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

196 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.

were his servants. During this time of the pillage of the
property of the Brāhmaṇas, they gave up their caste and
their dress and exclaimed, "I am not a Bhaṭṭa, I am not a
Bhaṭṭa." There were in the city many rich and principal
gods, and the king ordered the plunder of their images at
the instigation of the mlechchhas. King Jaina had
given them lands after he was satisfied as to their excel-
lence, but the officers of the present king robbed them
of their estates without any reason. The month of
Samāhisaphara is celebrated in the religion of the mlech-
chhas, that month now came for the destruction of
religion ; to whom did it not appear terrific ? When
the king was seen in an intoxicated state day after day,
when the ministers became subservient to the king, and
the king’s friends took bribes, were fickle minded, and
oppressed the weak, then the people thought of the
many virtues of king Shrī Jaina. All the old men in
the country, who had held high posts for a long time,
were now in danger, as the king had ordered them to be
disgraced, and they gave vent to their grief in cries and
lamentations. The curse pronounced for the sins of
men, as described in the Persian poem, was verified in
the country of king Shrī Jaina. Wicked men had wished
for the death of the wise old king ; expecting to
obtain money from the son ; but even these servants
who were dissemblers and had so long lived in joy
now came to be greatly oppressed, as if through the
curse of the late king ; and they lamented with tears

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 197
in their eyes and with loud cries, saying, "why has Fate
destroyed our protector the old king?" 'This short
reign became intolerable and appeared long, even as an
evil dream that is dreamt in a summer night. The
king's servants felt happy in amassing wealth by plunder,
in purloining household articles, and in oppressing the
people, even as owls are happy in darkness. The king
lay drunk with wine, and did not perform his duties
towards his subjects, but spent his time rolling on his
bed within the palace. He listened day and night to
songs sung by a potter, and did not give audience even
to men of merit who were worthy of a king. 'The
beautiful palace in Lakshmīpura,* which was completed
in the reign of Shāhābhadena, was burnt down by fire.
The great row of buildings in the neighbourhood of
Balāḍhya maṭha was also consumed together with the
wealth of many citizens. When men saw the destruction
of houses and witnessed other calamities in the country,
they said that the disasters would cease only with the
death of the king. The king ascended the palace and
saw his own five chambered house in flames ; he felt
happy and sank into the pleasures of drink.
In the meantime Neyadhīshaṇa sent the king's
son on an expedition into foreign countries. At the
sight of the army the kings of the foreign countries

• This perhaps refers to the city of Shrinagara.

198 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.

disappeared, even as stars fade away in the day when
they see the rays of the sun. First, Jayasiṃha, king of
Rājapurī, gave handsome presents to the prince, and
his sister pleased (married) the prince. When the prince
approached the river Kālidhārā, which looked like the
blade of his sword, every one there trembled in his
house out of fear of him. The troops, the dispellers of
fear, that were at Dinnārakoṭa came to that river and
made offerings to it, even as offerings are made to the
goddess Maṅgalā enshrined on a high ground. The kings
of Madra, Gakkhra, and Chittā came to him with atten-
dants dressed in shinning white, even as swans come to a
clear lake. Even his maternal uncles the Suhlaṇas brought
presents ; they were assiduous in their duties towards
the sovereign, and behaved like cranes. The Māhilas,
when they saw the destruction of Kaumāra town, lost
their firmness, though still possessing an army, even
as women lose their composure at sight of the man
on whom they have bestowed their favours. As the
prince's army crossed the river Kālidhārā in a line
and proceeded to Jyalamī, it looked like the bridge
which Rāma had built over the sea. The army, still
unwearied, then arrived at Kuṭipāṭīshvarī, and looked
as if issuing out of the navel of Nārāyaṇa. The houses
in the city of Bhogapāla, which had long been peopled
by the Madras, were burnt and the hearts of the men
were afflicted. The prince's army, with its prancing
horses, reached the Unnāḍa lake, and arrived at the

