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

238 KINGS OF KASHMIRA.
vakhāna, and others, that king Shrī Jaina's kingdom
went to pieces through mutual disagreement ; and from
that time when Shrī Jaina found his kingdom ruined,
no minister has ceased from being jealous of others.
Alas ! that in the king's court no minister repressed
the monster envy, the destroyer of all things ! Neither
the disease which defies treatment, nor the serpent
which possesses powerful poison, nor even the fire is
so dreadful as the disunion among the ministers.
The minister Ahmada, though well versed in the
science of government, became fickle-minded, like
one not possessed of self command. Once Naurūja
and other sons of Ahmada unable to brook the pros-
perity of Tājibhaṭṭa, privately accused him before their
father. They said that among all the ministers Tāji-
bhaṭṭa had monopolized the power to confer favours or
award punishments to men ; that he was haughty on
account of the support he received from the people,
and that he had risen to prosperity for the ruin of the
country. They also alleged that the guardianship of
the prince in the palace had also been given to him ;
and that these circumstances have concurred for
their ruin. They further said that the queen, like
the king, was favourably inclined towards him,
that he was the commander-in-chief of the forces, and
that if he were not destroyed, he would soon oppose
them. When his sons said these things, the
Mallika regarded Tājibhaṭṭa with jealousy, and was