Chapter
XXXIX.
When
Marubhúti had told this story there, the commander-in-chief Hariśikha said in
the presence of Naraváhanadatta—“It is true, good women value nothing more than
their husbands, and in proof of it, listen now to this still more wonderful
tale.”
Story
of Śṛingabhuja and the daughter of the Rákshasa.
There is a
city on the earth named Vardhamána, and in it there dwelt a king named
Vírabhuja, chief of righteous men. And though he had a hundred wives, one queen
of the name of Guṇavará was dearer to him than his life. And in spite of his
hundred wives, it happened, as Fate would have it, that not one of them bore
him a son. So he asked a physician named Śrutavardhana—“Is there any medicine
able to bring about the birth of a son?” When the physician heard that, he
said—“King, I can prepare such a medicine, but the king must procure for me a
wild goat.” When he heard this speech of the physician’s, the king gave an
order to the warder, and had a goat brought for him from the forest. The
physician handed over the goat to the king’s cooks, and with its flesh prepared
a sovereign elixir for the queens. The king went off to worship his god, after
ordering the queens to assemble in one place. And ninety-nine of those queens
did assemble in one place, but the queen Guṇavará alone was not present there,
for she was at that time near the king, who was engaged in praying to his god.
And when they had assembled, the physician gave them the whole of the elixir to
drink mixed with powder, not perceiving the absence of Guṇavará. Immediately
the king returned with his beloved, having performed his devotions, and
perceiving that that drug was completely finished, he said to the
physician—“What! did you not keep any for Guṇavará? You have forgotten the
principal object with which this was undertaken.” After saying this to the
abashed physician, the king said to the cooks—“Is there any of the flesh of
that goat left?” The cooks said, “The horns only remain.” Then the physician
said, “Bravo! I can make an admirable elixir out of the centre of the horns.”
After saying this, the physician had an elixir prepared from the fleshy part of
the horns, and gave it to queen Guṇavará mixed with powder. Then the
ninety-nine wives of the king became pregnant, and all in time brought forth
sons. But the head queen Guṇavará conceived last of all, and afterwards gave
birth to a son with more auspicious marks than the sons of all the others. And
as he was sprung from the juice of the fleshy part of the horns, his father,
the king, gave him the name of Śṛingabhuja, and rejoiced greatly at his birth.
He grew up with those other brothers, and though in age he was the youngest of
all, he was superior to all in good qualities. And in course of time that
prince became like the god of Love in beauty, and like Arjuna in his skill in
archery, and like Bhíma in strength. Accordingly the other queens, seeing that
queen Guṇavará, now that she had this son, was more than ever dear to king
Vírabhuja, became jealous of her.
Then an evil-minded
queen among them, named Ayaśolekhá, deliberated with all the others and entered
into a conspiracy; and when the king came home one day, she exhibited an
assumed sadness in her face. The king asked her the reason, and she said with
apparent reluctance—“My husband, why do you endure patiently the disgrace of
your house? you avert disgrace from others, why do you not avert it from
yourself? You know the young superintendent of the women’s apartments named
Surakshita; your queen Guṇavará is secretly devoted to him. Since no man but he
can penetrate into the women’s apartments, which are strictly watched by
guards, she associates with him. And this is a well-known subject of gossip in
the whole harem.” When she said this to the king, he pondered and reflected;
and went and asked the other queens one after another in private, and they were
faithful to their treacherous plot, and told him the same story. Then that wise
king conquered his anger, and reflected—“This accusation against these two is
improbable, and yet such is the gossip. So I must not without reflecting reveal
the matter to any one; but they must by an artifice be separated now, to enable
me to see the termination of the whole matter.” Having determined on this, next
day he summoned Surakshita, the superintendent of the womens’ apartments, into
his judgment-hall, and with assumed anger, said to him—“I have learned,
villain, that you have slain a Bráhman, so I cannot endure to see your face
until you have made a pilgrimage to holy places.” When he heard that, he was
amazed and began to murmur—“How can I have slain a Bráhman, my sovereign?” But
the king went on to say; “Do not attempt to brazen it out, but go to Káśmír to
wash away your sin, (where are those holy fields, Vijayakshetra, and Nandikshetra
the purifying, and the kshetra of the Boar), the land which was hallowed by
Vishṇu the bow-handed god, where the stream of the Ganges bears the name of
Vitastá, where is the famous Maṇḍapakshetra, and where is Uttaramánasa; when
your sin has been washed away by a pilgrimage to these holy places, you shall
behold my face again, but not till then.”
