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

49
upon her, and plans for her future conduct. We will leave
her for the present, and return to Koobjuck, the sentinel,
whom we left reigning in the place of his king and the
rightful owner of the throne.
This man exercised all the authority with which his new
position had invested him, with the iron hand of a despot.
His subjects were becoming discontented and insubordinate,
under the accumulation of the evils that had been heaped
upon them by the new monarch. They began even to
doubt the identity of the person now ruling with their old
and revered monarch Vickramadetea; and, as we said before,
the belief in transmigration being common in the city,
they were in a manner convinced that the new monarch be-
fore them was but an usurper, who by some unknown and
unaccountable means had contrived to assume the body of
Vickram. Nevertheless, they submitted to his oppressive
measures. The original gifts and grants in lands and
villages bestowed by Vickram were revoked and taken back,
as crown property, and from those who were allowed to retain
them, which in some few cases happened, he demanded a
moiety of the whole produce; from those who were in the
receipt of annual nemnooks* and pensions, he deducted a
third; many of the officers' salaries were reduced to the
smallest possible pittance; and his subjects were otherwise
subjected to great and glaring injustice, and were
consequently one and all much distressed.
It happened that about this time a brahmin named
Somedut arrived at Koobjuck's court, to receive his annual
gifts. He was a sage, a learned man, and an ornament to
his calling and society. Koobjuck enquired of his ministers
who this brahmin was. They replied, "Can your majesty be
ignorant of one who has for a long time enjoyed your
majesty's warmest friendship? He has been in the habit
of coming here regularly every year to receive his customary
allowances. His reputation for wisdom and learning is
well known to your majesty, as well as to all your subjects."

• Stipends.
  H

50
“ Well, then,” said the king, “ pay him a quarter of his
gift ; there is no necessity for giving him more : do as I
bid you.” The brahmin was astounded at this unusual
proceeding, and very injudiciously made the following
remark :—“ I cannot think you act as becomes your
exalted position. Vickramadetea always entertained me at
his court with every demonstration of respect and pleasure,
and not unfrequently sent me back loaded with presents in
addition to the regular allotment ; indeed he was in all
respects a most humane, just, and discerning prince. You
are placed in authority over this kingdom, and, to acquit
yourself well of the trust, should prove a father to the people
you rule. From what I now observe, and other circum-
stances that have come under my notice, you are unworthy
of your dignity. I feel assured that God will sooner or later
visit you with his severe judgment, on account of the course
you now pursue, and the outrages and cruel barbarities
you are inflicting upon your subjects.” Koobjuck, highly
indignant at the daring of the brahmin, directed an officer
in attendance to take him immediately from his sight, and
to turn him out of the city with ignominy. “ Tell him,”
said he, “ to go in search of his mighty Vickramadetea,
as he calls him, and if he succeeds in finding this
imaginary person, he may perhaps meet with satisfac-
tion.” “ Have a little patience,” said the brahmin, “ I will
endeavour to find him, and bring him here, depend upon
it. It would be in vain that my mother carried me for
nine months in her womb, if I fail in this. Allow me to
remind you that the Indra and Bhusmasoor were not
overlooked by Almighty God, but were punished for their
barbarity.” Saying this, and before the officer who had been
ordered to remove him could put his orders into execution,
the brahmin bounded past him, and was on his way to look
for the rightful king, as he had said. He travelled from one
city to another, through unknown and unexplored wilds,
over hills and dales, and into every place where he thought
there was any likelihood of meeting with or hearing of the

