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

102 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
gave them provisions. He knew Chakra and others of
Kramarājya to be wicked men, and he therefore con-
fiscated their land, made provision for their livelihood,
and kept them in the Maḍava country. The annoyance
from thieves being thus repressed by the prudence of
the king, travellers slept at ease in the woods as in a
house. The king lived in a simple way and in doing
good works; his actions were free, all his state officials
were prosperous, and he gave himself up to enjoyments
in various towns. Who does not praise the eternal sun
who rises on the eastern mountain and drives away the
mischievous darkness, the lover of the lotus, who sheds
his beams on it and is adored by it, and who withers
the kumuda flowers, and displays his power to men?
The Ṭhakkuras, sons of the king's nurse, were elated
with pride, made ill use of their wealth and fortune, and
like unchecked elephants, became the destroyers of the
king's joys. The eldest of them, Meraṭhakkura, though
conspicuous on account of his position as judge, and an
aged Musula [Musulman], became illustrious by his
literary work. It was with difficulty that he reached
Kāshṭhavāṭa from Vaṭapatha; there he found himself in
the midst of snow with which his feet were affected. He
stayed for sometime before the shrine of god Māṇikya on
the shores of the lake, and having obtained a few attend-
ants, he arrived at Chika country after a long time. He
reached there, worried by hundreds of difficulties, and
his feet were washed by a saida as by a servant, and in-