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

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 285
moved forward along a difficult path over a causeway,
but fell into a moat and died while fighting. There the
heroes Ahmada the Pratīhāra and others displayed
their valour in the field of battle, and won the pleasure
of the company of the celestial women by their death.
Though Dāvoda is dead, the wives of the citizens still
remember his handsome features and declare that they
never saw beauty like his. Is it that the gods feared to
take so handsome a person to the celestial abode, and
therefore left his dead body on earth ?
In the meantime Haibhatakhāna and others arrived by
another route from behind and destroyed the valiant
soldiers in front of the khānagāha. They obtained the
victory, but with their uplifted arms they looked like
men possessed by devils ; and in their anger they killed
the citizens who had come that day to witness the
battle. What more should be said of them ? Impelled
by avarice, they killed two or three messengers who had
come from foreign countries and had stayed in the house
of Brāhmaṇas, saying that these messengers were
Madras. Saiphaḍāmara released several persons from
imprisonment, and fought with the army of the Saidas,
and pierced the shields of the citizens and the Saidas.
The soldiers of the Saidas were angry with the learned
physician named Yavaneshvara, believing that he helped
their enemies, and they killed him in his own house.
The Saidas committed barbarous acts ; they cut off the
physician's head from his body, smeared the body

286 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
with sandal paste, and left the head in the king's high-
way. Some of these Rākṣhasas entered the city that
day, and as they were of a relentless disposition,
they killed all without discrimination.
When the citizens saw the head of him whose body was
smeared with sandal paste they knew it for certain that
the wicked crime had been committed by the Saidas ;
and who did not blame them ? The dead bodies lay in
the streets of the city from Mallekapura to Loṣhṭra
vihāra, and were like dried grass used as fuel. They
who had reposed on luxurious beds of cotton, reclining
at ease on pillows, were now seen lying on the ground,
naked, and motionless, emitting foul smell, devoured by
crows and dogs and wolves, and attacked by worms that
fed on fat and flesh.
The Saidas were satisfied with the victory, and they
celebrated their triumph with music within Vimshapras-
tha. If those who had fled and those who had re-
treated had been pursued, many of the survivors would
have been killed. But the gods of the country had
been plundered, and some of them had been burnt ;
and the angry deities did not inspire the Saidas with
the idea to pursue the enemy. The soldiers who were
crossing the bridge of boats, all tried to go in first, and
the bridge broke under their weight. Thus a hundred
men fell that day into the river, and being heavily
weighted by their armour, they sank and died in the
Vitastā. Surely the goddess Shāradā was angry at their

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 287
sins, and in the form of the Vitastā devoured the two
armies. The citizens who had come to witness the
scene were killed, and in order to prevent a similar
mishap, the Saidas placed heaps of the newly severed
heads in their front. They fixed several heads on
poles, and in order to strike terror into the people, they
placed them like rows of lamps on a piece of wood on
the banks of the Vitastā. The corpses became swollen
in the river and emitted stench, and drifted down into
the Mahāpadma lake.
In the meantime the people of Kashmīra collected
the surviving soldiers from all directions and again
raised an army. Shrī Jyahāngira, Jyallāla, Saiphaḍā-
mara, and others meditated plans to overcome the
Saida chiefs. Under instructions received from a saint,
Saiphaḍāmara divided his army into sections and placed
them both on high and low grounds ; and soldiers came
to these divisions every day from all sides, well
officered, devoted to their chiefs, and protected by
shields, and they received supplies of arrows
with wooden shafts and fine feathers, sharp and
well barbed. There were tumultuous gatherings on
both banks of the Vitastā, and on both banks were
mounted engines of victory, and the two armies met in
the great city of Pravarapura once more, and fought in
anger. Horses clad in armour galloped forward, and
made the army terrible in appearance, and the soldiers
rained fire by their strokes ; and the hearts of many