KINGS OF KAṢHMÍRA. 199
foot of the Vālyeshvara hill. The gallant army with
its prancing horses, seemed to shake the roads on which
they passed. As the army marched, the ground became
shorn of grass, the pools were drained of water, and the
forests bereft of wood. At this time I was honored
by the king and was sent to the prince. I explained
the Vṛihatkathā to him and became his reader. The
prince who had reduced kings to the state of tributary
chiefs had stayed for six months out of the country, but
at the end of Chaitra became anxious to return to
Kashmīra.
In the meantime Vahrāmakhāna, who knew that the
king was addicted to vices, attacked the ministers and
the leaders of the army and moved unchecked and un-
opposed. The king's constitution became weak by
constant drinking, his strength and beauty faded, and
he was attacked with gout and the spitting of blood. The
king received Hassanakhāna who had arrived, and as
the full moon dries up the lotuses, so did he reduce
the ministers. But instigated by the wicked, the king
became angry with his son because he had not brought
Rāja the Gakhvara bound. When Vahrāmakhāna heard
of the coming of the prince, whose arrival he had as
little expected as the coming of the eastern hill to the
west, his exertions became lax. The king did not show
his affection towards his son even when he had attained
greatness ; the intellect of those whose end is nigh
departs from them as if in fear. Entreated by the

200 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
ministers and the leaders of the army, the king merely
gave an audience to the prince who had returned from
the expedition. Surely the king was then afraid of
his youngest brother, or why should he make only
gifts of robes to his son? Surely he thought that
Vahrāma would oppose his son, and like the Shami
tree, he kept the fire of his resentment hid within him-
self.
Meanwhile, as if urged by death, the king, with his
servants, ascended the top of the palace in order to in-
dulge in drink ; and there within the apartment named
pushkara, in the glass room, the king fell down while
running about in sport, and bled from his nose. The
servants stretched their arms and carried him to the
bed room of the apartment, but he fainted away and
lay on his bed, and was like a mirror that did not reflect
any image on it. The trusted physicians of the king
were neglected, and a certain yogi tried on the king
his medicine which was strong on account of its poison,
and caused him pain. The king's body became exces-
sively heated, through the administration of the medi-
cine, and day and night he longed for death, nor wished
to live for a moment. The prince accompanied by the
minister Ahmada remained for three days within the
palace near his father. When the prince learnt that the
nobles had come to see his dying father, he placed
soldiers at the gate in order to prevent their going out.
The king's youngest brother was agitated both by fear and

delight, and remained in his own house but sent his
spies around, even as the sun sends out his powerful rays.
Royal Fortune now favoured both the uncle and the
nephew, as if in doubt which of them to select. At
this time the minister Ahmada held a consultation
with the other ministers, and went to Bahrāmakhāna,
and spoke to him these words of reason :—"To-day
your brother king Haidharashāha,- whose name is
auspicious, having wished you a long life, has come
to the end of his career. Now you are the
eldest of the family, do you therefore ascend
the throne, and give Hassanakhāna the post of the heir-
apparent. This city was protected by your father with
great care, and to-day this alarmed town should be pro-
tected by you, even like a chaste woman of good family.
What more need I say ? Let the plunderers of the city,
who are like greedy crows, turn back as they came,
with their dark features and their cries of evil. When
Bahrāmakhāna heard these words he replied in lan-
guage harsh on account of his anger. "Did I, in
disregard of my self-interest and of the future world,
separate myself from my father, mild and bounteous as
the kalpa tree, and did I oppose Ādamakhāna by
various devices, in order to serve this brother who was
never himself ? Who does not know how I obtained
the kingdom for him ? Who is my brother's son to-day,
and what is his worth ? Who beside me is worthy of
my father's kingdom ? He is younger, I am older in age

202 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
and better in qualifications. Where is the place now for
conciliation in this world which the powerful is always
destined to enjoy ?" When he had said these unworthy
words, they left him. Bahrāmakhāna did not after this
expect to get the services of those with whom he used
to consult before, and to co-operate in the administration
of the country, and he therefore fell into despair. * *

• • When destruction is nigh men's intellect wanders
    the wrong way, even as the water in a tank does when
    the embankment gives way. If he had wisely dis-
    tinguished reasonable advice from unreasonable, if he
    had gone out and secured the horses which belonged
    to him, if he had killed his confiding nephew, and had
    taken possession of the treasury in his father's palace,
    or if he had gone out of the country and then return-
    ing to Kramarājya, had leisurely attacked the kingdom,
    then he would not have sustained the loss which ensued
    on account of his vacilation and the unreasonable
    advice of his childish and foolish servants. He might
    have secured every thing in good time; but owing to
    inexperience, alas ! what did he not lose ?
    Now the minister Ahmadamalla thought to himself
    that no one possessing intelligence should hold the
    kingdom from him for any length of time. He would
    rather give the kingdom to the ignorant son of the king
    *Blanks in the text are thus indicated by asterisks.

