The Katha Sarit Sagara or Ocean of the Streams of Story Part 30

Then, in confidential conversation, Manorathaprabha put the following question to Makarandika; "Fair one, why do you not wish to be married?" And she, when she heard this, answered:--"How could I desire marriage until you have accepted a bridegroom, for you are dearer to me than life?" When Makarandika said this in an affectionate manner, Manorathaprabha said--"I have chosen a bridegroom, fair one; I am waiting here in hopes of union with him." When she said this, Makarandika said--"I will do as you direct." [19]

Then Manorathaprabha, seeing the real state of her feelings, said to her, "My friend, Somaprabha has come here as your guest, after wandering through the world, so you must entertain him as a guest with becoming hospitality." When Makarandika heard this, she said:--"I have already bestowed on him, by way of hospitality, every thing but myself, but let him accept me, if he is willing." When she said this, Manorathaprabha told their love to her father, and arranged a marriage between them. Then Somaprabha recovered his spirits, and delighted said to her:--"I must go now to your hermitage, for possibly my army, commanded by my minister, may come there tracking my course, and if they do not find me, they may return, suspecting something untoward. So I will depart, and after I have learned the tidings of the host, I will return, and certainly marry Makarandika on an auspicious day." When Manorathaprabha heard that, she consented, and took him back to her own hermitage, making Devajaya carry him in his arms.

In the meanwhile his minister Priyankara came there with the army, tracking his footsteps. And while Somaprabha, in delight, was recounting his adventures to his minister, whom he met there, a messenger came from his father, with a written message that he was to return quickly. Then, by the advice of his minister, he went with his army back to his own city, in order not to disobey his father's command, and as he started, he said to Manorathaprabha and Devajaya, "I will return as soon as I have seen my father."

Then Devajaya went and informed Makarandika of that, and in consequence she became afflicted with the sorrow of separation. She took no pleasure in the garden, nor in singing, nor in the society of her ladies-in-waiting, nor did she listen to the amusing voices of the parrots; she did not take food; much less did she care about adorning herself. And though her parents earnestly admonished her, she did not recover her spirits. And she soon left her couch of lotus-fibres, and wandered about like an insane woman, causing distress to her parents. And when she would not listen to their words, though they tried to console her, her parents in their anger p.r.o.nounced this curse on her, "You shall fall for some time among the unfortunate race of the Nishadas, with this very body of yours, without the power of remembering your former birth." When thus cursed by her parents, Makarandika entered the house of a Nishada, and became that very moment a Nishada maiden. And her father Sinhavikrama, the king of the Vidyadharas, repented, and through grief for her died, and so did his wife. Now that king of the Vidyadharas was in a former birth a ris.h.i.+ who knew all the sastras, but now on account of some remnant of former sin he has become this parrot, and his wife also has been born as a wild sow, and this parrot, owing to the power of former austerities, remembers what it learned in a former life.

"So I laughed, considering the marvellous results of his works. But he shall be released, as soon as he has told this tale in the court of a king. And Somaprabha shall obtain the parrot's daughter in his Vidyadhara birth, Makarandika, who has now become a Nishada female. And Manorathaprabha also shall obtain the hermit's son Rasmimat, who has now become a king; but Somaprabha, as soon as he had seen his father, returned to her hermitage, and remains there propitiating Siva in order to recover his beloved."

When the hermit Pulastya had said thus much, he ceased, and I remembered my birth, and was plunged in grief and joy. Then the hermit Marichi, who carried me out of pity to the hermitage, took me and reared me. And when my wings grew, I flew about hither and thither with the flightiness natural to a bird, [20] displaying the miracle of my learning. And falling into the hands of a Nishada, I have in course of time reached your court. And now my evil works have spent their force, having been brought with me into the body of a bird.