With this
speech the king Vírabhuja dismissed the helpless Surakshita, sending him to a
distance on the pretence of a pilgrimage to holy places. Then the king went
into the presence of that queen Guṇavará, full of love and anger and sober
reflection. Then she, seeing that his mind was troubled, asked him anxiously,
“My husband, why are you seized to-day with a sudden fit of despondency?” When
the king heard that, he gave her this feigned answer—“To-day, queen, a great
astrologer came to me and said—‘King, you must place the queen Guṇavará for
some time in a dungeon, and you must yourself live a life of chastity,
otherwise your kingdom will certainly be overthrown, and she will surely die.’
Having said this, the astrologer departed; hence my present despondency.” When
the king said this, the queen Guṇavará, who was devoted to her husband,
distracted with fear and love, said to him—“Why do you not cast me this very
day into a dungeon, my husband? I am highly favoured, if I can benefit you even
at the sacrifice of my life. Let me die, but let not my lord have misfortune.
For a husband is the chief refuge of wives in this world and in the next.”
Having heard this speech of hers, the king said to himself with tears in his
eyes; “I think there is no guilt in her, nor in that Surakshita, for I saw that
the colour of his face did not change, and he seemed without fear. Alas!
nevertheless I must ascertain the truth of that rumour.” After reflecting thus,
the king in his grief said to the queen—“Then it is best that a dungeon should
be made here, queen!” She replied—“Very good”—so the king had a dungeon easy of
access made in the women’s apartments, and placed the queen in it. And he
comforted her son Śṛingabhuja, (who was in despair and asked the reason,) by
telling him exactly what he told the queen. And she, for her part, thought the
dungeon heaven, because it was all for the king’s good. For good women have no
pleasure of their own; to them their husbands’ pleasure is pleasure.
When this
had been done, that other wife of the king’s, named Ayaśolekhá, said of her own
accord to her son, who was named Nirvásabhuja,—“So, our enemy Guṇavará has been
thrown into a dungeon, and it would be a good thing if her son were banished
from this country. So, my boy, devise a scheme with the help of your other
brothers by which Śṛingabhuja may be quickly banished from the country.” Having
been addressed in this language by his mother, the jealous Nirvásabhuja told
his other brothers, and continued to ponder over a scheme.
And one
day, as the king’s sons were practising with their weapons of war, they all saw
an enormous crane in front of the palace. And while they were looking with
astonishment at that misshapen bird, a Buddhist mendicant, who possessed
supernatural knowledge, came that way and said to them—“Princes, this is not a
crane, it is a Rákshasa named Agniśikha, who wanders about in an assumed shape
destroying towns. So pierce him with an arrow, that being smitten he may depart
hence.” When they heard this speech of the mendicant’s, the ninety-nine elder
brothers shot their arrows, but not one struck the crane. Then that naked
mendicant again said to them—“This younger brother of yours, named Śṛingabhuja,
is able to strike this crane, so let him take a bow suitable for the purpose.”
When Nirvásabhuja heard that, the treacherous one remembered the injunction of
his mother, an opportunity for carrying out which had now arrived, and
reflected—“This will be a means of getting Śṛingabhuja out of the country. So
let us give him the bow and arrow belonging to our father. If the crane is
pierced and goes off with our father’s golden arrow sticking in it, Śṛingabhuja
will follow it, while we are searching for the arrow. And when he does not find,
in spite of his search, that Rákshasa transformed into a crane, he will
continue to roam about hither and thither, he will not come back without the
arrow.” Thus reflecting, the treacherous one gave to Śṛingabhuja his father’s
bow with the arrow, in order that he might smite the crane. The mighty prince
took it and drew it, and pierced that crane with the golden arrow, the notch of
which was made of a jewel. The crane, as soon as it was pierced, went off with
the arrow sticking in its body, and flying away departed with drops of blood
falling from the wound. Then the treacherous Nirvásabhuja and the other
brothers, instigated by his hints, said to the brave Śṛingabhuja—“Give us back
the golden arrow that belongs to our father, otherwise we will abandon our
bodies before your eyes. For unless we produce it, our father will banish us
from this country, and its fellow is not to be made or obtained.” When Śṛingabhuja
heard that, he said to those crafty ones—“Be of good cheer! Do not be
afraid—Abandon your terror! I will go and slay that miserable Rákshasa and
bring back the arrow.” Having said this, Śṛingabhuja took his own bow and
arrows, and went in the same direction in which the Rákshasa had gone, quickly
following up the track of the drops of blood, that had fallen on the ground.
