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

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 233
overpowering as the five arrows of the god of love,
and who devote themselves to the affairs of the world
and of men. Pavārakadana was celebrated for his
song, his poetry, and his music. He had heard of the
king's fame which was gratifying to his ear, and he came
to Kashmīra from his distant country. He sang songs
composed by himself in the assembly, and the king was
pleased with him, and showered gold on him. He was
skilled in singing duet songs, and once he sang a duet
song named līlā in the vernacular before the king. The
king did not understand it, and I was asked to explain,
and I at once explained it to him from Bharatashāstra
and others. When the king had heard the six verses sung
in a beautiful voice, songs which were delightful to the
ear on account of their music, he became anxious to
hear more. Pavārakadana hesitated while I sang aloud,
and the king remarked to me that Pavārakadana was
vain on account of his abilities, and he directed me to
discuss the subject of music with that musician. I agreed,
and the king initiated the discussion between us. And
when the discussion in the assembly had been closed by
a reference to books on music, and when Pavārakadana
heard me speak about duet song, he expressed his wonder,
and exclaimed that the Kashmīrians were wonderfully
skilful people, knowing all the shāstras. He said so,
and embraced me and freely acknowledged me his
preceptor. When the king found me thus victorious
in the discussion, he was pleased, and favoured me by

234 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
bestowing on me silk robes which made me happy
What has not king Shri Hassana given to me Shrivara,
far beyond my worth? He has issued a proclamation
about me, which, as it emanates from the king, is a
source of pleasure to me. He has given me strong and
swift horses, and thick holy thread, and other beautiful
articles beset with gold and jewels; and he has also given
me beautiful boats with sails, and robes from his own
person, and wealth. Shamsadena was gracious, Alābha-
dena was politic, Shāhābhadena was a hero, and Kudva-
dena was wise. Shri Shekandhara was the favourite of
the Yavána nobles, Ālishāha was liberal, king Shri Jaina
loved all branches of learning and was versed in the
literature of all languages, and king Haidharashāha was
an expert in performances on the lute. But the present
king is a master of music. People observed that every
one of the former kings of this country was famous for
some special qualification, but it is said of the present
king that even Shri Jyahāngira the Mārgesha, and others
bowed at his feet when they heard his melodious and
delightful songs.
Whenever the people of this country forsook their
old customs owing to religious changes, or amassed
money by practising deception, they were generally
punished by calamities such as storm and conflagration,
excessive cold and snowfall, hostilities and diseases.
Once upon a time some merchants of the city, who were
the favourites of the Mausulas but who had followed

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 235
the customs of the Hindus from their birth, killed
cows within the city. But when these wicked men had
eaten the flesh of the kine, the part of the city where
the animals had been slaughtered caught fire as if to
purify itself, and the vihāra there also was in flames.
Then the terrible south-west wind began to blow, and
became unbearable on account of the troubles that it
brought. When these calamities overtook the people
a paṇḍita's son meditated for some nights on the strange
and baneful wind and composed this shloka :— "Afflicted
by clouds that bear the tint of fire, by the sun that has
the hue of the moon, and by the powerful south-west
wind, whither O people ! will ye flee ?" In the year
55 a fire suddenly broke out at one end of the cow
market at Pravareshapura and extended its devastations
to the side of the Gulikāvāḍhikā. In a moment the
city was consumed, and looked like a burnt forest.
From the great masjeda the flaming barks of the
bhūrja tree, carried by the wind, came rushing, like mes-
sengers of calamities, to the place where the Brāhmaṇas
and the mendicants are fed. The Masjeda was a spaci-
ous building, extending on all sides, and was always
white-washed. It was like the embodiment of the fame
of king Shrī Shekandhara. It was within this building
that crowds of worshippers used to fall down and rise
at prayers, imitating the high waves of Sāṅgaravara. It
was here that the Yavanas chanted mantras and looked
graceful, like thousand lotuses with humming bees. It