When the learned and eloquent parrot had finished this tale in the presence of the court, king Sumanas suddenly felt his soul filled with astonishment, and disturbed with love. In the meanwhile Siva, being pleased, said to Somaprabha in a dream--"Rise up, king, and go into the presence of king Sumanas, there thou wilt find thy beloved. For the maiden, named Makarandika, has become, by the curse of her father, a Nishada maiden, named Muktalata, and she has gone with her own father, who has become a parrot, to the court of the king. And when she sees thee, her curse will come to an end, and she will remember her existence as a Vidyadhara maiden, and then a union will take place between you, the joy of which will be increased by your recognizing one another." Having said this to that king, Siva, who is merciful to all his wors.h.i.+ppers, said to Manorathaprabha, who also was living in his hermitage, "The hermit's son Rasmimat, whom thou didst accept as thy bridegroom, has been born again under the name of Sumanas, so go to him and obtain him, fair one; he will at once remember his former birth, when he beholds thee." So Somaprabha and the Vidyadhara maiden, being separately commanded in a dream by Siva, went immediately to the court of that Sumanas. And there Makarandika, on beholding Somaprabha, immediately remembered her former birth, and being released from her long curse, and recovering her heavenly body, she embraced him. And Somaprabha, having, by the favour of Siva, obtained that daughter of the Vidyadhara prince, as if she were the incarnate fortune of heavenly enjoyment, embraced her, and considered himself to have attained his object. And king Sumanas, having beheld Manorathaprabha, remembered his former birth, and entered his former body, that fell from heaven, and became Rasmimat the son of the chief of hermits. And once more united with his beloved, for whom he had long yearned, he entered his own hermitage, and king Somaprabha departed with his beloved to his own city. And the parrot too left the body of a bird, and went to the home earned by his asceticism.

"Thus you see that the appointed union of human beings certainly takes place in this world, though vast s.p.a.ces intervene." When Naravahanadatta heard this wonderful, romantic, and agreeable story from his own minister Gomukha, as he was longing for Saktiyasas, he was much pleased.

CHAPTER LX.

Then the chief minister Gomukha, having told the story of the two Vidyadhara maidens, said to Naravahanadatta, "Some ordinary men even, being kindly disposed towards the three worlds, resist with firm resolution the disturbance of love and other pa.s.sions.

Story of Suravarman who spared his guilty wife.

For the king Kuladhara once had a servant of distinguished valour, a young man of good family, named Suravarman. And one day, as he was returning from war, he entered his house suddenly, and found his wife alone with his friend. And when he saw it, he restrained his wrath, and in his self-control reflected, "What is the use of slaying this animal who has betrayed his friend? Or of punis.h.i.+ng this wicked woman? Why too should I saddle my soul with a load of guilt?" After he had thus reflected, he left them both unharmed and said to them, "I will kill whichever of you two I see again. You must neither of you come in my sight again. When he said this and let them depart, they went away to some distant place, but Suravarman married another wife, and lived there in comfort.

"Thus, prince, a man who conquers wrath will not be subject to grief; and a man, who displays prudence, is never harmed. Even in the case of animals prudence produces success, not valour. In proof of it, hear this story about the lion, and the bull, and other animals."

Story of the Ox abandoned in the Forest. [21]

There was in a certain city a rich merchant's son. Once on a time, as he was going to the city of Mathura to trade, a draught-bull belonging to him, named Sanjivaka, as it was dragging the yoke vigorously, broke it, and so slipped in the path, which had become muddy by a mountain torrent flowing into it, and fell and bruised its limbs. The merchant's son, seeing that the bull was unable to move on account of its bruises, and not succeeding in his attempts to raise it up from the ground, at last in despair went off and left it there. And, as fate would have it, the bull slowly revived, and rose up, and by eating tender gra.s.s recovered its former condition. And it went to the bank of the Yamuna, and by eating green gra.s.s and wandering about at will, it became fat and strong. And it roamed about there, with full hump, wantoning, like the bull of Siva, tearing up ant-hills with its horns, and bellowing frequently.

Now at that time there lived in a neighbouring wood a lion named Pingalaka, who had subdued the forest by his might; and that king of beasts had two jackals for ministers; the name of the one was Damanaka, and the name of the other was Karataka. That lion, going one day to the bank of the Yamuna to drink water, heard close to him the roar of that bull Sanjivaka. And when the lion heard the roar of that bull, never heard before, resounding through the air, he thought, "What animal makes this sound? Surely some great creature dwells here, so I will depart, for if it saw me, it might slay me, or expel me from the forest." Thereupon the lion quickly returned to the forest without drinking water, and continued in a state of fear, hiding his feelings from his followers.

Then the wise jackal [22] Damanaka, the minister of that king, said secretly to Karataka the second minister, "Our master went to drink water; so how comes it that he has so quickly returned without drinking? We must ask him the reason." Then Karataka said--"What business is this of ours? Have you not heard the story of the ape that drew out the wedge?"