The other sons returned delighted to their mothers, and Śṛingabhuja, as he went
on step by step, at last reached a distant forest. Seeking about in it, he
found in the wood a great city, like the fruit of his own tree of merit fallen
to him in due time for enjoyment. There he sat down at the root of a tree to
rest, and as if in a moment beheld a maiden of wonderful beauty coming there,
appearing to have been made by the Creator in some strange way of ambrosia and
poison; since by her absence she deprived of life, and by her presence she
bestowed it. And when the maiden slowly approached him, and looked at him with
an eye raining love, the prince fell in love with her and said to
her—“Gazelle-eyed one, what is the name of this city, and to whom does it
belong? Who are you, and why have you come here? tell me.” Then the
pearly-toothed maid turned her face sideways, and fixed her eye on the ground,
and spake to him with sweet and loving voice—“This city is Dhúmapura, the home
of all felicity; in it lives a mighty Rákshasa by name Agniśikha; know that I
am his matchless daughter, Rúpaśikhá by name, who have come here with mind
captivated by your unparalleled beauty. Now you must tell me who you are, and
why you have come here.” When she said this, he told her who he was, and of
what king he was the son, and how he had come to Dhúmapura for the sake of an
arrow. Then Rúpaśikhá, having heard the whole story, said—“There is no archer
like you in the three worlds, since you pierced even my father with a great
arrow, when he was in the form of a crane. And I took that golden arrow for my
own, by way of a plaything. But my father’s wound was at once healed by the
minister Mahádanshṭra, who excels all men in knowledge of potent drugs for
curing wounds. So I will go to my father, and after I have explained the whole
matter, I will quickly introduce you into his presence, my husband; so I call
you, for my heart is now fully set upon you.”
Having said
this, Rúpaśikhá left Śṛingabhuja there, and immediately went into the presence
of her father Agniśikha, and said—“Father, there has come here a wonderful
prince named Śṛingabhuja, matchless for gifts of beauty, birth, character and
age. I feel certain that he is not a man, he is some portion of a god incarnate
here below, so, if he does not become my husband, I will certainly abandon my
life.” When she said this to him, her father the Rákshasa said to her—“My
daughter, men are our appropriate food, nevertheless, if your heart is set upon
it, let it be so; bring your prince here, and shew him to me.” When Rúpaśikhá
heard that, she went to Śṛingabhuja, and after telling him what she had done,
she took him into the presence of her father. He prostrated himself, and
Agniśikha, the father of the maiden, after saluting him courteously, said to
him—“Prince, I will give you my daughter Rúpaśikhá, if you never disobey my
orders.” When he said this, Śṛingabhuja, bending low, answered him—“Good! I
will never disobey your orders.” When Śṛingabhuja said this to him, Agniśikha
was pleased and answered—“Rise up! Go and bathe, and return here from the
bath-room.” After saying this to him, he said to his daughter—“Go and bring all
your sisters here quickly.” When Agniśikha had given these orders to Śṛingabhuja
and Rúpaśikhá, they both of them went out, after promising to obey them.
