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

256 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.

but they perished by reason of unwise counsel and
quarrel among themselves. When the Mārgapati had
left the country, the sky suddenly began to scatter snow,
and thereby left no doubt in the people’s mind that he
of all men was the most fortunate. On account of the
heavy fall of snow the inhabitants of the country became
withered like trees with broken branches. The soldiers
of the Mārgapati got into caverns covered with kusha
grass, as if they expected that a fall of snow would
enable them to lie hidden for a time. He was the
delighter of the hearts of all, and the king’s court became
desolate without him, even as the kumuda flower
withers in the absence of the moon.
The king remained indifferent to the doings of his
servants, his mind was influenced by his wife and the
Saidas, and his own acts became disorderly and repre-
hensible. Unable to enforce his orders in governing
his own country, he disliked ability in others, and liked
only to watch the looks of his beloved women. These
women were quick in inflicting punishments and bestow-
ing favours on men, and were eager in accepting bribes,
and they, not the ministers or the servants, became the
intimate friends of the king. The Turuṣhkas Puṣhkala
and Āshvāsa, who had given up even the observance
of decorum in the enjoyment of pleasures, now gained
their own end, not the end of their master. When
the people saw the kingdom of their sovereign under
the influence, of women they felt grieved, and re-