51
monarch he was in search of. Neither heat nor cold,
hunger or thirst, could damp the ardour with which he
prosecuted his pursuit. He anxiously enquired of those he
met with in his wanderings whether they could supply him
with any information regarding the person he sought, or
knew where he could be found or heard of. His food
during this long tour consisted of the wild fruits of the earth.
At night he sought repose under a tree, or in the shelter of
a rock, if he happened to be near one; or, if by chance he
was overtaken by the clouds of night near some habitable
locality, he found refuge in a temple or dhurumshala* from
the inclemencies of the night wind and sometimes of the
pelting rain. He never remained in one place longer than
was necessary to recruit his failing strength, and that never
beyond the hours of night : he was up again in the morning,
and on his search for the lost king. He had journeyed in
this manner for some time, when he came to a limpid lake,
and a temple dedicated to Shiva; into this he went, and thus
addressed the idol before him :—" Oh, lord Shiva! be
propitious to the undertaking in which I am now engaged,
and assist me in speedily obtaining a sight of my lost
friend." He then prostrated himself, and having remained
so for some time, seated himself on a sopat† ; whilst there,
engaged in revolving the past and concerting plans for his
future movements, he perceived a young and handsome
prince, very interesting in appearance, and richly attired,
performing his religious duties. When he had finished his
devotions, the brahmin approached him, and addressed him
in the following terms :—" Pray, on what account, if I may
be permitted to ask, are you engaged in these austerities and
pious practices, so uncommon in one of your youth and
apparent condition?" The prince replied, "Your question
only gives me pain : of what avail is it that I should disclose
my grief, which is gnawing my heart's core, to you? Can
* A caravanserai.
† A branch of the verandah.

52
you bring me relief?" Somedut replied, 'that as yet he did
not know whether or not he could afford the prince
any relief, " but," said he, " if you will deign to acquaint
me with the cause, it may not be out of my power to devise
some measures by which the wishes of your heart may be
accomplished. I must inform you that I do not request
your confidence from any motives of curiosity, .but only
because you seem troubled and ill at ease. The hand of death
is apparently on you, and unless some speedy remedy be
applied to check the tyrant in his course, I fear lest you may
succumb. Pray, therefore, unbosom yourself to me. I
may possibly possess the means of alleviating your sorrow,
if not of removing its cause." 'The prince then enquired of
the brahmin who he was, whence he had come, and where he
was travelling to. The brahmin having satisfied the prince
on these several points, the latter began as follows :—
" About two yojuns* from where we now stand, there is
a subterranean dwelling, with a gate leading to it, wherein
dwells with her father a princess named Pudmavuntty; it is
a stately palace which they inhabit. He who is to win the
hand of this princess, who is transcendantly beautiful,
must consent to a condition, one of the most difficult and
hazardous that can well be imagined. It is this : a vessel,
filled with oil and other inflammatory liquids in a boiling
state, is placed on a furnace, and the man, whoever he is,
must bathe himself in it by the aid of a sinkat† suspended
over the same. If he effects this without injury to himself,
the princess will accept him for her future lord and master.
She is without exception the most beautiful woman the
world ever produced. I have several times attempted to go
through the ordeal, but have not had sufficient courage to
proceed with it. On each occasion of my failure I have
returned to this place, and in silence poured out the inward
workings of my heart before the shrine of the god to whom
* A measure of length, equal to four coss, or eight English miles.
† A sling, the string or loop of which is attached to either end of
a pole or yoke, to receive the burden.

53

this temple is dedicated, as you found me a short time ago.
Twelve long years have rolled over my head since I first saw
the princess. I reside in the city of Chundragerry; my
father is named Chundrasain, a powerful king, who still
reigns in that kingdom. My name is Duntsain. I love this
princess too much to hope for any peace of mind while we
remain apart from each other. I came down here to make
another essay of my courage; but the arduous condition
attached to the winning of the princess has quite wearied
me. Still my passion for her is daily gaining strength,
and I cannot restrain it. Death would indeed be pre-
ferable to remaining in this dreadful state of agitation and
suspense.”
During this narration, the prince became much affected,
and appeared pressed down by the weight of his grief.
The brahmin, however, assured him that if he would have a
little patience and moderate his grief, he would in a few
days put him in a way to become possessed of the object of
his affection; and, after adding some further words of
consolation, he withdrew.
The brahmin, having left the prince, seated himself in the
shade of the nearest tree, and racked his brains, not how to
bring about the wishes of the unfortunate prince he had
just returned from, but how to gain some information of his
sovereign, the good and beloved Vickramadetea. The sun
having run his course, was now fast giving place to the
shades of evening, and the refreshed traveller once more was
afoot, and wending his onward course. A few hours’ smart
walking brought him to the city of Sendoornuggry. As he
approached it he walked in the direction of a temple erected
in the outskirts of the town, with a beautiful lake beside it.
It was the same temple and lake, as our readers will have
surmised, in which the parrot sought refuge after his narrow
escape from death at the hands of the inhuman cook of the
famed actress. The traveller entered the temple, and paid
his devotions to the goddess Kallika, and then returned to
the inviting shade of the clump of trees on the borders of