Then the
wise Rúpaśikhá said to Śṛingabhuja—“My husband, I have a hundred sisters, who
are princesses, and we are all exactly alike, with similar ornaments and
dresses, and all of us have similar necklaces upon our necks. So our father
will assemble us in one place, and in order to bewilder you, will say ‘Choose
your own love out of the midst of these.’ For I know that such is his
treacherous intention, otherwise why is he assembling all of us here. So when
we are assembled, I will put my necklace on my head instead of my neck, by that
sign you will recognise me; then throw over my neck the garland of forest
flowers. And this father of mine is somewhat silly, he has not a discerning
intellect; besides what is the use against me of those powers which he
possesses by being a Rákshasa? So, whatever he says to entrap you, you must
agree to, and must tell it to me, and I shall know well enough what further
steps to take.” Having said this, Rúpaśikhá went to her sisters, and Śṛingabhuja,
having agreed to do what she said, went to bathe. Then Rúpaśikhá came with her
sisters into the presence of her father, and Śṛingabhuja returned, after he had
been washed by a female servant. Then Agniśikha gave a garland of forest
flowers to Śṛingabhuja, saying, “Give this to that one of these ladies, who is
your own love.” He took the garland and threw it round the neck of Rúpaśikhá,
who had previously placed the necklace on her head by way of token. Then
Agniśikha said to Rúpaśikhá and Śṛingabhuja,—“I will celebrate your marriage
ceremony to-morrow morning.”
Having said
this, he dismissed those two lovers and his other daughters to their
apartments, and in a short time he summoned Śṛingabhuja and said this to him;
“Take this yoke of oxen, and go outside this town, and sow in the earth the
hundred khárís of sesame-seed which are piled there in a heap.” When Śṛingabhuja
heard that, he was troubled, and he went and told it to Rúpaśikhá, and she
answered him as follows—“My husband, you need not be in the least despondent
about this, go there at once; I will easily perform this by my magic power.” When
he heard this, the prince went there, and, seeing the sesame-seeds in a heap,
despondently began to plough the land and sow them, but while he was beginning,
he saw the land ploughed and all the seeds sown in due course by the might of
his lady-love’s magic power, and he was much astonished.
So he went
to Agniśikha, and told him that this task was accomplished; then that
treacherous Rákshasa again said to him—“I do not want the seeds sown, go and
pile them up again in a heap.” When he heard that, he again went and told
Rúpaśikhá. She sent him to that field, and created innumerable ants, and by her
magic power made them gather together the sesame-seeds. When Śṛingabhuja saw
that, he went and told Agniśikha that the seeds had been piled up again in a
heap.
Then the
cunning but stupid Agniśikha said to him—“Only two yojanas from this place, in
a southerly direction, there is an empty temple of Śiva in a wood. In it lives
my dear brother Dhúmaśikha—go there at once, and say this in front of the
temple, ‘Dhúmaśikha, I am sent by Agniśikha as a messenger to invite you and
your retinue: come quickly, for to-morrow the ceremony of Rúpaśikhá’s marriage
is to take place.’ Having said this, come back here to-day with speed, and
to-morrow marry my daughter Rúpaśikhá.” When Śṛingabhuja was thus addressed by
the rascal, he said—“So be it”—and went and recounted the whole to Rúpaśikhá.
The good girl gave him some earth, some water, some thorns, and some fire, and
her own fleet horse, and said to him—“Mount this horse and go to that temple,
and quickly repeat that invitation to Dhúmaśikha as it was told to you, and
then you must at once return on this horse at full gallop, and you must often
turn your head and look round; and if you see Dhúmaśikha coming after you, you
must throw this earth behind you in his way; if in spite of that, Dhúmaśikha
pursues you, you must in the same manner fling the water behind you in his
path; if in spite of that he comes on, you must in like manner throw these
thorns in his way. If in spite of them he pursues, throw this fire in his way;
and if you do this, you will return here without the Daitya; so do not
hesitate—go, you shall to-day behold the power of my magic.”—When she said this
to him, Śṛingabhuja took the earth and the other things and said, “I will do
so,” and mounting her horse went to the temple in the wood. There he saw an
image of Śiva, with one of Párvatí on his left and one of Gaṇeśa on his right,
and, after bowing before the Lord of the Universe, he quickly addressed to
Dhúmaśikha the form of invitation told him by Agniśikha, and fled from the
place at full speed, urging on his horse. And he soon turned his head and
looked round, and he beheld Dhúmaśikha coming after him. And he quickly threw
that earth behind him in his way, and the earth, so flung, immediately produced
a great mountain. When he saw that the Rákshasa had, though with difficulty,
climbed over that mountain, and was coming on, the prince in the same way threw
the water behind him. That produced a great river in his path with rolling
waves: the Rákshasa with difficulty got across it and was coming on, when Śṛingabhuja
quickly strewed those thorns behind him. They produced a dense thorny wood in
Dhúmaśikha’s path. When the Rákshasa emerged from it, the prince threw the fire
behind him, which set on fire the path with the herbs and the trees. When
Dhúmaśikha saw that the fire was hard to cross, like Kháṇḍava, he returned
home, tired and terrified. For on that occasion the Rákshasa was so bewildered
by the magic of Rúpaśikhá that he went and returned on his feet, he did not
think of flying through the air.