288 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
citizens who had come to see the battle were excited
with feelings of heroism. The sound of the kettle drum
was first heard in the house of the king at night, and
then in the camps of the Saidas and of the Kashmīrians.
Many of the citizens' wives who had gone to fetch
water on both banks of the river, were pierced with
arrows from the engines, and killed. Not a day
passed in which two or three heroes were not struck
with arrows and carried in a dying state from the banks
of the river to their own homes. Every day was terrible
on account of conflagrations by fire, destruction caused
by soldiers, and other calamities. The soldiers used
indecent words and gestures, and said what should not be
uttered. They talked of mischief arising out of mutual
enmity between the king, the Saidas and the Brāhmaṇas
and they abused one another, and used languages which
should not be used. They were now surrounded on all
sides by Daulatasīha and others from Kashṭavāṭa; by the
gentle Salhaṇahaṁsa and others, sons of king Shāhi-
bhaṅga; by some chiefs from Pañchagahvara who were
related to the king of Sindhu; by the Khashas; the mle-
chchhas, and other people. The people of Kashmīra, on
account of disunion among themselves, had called in
armies from several quarters, but as they did not know
the ulterior motives which these armies had in view,
and they became very much alarmed. At this time a
shouting star with many heads was seen conspicuously
one evening in the sky, darting in a flame from north

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 289
to south. When the two armies beheld this wonderful
object, they apprehended some calamity in battle, and
were beside themselves in terror.
In the meantime Tattārakhāna, influenced by a
letter from the Saidas, sent a powerful Turuṣhka army
in order to obtain possession of the country. When
these wicked Turuṣhkas arrived at Shastragalasthāna
they were met by Habhābhoḍanarāja and others, even
as insects are opposed by snows. Surely the goddess
Kālī in the guise of the river Kā'ldhārā devoured
them in anger, for the benefit of the virtuous country.
The son of Ādămakhāna was sent with the news of
defeat to Tattārakhāna, but he was prevented by the
Turuṣhka chief from going, and was detained by him.
The inhabitants of the place took possession of the horses
and the effects of the Turuṣhka, and obtained riches such
as are rarely obtained, and looked like Kuvera. And
when the people of Kashmīra heard of the destruction
of the Turuṣhkas they celebrated the event by music, and
the faces of the Saidas became sad. Among the sur-
vivors of the wicked army which had met with this
disaster, two thousand lay dead. The rear of the
army of the Kashmīrians was such as could be relied
upon, and so the Kashmīrians felt no fear. They
became haughty on obtaining an addition to their
strength, and with a glad heart determined on battle.
They arranged to station the Mārgesha and others in
the centre, outside the capital, and the Rājānaka and
25

290 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.

the Madras on either side, near Sthāmastha. As the
number of the Kashmīrians was small, they thought
that if they were defeated on one side they would all be
destroyed, so after consultation, they stationed men
both below and above, in the neighbourhood of Sthāma.
Jonarājānaka then crossed the river by boat and killed
five or six men of the Saida army, and caused the rest
to flee ; and he robbed them of their clothes, horses,
and armours. Every day the Kashmīrians were seen
prowling about. What more need be said, the shame-
less men who were with the Saidas during day time were
seen at night in the army of the Kashmīrians. The
people went over from side to side unrestricted. What
disasters ensued, because the boy king's orders were
not obeyed ! The wicked men plundered many houses,
and deposited their plunder in large boxes. The coun-
try was struck with panic, and the people ceased to
walk in the streets. The Saidas and the Kashmīrians
did not give up their desire for supremacy, and the
struggle on both banks of the river continued for two
months. The tree of enmity first grew out of the mur-
der of the Saidas, and gradually unfolded its leaves ;
and ultimately it shot forth into a hundred branches.
When the people beheld the king's treasury on the right
and the army on the left, they felt doubtful as to which
party would obtain the victory. Then men could not
frequent the roads, women crossed over the river by
boats ; and when avaricious and wicked men crossed

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 291
the river and robbed the wayfarers, the town roads
came to be frequented. Two or three of the men who
had crossed the river in order to rob, were daily arres-
ted, and in anger impaled.
Once the councillors of the Kashmīrians sent the
following message to the Saida army :—"If you are
strong, come and engage in a pitched battle with us, or fix
a time within which we shall expect an encounter. For
the people are being daily killed by arrows and are in
a state of fright. Let him whom Fortune favours
obtain the supreme power." When the Saida soldiers
heard this, they cut the rope which the men on the
left had placed on the river side in the outskirts of
the city, to demarcate their limit. The Saidas under-
stood that the enemy wished to cross the river from the
place called Kāṣhṭīla, and became anxious ; and they
placed Hasanarājānaka and others at Sthāma. After the
Saidas had cut the tie of the bridge of boats, they made
the city as inaccessible as a fort through fear of the
enemy. The people of Kashmīra then spoke to the
Saidas who were on the banks of the river :—"Since you
have, through fear of us, cut the rope which we had
placed, and which held together the bridge of boats, and
since you have only the town under your power, come
forward now to battle. How long will you consume
the plentiful grains and what will you effect in the
town ?" When the Saidas heard this, they thus re-
plied in a loud voice through their servants :—"We will