236 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
was here that on Fridays, worshippers issued from the
four doors on the four sides, so that it seemed as
if the mlechchhas who had been buried were coming
out! It was here that the four high minarets looked
graceful like the supports of virtue, as if virtue had left
his own place and descended to this spot to witness if
the people observed the rules of religion. It was here
that the sun shone like an umbrella of gold, as if he
came hither to listen to the vanities of the world. Such
was the great building which towered to the sky and
was decorated with wonderful sculptures, and which
appeared like a fortress for the preservation of the faith
of the mlechchha king. In a moment the fire, all-des-
troying like the fire at the end of a cycle, left nothing
of that building but its walls. It was here that in times
of edhā and other festivities, the mlechchha people
used to gather in crowds and observe the rites of reli-
gion with devotion. There were houses built by Vah-
rāmakhāna called the Pañchāvāsas, and the fire flamed
wildly over them all and burnt them with a great noise,
even like the Khāṇḍava forest. The flaming barks of
the bhūrja tree fell on the waters of the Vitastā, and the
boats in the river could not be saved from catching fire.
What thousands of houses were burnt on the same day
in the herdsmen's quarter at Surapattana on account
of the destructive wind! One hundred fowlers perished
that day in the waves of the Mahāpadma lake, agitated
by the boisterous wind. The planet Mars predominated

that year, and caste rules were not strictly observed, and
the presiding goddess of the city was exiled from her
house ; hence the whole year proved destructive to
houses. Or was it that the righteousness of the righteous
builders having wasted away, Fate gave an opportunity
to new builders to rise to fame ? The area of the great
building which was burnt down was filled by the king
with new buildings and it looked graceful again, as if
the king’s righteousness manifested itself. The town
that had been burnt down was renewed within a short
time, and the new town was like a young wife to the
youthful king.
If the king’s addiction to evil habits can cause
ruin to this land of snow, the iniquity arising from
mutual jealousies of the great ministers is also capable
of destroying the whole kingdom in a moment.
A kingdom where the seven conditions* are favour-
able, expands in strength and becomes prosperous.
But if in such a kingdom mutual jealousies exist
among the principal ministers, then, it melts away
within a short time, even as the body withers when
attacked by three diseases. The authorities should
guard against such mutual jealousies and then they
need not fear a foreign foe, even as atheist fears no
God. Ministers who violate the above maxim of king
Lalitāditya and excite mutual jealousies perish. It was
on account of the quarrel amongst Malaēsa, Kadaryyā-

• See foot note at page 159.

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

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 239
angry with him, though he had been adopted as
his son. The minister had administered the kingdom
suitably to the requirements of the times, and had
personally looked into the affairs of state, but as the
merit earned in his previous birth was exhausted, he too
gradually lost his sense. Those who serve their master
by being attentive to his work and sacrificing their own
interest, suddenly follow a different line of conduct
when the time of their destruction comes nigh. Mallika
devised various plans intending to do mischief to
Tājibhaṭṭa. At one time, he spoke thus in anger, in
the king's court :—" What avails it, O King ! that you
have obtained this kingdom while the surrounding
countries are overspread with enemies? No one takes
heed of that. Allow me to march out against the
enemies according to my discretion as long as they
remain undestroyed. Give me this order O master !"
Tājibhaṭṭa was eager to undertake some bold
adventure, so when he heard this, he also asked the
king to place a general of the army under him, so that
he might march out. When the king heard this, he,
by the advice of the Mallika, furnished Tājibhaṭṭa
with an army, and sent him out of Kashmīra. Tāji-
bhaṭṭa's servants followed him with great din and
noise, in fear and in gladness, even as black bees
follow their chief.
When the king of Rājapurī and Atyabhadeva and
the men of the Madra country saw the