54
the lake. It so happened that the tree under which he sat
was the one most loved by the parrot. The brahmin, after
having adjusted his clothes, which had been disarranged by
his recent travelling, raised his voice and prayed loudly.
“Oh, supreme ruler of the universe!” said he, “do not
permit me to go back empty-handed from my travels. I
solicit no other favor than that you will be pleased to grant
me an interview with my old patron and just king Vickra-
madetea. The world does not often produco such a rare and
virtuous prince: he is rich in every good quality.” Before
the brahmin took up his position under the tree, the unfor-
tunate parrot, who was perched up aloft, had observed him
approaching. He now said to the brahmin, “My good sir,
you seem to have come a long distance, and you are greatly
fatigued, no doubt, by walking in this hot season of the
year. Pray be seated. Please inform me respecting your
destination, whom you seek, and your reasons for under-
taking so long a journey.” The traveller was extremely
pleased at the consideration and sympathising manner
in which he was addressed. He suspected something, but
could not well define even to himself what that suspicion was.
He said to the parrot, however, “Oh, excellent parrot!
too truly am I fatigued, both in body and mind; but
I feel much relieved of my anxiety at beholding you and
hearing you speak. If you are not what you seem to be,
pray tell me. I suspect you to be the king of whom I am in
search. If so, hasten your return to the city of Oujein. I
entreat you, lose no time; and make me acquainted with the
circumstances attending your metamorphosis. If you will
afford me no comfort in this respect, I shall certainly die of
grief.” “By what means,” said the parrot, “would you
know again the king? Perhaps he is not in human shape.”
“Why not?” said the traveller; “he is a most excellent
personage, and I can point him out by virtue of his wisdom,
exquisite beauty, and other rare qualities. I am sanguine I
shall soon meet him. I see marvellous signs that forebode it.
My hand is quivering, my right eye twitching, and the bird

55
Pingla* frequently perches near me. From these signs I am
led to believe that it will not be long ere my desire to behold
Vickramadetea be accomplished.” Having listened to all
that the traveller had said, the parrot, at one bound,
approached him, and declared himself to be Vickramadetea.
He then related how he had become a parrot, his proceedings
while in the possession of the Bahooroopee, in what manner
he had been bought by Dushwant, the barbarous attempt
of Kamsaina, the actress, against his life, how she became
deprived of her riches through his instrumentality, and
all the hardships he had endured. He dwelt largely on each
of the circumstances attendant upon his adventures. -Lastly,
thanking the brahmin for his sincerity and gratitude towards
him, which were exemplified by the trouble he had taken to
seek him at so great a distance from Oujein,—passing over
mountains, through wastes unknown, and foreign cities,
where he must have encountered a variety of dangers,
disappointments, and delays, and all the hardships and
privations attendant upon such a journey,—the bird assured
the brahmin that he would at all times and ever after
remember, with deep gratitude and profound sentiments of
love and esteem, the sacrifices and inconveniences he had
been put to for his sake. “My dear Vickramadetea,” said
the brahmin, “I have certainly endured much for you, but
the wish of my heart being realised, they are no longer
thought of, still less dwelt upon. I now feel a most
delightful sensation of pleasure that is undefinable. I am,
now that I have found you, supremely happy.” And he
held the parrot to his bosom, and loaded him with kisses
and fond embraces. He made the parrot acquainted with
the treatment he had received from the infamous Koobjuck,
when he presented himself at court for his yearly allowance;
nor did he forget to relate the case of the unfortunate prince
whom he had found at his devotions, and practising
austerities and severities upon his person, at the temple, and

• A sort of crane, the appearance of which is said to be a good
  omen.