292 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
not depart in fear from this place, for want of food and
oppressed with hunger. What objections have the
Turuṣhkas to their consuming food? We eat the meat
of all kinds, and we will stay here as long as there
is plenty of beef and the flesh of male beasts. And
when we shall come out in battle, who among you will
be able to oppose us?" When Jyallāla Mallika and
others on the river bank heard this, they were glad, and
they all sat down and held a council, and came to the
following determination :—"At Sthāma we will divide
our army, and will march crossing at three points; the
Saidas too will divide their army, and will thereby be
wakened. Otherwise if all on the side of the Saidas
held together, they would be unconquerable. We will
overcome all of them if they be defeated at one point,
and be thereby reduced in number. We are strong,
and should not delay." When Jonarājānaka and others
heard this, they joined with the Madras, and said,—"we
will die or conquer." Thus they prepared themselves for
battle.
The leaders of the army at Sthāma, pursuing the
same plan of operations, crossed the river from the
ancient place called Takṣhaka, and reached a hill.
Praulabhaṭṭa and others crossed the river by boat from
a place called Hastavālikā; they were in high spirits,
and infused that spirit into their soldiers. When the
Gakkas and other soldiers, who prided themselves on
their valour, witnessed the coolness of the Brāhmaṇa

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 293
marching to battle, they praised him. The soldiers of
Kashmira fixed a twig with leaves on their heads, in
order to distinguish themselves from their enemies, so
that they might not strike each other. Saiphāḍāra and
other warriors held spears in their hands, and it seemed
as if valour had assumed bodily shape, and was issuing
forth from the persons of the warriors in order to destroy
the enemies.
When the Saidas heard that the Kashmīrians had
crossed the river they became alarmed, and they hastily
sent Hāshisa, who was eager for victory, against the
enemy. Arrived at Abhivanāyurtha, Hāshisa was pro-
ceeding along the banks of the river, when he was seen
by those who were on the top of the hill, and they
opposed him by throwing stones at him. Hāshisa was
alarmed at the shower of stones ; he was thrown down
from his horse, and escaped on foot with difficulty
from the place where the contest was hot. The
Kashmīrians captured his horse, like victory incarnate,
and the horse was covered with mail with Hāshisa's
sword tied to it. When the Saidas saw that Hāshisa
was defeated, they sent Pirujakhāna and others with
fresh soldiers even during the night. At this moment
Meyā Bhākera and others arrived at Dugdhāshrama,
and like the thundering clouds of the rainy season they
came down to Pūpāmaṭha. At this time also, the
Madras, the Ḍāmaras, the Pratīhāra, and other valiant
soldiers joined one another and arrived at the frontiers

294 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
of the district of Sumanovāṭa. On the side of the Saida
army, Saida Hossana with Saida Khāna and other brave
warriors arrived that very morning. The swords of the
warriors with their dark blades and points looked like
serpents which had issued from the nether regions. A
severe battle was then fought between the two armies,
and the diminutive Madras, armed with sword and
shield, were irresistable in the battle. The chief of
the Madras, armed with a battle-axe, thus addressed
the people of Kashmīra at the commencement of the
battle.—“Warriors ! Fight now with a glad heart, and do
not turn back. If the relentless Saidas be victorious,
they will destroy all of us ; but if you win the victory,
there is joy for you if you live, and if you die, you will
obtain pleasures in heaven by your virtues.” First of
all, Pirvojakhāna came in front of the battle, he felt
proud in joining the combat. Piruja the Pratīhāra went
against him, even as Parashurāma went against Rāma.
When the Madras saw that the Pratīhāra was not skilled
in fight, they instantly sent soldiers to cut off the hoofs
of his horse. The horse reared when its hoofs were cut,
and the rider was disconcerted. He held up his spear, but
the Gakkas struck him with vigour. His servants, the
Shāhibhangīyas, came with their swords, like black-bees
with stings, and they pierced the Gakkas in their anger.
When the people of Kashmīra saw the Pratīhāra fall in
the field of battle, they were rejoiced, and exclaimed ;—
“we win the victory to-day !” The Shāhibhangīya guards