Story of the monkey that pulled out the wedge. [23]

In a certain town, a merchant had begun to build a temple to a divinity, and had acc.u.mulated much timber. The workmen there, after sawing through the upper half of a plank, placed a wedge in it, and leaving it thus suspended, went home. In the meanwhile a monkey came there and bounded up out of mischief, and sat on the plank, the parts of which were separated by the wedge. And he sat in the gap between the two parts, as if in the mouth of death, and in purposeless mischief pulled out the wedge. Then he fell with the plank, the wedge of which had been pulled out, and was killed, having his limbs crushed by the flying together of the separated parts.

"Thus a person is ruined by meddling with what is not his own business. So what is the use of our penetrating the mind of the king of beasts?" When the grave Damanaka heard Karataka say this, he answered--"Certainly wise ministers must penetrate and observe the peculiarities of their master's character. For who would confine his attention to filling his belly?" When Damanaka said this, the good Karataka said--"Prying for one's own gratification is not the duty of a servant." Damanaka, being thus addressed, replied--"Do not speak thus, every one desires a recompense suited to his character; the dog is satisfied with a bone only, the lion attacks an elephant."

When Karataka heard this, he said, "And supposing under these circ.u.mstances the master is angry, instead of being pleased, where is your special advantage? Lords, like mountains, are exceedingly rough, firm, uneven, difficult of access, and surrounded with noxious creatures." Then Damanaka said, "This is true, but he who is wise, gradually gets influence over his master by penetrating his character."

Then Karataka said--"Well, do so," and Damanaka went into the presence of his master the lion. The lion received him kindly: so he bowed, and sat down, and immediately said to him; "King, I am a hereditary useful servant of yours. One useful is to be sought after, though a stranger, but a mischievous one is to be abandoned; a cat, being useful, is bought with money, brought from a distance, and cherished; but a mouse, being harmful, is carefully destroyed, though it has been nourished up in one's house. And a king, who desires prosperity, must listen to servants who wish him well, and they must give their lord at the right time useful counsel, even without being asked. So, king, if you feel confidence in me, if you are not angry, and if you do not wish to conceal your feelings from me, and if you are not disturbed in mind by my boldness, I would ask you a certain question." When Damanaka said this, the lion Pingalaka answered; "You are trustworthy, you are attached to me, so speak without fear."

When Pingalaka said this, Damanaka said: "King, being thirsty, you went to drink water; so why did you return without drinking, like one despondent?" When the lion heard this speech of his, he reflected--"I have been discovered by him, so why should I try to hide the truth from this devoted servant?" Having thus reflected, he said to him, "Listen, I must not hide anything from you. When I went to drink water, I heard here a noise which I never heard before, and I think, it is the terrible roar of some animal superior to myself in strength. For, as a general rule, the might of creatures is proportionate to the sound they utter, and it is well known that the infinitely various animal creation has been made by G.o.d in regular gradations. And now that he has entered here, I cannot call my body nor my wood my own; so I must depart hence to some other forest." When the lion said this, Damanaka answered him; "Being valiant, O king, why do you wish to leave the wood for so slight a reason? Water breaks a bridge, secret whispering friends.h.i.+p, counsel is ruined by garrulity, cowards only are routed by a mere noise. There are many noises, such as those of machines, which are terrible till one knows the real cause. So your Highness must not fear this. Hear by way of ill.u.s.tration the story of the jackal and the drum.

Story of the Jackal and the Drum. [24]

Long ago there lived a jackal in a certain forest district. He was roaming about in search of food, and came upon a plot of ground where a battle had taken place, and hearing from a certain quarter a booming sound, he looked in that direction. There he saw a drum lying on the ground, a thing with which he was not familiar. He thought, "What kind of animal is this, that makes such a sound?" Then he saw that it was motionless, and coming up and looking at it, he came to the conclusion that it was not an animal. And he perceived that the noise was produced by the parchment being struck by the shaft of an arrow, which was moved by the wind. So the jackal laid aside his fear, and he tore open the drum, and went inside, to see if he could get anything to eat in it, but lo! it was nothing but wood and parchment.