56
the assurance he had given him that he would exert all his
powers to secure for him the desire of his heart—the hand-
some princess. Vickramadetea's nobleness prompted him to
attend to the wants of others, ere he proceeded with anything
for himself; so he expressed to the brahmin his willingness
to proceed to the place where the young prince of whom he
spoke was to be met with, and promised that he would assist
in the endeavour to obtain the hand of the princess for the
anxious and devoted lover. The parrot and the brahmin
passed the night together under the same tree, and in the
morning, Somedut placed him on his shoulder and retraced
his steps towards the temporary abode of prince Duntsain.
The prince saw the brahmin with the parrot approaching,
and awaited them with anxiety depicted on his countenance.
When they came near to him he saluted Somedut, and
addressed him thus :—" My dear Somedut, since your
departure I have been placed in a worse position than that
in which you found me on your first visit. My passion is
killing me gradually, my patience is fast wearing out, my
courage fails me more than ever, and I am the most wretched
of human creatures." The brahmin replied, " Look here,
this bird is the king Vickramadetea, and he will be the
means of procuring you your wishes," and he placed the
bird on the prince's hand, who prostrated himself in all
respect before it. The prince was pleased, and a gleam of
joy shot through his withered heart. He likewise made his
obeisance, entreating both the king and Somedut not to
suffer him any longer to remain a prey to the anguish he
had borne for twelve long years and more, but to take pity
upon him, and to fulfil the promise they had vouchsafed to
make him in their kindness of heart as early as possible.
The parrot told his friend Somedut that he wished him to
learn the charm of changing his natural shape and
appearance, as it was necessary they should mutually
exchange their conditions : in this way he said he would be
able to bring about speedily the prince's desire. Somedut
consented at once, and commenced to learn the mysterious

57
charm ; when he became sufficiently versed in it to answer
present purposes, they were each of them transformed :
Vickramadetea became a brahmin, and the brahmin a
parrot. This bird was delivered into the hands of Prince
Duntsain, who, together with the bird and the newly-created
brahmin, proceeded to the gate of the princess' subterranean
dwelling. Having reached it, the prince and the parrot
remained outside, while the brahmin entered alone, and
did not stop till he had reached the magnificent palace,
situated in the centre of a vast enclosure. He perceived near
the palace, in an opposite direction, the whole of the
machinery which had been represented to him. He went on
till he came up to a number of slaves loitering about. He
desired one of them to go instantly and inform his mistress
Pudmavuntty that a stranger had arrived, willing to win her
hand on the stipulated terms. The slave having reported
the arrival of the brahmin to his mistress, introduced him
by her sanction into her appartment, which was constructed
in a most magnificent style, and at enormous cost, by the
most skilful architect of the time. The walls and massive
pillars were covered with numerous beautiful representations
of beasts and birds, in paintings of gold, with trees of verdant
enamel ; then, passing a hall, he was agreeably surprised to
see one of the finest orchards a man can well conceive but
rarely sees, in which the wonderful and tasteful arrangement
of the trees and shrubs, their luxuriant growth, the diversity
of the fruits, some few of which he had never before seen or
heard of, their freshness and delicacy, and the sweet perfume
wafted along by the gentle play of the breeze that was then
blowing, all conspired to overpower him with a sensation of
unalloyed pleasure for the time. The flower-garden was not
less extraordinary in its kind : it was, as in the case of the
orchard, arranged with much tasteful skill, and the fragrance
issuing from a thousand different sources was a luxury
vouchsafed to few. The sweet warblings of a number of
birds added to the grandeur and attractions of the place.
In short, whoever entered this domicile could not help being
I

58
transported with ecstacy at the many and varied sources of
enjoyment and pleasure that were there to be met with.
The brahmin found that the Princess Pudmavuntty, the
mistress of all these rarities, was herself the rarest of all
rarities. She was so handsome that fancy could not
possibly picture a more perfect being. She was dressed in
the richest and costliest linen, and wore precious stones of
immense value and in great quantity. When she saw the
brahmin advancing towards her, she welcomed him in a very
courteous manner, and thus spoke to him :—" I have long
been expecting a person like yourself; your looks convince
me that you will soon become master of the art by which
alone any one can obtain my hand. I sincerely hope you
will not prove unworthy of the venture you have made, but
that, by a successful execution of your arduous task, you will
succeed in establishing a right to claim me in marriage."
The supposed brahmin replied that he would strive his
utmost to become capable of giving adequate proof of his
sincerity. He then approached the vessel, called to mind
the supreme power of God, and, before ascending in the
sinka, took a small portion of a peculiar description of grass,
and, having pronounced some words connected with a charm
over it, threw it into the oil which was boiling up, and
descended at once into it through the sinka that was
suspended. It is wonderful to relate that the oil suddenly
became cold and calm! He remained for a few moments
in it, turning from one side to another, and he sustained not
the slightest injury thereby. The princess, seeing this
success, came running with a garland of flowers in her hand
to encircle the neck of her future lord, as is usually the case
among princesses. She had herself witnessed the prodigy,
and there was no mistaking it. She requested him to
embrace the earliest opportunity for solemnising their
marriage ceremony; and, putting forth her hand, while
encircling his neck with the string of flowers, she said, "I
am fully satisfied with your might, and will irrevocably
become yours. Pray make haste and come out." "You