Then Śṛingabhuja
returned to Dhúmapura, free from fear, commending in his heart that display of
his love’s magic power. He gave up the horse to the delighted Rúpaśikhá, and
related his adventure, and then went in to the presence of Agniśikha. He said,
“I went and invited your brother Dhúmaśikha.” When he said this, Agniśikha
being perplexed, said to him—“If you really went there, mention some
peculiarity of the place.” When the crafty Rákshasa said this to Śṛingabhuja,
he answered him—“Listen, I will tell you a token: in that temple there is a
figure of Párvatí on the left side of Śiva, and of Gaṇeśa on his right.” When
Agniśikha heard that, he was astonished and thought for a moment—“What! did he
go there, and was my brother not able to devour him? Then he cannot be a mere man,
he must be a god, so let him marry my daughter, as he is a fitting match for
her.” After thus reflecting, he sent Śṛingabhuja as a successful suitor to
Rúpaśikhá, but he never suspected that there was a traitor in his own family.
So Śṛingabhuja went, eager for his marriage, and after eating and drinking with
her, managed somehow to get through the night. And the next morning Agniśikha
gave to him Rúpaśikhá with all the magnificence appropriate to his magic power,
according to due form, in the presence of the fire. Little in common have
Rákshasas’ daughters and princes, and strange the union of such! Wonderful
indeed are the results of our deeds in a previous state of existence! The
prince, after he had obtained that beloved daughter of the Rákshasa, seemed
like a swan who had got hold of a soft lotus, sprung from mud. And he remained
there with her, who was devoted to him alone, enjoying various dainty delights
provided by the magic power of the Rákshasa.
When some
days had passed there, he said in secret to the Rákshasa’s daughter, “Come, my
beloved, let us return to the city of Vardhamána. For that is my capital city,
and I cannot endure to be banished from my capital city by my enemies, for
people like myself hold honour dear as life. So leave for my sake the land of
your birth, though it is hard to leave; inform your father, and bring that
golden arrow in your hand.” When Śṛingabhuja said this to Rúpaśikhá, she
answered—“I must immediately obey your command. I care not for the land of my
birth, nor for my relatives, you are all those to me. Good women have no other
refuge than their husbands. But it will never do to communicate our intention
to my father, for he would not let us go. So we must depart without that
hot-tempered father of mine knowing of it. And if he hears from the attendants
and comes after us, I will bewilder him by my knowledge, for he is senseless
and like an idiot.” When he heard this speech of hers, he set out delighted on
the next day, with her who gave him the half of her kingdom, and filled a
casket with priceless jewels, and brought that golden arrow; and they both
mounted her splendid horse Śaravega, having deceived the attendants by
representing that they were going for a pleasure excursion in the park, and
journeyed towards Vardhamána.
When the
couple had gone a long distance, the Rákshasa Agniśikha found it out, and in
wrath pursued after them through the air. And hearing afar off the noise
produced by the speed of his flight, Rúpaśikhá said to Śṛingabhuja on the road,
“My husband, my father has come to make us turn back, so remain here without
fear: see how I will deceive him. For he shall neither see you nor the horse,
since I shall conceal both by my deluding power.” After saying this, she got
down from the horse and assumed by her deluding power the form of a man. And
she said to a woodcutter, who had come to the forest to cut wood—“A great
Rákshasa is coming here, so remain quiet for a moment.” Then she continued to
cut wood with his axe. And Śṛingabhuja looked on with a smile on his face. In
the meanwhile that foolish Rákshasa arrived there, and lighted down from the
air, on beholding his daughter in the shape of a woodcutter, and asked her
whether she had seen a man and woman pass that way. Then his daughter, who had
assumed the form of a man, said with great effort as if tired, “We two have not
seen any couple, as our eyes are fatigued with toil, for we two woodcutters
have been occupied here in cutting a great quantity of wood to burn Agniśikha
the king of the Rákshasas, who is dead.” When that silly Rákshasa heard that,
he thought, “What! am I dead? What then does that daughter matter to me? I will
go and ask my own attendants at home whether I am dead or not.”Thus reflecting,
Agniśikha went quickly home, and his daughter set out with her husband as
before, laughing as she went.
