Simhasana Dvatrimsika Page 11

  “‘I too will do good to others,” the king said to himself after listening to the bard. He then summoned with all respect a certain saint and, after due courtesies, posed the question in his heart. “Lord, how can I become greater than Vikramaditya? We hear that he always gives more than he is asked for. Is there any method whereby new wealth can be created every day for doing good to others?”

  ‘Having listened carefully to the wish expressed by this king, the saint said: “You should propitiate the circle of witches in the manner prescribed. After offering a hundred thousand oblations of melted butter into the sacred fire, you should offer your own person as the final oblation with this spell. Your object will then be achieved.”

  ‘The king then performed the worship of the witches’ circle, and offered his own body as an oblation in the blazing fire to complete the rite. The witches were propitiated. They brought the king back to life and asked him to choose the boon he wished for. With clasped hands raised to his head in supplication, he requested that his seven mansions be filled every day with gold. “This will happen if you always perform this rite,” said the witches, and granting him this boon, they vanished. Thereafter the king would everyday make an oblation of himself into the fire and receive a fresh body. With the wealth he thus obtained he would make gifts and do other charity as he pleased.

  ‘When King Vikramaditya heard of this development from one of his spies, he went straight away to that ruler’s capital and observed this situation. “This person should not have to undergo such suffering day after day,” thought the compassionate king, who loved to do daring deeds. He went to the sacrificial house at a time when no one was there and, invoking the witches in his mind, commenced to offer his own body into the fire. In that very moment the circle of witches appeared before him and said: “O chief of heroes, there is no need for such daring. You have come here for the sake of someone else, and offer your own body to please us. This is not proper. Choose, we will give you whatever you want.”

  ‘Thus requested by the witches, the king, who was ever intent on helping others, chose the noblest of boons. “Let the seven mansions of this scion of kings be forever full of gold, without his suffering the agony of bodily sacrifice,” he said. “So be it,” replied the witches, and they granted the boon and disappeared. As for Vikramaditya, he returned to his capital without making public what had happened.

  It is the small minded who calculate

  “this is mine or another’s”.

  For the large hearted the world itself is a family.

  There is a certain great and extraordinary

  sternness of heart in good people:

  having done a good turn they flee

  far away, afraid that someone

  will return the favour they have done.

  ‘Thus did people praise the king. That monarch alone may grace this throne who is able to act similarly.’

  18. Vikrama Visits the Sun

  Observing that King Bhoja had again arrived desirous of mounting the throne, a statuette said: ‘O King, only one with Vikrama’s daring, fortitude and magnanimity is worthy of occupying this great throne of Indra.’

  ‘Tell a tale of his magnanimity and other qualities,’ asked the king. ‘Listen, O King,’ the statuette replied, ‘Vikramaditya ruled without transgressing proper policy or departing from dharma.’

  ‘Describe what is right policy,’ the king said. ‘Listen, O King,’ said the statuette, ‘in Maṇipura there was a brahmin named Govinda Śarmā. He knew the rules of proper policy, and would explain them every day to his son. I also heard him, and will tell you what he said.

  ‘An intelligent man should never keep company with villains, for this can lead to great and repeated mishaps. It is said,

  The company of villains is the cause

  of repeated mishaps for good people.

  Here, what is known must be said:

  the lord of Lankā abducted the wife

  of Daśaratha’s son, but the one who

  was arrested1 was the southern ocean.

  ‘What is prescribed, therefore, is the company of good people. There is nothing more beneficial in this world. It is said,

  Good people’s company puts to shame

  the charms of sandalwood, moonlight

  and soft breezes. It dilutes depression

  and kindles joy. It also leads to prosperity.

  ‘Another thing: have enmity with none. Others should not be oppressed. Servants should not be punished without fault. The wife should not be disowned except for some serious sin, for that is the way to everlasting hell. It is said,

  One who disowns an obedient,

  competent and soft spoken wife,

  who is the mother of a brave son,

  and in whom no sin has been found,

  will go to everlasting hell.

  ‘One should not assume that prosperity is there to stay. Fortune is as unstable as water. It is said,

  Fortune is extremely fickle.

  If flickers like the candle’s

  flame in a mighty wind.

  Therefore enjoy and give away

  your money, honouring

  the venerable and cultivating the good.

  ‘Do not tell secrets to women. Do not worry about the future. Seek the benefit of even enemies. Do not let the day be wasted without charity and study. Serve your parents. Do not talk to thieves. Do not always give callous answers, nor take away a lot for the sake of a little. It is said.