59
are now mine, and whatever I shall bid you perform you
must agree to in all obedience," said the brahmin in reply.
"Yes, my lord," said she, "I can truly affirm henceforth
I am your slave, entirely disposed to comply with all your
wishes." The brahmin immediately came out of the vessel,
and declared to her the particular case of the unfortunate
Prince Duntsain,—that he had, during a period of twelve
years, practised religious austerities, in the hope of
conciliating the gods in his favor, in order to become pos-
sessed of her,—and that, therefore, she must of necessity
marry him. She, having already promised obedience to his
commands, after reflecting for a short time remembered
that she had done wrong in thus pledging her word. "I will,
however," said she aloud, "if you wish it, attend to the
request of Prince Duntsain; but you must first oblige me
in one respect, otherwise I shall not do so." "Do not
hesitate to make me acquainted with your wish," replied the
brahmin, "for I am ready to oblige you in any way you
can point out, so long as you agree to take the prince for
your future husband." She promised to explain in the
evening, and in the mean while asked him to partake of a
meal with her in her apartments, with which he complied.
When it was night, and they had partaken of the meal, they
seated themselves on a couch in deep conversation; after
some time had elapsed in this way, the brahmin asked her
to communicate to him what she had said in the morning
was to be the condition of her taking Prince Duntsain for
her future lord. "I do not wish to ask you for any favors,
or to put you to any inconvenience," said the princess, "all
I desire is, that you will make me laugh and speak four
different times successively; I will then do as you bid me.
Failing in this, however, I must give you distinctly to
understand that I will not accept of the prince for my
husband." The brahmin felt disconcerted at this pro-
position, but he immediately thought of Veytal, whom he
instantly summoned to the spot. He appeared to Vickrama-
detea, but remained invisible to all others. Vickramadetea

told him the circumstances in which he was placed, and
besought his kind offices. The spirit promised them, and
said, “My good sir, be easy—be always merry and
cheerful. I shall not fail to do before the princess that
which will cause her to relax her rigidity and laugh
outright, and thus will you gain your end; and what is
more, she will at the same time be thankful to you for it,
instead of viewing it, as she now does, with an unfavorable
eye.” So saying he departed; and with this interview
between Vickramadetea and Veytal we close the present
chapter.

61
CHAPTER V.
Vickram reposes in the palace of Princess Pudmavuntty—Veytal
appears, in the form of a parrot, and commences to relate the history
of King Bhudrasain, his son Soorsain, and the princess his wife.
KING VICKRAMADETEA, under the guise of the brahmin,
now reposed within the splendid and sumptuous palace of
the Princess Pudmavuntty. At the same time the spirit of
Veytal transformed himself into a parrot that was represented
in one of the paintings on the wall, and came down and rested
near where Vickramadetea and the princess were reposing.
He began by stroking and flapping his wings in a sly and
knowing manner. The princess, observing this unusual
circumstance and great novelty, was exceedingly amused;
having never before witnessed such a strange faculty in a
bird, she involuntarily commenced laughing. The parrot,
seeing this, redoubled his efforts: drawing a mark in front
of him with his claw, he continued his tricks, and gave
unmistakeable signs of his knowledge of the state of affairs
between her and the man beside her, to whom he pointed
from time to time. The brahmin, observing that the princess
had laughed, thus addressed the parrot:—"Oh, beautiful,
lovely, and knowing bird! may I now solicit of you a parti-
cular favour? I would you could be persuaded to relate to
us one of the many amusing and pleasant stories which are
doubtless stored in your little head, from the recounting of
which the princess may derive both instruction and amuse-
ment, while I shall equally profit by it." The parrot
replied, "I should consider it to be the height of presump-
tion were I to attempt to do so at your desire, and without
the express sanction of my mistress. I must therefore
address myself first to the lady. I pray, madam," said
the parrot, addressing the princess, "that you will be pleased
D