So, king, why do creatures like you fear a mere sound? If you approve, I will go there to investigate the matter." When Damanaka said this, the lion answered, "Go there, by all means, if you dare;" so Damanaka went to the bank of the Yamuna. While he was roaming slowly about there, guided by the sound, he discovered that bull eating gra.s.s. So he went near him, and made acquaintance with him, and came back, and told the lion the real state of the ease. The lion Pingalaka was delighted and said, "If you have really seen that great ox, and made friends with him, bring him here by some artifice, that I may see what he is like." So he sent Damanaka back to that bull. Damanaka went to the bull and said--"Come! our master, the king of beasts is pleased to summon you," but the bull would not consent to come, for he was afraid. Then the jackal again returned to the forest, and induced his master the lion to grant the bull a.s.surance of protection. And he went and encouraged Sanjivaka with this promise of protection, and so brought him into the presence of the lion. And when the lion saw him come and bow before him, he treated him with politeness, and said--"Remain here now about my person, and entertain no fear." And the bull consented, and gradually gained such an influence over the lion, that he turned his back on his other dependents, and was entirely governed by the bull.

Then Damanaka, being annoyed, said to Karataka in secret: "See! our master has been taken possession of by Sanjivaka, and does not trouble his head about us. He eats his flesh alone, and never gives us a share. And the fool is now taught his duty by this bull. [25] It was I that caused all this mischief by bringing this bull. So I will now take steps to have him killed, and to reclaim our master from his unbecoming infatuation." When Karataka heard this from Damanaka, he said--"Friend, even you will not be able to do this now." Then Damanaka said--"I shall certainly be able to accomplish it by prudence. What can he not do whose prudence does not fail in calamity? As a proof, hear the story of the makara [26] that killed the crane."

Story of the crane and the Makara. [27]

Of old time there dwelt a crane in a certain tank rich in fish; and the fish in terror used to flee out of his sight. Then the crane, not being able to catch the fish, told them a lying tale: "There has come here a man with a net who kills fish. He will soon catch you with a net and kill you. So act on my advice, if you repose any confidence in me. There is in a lonely place a translucent lake, it is unknown to the fishermen of these parts; I will take you there one by one, and drop you into it, that you may live there." When those foolish fish heard that, they said in their fear--"Do so, we all repose confidence in you." Then the treacherous crane took the fish away one by one, and, putting them down on a rock, devoured in this way many of them.

Then a certain makara dwelling in that lake, seeing him carrying off fish, said:--"Whither are you taking the fish?" Then that crane said to him exactly what he had said to the fish. The makara, [28]

being terrified, said--"Take me there too." The crane's intellect was blinded with the smell of his flesh, so he took him up, and soaring aloft carried him towards the slab of rock. But when the makara got near the rock, he saw the fragments of the bones of the fish that the crane had eaten, and he perceived that the crane was in the habit of devouring those who reposed confidence in him. So no sooner was the sagacious makara put down on the rock, than with complete presence of mind he cut off the head of the crane. And he returned and told the occurrence, exactly as it happened, to the other fish, and they were delighted, and hailed him as their deliverer from death.

"Prudence indeed is power, so what has a man, devoid of prudence, to do with power? Hear this other story of the lion and the hare."

Story of the lion and the hare. [29]

There was in a certain forest a lion, who was invincible, and sole champion of it, and whatever creature he saw in it, he killed. Then all the animals, deer and all, met and deliberated together, and they made the following pet.i.tion to that king of beasts--"Why by killing us all at once do you ruin your own interests? We will send you one animal every day for your dinner." When the lion heard this, he consented to their proposal, and as he was in the habit of eating one animal every day, it happened that it was one day the lot of a hare to present himself to be eaten. The hare was sent off by the united animals, but on the way the wise creature reflected--"He is truly brave who does not become bewildered even in the time of calamity, so, now that Death stares me in the face, I will devise an expedient." Thus reflecting, the hare presented himself before the lion late. And when he arrived after his time, the lion said to him: "Hola! how is this that you have neglected to arrive at my dinner hour, or what worse penalty than death can I inflict on you, scoundrel?" When the lion said this, the hare bowed before him, and said: "It is not my fault, your Highness, I have not been my own master to-day, for another lion detained me on the road, and only let me go after a long interval." When the lion heard that, he lashed his tail, and his eyes became red with anger, and he said: "Who is that second lion? Shew him me." The hare said: "Let your Majesty come and see him." The lion consented and followed him. Thereupon the hare took him away to a distant well. "Here he lives, behold him," said the hare, and when thus addressed by the hare, the lion looked into the well, roaring all the while with anger. And seeing his own reflexion in the clear water, and hearing the echo of his own roar, thinking that there was a rival lion there roaring louder than himself, [30] he threw himself in a rage into the well, in order to kill him, and there the fool was drowned. And the hare, having himself escaped death by his wisdom, and having delivered all the animals from it, went and delighted them by telling his adventure.

