । लौह या श्रृंग के धनुष के धनुष पृथक-पृथक एक ही द्रव्य के या मिश्रित भी बनवाये जा सकते हैं । श्रृंगनिर्मित धनुष को अत्यन्त उपयुक्त तथा सुवर्ण बिंदुओं से अलङ्कृत करें ।  कुटिल, स्फुटित या छिद्रयुक्त धनुष निन्दित होता है । धातुओं में सुवर्ण, रजत, ताम्र एवं कृष्ण लौह का धनुष के निर्माण में प्रयोग करें । शार्ङ्गधनुषों में - महिष, शरभ एवं रोहिण मृग के श्रृंगों से निर्मित चाप शुभ माना गया है । चन्दन, बेतस, साल, धव तथा अर्जुन वृक्ष के काष्ठ से बना हुआ दारुमय शरासन उत्तम होता है । इनमें भी शरद ऋतु में काटकर लिए गए पके बांसों से निर्मित धनुष सर्वोत्तम माना जाता है । धनुष एवं खङ्ग की त्रैलोक्यमोहन मन्त्र से पूजा करें ।

 

 

 

लोहे, बांस, सरकण्डे अथवा उससे भिन्न किसी और वस्तु के बने हुए बाण सीधे, स्वर्णाभ, स्नायुश्लिष्ट, सुवर्णपुङ्गभूषित, तैलधौत, सुनहले एवं उत्तम पंखयुक्त होने चाहिए ।

 

 

 

बारह प्रकार के सजातीय पुत्र

 

(अग्निपुराण - अध्याय २५६)

 

 

 

औरस - अपनी धर्मपत्नी से स्वकीय वीर्यद्वारा उत्पादित पुत्र। यह सब पुत्रों में मुख्य होता है ।

 

पुत्रिकापुत्र - यह भी औरस के समान ही है ।

 

क्षेत्रज - अपनी स्त्री के गर्भ से किसी सगोत्र या सपिण्ड पुरुष के द्वारा अथवा देवर के द्वारा उत्पन्न पुत्र ।

 

गूढ़ज -  पति के घर में छिपे तौर जो सजातीय पुरुष से उत्पन्न होता है ।

 

कानीन - अविवाहिता कन्या से उत्पन्न पुत्र । वह नाना का पुत्र माना गया है ।

 

पौनर्भव - अक्षतयोनि या क्षतयोनि की विधवा से सजातीय पुरुष द्वारा उत्पन्न पुत्र ।

 

दत्तक - जिसे माता या पिता किसी को गोद दे दें ।

 

क्रीतपुत्र - जिसे किसी माता-पिता ने खरीदा और दुसरे माता-पिता ने बेचा हो ।

 

कृत्रिम - जिस को स्वयं धन आदि का लोभ देकर पुत्र बनाया गया हो ।

 

दत्तात्मा - माता-पिता से रहित बालक जो "मुझे अपना पुत्र बना लें" - ऐसा कहकर स्वयं आत्मसमर्पण करता है ।

 

सहोढज - जो विवाह से पूर्व ही गर्भ में आ गया और गर्भवती के विवाह होनेपर उसके साथ परिणीत हो गया ।

 

अपविद्ध - जिसे माता-पिता ने त्याग दिया हो वह समान वर्ण का पुत्र यदि को ले ले ।

 

 

 

इनमें से पूर्व पूर्व के अभाव में उत्तर उत्तर पिण्डदाता और धनांशभागी होता है

 

*धर्मपत्नी - अपने समान वर्ण की पत्नी जब धर्मविवाह के अनुसार ब्याहकर लायी जाती है ।