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

230 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
In the month of Vaishākha, in the year 54, the king
held a festival on account of the birth of his son, and
a large sum of money was spent to make the ceremony
an imposing one. All spent money, as liberally as
Kuvera, on men of wit and the promoters of festive
sports, on dancers, and singers. In the reign of Shrī
Jaina, the king had bestowed silk dresses on feudatory
chiefs and ministers in order to do them honor ; but
in the present reign when the festivities were carried on
at a great expense, the promoters of the festival and
dancers obtained silk clothes even from ordinary men.
The youthful king, on whom Royal Fortune was prope-
tious, brought in men expert in singing, and enjoyed
music. Jyahāngera the Mārgesha and other courtiers,
versed in music and accustomed to a life of pleasure,
looked like stars before the moon in the presence of the
king. Great actors, skilled in acting, and graceful like
so many moons placed in a row, excited in the king
a desire to see their performance. Jesters were like fun
personified, with their hanging breasts and artificial
beards, with the movements of their teeth and brows,
with their jests and antics, their laughter, and the rolling
of their eyes, expressive of various emotions, and with
their cries, mimicking the cries of animals. Mallā
Hassana, more skilful than his father, first invented the
delightful lute with ten strings, and I held up the
gourd-lute, by the order of the king, and showed my
skill in vernacular and in Persian songs. The king was