हम्मीर महाकाव्यम् (रणथम्भौर चौहान वीरगाथा एवं इतिहास)

44
Vîrama, the brother of Hammîra, was with him when
Ratipâla paid him the visit, and he expressed his belief to his
brother that Ratipâla had not spoken the truth, but had been
seduced from his allegiance by the enemy. He said he could smell
liquor when Ratipâla was speaking, and a drunken man was
not to be believed. Pride of birth, generosity, discernment, shame,
loyalty, love of truth and cleanliness, were qualities, said Vîrama,
that were not to be expected to be the possessions of those that
drink. In order to stop the further progress of sedition among
his people, he advised his brother to put Ratipâla to death.
But the king objected to this proposal, saying that his fort was
strong enough to resist the enemy under any circumstances; and
if by any unforeseen accident, it should fall into the hands of the
enemy after he had killed Ratipâla, people would moralize on
the event, and attribute their fall to their wickedness in putting
to death an innocent man.
In the meantime, Ratipâla caused a rumour to be spread in
the king's Ranawâs that 'Alâu'd-dîn only asked for the hand of the
king's daughter, and that he was ready to conclude a peace if his
desires in this respect were granted, as he wanted nothing else.
Hereupon the king's wives induced his daughter to go to her father
and express her willingness to bestow her hand on 'Alâu'd-dîn.
The girl went where her father was sitting, and implored him to
give her to the Muhammadan, to save himself and his kingdom.
She said she was as a piece of worthless glass, whilst her father's
life and kingdom were like the chintâmaṇi, or the wish-granting
philosopher's stone; and she solicited him to cast her away to
retain them.
The king's feelings quite overcame him as the innocent girl,
with clasped hands, thus spoke to him. He told her she was
a mere child, and was not to be blamed for what she had been
taught to speak. But he knew not what punishment they de-
served who had the imprudence to put such ideas into her innocent