62
to grant your visitor the satisfaction he solicits, by permit-
ting me to commence the story." The princess paid no
attention to this, but continued silent. The bird, seeing
how taciturn she had all of a sudden become, and knowing
the cause, continued his supplication, saying, "I beseech
you, oh, goddess! my adored angel, and most kind hostess!
would that it were possible for me to express in adequate
terms my feelings of joy on beholding you! I have seen and
do see daily, during my perambulations, vast numbers of
handsome women, acknowledged beauties, but never have
my eyes beheld such heavenly charms concentrated in one
single individual as I have now the inexpressible joy of
paying homage to; indeed, I am so overcome with feelings
of delight, that I can scarce be said to be in possession of
my senses. Permit me, fair lady, to relate a truly inter-
esting story, abounding in wit and mirth. Cast your eyes
upon me, and allow me to proceed; it will afford much
pleasure to the brahmin beside you, and no less to yourself.
Your impenetrable silence affects me much, good mistress.
I cannot form an idea as to the cause of the melancholy
with which you appear to be overwhelmed, and which seems
to have almost struck you dumb." The princess was seated
in sullen silence, with her eyes fixed, and gazing intently on
vacancy, and would neither bestow a single glance upon the
parrot nor utter a word of encouragement to him. Amongst
the numerous slaves and others surrounding the princess,
was one who observed the efforts of the bird to attract her
attention, and pitied his failure. She ventured to entreat
her mistress that the parrot might be allowed to proceed
with his story, and that she would deign to sanction it, as
there was doubtless much pleasure to be derived from it.
This being a favorite domestic of the princess, she obtained
a hearing, and the princess was prevailed upon, though with
much evident reluctance, to break silence. She ordered
the parrot to proceed with his story.
On receiving the order, the bird seemed transported with
joy, and instantly set about relating his tale.

63
"In the great and flourishing town of Bhadravutty," said
he, "there reigned once a just and noble king named Bhu-
drasain. He was held in great repute for his virtues, and
was endowed with qualities that rendered him deservedly
esteemed by his subjects and all who knew him. It is
therefore not to be wondered at that his kingdom was in
profound peace, and the people contented and happy. They
worshipped God according to their respective forms of
religion, without let or hindrance, as this prince made it a
point never to interfere with the consciences of his subjects,
but to allow them to remain free and unshackled. In a
word, they were mutually happy and free, both the sovereign
and his subjects. Providence had in its liberality showered
its choicest blessings upon this monarch, and there was but
one drawback to the otherwise perfect bliss that he might
be said to enjoy : this was nothing less than the want of a
son to bear the weight of his crown and wield his sceptre
during his declining years. The monarch was at this period
advanced in years, though not to that extent when the hope
of an issue is generally said to be lost. He was therefore
very anxious to have the pleasure of seeing one of his line
seated on the throne, ere he closed his earthly career. It
was his constant practice to beseech heaven to grant his
request, and no amount of charity was grudged in order
to propitiate the gods, and to secure the prayers of the holy
men to this end. One day, the king being seated in the
audience hall, surrounded by his ministers and others, his
mind still occupied with the paramount wish of his heart,
a hermit called Soodew* arrived from the remote city of
Dwarka. His form and person were far from prepossess-
ing : with a face pale and languid, eyes sunken, and grisly
hair, he might have been taken for one of those beings who
are said to spend the best part of their lives in deserts, far
from the habitations of man. But he was a sage, profoundly
skilled in the sciences, and in all the branches of useful

• This hermit would seem to be the same who taught King Vick-
  ramadeten the art of transmigration.
  D

