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

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 911
the time of famine. As the people were oppressed by
hunger, precious things were received in exchange for
grain ; but after the famine the king caused them to be
paid for at their proper price. During famine men
had eaten up walnuts ; so the intelligent king, ob-
serving the condition of the people caused oil to be
extracted from the pine. Out of humanity he cancelled
the deeds on bhūrja leaves drawn up between the credi-
tors and the debtors. The sixty-four branches of learn-
ing, art, science, and progress, all remained dormant in
the distress caused by the famine. For new books
exhibiting the play of words and sentences, the arts of
singing, music, and dance, and women skilful in the arts
of love delight not the hungry.
Here ends the second chapter named the account of
the famine of the year 36* of Jainarājatarangiṇī composed
by Paṇḍita Shrīvara.
CHAPTER III.
Fate, like a mad sovereign, can in a moment bestow
unusual favour on his subjects when propitious, and inflict
untold miseries when unpropitious. Who can understand
the caprices of Fate ? While the people had not yet for-
gotten the miseries of the famine of the year 36, they
witnessed in the year 38 a dust-rain descending on the
* The year 26 in the text is a misprint for 36.