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 203
and be at ease. Accordingly he applied to a powerful
favourite of the king, and held a council with other
ministers, and he proposed to bestow the kingdom on
the king's son. Abhimanyu the Pratīhāra, in his pride,
proposed to attack Vahrāma, and determined to march
out with his troops. When Bahrāmakhāna heard of
this, he immediately joined his son, but being without
support, he went out of the city. He alone, who is
ambitious, can dive into the sea and can fearlessly quell
the monsters of the sea, in order to find invaluable gems
and pearls and corals. Bahrāinakhāna, who had his son
with him, heard strange accounts of his brother's son ; his
army was greatly alarmed, and he went by the road leading
to Dhvāra. The same circumstance under which he had
caused Ādamakhāna to flee from the city, now befell him
at night. Sin does not take long to bring forth its fruit.
On the fifth day of the bright moon, in the month
of Vaishākha, in the year 48, the king went to
heaven ; having reigned for one year and ten months.
Some said that a sprite had taken its abode in the
room adorned with pillars and high poles, and enraged
by the wicked actions of the king, tore him to pieces.
Others said that the yogi administered a strong
medicine with an unskilful hand, and the king lost
his appetite and died. Others again said that his
wicked brother urged the physicians to adopt a bad
treatment in order to remove the king, as the king's son
was not then attending on his father. Some said that the

204 KINGS OF KASHMIRA.
king died because he had killed the chiefs of Sauṭāla
and other places after swearing good faith towards them
on the veda of the Mausulas, and inspired their confi-
dence, and also because he had killed those minis-
ters of his father who had placed the mark of
royalty on his forehead at his coronation. Surely
within a short time he melted away like a mass
of snow in the heat, on account of the curse of his
father and because of his many crimes. The prince
believed that there was no enemy within the city, and
entertaining no apprehensions, he carried his father's
body on a litter to the grave-yard. There he took out
the corpse from the coffin, and covered it with a single
piece of cloth, and placed it within the womb of the
earth at the feet of the deceased's father. All the people
considered the body as a handful of dust, looked at its
face, and threw a handful of dust on it. When the
hollow of the grave was filled, they placed over it a
stone of moderate height ; and it seemed to proclaim
to all men that the late king had a heart of stone in his
battles. His servants remembered the favours they had
received from their master, and they smote their breast,
and gave vent to loud lamentations, and wept. His
servants who had received favours from him thought
his short reign to be happy and glorious, as if they had
obtained the heaven in dream. The king had com-
posed a book of songs in the Persian language and in
the dialect of Hindusthāna, and who does not praise

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 205
him for it ? The king used to keep up nights in listening
to the Purāṇas, the Dharmashāstras, and the Saṃhitas
which lead to salvation.
Owls and other birds are anxious for the approach
of the night, and work mischief in the houses of men.
They hate the rising sun, and live in caverns or wander
in the woods in sorrow when the sun rises in glory.
The wise but sorrowful prince knew that Mereptakāra
and others who were living in the city were wicked
men, and he threw them into prison the next day. He
performed expensive ceremonies for his deceased father,
and in sixteen days made preparations for assuming
the government of the kingdom. Owls and other birds
that bring harm to people, and fly about at night
without difficulty, frequent the sky as long as the power-
ful sun does not rise and illumine all sides by its bright
rays.
Here ends the second book named the account of
the reign of Hājyahaidarashāha of Jainarājatarangiṇī
composed by paṇḍita Shrīvara.
18