"So you see that wisdom is the supreme power, not strength, since by virtue of it even a hare killed a lion. So I will effect my object by wisdom." When Damanaka said this, Karataka remained silent.

Then Damanaka went and remained in the presence of the king Pingalaka, in a state of a.s.sumed depression. And when Pingalaka asked him the reason, he said to him in a confidential aside: "I will tell you, king, for if one knows anything, one ought not to conceal it. And one should speak too without being commanded to do so, if one desires the welfare of one's master. So hear this representation of mine, and do not suspect me. This bull Sanjivaka intends to kill you and gain possession of the kingdom, for in his position of minister he has come to the conclusion that you are timid; and longing to slay you, he is brandis.h.i.+ng his two horns, his natural weapons, and he talks over the animals in the forest, encouraging them with speeches of this kind--'We will kill by some artifice this flesh-eating king of beasts, and then you can live in security under me, who am an eater of herbs only.' So think about this bull; as long as he is alive, there is no security for you." When Damanaka said this, Pingalaka answered, "What can that miserable herb-eating bull do against me? But how can I kill a creature that has sought my protection, and to whom I have promised immunity from injury." When Damanaka heard this, he said--"Do not speak so. When a king makes another equal to himself, Fortune does not proceed as favourably as before. [31] The fickle G.o.ddess, if she places her feet at the same time upon two exalted persons, cannot keep her footing long, she will certainly abandon one of the two. And a king, who hates a good servant and honours a bad servant, is to be avoided by the wise, as a wicked patient by physicians. Where there is a speaker and a hearer of that advice, which in the beginning is disagreeable, but in the end is useful, there Fortune sets her foot. He, who does not hear the advice of the good, but listens to the advice of the bad, in a short time falls into calamity, and is afflicted. So what is the meaning of this love of yours for the bull, O king? And what does it matter that you gave him protection, or that he came as a suppliant, if he plots against your life? Moreover, if this bull remains always about your person, you will have worms produced in you by his excretions. And they will enter your body, which is covered with the scars of wounds from the tusks of infuriated elephants. Why should he not have chosen to kill you by craft? If a wicked person is wise enough not to do an injury [32] himself, it will happen by a.s.sociation with him, hear a story in proof of it."

Story of the Louse and the Flea. [33]

In the bed of a certain king there long lived undiscovered a louse, that had crept in from somewhere or other, by name Mandavisarpini. And suddenly a flea, named t.i.ttibha, entered that bed, wafted there by the wind from some place or other. And when Mandavisarpini saw him, she said, "Why have you invaded my home? go elsewhere." t.i.ttibha answered, "I wish to drink the blood of a king, a luxury which I have never tasted before, so permit me to dwell here." Then, to please him, the louse said to him, "If this is the case, remain. But you must not bite the king, my friend, at unseasonable times, you must bite him gently when he is asleep." When t.i.ttibha heard that, he consented and remained. But at night he bit the king hard when he was in bed, and then the king rose up, exclaiming, "I am bitten," then the wicked flea fled quickly, and the king's servants made a search in the bed, and finding the louse there, killed it.

"So Mandavisarpini perished by a.s.sociating with t.i.ttibha. Accordingly your a.s.sociation with Sanjivaka will not be for your advantage; if you do not believe in what I say, you will soon yourself see him approach, brandis.h.i.+ng his head, confiding in his horns, which are sharp as lances."

By these words the feelings of Pingalaka were changed towards the bull, and so Damanaka induced him to form in his heart the determination that the bull must be killed. And Damanaka, having ascertained the state of the lion's feelings, immediately went off of his own accord to Sanjivaka, and sat in his presence with a despondent air. The bull said to him, "Friend, why are you in this state? Are you in good health?" The jackal answered, "What can be healthy with a servant? Who is permanently dear to a king? What pet.i.tioner is not despised? Who is not subject to time?" When the jackal said this, the bull again said to him--"Why do you seem so despondent to-day, my friend, tell me?" Then Damanaka said--"Listen, I speak out of friends.h.i.+p. The lion Pingalaka has to-day become hostile to you. So unstable is his affection that, without regard for his friends.h.i.+p, he wishes to kill you and eat you, and I see that his evilly-disposed courtiers have instigated him to do it." The simple-minded bull, supposing, on account of the confidence he had previously reposed in the jackal, that this speech was true, and feeling despondent, said to him: "Alas a mean master, with mean retainers, though he be won over by faithful service, becomes estranged; in proof of it hear this story."