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

44 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
treasury has become empty by excessive expenditure, but
the people ask the king for every thing, as if he was the
kalpa tree. There is one way which is apparent to me,
for making money. By cutting up the huge brass image of
ShriJayeshvari and turning it into coin marked with my
name, we may meet the required expenses, and deeds of
deathless fame may be done." The mean minded minis-
ter thus replied to the king : "The idea is a good one,
but the image is light, how much can we obtain from it ?
Rather let the image of the great Buddha be coined into
money." On another day, after the necessary prepara-
tions had been made, and Lāsā had been convinced [that
Udayashri was not a believer in the gods], the king thus
said privately to that minister : "Past generations have set
up images to obtain fame and earn merit, and you propose
to demolish them ! Some have obtained renown by
setting up images of gods, others, by worshipping
them, some, by duly maintaining them ; and some, by
demolishing them ! How great is the enormity of such
a deed ! Sagara became famous by creating the sea and
the rivers, and grieving for Sagara's sons, Bhagīratha ob-
tained fame by bringing down the Ganges. Jealous of
Indra's fame, Duṣhmanta acquired renown by conquering
the world ; and Rāma, by killing Rāvaṇa when the latter
had purloined Sītā. King Shāhāvadīna, it will be said,
plundered the image of a god ; and this fact, dreadful as
Yama, will make the men in future tremble. When the
king had spoken thus, Udayashri held down his head, .