BOOK III.
I bow to Shiva who is the sole lord of the three
worlds, and who has attained the rank of an immortal
god and freedom from endless pain. That poet, the
lord of the yogis, who has given an account of the past
in his work is worthy at the present time to receive our
reverence.
I, Shrīvara paṇḍita, received the king's gift, which
was the means of my subsistence, and I will now nar-
rate the history of that king, and thus free myself of the
debt I owe him. I have witnessed the prosperity, the
misfortunes, and the death of kings with my own
eyes, and remembered the events; and this Rājataṟaṅ-
giṇī will create in all a feeling of indifference for this
world. Let good people attend to my account, not for
the sake of any merit in my poem, but for history of
the kingdom which it narrates, and let them by their
own intellect assimilate what they hear. This has been
composed, like the records of the Kāyasthas, for the
information of those who will come in the future, so
that other learned men, when they read this, may com-
pose elegant works.
King Hassana, whose mind was free from evil inten-
tion, left Shekandharapuri, the town of his father, and
went to the superior and finer city of Jainanagara built

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 207
by his grandfather. Seated on the throne, clad in elegant
robes and ornaments, he gladdened the earth and
looked beautiful, even like the rising moon on the
eastern hill. The chief malla, the minister Ahmada him-
self, marked his forehead with the mark of sovereignty;
and adorned the new king with flowers of gold.
Royal Fortune, as if recognizing him as the sole
remnant of his dynasty and the ornament of the family,
protected him by placing him on the silver throne, as
in a casket, and covering him with the royal umbrella.
Looking at the moon-like face of the new king, the face
of the city, which was like the lotus, expanded ! The
smoke of homa ceremony, performed at the king's coro-
nation, rose high in the air, as if the earth sent her
breath upwards in gladness and looked bright. In the
echoes of the music which played, the surrounding space
seemed to express its gladness, and the air from all
directions poured forth blessings. The long lines of
blood-red banners which were displayed, seemed like
crests of the fire of the new king's prowess. In the
decorations of lovely white flowers, Royal Fortune seem-
ed to smile after a long period at the ascendency of the
young king. All the servants of the new king wore
clothes of bright silk which looked graceful like waves,
and displayed their changeful prosperity. Large ex-
penses were incurred on account of silk in those parts
of the kingdom where the people used to wear cotton
clothes. Those who used to rob the people disappeared

208 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.

when the king obtained the kingdom, even as clouds
disappear when the sun attains the season of spring.
When the sun grows bright, all sides become clear,
the sun-jewel sparkles, and the fire that issues from the
jewel dispels darkness ; for what cannot fire accomplish ?
The father and the uncle of the king had labored in vain
to obtain the kingdom which the grandson got with
ease, and without an enemy. All the wealth of his
father, his grandfather, and his uncle flowed to this for-
tunate king, even as rivers flow to the sea. The king
freed himself of envy, and learnt the six schools of
philosophy ; and the different works of these six schools
became one in him.
The minister Ahmada with his son was employed
in all the work of the king, he was mindful of virtuous
acts, and he always acted as the king's counsellor. The
king then made this minister Mallika Ahmada the un-
disputed master of Nāgrāma and the villages attached
to it. . Nauruj, the minister's son, did the work of Dvāra-
pāla and became powerful on account of his possession
of villages and wealth. He enjoyed the lordship of the
country of Ikshikā. There amidst the pleasures of
drinking he showered on all the nectar of his favour,
and in a moment quenched the fire of the people's
poverty. Tājibhaṭṭa had served the king when the king
was a boy and in a foreign country ; and he was loved
by the mallas, and was greatly beloved of the king. The
king was prompt in dispensing punishments and

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 209

favours ; he bestowed on Tājibhaṭṭa the post of an en-
voy and Tājibhaṭṭa was to the king like the tongue of his
kingdom. Formerly the stream of power had flowed
by hundred channels, but now it rested in Tājibhaṭṭa
without flowing through a second channel. Jonarā-
jānaka and others soon obtained favours according to
the services they had rendered previously. In all things
the king acted as Ahmada the chief of the mallas ad-
vised, and he did not disregard this minister, even as
the sea, though agitated, does not overflow its shore.
It was by the advice of this minister that the king libera-
ted those who had been hostile to his father and
grandfather, and had been imprisoned in Bhuṭṭa country.
The king, who knew all schools of philosophy and who
placed his intelligence under the guidance of his minis-
ter, re-established in the kingdom the practices of the
time of his grandfather. The king was of a forgiving
nature and grateful, and the minister was devoted to
the king and devoid of vanity ; it was after a long time,
and owing to the virtue of the subjects, that such a
combination was seen. When the Mārgapati, the
Ṭhakkuras, and other officials had been seated on high
seats, by the side of the minister, the minister inclined
himself before the king as if he had been their envoy.
He performed the work of the king even at the risk of
his life, and his devotion to the king, as to Mahādeva,
was unmoved. He made a good use of his wealth by
building maṭhas and endowing villages in favour of

