विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

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procure this Pudmini* for him. The minister was
astounded at this unreasonable demand; his duty, however,
was to obey; so he despatched couriers in different direc-
tions, to seek for information, with instructions that if they
found a person answering the description given them, to
bring her without delay to court. The minister himself
proceeded to an island called Jumboo-Dweep,† where a
woman was said to have been seen of such beauty and
qualifications as to entitle her to the designation of Pud-
mini,—at least so the minister was informed. He searched
for her, however, in vain. After his fruitless search he
returned to the city, as did also the couriers from the other
quarters. The king was much grieved to learn the unsuc-
cessful termination of his minister’s journey, which only
added to his passion, instead of in any way tending to lessen
it. His malady increased to such an extent that he
abstained almost altogether from food and rest. The minis-
ter was the only person who during this period conducted
the business of the state; and though he was just and
forbearing, yet the people began to show signs of dissatis-
faction at the continued absence of the king for no other
reason than that he was indulging in a morbid passion for
an unknown person.
“Things were in this state when a widow named Sham-
bae, who was cook to the royal household, hearing of his
majesty’s indisposition, presented herself before him, saying,
‘May it please your majesty, I think I can find a way to
cure you, if you will let me know the cause of your indis-
position,—how your majesty has become so stricken, and
what has made this strong impression upon you.’ The
king gave her a particular account of all that had occurred
to him relative to the diamond he had purchased a short
time ago from, as he thought, a citizen in reduced circum-

• The first of the four classes into which women are said to be
  divided.
  † The central division of the world; according to some, India.
  V