240 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
costly and well equipped army, adorned with
royal insignia, they wondered. The people of Madra,
of small stature, were pleased at the approach of
Tājibhaṭṭa ; they became unruly, left their ruler
Tattārakhāna and came to him, thus causing a division
among themselves. Tājibhaṭṭa created some confusion
in Tattārakhāna's country by burning down masjedas
which had been built by the Khāna at Shrīgalakoṭa
and other places. As Tājibhaṭṭa was born of an ordi-
nary family, the people believed he had no worth in
him, but nevertheless through his devotion to his
master he performed acts which were not expected of
him. He reduced the herdsmen of Purapattana,
until their power existed in name only, and his own
prowess became irresistible like that of the sun.
He reduced many petty chiefs to vassalage, and per-
formed many deeds of courage and of severity, and there-
by inspired terror in the celebrated kings of Dili and
other places. He soon returned to his country with
wealth and horses. In the interests of his master a
minister sometimes looks on his own son as his foe
and shelters his bitter enemy as his son. Deceived by
fate, the Mallika disregarded this maxim, and unable
to brook the prosperity of Tājibhaṭṭa resolved on humilia-
ting his pride.
The minister thought that Tājibhaṭṭa was strong on
account of the affection which the king bore towards
him, and was oppressing all men. He was therefore afraid

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 241
of Tājibhaṭṭa and was angry with him, and caused the
king to be jealous of him. At this time the king's little
son named Hossana was [taken away from Tājibhaṭṭa
and] made over to Malleka Nauruja to be brought up.
Tājibhaṭṭa was returning with his troops when he heard
of this disregard of the king's obligation towards him, and
he felt his influence diminished. When he arrived with
his army, the fickle minded king, now devoid of affection
towards him, did not accord him due honors. The
Mallika however was unable by his own endeavours
to do any injury to Tājibhaṭṭa, and he accordingly
planned to bring back the Saidas who had left the
country. He represented to the king that the Saida had
given his daughter to the king, and she had borne him
sons, and that the family of his father-in-law ought
to receive his protection ; and he therefore suggested
that the Saida should be brought back. Bent on pleasing
the king, Ahmada despatched encouraging letters to the
Saidas in the country of the king of Ḍilli. When a
person becomes fortunate, his people assert their supe-
riority over others by wicked and evil means. Why do
not foolish men grasp this maxim and conduct them-
selves accordingly, and why do not powerful and pros-
perous men overcome the whole world by means of good
counsel? People ask themselves such questions, and
attribute all things to fate. Sagacious men remarked
that since the Mallika was bringing the Saidas back
after having once done them injury, they would even-
21

242 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
tually cause his ruin. When Shri Phirjaḍāmara came to
know the purpose for which the Saidas were being
brought back, he went to the house of the minister
Ahmada, and spoke these sensible words :—"Tājibhaṭṭa
is under your power, he conducts himself towards you
like your servant, you should therefore protect him, and
subdue his pride by means of good advice. Do not
bring back the Saidas, the Turuṣhkas Puṣhkara, Āshvāsa,
and others ; they are strong and are like thorns to the
country ; and they have once been expelled with diffi-
culty. You are bringing them back to destroy one
man, but when they come all will be destroyed. Should
the sacred fig tree be set on fire in order to kill a single
young bird ? Surely your ruin and that of your sons
and servants will follow. It is a misfortune that you
propose to bring the Saidas back. The Saidas have been
injured once, and you should rather throw a handful of
poison in your rice pot for your own destruction than
wish to bring them back. You think yourself wise and do
not consider my words as reasonable, but you will bring
them back to your mind when I am dead and you are
in difficulties." Mallika heard this and said that they
could do nothing so long as he was alive, that they had
once felt his power, and would now become his flatterers.
Ahmada thought himself wise, and so he slighted
Phirjaḍāmara. "Be it so," said the latter and went
away. After he had gone, the minister did not abandon
his project of bringing in the Saidas. He whose sense

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 243
is lost does not listen to the advice of his well-wishers,
but when he finds himself in difficulties he regrets that
he did not accept it.
When the Saidas had thought over the minister's
letters, they became anxious to return ; they collected
their party, and came in like swans. First, their chief
Meyā Hassana, accompanied by his trusty adviser
Naurujā, came to the king. After befitting mutual
eulogies, Mallika became favourably inclined towards
him, and bestowed on him his own estate Khoyāshrama.
The same Saida Hassana, who could not even enter the
country before, was now, for the destruction of the
Mallika, in a position to pass orders on others. Gradu-
ally the Saidas entered the country in great numbers,
and spread themselves over the kingdom ; and the
people of Kashmīra, those who were in the country
and those who lived in the out skirts, became alarmed.
And when the minister Ahmada saw the Saidas coming
in riding their horses, and moving like waves, and
beloved by the king, and when he perceived that the
king was influenced by them, on account of the
influence which the queen exercised over the king,
he and his sons repented. What man would not be
happy if the idea that comes to him after a deed is
done, came to him before it was accomplished ? He
could then confide in his friends and defeat his enemies.
At that time the Saidas intended to throw Tājibhaṭṭa
into prison in order that they might rob his wife,