210 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
Brāhmaṇas, by the exercise of hospitality and by serving
the king.
As a mad, dark elephant, when it sees a lotus, pure
and beautiful, and adorned with its cup, comes proudly,
and flapping its ears, to destroy the flower, but gets
entangled in the plant and sinks in the mud of the tank,
and dies along with the bees ; even so Vahrāmakhāna
gave up his attempts to conquer foreign countries, and
puffed up with arrogance, came to make war in Kash-
mīra. The king's officers had written to him promising
to join his army at the time of battle, and this made
him hope for success. Formidable at the head of his
army, he came from the interior of Karna, scaled the
mountains and, with a view to usurp the kingdom,
arrived at Kramarājyapura. At that time, the king with
his ministers was staying at Avantipura ; but on hearing
of Vahrāmakhāna's arrival he soon retraced his steps
and came to Svayyapura. Here, filled with anxiety at
the return of his uncle, he called together all his minis-
ters, and thus spoke in the midst of the assembly :—
"The kingdom descends from father to son, I am the
son and ought to get it. Who is this uncle of mine
who is attempting to obtain the kingdom ? He is
senior to me in years, but junior in claim. Or, leav-
ing alone the law of inheritance, the kingdom should
belong to a hero ; and let him be the sovereign of the
kingdom who becomes victorious in this battle between
us." When the chief minister heard these words of the

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 211
king he replied, that, it was for his benefit that Ādama-
khāna and others had been destroyed by Fate ; and how
could Bahrāmakhāna fight, who had only a small force,
and depose the king from his seat ? But there was no
time for action that day. In the court, he added, there
were some who received pay from both the parties, and
he did not know what to do, should they join Bahrāma-
khāna. The minister therefore advised that the contents
of the treasury should be brought and the army should
then march out into the country, and then it will be able
to accomplish the work. When Mallika heard this in the
assembly, he addressed the king advising him to remain
quiet with his ministers, and promising to send the king's
troops which had served under Ādamakhāna, to subdue
Bahrāmakhāna. Should these troops be overpowered,
then they would march with the whole army. There
was no fear from Bahrāmakhāna, he had no support
and he could do nothing. When the king heard these
various and uncertain views, he settled the plan of
action according to the advice of Ahmada, chief of the
mallas. He kept with him the troops of his father and
grandfather, and sent Tājibhaṭṭa and others accom-
panied by Phiryaḍāmara, with the troops of his uncle
[ Ādamakhāna ] and with his own troops, in order to
fight Bahrāmakhāna who was in the Māvarī country.
Bahrāmakhāna hoped to overcome this small army,
and hastened to Dulapura. But though the nobles of
the king had held out hopes to Bahrāmakhāna they did.

212 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
not come to him, and he considered himself betrayed
by them, and became despondent. On that day Royal
Fortune remained as if in doubt between the two, the
uncle and the nephew. As thieves like darkness, even
so Chakrabāva and others who were born in Kramarājya
liked the confusion of a civil war, and were glad to hear
the latest news. But when the king arrived at Jainagiri
bent on prosecuting the war, messengers came to him
and said :—"O king! Bahrāmakhāna did not act wisely
in rushing to war, together with his son, like a mad
elephant ; he has been captured in battle. Bahrāmakhāna
who fought against your force, was thrown down in
the field of battle, and was deserted by his servants, even
as a tree in a garden is forsaken by leaves in the month
of Pousha. Then Sañjaramera and other leaders of the
army raised a shout and came upon him like a black cloud
and showered their arrows. Worthy of praise are those
who die in the presence of their master, and the memory
of their death is worthy of being cherished. Such men
remember the favours they had received from their
master, and sacrifice their lives like grass. They con-
sider the favours of their master as a debt, in payment
of which they yield their precious lives, when the time
comes, welcoming the weapons of the enemy even as
flowers. Such men are few among the servants of a
master, and they are worthy of praise. It was owing
to thy greatness O king! that Shirāla, Mārgapa, and
other servants and warriors of Bahrāmakhāna perished.

