विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)
Vikram Charita or Adventures of Vikramaditya King of Ujjain
कवि हरिदास / परम्परा द्वारा
पृष्ठ 179, कुल 308 में से
संदर्भ में पढ़ें167
you from this day never again to allude to the subject, lest
I be tempted to punish you for it. I am not allowed by my
preceptor, on pain of death, to impart to any one the secret
you wish me to reveal.’ Moheeny was struck dumb at this
affronting answer. She experienced great difficulty in
appeasing the anger of her lord, which, however, she at last
in a great measure succeeded in effecting.
“In the morning, Moheeny told Shambae that her
husband had not deigned to reveal the secret to her, as he
could not do it without subjecting himself to certain death.
The widow replied, ‘Did not you, princess, boast to me of
your exclusive control over the prince?—that he loves you
as never man before loved, and that he would refuse you
nothing? It is therefore surprising to me that you did not
persist longer, in order to satisfy yourself on the subject I
alluded to. You see what hard-hearted creatures men are!
Notwithstanding all the prince’s professions of love for you,
no sooner do you ask him to satisfy your curiosity on one
little point than he scruples not to disappoint you. How-
ever, you are his wife, and ought certainly to know every-
thing that concerns him. You can persist in your request
until he relents, and, by setting before him the relation in
which you stand to him, bring him to a sense of what is
due to you in your position.’ She then ridiculed the idea
of the prince’s sudden death should he reveal the secret to
his wife; and wound up by pointing out the marked and
unfeeling manner in which he refused compliance with her
wishes. Moheeny was naturally of an easy and pliable
disposition, and her youth and inexperience rendered her
incapable of perceiving the drift of Shambae’s continued and
eager entreaties to obtain the desired information. ‘You
speak truly,’ said Moheeny; ‘I have an undoubted right to
be satisfied by my husband.’ So impressed was she with
the slight that had been put upon her by Prince Sewdass,
that she went into her room, and, having thrown aside her
ornaments, gave herself up to the indulgence of immoderate
grief, tearing out her beautiful and clustering hair by hand-