244 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
Tājibhaṭṭa heard that these people were planning to
do him mischief, he became alarmed, and came to the
house of the Malleka. By this time the minister had
perceived the influence which the Saidas had acquired,
and had become alarmed. At this period the old
Phiryyaḍāmara died. He had performed well the duties
of the Pratīhāra and of other posts, and he alone, at
the time of his death, obtained the praise due to worthy
acts, such as can be obtained with difficulty in this world
or in the next. Urged by the Saidas, the king became
angry with Tājibhaṭṭa when he heard that he had taken
shelter with the minister, and he immediately sent Jaina,
Rājānaka, and other soldiers in order to arrest him.
He also ordered that Tājibhaṭṭa should be confined in
his own house, and his property confiscated. The
Mallika gave up Tājibhaṭṭa to the soldiers, and he was
kept under confinement. It was owing to some residue
of his virtue that he spent his days with his relatives,
and lived at ease on a small allowance which he received.
Though he was confined in his house, he lived with
his family like swans in the Mānasa lake. This was
on account of the virtue which he had acquired by
spending a large amount of money. He who, with
the view to acquire virtue, enjoys the pleasure of giving
gifts during the time of his prosperity, lives in comfort
like Tājibhaṭṭa even when he is bereft of that prosperity.
In this manner all the powerful men were nearly ruined
by Malleka Ahmada who could not bear the welfare of

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 245
others. Even Jyahangira the Mārgesha became afraid
of the Maliika, because the Saidas had been injured
by the murder of their sister's son. Now all the offices
of power had been given to men of the Mallika's party,
and the Pratīhāra and other worthy men had been
sacrificed for his selfish purposes. For these and other
faults the king became estranged from the Mallika, and
rarely gave him audience; and for the protection of
his own life he prudently avoided living in any one
place in his kingdom.
Accompanied by the Saidas, the king went to the
garden by the side of his palace, to enjoy the sport of
flowers, even as Indra goes to the garden of Kuvera.
After he had enjoyed the sport, he got into a boat,
and in the company of the Mārgesha and Nauruja, gave
himself up to drinking. They all became intoxicated,
and talked on various topics, and, like the members of
the family of Yadu, they hit one another with the arrows
of words. When the excitement became great, the king
left his turban in anger and went to the house of the
Mallika in order to rebuke him. Efforts were made to
propitiate him, but the king returned to his palace
angry, and grief for the indiscretion of his son (Nauruja)
touched the minister's heart. On another day the king,
whose heart was estranged from Ahmada, privately told
the minister's enemies of his unreasonable determination
not to protect any more the party of the minister. The
enemies of Ahmada took advantage of this opportunity,

246 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
'and met together to do him injury, even as the diseases
meet in the body when they once find an entrance.
They advised the king to take away from the minister
the charge of bringing up Yosobhakhāna, and to give it
to some one else ; for what would the king do, they
asked, if the minister set up the prince as the king of
the country. The king agreed and soon after he gave
the charge of bringing up his child to Yonarājānaka,
and thus artfully took away the Khāna from the Mallika.
The minister remained in his house on the morning
of the day in which he made over the prince to the king,
and he said to his wife that he would be revenged on
his enemies. In the meantime the Mārgapati had been
sent for by the king, and, impelled by the idea of doing
some bold deed, he came from his estate to the city,
accompanied by his soldiers. When the Mallika heard
of the Mārgapati in the morning, he became angry and
went to the king attended by his soldiers, though warn-
ed by [the evil omen of] the cries of kites to his right.
He went on, spurring his horse, and the animal's face
was bathed with tears as if in sorrow for the impending
separation of his master from him. The Mārgesha was
ordered by the king to enter the court-yard with his
soldiers. The sun was then rising, and its beams were
reflected on the weapons. At this time the minister
also entered the yard of the palace, and there the two
met and challanged each other, and the capital trembled
in fear of these two chiefs. The king wondered that