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 295
were attacked by the Kashmírian soldiers and the Madras,
and the guards behaved with their accustomed valour.
The soldiers called out to one another saying "come,"
"stand here," "where do you go," "you are mine." The
setting sun behind the Kashmírians shone on the points
of their swords, as if to assure them of victory. Eager for
fame, the warriors moved in the field of battle, each
trying to go first ; even like bees in a garden, eager for
flowers. Soldiers showed the movements of their bodies
by their various postures, even as actors do in a dance
on the stage. Jyahāngira and others engaged them-
selves in the front of the battle with their guards, and
died fighting like heroes. Arrows poured forth like rain
from the cloud-like army whose arms flashed like light-
ning, and whose sound was like the sound of thunder.
Bhākara distinguished himself by his valour ; he stood
in the front of the battle sword in hand ; the sun shone
on his face, and he made himself conspicuous among the
Saidas. He rode a spirited horse, and by the move-
ments of his body displayed the postures of a dance as
on a stage. Though attacked by all, and wounded, it was
not till after a long time that he fell from his mail
clad horse. Possessed of valour, he cast his look on all
around, killed two or three soldiers, and then lay on the
bed of heroes, and his blood trickled on to his outer
garment. Of what use are those worthless men who
do not appreciate the valour of heroes determined to
die in the field of battle ? When Saida Hosana and

296 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
other chiefs and the Kashmīrians who were on the side
of the Saidas saw Bhākara and others killed, they left
the battle and fled. The leader of the Kashmīrian
army then smote the followers of the Saidas, even as
young birds are smitten on issuing from their nests,
when the river-side tree is thrown down by storm.
They fled with all their might, and neither swords-
men, nor horsemen, neither bowmen nor spearsmen could
see them. The Kashmīrians went on plundering and
destroying, and even killed those who had taken shelter
on trees ; and in this way they entered the city.
The dead bodies lay naked on the road, like heaps
of white grass, from Samudra maṭha to the east of the
city. Some were drowned in the canal, and some were
killed in the field of battle, while some were robbed
and left naked, and they fled across the country in
their terror. The earth was strewn with the severed
limbs of warriors, and seemed like the kitchen of Death
about to devour those remains. But none alas ! gives
up the love of his own person even after witnessing
that men who had lived a luxurious life and had been
like Indra in their enjoyments, and like kings in their
wealth, now lay naked on the ground, emitting foul
smell. "Rather" said Habhebhamera "would I this
day meet death in battle, leading to the enjoyment of
heaven, than endure the shame of begging a living
from my new masters ;" and he went to battle riding
a steady horse, and calmly met his glorious death.

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 297
Rājanaka Hassana, too, saw that his enemies were
before him, and the men of his party were running away,
but he still was intent on fighting, and never thought
of flight. Seated on his horse, and accompanied by
his followers, he maintained the combat for a time at
Sthāma at the outskrits of the city, on the bank of the
Mārī canal, though his finger was cut off. At last he was
killed by Serāngamera and others. His head, and his hand
from which a finger had been severed, were taken by
the soldiers and shown to the Mārgesha and others, in
the hope that the sight would please them. But the
Mārgesha cried, — “what is the use of insulting the body
of the dead, give it its last rites,” and he caused the
funeral rites to be performed. He who had for a long
time been the chief among all the ministers of the
palace, and had held high posts, and whose charity and
greatness had been proportionate to his wealth, even
he came in the end to a pitiable plight, like ordinary
men. Fie to the lust of worldly pleasures which is
never satiated with enjoyment! He had received
injuries, but had he borne them quietly and remained
in his house, all the ministers would have courted him.
But longing for wealth, he again took the side of the
Saidas; and not knowing what was in store for him
in the future, he asked that the lordship of Kampana
might be bestowed on him at some future time,
and thus he became the object of laughter of the
people. Or it may be that when death is near, one's