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 213
It is strange that none of our army died, but the arrows
discharged by our men pierced the scabbard of the
Khāna and he was unable to draw his sword, so that
his weapon became useless, his condition pitiable, and
he was surrounded by our soldiers. The Khāna’s ardour
abated, even like that of the funeral fire after a shower
of rain. The soldiers came up to him and attempted
to kill him, but Phiryaḍāmara in his mercy promptly
saved him by sheltering him within his arms. The
earth was full of mud, and there was an excess of rain,
a Brāhmaṇa was before him, and in his helplessness and
fear of death what miseries did he not feel? Oppressed
by the cold wind and by fear, sunk in the mud of the
field, naked, and deserted by his craven troops, spoilt of
all his property by the low, and witnessing his poor and
afflicted son crying aloud, Bahrāmakhāna thought at
that moment of his brother, his attendants, and his home !
He found himself and his son captured by the enemy
and did not know to whom he could address himself
or what he could do. Better were it, he thought, if
death had come and his life were extinct. He remem-
bered that what his father had said had come to pass
that day, and he blamed himself that he had rejected
jewel for glass ! Thus accusing himself, and discon-
solate in his grief, the Khāna is living like one dead,
like a tall bare tree, devoid of leaf and fruit, in the
month of Pousha ! Enjoy O king ! the kingdom that
has descended to thee in succession, and has been given

214 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
to thee by God. Virtue, owing to good fortune, has
borne fruit unto thee. What more need be said ? Order
speedily what should be done to Bahrāmakhāna." When
the king heard this he was glad and gave rewards to the
messengers.
All the army were the next day pleased with the
music of victory, and they brought Bahrāmakhāna, and
his son, surrounded by troops, before the king. The
king went to the top of his palace in order to welcome
his soldiers proud of their victory, and for a while be-
held from a distance his uncle in his miserable plight.
He saw his uncle in the midst of the garrulous citizens
talking in high or low voice, his head bent down in
shame and fear, as if he sought for a hole in the ground
to conceal himself. He was bereft of ornaments which
had been robbed by the soldiers at the time of battle,
and was covered with an worn out garment which had
been given to him by some humble and kind hearted
man. His turban was soiled with blood from the wound
caused by an arrow in his face, and he was favoured by
the goddess of misfortune. The citizens saw Bahrāma-
khāna with his son bound before the king who was
favoured by good fortune, and Bahrāmakhāna's heart
was sore. Whose prosperity can be permanent ? Those
whose intellect is warped by covetousness are deceived
by prosperity, they lose the sense of right and wrong, and
are unable to rid themselves of the lust of prosperity which
they have once enjoyed, until it is forced from them by

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 215
others. If prosperity thus becomes a source of inces-
sant grief, then may it, fickle as a prostitute, never
exist in this world. When the people saw the Khāna
brought forward bound, they remarked that he had, for
his own interest, neglected his father in his last illness, and
had by various means opposed his elder brother Ādama-
khāna ; and that when his another brother suffered
from an incurable disease, he with an wicked intention
had gone over to that brother ; and avaricious of obtaining
the kingdom from his nephew, he had risen in rebellion
against him. It was for these sins, they said, that
he received his punishment that day. Some again
remarked that it was owing to his father's curse that
Bahrāmakhāna had lost his sense. On one occasion when
Bahrāmakhāna was opposed to his father's faction, his
father had privately told him that his two elder brothers
were ruining his kingdom by their mutual enmity, that
they had caused him annoyance and harm, and he accord-
ingly proposed to discard them and to take Bahrāmakhāna
into his favour, and asked Bahrāma to trust in him.
When Bahrāmakhāna heard this, he replied that he would
not desert his elder brother who had always sought his
welfare, and that the eldest of the three could effect
nothing against the other two brothers combined. When
the king heard this, he said that the second brother had
been intending to kill his elder through Bahrāmakhāna,
and though the second brother had now given protection
to Bahrāma, it would be the killing of a servant of the