हम्मीर महाकाव्यम् (रणथम्भौर चौहान वीरगाथा एवं इतिहास)

45
head It did not, said he, become a Râjput to mutilate females,
else he should have cut out the tongues of those that uttered
such blasphemy in his fair daughter's ears "Child," said
Hammîra, "you are yet too young to understand these matters, and
there is not much use in my explaining them to you But to
give you away to the unclean Muhammadan, to enjoy life, is
to me as loathsome as prolonging existence by living on my own
flesh Such a connection would bring disgrace on the fair name
of our house, would destroy all hopes of salvation, and embitter
our last days in this world I will rather die ten thousand deaths
than live a life of such infamy" He ceased, and ordered his
daughter, kindly but firmly, to her chamber
The unsuspecting king then prepared to go, in the dusk of the
evening, to Ranamalla's quarters, in order to remove his
doubts, as advised by Ratipâla The king was but slightly
attended When, however, he approached Ranamalla's
quarters, the latter remembered what Ratipâla had said to him,
and, thinking his imprisonment was inevitable if he stopped there
any longer, precipitately left the fort with his party and went over
to 'Alâu'd dîn Seeing this, Ratipâla also did the same
The king, thus deceived and bewildered, came back to the
palace, and sending for the Kothâri (the officer in charge of the
royal granaries) inquired of him as to the state of the stores, and
how long they would hold out The Kothâri, fearing the loss
of his influence, if he were to tell the truth to the king at that
time, falsely answered that the stores would suffice to hold out
for a considerable time But scarcely had this officer turned his
back when it became generally known that there was no more
corn in the state granaries Upon the news reaching the king's
ears, he ordered Vîrama to put the false Kothâri to death, and
to throw all the wealth he possessed into the lake of Padma
Sâgar
Harassed with the numerous trials of that day, the king in