64

knowledge; he was also learned in divine law. When he
presented himself at court, the king, perceiving him, hastily
descended from his throne, and prostrating himself before
the withered creature, besought him to take his place on the
throne, which, from the well-known qualities he possessed,
the king said, he was most fitted to adorn. The hermit
consented, whereupon the king (according to the Hindoo
practice) worshipped the holy man. He then dismissed the
officials of his court, save a few belonging to his household,
and sent for the queen, after having first introduced the
hermit into the private apartments of his palace. The queen
approached the hermit with the same respectful demeanour
that the king had observed, and in like manner paid her
obeisance at the hermit's feet. The king and queen, as may
well be supposed, consulted the hermit chiefly on the
subject uppermost in their hearts, and in all their intercourse
paid a marked deference to the sage. The hermit, observ-
ing the disinterested homage paid to him by them, bestowed
his blessing upon both with great solemnity, and assured
them they would speedily see their wish realised. The son
that should be born to them would prove, he said, worthy of
their exalted rank and position; his name would be handed
down to distant ages for his brilliant conquests and many
eminent virtues, and finally, he would enjoy long life, health,
and happiness. After this, the time for their afternoon
meal had arrived, and the hermit was invited to partake of
every possible delicacy that the palace could afford. At the
conclusion of this entertainment, the king perfumed the
person of the hermit with choice scents, and entreated
him, in the most affectionate and flattering terms, to give
him some advice regarding the subject nearest his heart
—that of obtaining male issue, to hand down his name
and virtues to posterity. The hermit replied that such
things were at the disposal of God alone, and that it was in
the power of no man to give any advice by which such a
consummation could be effected. The Divine Power above, he
said, for reasons not known to us, often deprives us of this

65
pleasure and comfort, perhaps because we are not sufficiently
obedient to his will, and that when we pray we fail to do so
with humble reliance on Him. ‘How often,’ said he, ‘do
we not, even in extreme cases, place our faith rather in man,
when our dependence in all things, even to the smallest
item, should be on God alone! Go,’ continued the hermit,
‘perform certain sacrifices, open your inmost soul to heaven,
seek the divine aid in humble supplication, and entreat all
devout men and brahmins to join you in your prayers, and
you may move God to grant your request; there is no other
means. To God alone must you apply.’ The king attended
to all the hermit had said, and having assembled all the
good and devout men in his realms, besought them to
address their prayers to heaven for a prince to succeed him.
The sacrifice ordered by the hermit was performed, and
soon after the united prayers of the people and their sovereign
were heard, and it pleased heaven in due time for the
queen to prove with child. This event caused, not unreason-
ably, universal joy in the kingdom, and the king and queen
were in addition filled with so profound a feeling of gratitude
that they testified it in more ways than one. Among others,
the king gave a general invitation to all the devout men and
priests to assemble together in his palace on a certain day,
and there to partake of his bounty in a style of princely
magnificence. He treated them with profuse liberality,
bestowing on them rich and costly presents in gold, jewels,
and apparel, and they departed, extolling in a loud voice the
generosity of the monarch, and the many virtues that
adorned him. Not satisfied with this, he set apart a large
amount of money to be distributed amongst the poor of his
dominions, which elicited from them repeated blessings on
his head. To the hermit he gave many a costly gift, in
proof of the high estimation in which he was held; and in
a flow of gratitude threw himself at his feet, and blessed him
for the kind sympathy he had manifested in his behalf. The
hermit soon afterwards retired, fully convinced of the great-
ness and power of the monarch, of which he had given him
J

66
such undeniable proofs. The king, with a small retinue,
accompanied him a short distance out of the city, as a mark
of deference. At the expiration of the usual time, the queen
was delivered of a son, to the inexpressible joy of the king,
who ordered sugar to be distributed throughout the whole city,
in token of his joy at the event, and celebrated the happy
occasion for twelve successive days, with all the pomp, and
pageantry that united wealth and power could command. The
child was beautiful in the extreme, and, after consulting
with the astrologers, who had calculated its nativity, the king
gave it the name of Soorsain, and caused it to be trained up
under the especial care and instruction of his royal parents,
availing himself, when the child attained a proper age, of the
services of competent instructors, who contributed to the
education of the youthful prince in the different branches of
study,—the arts, sciences, and everything requisite for him,
who was ultimately to reign in those realms, to know. The
prince showed great aptitude for learning, and, under the
guidance of his able and experienced preceptors, he made
rapid progress in his education. He was soon master of
those branches which are preliminary to the acquisition of a
high standard of knowledge. As he advanced in years, he
advanced apace in knowledge, nor were his morals neglected.
In due time, as his physical powers became developed, he
applied himself with diligence and assiduity to the various
manual exercises then in vogue. In archery he became
proficient, and there were but few who could enter the lists
against him. In person he was handsome, of middling
stature, combining elegance and physical strength. He was
graceful in his bearing, and winning in his manners, and
though he displayed much of that haughtiness in his inter-
course with men that a consciousness of superiority begets,
yet it was so mild, and so naturally displayed, that it became
him well, and added to rather than detracted from his worth
and merit. He was, in short, loved by all who knew him, and
was the light of his parents' eyes. Such then, was the son
and heir of the equally loved and esteemed King Bhudrasain.