  The wise man will not destroy the greater

  for the sake of the lesser. Wisdom

  lies in protecting the first with the second.

  ‘Alms should be given to those in distress at holy places. Good should be done to others in thought and speech as well as action.

  ‘This is how the rules of proper policy have been expounded for ordinary people,’ said the statuette, ‘but King Vikrama understood them all by his very nature.

  ‘Once upon a time a certain foreigner came to see the king and took a seat. “O Deva Datta,”2 asked the king, “where do you stay?” “O King,” he replied, “I am a foreigner. I stay nowhere in particular. I travel all the time.” “And what are the new things you have seen in the course of your travels?” the king asked. “I saw a great marvel, O King,” was the reply. “Tell me, what was it?” asked the king.

  “‘On the mountain where the sun rises,” said the foreigner, “there is a great temple to Aditya, the sun god. The river Ganga flows there, with a holy ford for bathing, which destroys all sin and has satisfied many seekers. A pillar of gold emerges from the Ganga’s current, with a throne studded with the nine gems3 at its top. This golden column appears above ground level at sunrise, and grows to reach the sun’s orb at noon. Then, as the sun begins to set, it descends by itself and sinks into the Ganga’s stream. This is the great marvel which I saw; and it happens every day.”

  ‘A lion among kings, Vikrama was endowed with unique daring. He became curious on hearing the foreigner’s account, and set out to see the marvel. He came eventually to the town called Kanakaprabha, full of golden towers and gateways of burnished gold, and the river renowned for washing sin away, which was known there as Sūryaprabhā or Solar Radiance. With a mind full of devotion, he bathed and purified himself in the river’s eddies, and then worshipped the god Aditya, the lord of beasts, with flowers. After that he spent the night in the god’s temple, keeping a fast. At dawn he arose with a tranquil mind, performed the ritual ablutions at the holy ford, and prayed to the sun. At that very time the golden pillar suddenly emerged from the water before his eyes.

  ‘With a quick leap, the king got on top of the pillar which rose up swiftly as the sun ascended to the centre of the sky. When the pillar neared the sun, the latter’s rays, which were like sparks of fire, scorched the king’s body so that it began to look like a lump of meat. In that shape he reached the solar orb, and paid homage:

  “Obeisance to the sun, the sole

  light of the w
orld, and the cause

  of its creation, preservation and destruction.

  He is the three-aspected, the embodiment of the three qualities,4

  and the essence of the trinity

  of Brahmā, Vishnu and Śiva.”

  ‘After chanting many other hymns of praise, the king fainted because of the solar heat. Pleased with his daring, the sun god sprinkled him with nectar and restored him to consciousness. “I am blessed,” cried Vikrama. “You are more than a great hero,” the sun god said, “you have reached this orb which has been unattainable by anyone at all. I am therefore pleased with you. Choose a boon.” “O god,” replied the king, “what greater boon can there be than this? I have reached your abode which is unattainable even by great sages. By your grace I have everything that I need.”

  ‘Much contented with the king’s words, the sun god gave him his own earrings, studded with the nine gems, saying: “I am satisfied with you. Take this pair of my earrings. From the radiance of their rubies comes the light of my dawn. They will yield a shower of bright gold every day.”

  ‘The god departed after giving the two earrings to the king. As he moved on towards sunset, the pillar also sank back into the water. And the king went down with it, wishing to discover its root. This lay in the nether world, where he beheld the goddess Prabhā, beloved of the sun god and the mother of the world. Bowing to her, he stood there with utmost courtesy, and the goddess graciously gave him a divine jewel which produced ornaments at wish. Bowing to her repeatedly, he then withdrew from her presence and went out.

  ‘Near the goddess, the king noticed the very same pillar of gold. It stood at the centre of a gilded altar, lit with towering flambeaux at night. Understanding its properties, the king sat upon it at dawn, and when it rose out of the river at sunrise as before, he jumped off and got to the riverbank.

  ‘The high-minded king then broke his fast with due ceremony in the pavilion of the twelve Adityas right there. As he was on his way back, he spoke to a poor, emaciated brahmin beggar who was accompanied by his wife. The king was compassionate to the poor, and his words brought joy to the beggar. “Here, brahmin,” he said, “this pair of earrings made of gems come from the sun god. They shower a quantity of gold every day. And this brilliant jewel is a mark of the goddess Prabhā’s grace. It produces ornaments at wish. Take one of these two for yourself and give the other to your wife.” Then he cheerfully explained their powers to the brahmin and, giving him the jewelled earrings, returned to the city of Ujjayini.’

  ‘King Bhoja, if you have such daring, generosity and fortitude, then Your Majesty may mount upon this throne.’

