द्वितीय राजतरङ्गिणी (जोनराज - कल्हणोत्तर मध्यकालीन कश्मीर का प्रामाणिक इतिहास)

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 99
book of kings. What a difference between the produc-
tion of my master and that of mine, I who am possessed
of little sense! How can chalk do the work of camphor
merely because it resembles it in color? The good hear
me read, for the sake of the annals of kings, and not for
the merits of my work, and they understand my composi-
tion by their intelligence. Let other poets compose works
of beauty, my work has been undertaken to commemo-
rate the accounts of kings. I have received various
benefits, gift of wealth and of village, and the privilege
of perfcrming the Homa sacrifice; and I have been
brought up by the king like his son. I will narrate his
history therefore, partly to free myself from my endless
obligations to him, and partly because I am attracted by
his merits. How much of his merits can be described
by one tongue? My words could have described them, if
I had as many tongues as there are hairs on the body.
Truly my words are not able to enumerate the merits of
the king which are like the stars in the clear and bound-
less sky. Yet as the three worlds are represented within
the limits of a picture, even so shall I delineate the
merits of Shri Jainollābhadina. I will describe accord-
ing to my understanding what has not been described
by my guru. One can free himself from obligations for
houses, gifts, and honours received, by describing the
reign of this king and of his son. The Jainatarangini
will recall to mind the prosperity and the adversity of
men who are now dead, but whom many have seen; and