the minister had entered the palace armed, he became
angry and caused Bhāñgila to support Jyaṃsara the
Mārgesha. Sent for by the terrified king, Bhāñgila
came, and after having barricaded the palace arrived
with the Saidas. The victorious Jyahāñgira had joined
Rājānaka, and released Tājibhaṭṭa from confinement ;
and he then marched into the yard of the palace. The
soldiers sent by Tājibhaṭṭa were eager for fight, and they
set the western gate of the palace on fire. The fire
consumed rows of houses up to the residence of Hassana
Rājānaka within a short time and reduced them to the
condition of a burnt forest. The news of the burning
of houses, beautiful as the residence of Indra, caused
sorrow even to those who were afar. Masses of smoke
rose with the flame, and the men in the palace became
like live fish in a frying pan on account of the heat.
When the affrighted king saw the fire burning in the
yard of the palace he was overcome with terror, and
his soldiers though eager for fight could not engage
themselves in it in the heated roads. When the
Mallika saw that on account of his son's haughtiness
his followers had deserted and that his son was left
alone, he did not know what to do. He wished that
his sons should not engage themselves in fight, for the
king's government might be crushed in that fight. He
had upheld the king for ten years. Why should his
government be crushed now, in this fight? He again
thought of his eldest son who remained indifferent to

248 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
the quarrel, and who might be overwhelmed with
misfortune if engaged in it. He remembered also his
son Nauruja who might receive injury in the affray.
He would rather that death should come to him than
that he should bear a bad name in his old age. Thus
he thought to himself and he told his sons not to engage
themselves in the contest but to remain there. He felt
disheartened and sought the shelter of the king who was
in the palace directing the movements of the guards.
The king thought of the previous services of the
minister and received him with affection ; so that those
who had sought to do harm to the minister found
that the king was on his side. They therefore found
no opportunity for commencing hostilities, and went
away to Bhuṭṭa country. At this time the honorable
Jyahāngira, always eager for victory, entered the king's
yard with shouts by the north gate of the palace ; and
the metropolis seemed to rejoice at his courage in the
echoes of the sound of his battle drum. Jyahāngira and
other worthy men were pleased to see the king, and
they were happy both in mind and in body at the
triumph achieved. Urged by these men, the king threw
the Malleka with his sons and several servants into
prison on the following morning.
Royal Fortune returned from the house of the minister
to her own residence [the king's palace] as if in fear of
incurring superfluous expenditure. The hoarded silver
and other metals which the enemies of the king had

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 249
obtained by oppressing the lower classes of the people
and the Kāyasthas now came to the possession of the
king. And the chief whose influence had been dreaded
by Jainarāja and Shrī Hājyashāha, and by whose wisdom
Hājyashāha's son had reigned for ten years without
fear, and Vahrāmakhāna and other obnoxious men had
been removed,—even that chief was now overcome by
the fear of his enemies! Fie to the prosperity of the
prosperous! Wealth is soiled by fear, it obstructs
progress in the path of virtue, it becomes a source
of oppression to the poor, and it is transient as snow.
All that wealth which his servants Pherabhaṭṭa and
others had brought him by oppressing the people,
now came to the possession of the king. The beautiful
horses brought from foreign countries, and the clothes
which had never been used, were given up to the king,
as if they had hitherto been left with the minister on
trust. That alone proved to be his own property
which he had given away or had used while celebrating
his birth days, which he was ambitious of celebrating
like the birth days of kings. O mortals oppressed
in mind ! You who have obtained great wealth from the
king, bestow true gifts and enjoy true enjoyments,
for this world is fleeting like the waves of the sea, and
wealth cannot always be had. Ye servants of the
king ! Do not boast of your power derived from wealth
and known to all, do not boast of the favour of the
king. Is there any permanency in the mirage, in the