298 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
intellect is perverted. Those who are blinded by
pride and have lost their judgment, insult the dead
bodies of their enemies in battle. They soon come by
a similar end, and people say, they deserve to descend
to hell.
Fie to Haibhatakhāna, who, though he considered
himself to be a warrior, withdrew himself from the
battle, and went to Phakhuvā country in fear. He left
his stately horse and wandered about the country in fear,
unarmed and bereft of his servants, and he hid himself
dressed like an ordinary person. But the soldiers of the
Mārgapati were angry with him because he had killed
Dāvoda Mārgesha, and they killed him inside a house,
even as one kills a thief, and took away his head. The
soldiers cut off his head, and in their anger they waved the
head before the corpse of Dāvoda, even as a lamp is
waved before an image of a god. This was the conse-
quence of his flight. Had he gone that night to the camp
of the Saidas his life would have been saved ; but how
can a sinful man keep his judgment clear ? The servants
of the Saidas had robbed the country and killed cows in
the city, and it was for the sins of their servants, I think,
that the Saidas came to such a plight. Though Hai-
bhatakhāna was the son of a king’s daughter, and was
born in the family of warriors, it was through the sin
his servants that his heart became devoid of courage.
Thousands of Brāhmaṇas, Rajputs, Saidas, Kashmīrians,
and others perished that day in battle. It was not

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 299
possible to take out the body of any particular man from
amidst the heap of dead warriors and soldiers. Those
who had been handsome and stout, and had lived in the
enjoyment of prosperity and pleasures in the kingdom,
now emitted a foul smell in the sun, and became the food
of dogs and crows. There lay like the red flowers of
the cotton tree, the dagger, the knife, the spear, the
club, and the mace, all smeared in blood,—weapons which
had once graced the soldiers in battle. The Mārgapat
remembered that the Saidas had burnt Rudra vihāra, andi
in his anger he caused Alāvapura to be set on fire.
The fire issued from houses in dreadful flame, and with
intolerable heat, and reduced the town to the con-
dition of a burnt forest. The fire, which rose from the
house of the illustrious Saida Hamādānakhāna, was like
the flame of anger for the injury done to the king and to
the subjects. When Bhākara and other chiefs had been
killed, and the others had fled, their Chaṇḍāla servants
began to plunder the city ; and in the confusion which
ensued, those who had been poor from their birth now be-
came rich, and those who had always been rich became
poor. Some searched dead bodies wherever they lay,
and found valuable articles on them, and became happy
even like the mendicants who rejoice in carrying skulls.
Fights took place among those who robbed and stored
the ill-gotten wealth in their houses, even like the fights
of dogs for flesh and bone. What one man had first,
purloined was again robbed from him by another, and

300 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
that was once more robbed from him by a third ; and
thus they behaved like fish. The current of victory
which had flowed alternately in one direction and in
another, now steadily flowed on one side only, and up-
rooted the trees [the Saidas]. The rich citizens, among
whom were many Brāhmaṇas and merchants, who had
been in enjoyment of ease before, were now robbed by
the soldiers, and reduced to poverty. The houses of
the citizens were consumed by fire, and their minds
by constant misery, and many things were burnt
down. Low and wicked men violated the virtuous
daughters and wives of good families and defiled
them, Kotis of wealth had been spent in rearing
houses, in the hope that they would endure to the end
of time, but they were burnt down and became dust
and ashes. On the right side of the river the plunderers,
emboldened by success, behaved like drunkards, some
assailed the people, some yelled aloud, and some
plundered property. Those who had not a vessel before
to drink wine from, now brought, during the season of
festivity, thousands of vessels filled with water from the
city. Some were sorrowful for the death of friends, and
some for the loss of their hoarded wealth ; some grieved
over insults which they suffered, as they belonged to the
defeated party, and others for lands taken away from
them. Many such persons wandered about in grief,
only one per cent of the population was happy. Two
thousand men died, great and low, including those

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 301
who perished in battle or of their wounds, and those
who died in their homes. Thus it happened that in
the year 60, on the first day of the moon, in the month
of Shrāvaṇa, many people died on account of this de-
cisive victory. The first shoot of that tree of mutual
enmity which gradually brought forth leaves and bore
fruits on that day made its first appearance when the
Saidas were murdered. The soldiers pillaged the citizens
every day of their hoarded wealth, and all the inhabi-
tants were robbed of the fruits of agriculture, and were
reduced to misery. In that contest with the Saidas,
a destructive fire arose on all sides at Pravarapura, in
the houses, the gardens, and among the fruit trees.
In the meantime when Ālikhāna and other Saidas,
who had been defeated by the Kashmīrians, heard of
this disaster, they remained attended by only a few
menial servants. Meyā Mahammada killed two or
three persons in the city, but returned to his tent as
there was no bridge. But when the Saidas heard that
Bhākara and others had been killed, they killed two or
three men, and determined to fight again, though they
were in a state of alarm. Tājabhaṭṭa believed that
the Mārgesha would cross over from behind and kill
them, and so he proposed to give him battle there where
they were. This threw the Saidas into disorder.
Meanwhile Rāvatra crossed over from the other side
of the river, skilfully took the Saidas and sent them
to their own homes.
26