67
" It happened that as the prince advanced to manhood,
he received a wound from one of Cupid's shafts : he became
enamoured of a princess, daughter to a powerful monarch,
whose beauty was the least of her perfections. He sued for
her hand in due form, backed by the interest and power of
his father and his own rare qualifications, and obtained it
in marriage. The union was celebrated, under the most
favorable auspices, in the city, and no expense was spared to
give brilliancy and effect to the occasion. It was a joyous
time when the marriage took place. The king invited his
relatives as well as those of his son's wife, with numerous
other guests, and entertained them for several days together
in the most sumptuous manner; and when the festivities
were ended, he sent them back loaded with presents.
"One day, King Bhudrasain, accompanied by his son
and a small retinue, set out on a sporting excursion. They
went into an adjoining wood, and while there, Bhudrasain
was suddenly seized with the desire of witnessing his son's
skill in archery, for which he was much famed. He called
his son, and made him acquainted with his wishes; he then
detached a part of his retinue for the purpose of waiting upon
him, and he himself followed in person. Having arrived
in the centre of the wood, the king directed his son to aim
at a certain part of the forest at a distance, where a small
object, scarce visible to the naked eye, was pointed out.
While yet conversing, a wild boar suddenly appeared from
amidst a clump of bushes, and, rushing past the prince and
his father, attacked one of their followers with great deter-
mination and ferocity. The prince, acting on the impulse
of the moment, with his usual bravery and dauntless
courage, pursued the boar, in the hope of getting sufficiently
near him to attack him with the short spear he carried in
his hand. But the monster, seeing his pursuer, and
conscious of danger, took to flight, and regained the shelter
of a thickly-studded cover of trees, in the opposite direction.
The prince still pursued the boar, and in the ardour of the
chase forgot all personal danger. Keeping his eye steadily

68
fixed in the direction the boar had taken, he continued to
follow him, and left his father and all the followers far
behind him. The difficult road over which the prince pursued
the boar rendered it impossible for him to come up to his
victim as speedily as he could have wished ; he nevertheless
kept up the chase, passing, as he went, over valleys and by
the side of precipices, through rugged paths and dangerous
defiles. The king and his followers were anxiously awaiting
his return, while every moment he was widening the distance
between them. The boar, after having gone some miles,
ensconsed himself in a cave, the prince remaining trans-
fixed to the spot with fatigue and vexation. It pained him
to think that all his efforts had proved fruitless for the
capture of the forest denizen ; and what mortified him still
more was, that it would go, far to convey an unfavorable
opinion of his skill in archery and in the use of arms to the
mind of his father, to please whom was the chief desire of
his heart. However, he thought of retracing his steps back
and relating all the occurrence to the king, but he found
that he was quite fatigued by the exertions he had made,
and his horse still more so ; added to which he felt a burning
thirst and a sensation of weakness which rendered him quite
incapable of moving a step in obedience to his wish. In
this state the clouds of night found him listlessly leaning
against a tree. As the darkness thickened around him he
became fully sonsible of his condition, and the danger he
was exposing himself to by remaining in that lonely and
desolate place, perhaps to become a prey to the wild animals
infesting the locality ; so he strove to mount his horse, and
succeeded in gaining his seat, but as he was suffering very
severely from thirst, his first object was to go in search of
water. Having roamed about for some time, he happened
to reach the inviting banks of a lake of great extent, clear
as crystal, with a variety of trees uniformly placed at a
convenient distance from each other, and forming a delight-
ful arbour, cool and refreshing to travellers and others who
sought their friendly shade. The prince, as may well be