250 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
color of the kusumbha flowers, in the love of harlots, or
in the favour of kings? While the man proud of his wealth
ponders on the speedy acquisition of the highest post and
the subjugation of his enemies, on the inexhaustableness
of his treasury and the obedience of his servants, his
adverse fate destroys all these, as if they were but a
dream! Jugabhaṭṭa saw Ahmada in the prison to tell
him to give up to the king, without delay, whatever
more he had of gold. Upon this the minister became
angry and said,—“the avaricious king has taken millions
from me and is he not yet satisfied? What shall I say?
I have ruined the men of my party for the preservation
of the kingdom. I abstained from fighting at the
time when my crisis came. I brought back and
favoured the Saidas who had once fled from the
country. But the king became ungrateful, and they too
have turned hostile to me. I consolidated the whole
kingdom, and if the king again wants to enjoy it let
him maintain peace. He will be glad at my death.
Let him for whom I have suffered the cares of the
state for ten years in this wretched world, rejoice at
my destruction.” Thus he spoke, and communicated
to the king whatever else he had to say. “Fie to me”
he said to himself “that I did not listen to the words
of that experienced man, Shrī Phiryaḍāmara.” He
blamed himself every day and said,—“If I be perfectly
innocent then let my evil doers, the Mārgesha, Tāji-
bhaṭṭa, and others reap the fruit of their work in a few

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 251
days." The people soon came to wonder at seeing the
result of all this which the minister had exclaimed in his
sorrow, while in the prison.
The Mallika Ahmada had administered wisely, and
when he was thus destroyed with his sons, wicked people
acquired influence with the king. The avaricious
Tājibhaṭṭa and others, and those among the Saidas
who held offices, oppressed the people, even as painful
diseases oppress the body. 'On the pretence of taking
"flowers of joy" and "Dīnnāra pieces," the Saida
officers began to acquire riches at the expense of the
subjects. Shrī Jyahāngira the Mārgesha, Nosarājānaka,
and others, looked graceful in their elegant conveyances
like trees with beautiful leaves in spring. Shrī Meyā
Hasana got the title of Mallā which had belonged to
the Mallika, and likewise obtained the Mallika's village
of Nāgrā na and his estates. He divided his new estates
among his sons and servants, and gave half of the
wealth and estates to Meyā Mahmada. The Saidas
became unruly after their triumph, they placed the king
under their control, and they sent messengers and
brought in the able Saida Nāsira. When he arrived at
Pāñchāladeva by the Sūrapura road he was attacked
with fever, and in that state he entered the capital.
He gave audience to all,—his grand-daughter, son-in-law,
wife's brother, kindred, and the ministers,—all the
people whom he would not live to see again ; for he
arrived almost in a dying state, as if only to see

252 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
them. He passed two days in fever and died in his
house. The imprisoned Mallika, alarmed at the
banishment of his son, was overpowered by grief, and
he fell ill and died. Though the chief minister died
in prison, the people gave vent to their sorrow in
cries and loud lamentations when they heard of his
death.
When great men who have done good deeds die,
insignificant men come forward to take their places,
even as lamps serve the purposes of men when the sun
which lighted the world has set. It was owing to
the good luck of their daughter [the queen] that the
Saidas obtained wealth and greatness ; but they regarded
the people of Kashmīra, scarcely even as grass. The
king, bent on furthering the interests of the Saidas,
acquiesced in orders, whatever they were, that were issued
by them for their own selfish ends. They were busy in
creating factions, the king was forbearing and women
came to have great influence ; it was apparent that some
revolution was at hand. Accepting bribes was considered
by the officers of the State as a virtue, oppressing the
subjects was regarded as wisdom, and addiction to
women was reckoned happiness. All opposition ceased,
Meyā Hasana was proud of being able to accomplish
whatever his heart desired, and he oppressed the whole
kingdom. Gradually he became more and more powerful,
and slowly he spread his influence over the king's
country ; and as Rāhu spreads his shadow, even so did