302 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
The ministers held a council in the presence of the
boy king, who was now freed from the Saidas, as the
sun is freed from clouds; and the ministers were
agreeable to the citizens, as the breezes are agreeable
to men. The Saidas relied on sinful warriors and
were attached to sin; they were violently against virtue
and the caste system, and were bent on war; and
they had held the kingdom by wicked measures, and
did it harm. The Saidas were like the sons of Kuru
who depended on Duryyadhana and were joined by
Shalla, who were violently against Yudhishṭhira and
were aided by Karṇa bent on fomenting quarrels,
and who grieved Dhṛitarāshṭra by their evil acts.
And like the sons of Kuru the Saidas did not win
victory in battle. The ministers removed the king’s
new residence from Padmapura and repaired the burnt
houses of the Khānas in Shrīnagara. The house of
Bhābhasaida Hamādāma was erected on the bank of
the river, and it seemed as if the unsullied virtues of
the ministers towered in the form of that building.
Then the ministers confiscated all that had belonged
to the Saidas, and exiled Ālikhāna and other Saidas,
with their families, from the kingdom. The ministers
of Kashmīra were of one mind, and Parashurāma and
others received honors, and returned to their country.
The leading men among the Saidas had hoped that by
bestowing the kingdom on a boy they would enjoy
prosperity, and they had accordingly acted in further-

KINGS OF KASHMÍRA. 303
ance of their own interests. But now that they were
destroyed, others obtained by force the posts of ministers
which the Saidas had held so long. Fate is powerful in
this world, not man.
Jyallāla Ṭhakkura took possession of Nāgrāma and
the other possessions of Meyā Hassana ; and his son
took Lohara and others places. Srī Jyahāngira took
Vāngila which had once been his own, and then
he took Makhūya and other places. Saiphaḍāmara
became master of Mākshāshrama and other places,
and gave other villages to his brothers, befitting them.
Jonarājānaka was in command of troops, and had
become strong and independent, and did not rely on
the help of any one else; and he made himself master
of Parihāsapura. The powerful Ebhrāhima the Mārga-
pati took to himself the possessions of the Dvārapāla,
and gave protection to the servants of the Saidas. The
ministers, like the elements which compose all the
substances of this world, created new things in govern-
ment. One Ṭhakkura was of the party of the Mārgapati,
and another Ḍāmara was of the party of the Rājānaka,
they both became conspicuous like fire. The boy king,
who was like a soul without action, was merely a
witness to the administration which was conducted by
the ministers. They divided the country among
themselves as they liked, and made the king write the
three letters of sanction on the documents. Oppressive
towards others, disliked by the subjects, and sinful

304 KINGS OF KASHMÍRA.
through the actions of their servants, they felt themselves
happy; they were bent on doing mischief, and they acted
as they liked. Clever in holding their own party together
and in defeating the purposes of their enemies, they
were like debaters well versed in discussion. They
were exempted from the payment of the king's taxes,
and oppressed the country, even as the twelve suns
oppress the world with their excessive heat at the end
of a kalpa. By the plaintive barking of dogs, by the fire
of meteors, and by frequent earthquakes, the trembling
people understood that their calamities had again
returned.
The king being a boy, his officers oppressed the
people, even as diseases harass the body in the
feebleness of old age. A prosperous king is soon
ruined when his officers, his chief supporters, quarrel
among themselves through jealousy, even as the body
is destroyed by its disordered components. Men who
were sharp like thorns, and adept in seeking flaws in
others, became the favourites of the royal officers, even
as prickly vegetables are liked by young elephants.
Such intriguers moved among the officers, and by their
deceit created disunion among them every day, and
increased their enmity towards one another. They
fabricated out of their own imagination, words, which
were never uttered by any one, and such false words
of their servants were pleasing to the officers even like
poetry. Thus the pure minds of the ministers, which