And soon
the Rákshasa returned in high spirits, for he had asked his attendants, who
could not help laughing in their sleeves, whether he was alive, and had learned
that he was. Then Rúpaśikhá, knowing from the terrible noise that he was coming
again, though as yet far off, got down from the horse and concealed her husband
as before by her deluding power, and taking letters from the hand of a
letter-carrier, who was coming along the road, she again assumed the form of a
man.
And so the
Rákshasa arrived as before, and asked his daughter, who was disguised as a
man—“Did you see a man and a woman on the road?” Then she, disguised as a man,
answered him with a sigh,—“I beheld no such person, for my mind was absorbed
with my haste, for Agniśikha, who was to-day mortally wounded in battle, and
has only a little breath left in his body, and is in his capital desiring to
make over his kingdom, has despatched me as a messenger to summon to his
presence his brother Dhúmaśikha, who is living an independent life.” When
Agniśikha heard that, he said, “What! am I mortally wounded by my enemies?” And
in his perplexity he returned again home to get information on the point. But
it never occurred to him to say to himself—“Who is mortally wounded? Here I am
safe and sound.” Strange are the fools that the Creator produces, and
wonderfully obscured with the quality of darkness! And when he arrived at home
and found that the tale was false, he would not expose himself again to the
laughter of the people, tired of being imposed upon, and forgetting his
daughter. And Rúpaśikhá, after deluding him, returned to her husband as before,
for virtuous women know of no other good than the good of their husbands. Then
Śṛingabhuja, mounted on the wonderful horse, again proceeded rapidly with his
wife towards the city of Vardhamána. Then his father Vírabhuja, having heard
that he was returning in company with her, went out much pleased to meet him.
The king, when he saw him adorned with that wife, like Kṛishṇa with Bhámá,
considered that he had gained afresh the bliss of sovereign sway. And when his
son got down from his horse, and clung to his feet with his beloved, he raised
him up and embraced him, and with his eye, in which stood the water of joyful
tears, performed in noble wise the auspicious ceremony that put an end to his
own despondency, and then conducted him into his palace, making high festival.
And when he asked his son where he had been, Śṛingabhuja told him his whole
history from the beginning. And after summoning his brothers, Nirvásabhuja and
all, into his father’s presence, he gave them the golden arrow. Then the king
Vírabhuja, after what he had heard and seen, was displeased with those other sons,
and considered Śṛingabhuja his only true son.
Then that
wise king drew this true conclusion—“I suspect that, as this son of mine out of
spite was banished by these enemies, brothers only in name, though he was all
the while innocent, so his mother Guṇavará, whom I love so well, was falsely
accused by their mothers, and was all the while innocent. So what is the use of
delay? I will find out the truth of it immediately.” After these reflections,
the king spent that day in performing his duties, and went at night to sift his
other wife Ayaśolekhá. She was delighted to see him, and he made her drink a
great quantity of wine, and she in her sleep murmured out, while the king was
awake—“If we had not falsely slandered Guṇavará, would the king ever have visited
me here?” When the king heard this speech of the wicked queen uttered in her
sleep, he felt he had attained certainty, and rose up in wrath and went out;
and going to his own chamber, he had the eunuchs summoned, and said to them;
“Take that Guṇavará out of the dungeon, and after she has bathed bring her
quickly; for the present moment was appointed by the astrologer as the limit of
her stay in the dungeon for the purpose of averting the evil omens.” When they
heard that, they said, “So be it,” and they went and quickly brought the queen
Guṇavará into the presence of the king, bathed and adorned. Then that wedded
pair, happy in having crossed the sea of separation, spent that night unsated
with mutual embraces. Then the king related to the queen with delight that
adventure of Śṛingabhuja’s, and told his son the circumstances of his mother’s
imprisonment and release. In the meanwhile Ayaśolekhá, waking up, found out
that the king was gone, and guessing that he had entrapped her with his
conversation, fell into deep despondency. And in the morning the king Vírabhuja
conducted his son Śṛingabhuja, with his wife Rúpaśikhá, into the presence of Guṇavará.
He came, and was delighted to behold his mother emerged from the dungeon, and
with his new wife he worshipped the feet of his parents. Guṇavará, embracing
her son, who had returned from his journey, and her daughter-in-law, obtained
in the way above related, went from joy to joy. Then by the order of his
father, Śṛingabhuja related to her at length his own adventure, and what
Rúpaśikhá did. Then queen Guṇavará delighted, said to him, “My son, what has
not that Rúpaśikhá done for you? For she, a heroine of wonderful exploits, has
given up and sacrificed for you her life, her family, her native land, these
three. She must be some goddess, become incarnate for your sake by the
appointment of Destiny. For she has placed her foot on the head of all women
that are devoted to their husbands.” When the queen had said this, the king
applauded her speech, and so did Rúpaśikhá with head modestly bent. Just at
that moment the superintendent of the womens’ apartments, Surakshita, who had
been long ago slandered by that Ayaśolekhá, returned from visiting all the holy
bathing places. He was announced by the door-keeper, and bowed delighted at the
king’s foot, and then the king, who now knew the facts, honoured him
exceedingly. And by his mouth he summoned the other queens who were wicked, and
said to him—“Go! fling all these into the dungeon.” When the queen Guṇavará
heard that, and the terrified women were thrown into the dungeon, she said out
of compassion to the king, clinging to his feet, “King, do not keep them for a
long time in the dungeon! Have mercy, for I cannot bear to see them terrified.”
By thus entreating the king she prevented their imprisonment, for the only
vengeance that the great make use of against their enemies is compassion. Then
those queens, dismissed by the king, went ashamed to their houses, and would
even have preferred to have been in the embrace of death. And the king thought
highly of the great-hearted Guṇavará, and considered, because he possessed that
wife, that he must have accomplished virtuous acts in a former state of
existence. Then the king, determining to banish his other sons by an artifice,
had them summoned, and spake to them this feigned speech—“I have heard that you
villains have slain a Bráhman traveller, so go and visit all the holy
bathing-places in succession, do not remain here.” When the sons heard that,
they were not able to persuade the king of the truth, for when a ruler is bent
on violence, who can convince him? Then Śṛingabhuja, beholding those brothers
departing, with his eyes full of tears produced by pity, thus addressed his
father. “Father, pity their one fault, have mercy upon them.” Having said this,
he fell at the feet of that king. And the king, thinking that that son was able
to bear the burden of sovereignty, being even in his youth like an incarnation
of Vishṇu, full of glory and compassion, hiding his real sentiments and
cherishing his anger against them, nevertheless did what Śṛingabhuja asked. And
all those brothers considered their younger brother as the saviour of their
lives. And all the subjects, beholding the exceeding virtue of Śṛingabhuja,
became attached to him.
Then the
next day, his father, king Vírabhuja, anointed as crown-prince Śṛingabhuja, who
was the oldest in virtue of them all, though he had elder brothers. And then Śṛingabhuja,
having been anointed and having obtained the leave of his father, went with all
his forces to conquer the world. And having brought back the wealth of numerous
kings, whom he overcame by the might of his arm, he returned, having diffused
the splendour of his glory through all the earth. Then bearing the weight of the
realm with his submissive brothers, the successful prince Śṛingabhuja, giving
pleasure to his parents, who remained in the enjoyment of comfort free from
anxiety, and bestowing gifts on Bráhmans, dwelt at ease with Rúpaśikhá as if
with incarnate success.
“Thus
virtuous women serve their husbands in every way, devoted to them alone, like
Guṇavará, and Rúpaśikhá, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.”
When
Naraváhanadatta, in the society of Ratnaprabhá, heard this story from the lips
of Hariśikha, he was much delighted and exclaimed, “Bravo!” Then he rose up,
and quickly performed the religious ceremony for the day, and went with his
wife into the presence of his father, the king of Vatsa, and after eating, and
whiling away the afternoon with singing and playing, he spent the night with
his beloved in his own private apartments.
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