  19. The Visit to the Nether World

  As usual, a statuette addressed King Bhoja when he came up again to ascend the throne: ‘O King, you may hope to mount this if you have his extraordinary fortitude and generosity. His virtues were envied even by the most virtuous. Listen, lord king, to what they were like.

  ‘The noble king Vikrama reigned in the land of Avanti. Under his rule men were righteous, women were chaste, and people lived their full spans of life. The trees were always fruitful, the lands were fertile, and the clouds sent rains whenever needed. There was fear of sin, faith in virtue, hospitality to guests, reverence to gurus and remembrance of God. People gave to the deserving and adhered to state policy in their dealings.

  ‘Once the king sat enthroned. The nobles and the princes seated in the assembly were of various kinds. Some had bards recite their genealogies. Some proud ones themselves lauded their own prowess. Some were bearded young men, versed in wielding the twenty-six offensive weapons, who jested with each other. Some were disposed to promote their dependents. Some were preoccupied with the next world, and others with accumulating merit in this one. Such were the lords who served the king.

  ‘At that moment the chief of the hunters arrived for an audience. Swarthy, so that he looked virtually like darkness in human shape, he made a prostration and stood trembling with folded hands before the king. Prompted by the ushers, he said: “Sire, in the forest on the western side of Mount Mandara, there is a great boar which is always scouring the countryside. Such a mighty wild animal has never been seen before. It has taken abode there and troubles people all the time.”

  ‘The king was a keen hunter. On hearing the woodman’s words, he proceeded with the princes to the forest. There, in a grove of blooming flame of the forest trees by a stream, roamed the boar, happily nibbling at sweet smelling mustā grass roots. Its pitch-black body darkened the space behind it, while its gleaming tusks lit up the front. It was like a dark mountain, shutting out the light and turning all trees into ebony.

  ‘Disturbed by the loud shouts of the soldiers and the furious baying of the dogs, the boar came out of the grove. All the princes discharged their twenty-six weapons sat it, eager to demonstrate their skills. But the powerful beast dodged them all, broke through the canine pack, and headed towards a mountain cave, pursued by the king. Sword in hand, Vikrama alone followed it on his swift horse, almost touching it at every step.

  ‘The boar was blackness itself. As it plunged into the cave it struck hard at the king, who dismounted and tethered his horse at the entrance before continuing to pursue the elusive animal. Inside the cave, he went forward feeling the way with his hands as it was too dark for his eyes. At last he saw a marvellously shaped doorway, gleaming with gems in a mesh of light like the newly risen sun. But there was no sign of the boar.

  “‘From where has this doorway come?” wondered the king. “And where has the boar gone?” In that moment there was tremendous noise like the roar which echoes the thundering clouds of the final deluge, and the doorway burst asunder to make a wide opening.

  ‘His sword on guard, the king went down a descending path on stairs of sparkling crystal lit with lamps. Foremost of the heroes and the strongest of the strong, he continued for long on that lonely descent. Finally, he saw before him a city which delighted his eyes.

  ‘It was surrounded by a golden wall with gates of glittering ruby. It bathed the sky with the glow of its crystal mansions. It shone night and day like sunrise, with the splendour of its lovely palaces and their gilded stone columns. Here rubies blazed like lamps to dispel the mysterious shadows cast by pillars of sapphire. Here perfumed and passionate youths delighted in breezes wafting fragrance from the mouths of serpent maidens.

  ‘As he came to its gate and beheld the city’s glory, a chamberlain appeared and conveyed a royal summons. “King Vikramaditya! The sovereign lord of the nether world, Bāli, the rival of the gods, wishes to see you,” he said, and conducted Vikrama inside, pointing out the wealth of the city. He then informed his master that the king had arrived.

  ‘Coming to the royal portal, the king saw Krishna as the gatekeeper there. He said to himself:

  “When the lord of the world came

  before him as a little supplicant,

  and the earth’s globe was the gift

  in question, it was the god who was

  astonished by Bāli’s modest smile.

  “‘This indeed is the city of King Bāli, to whose house Śri Krishna himself came as a supplicant and, obligated by the gift he received,1 minds the gate even today.” Announced by the chamberlain, he then entered the palace and saluted King Bāli.

  “‘O prince of givers of the Kali age, Vikramaditya,” said King Bali, “I am delighted that you have come, but what is the reason for your visit?” “O king of the giants,” replied Vikrama, “I have come only to see you. There is no other reason.” “If my lord has come out of friendship for me,” Bāli said, “oblige me then by asking for something.” “I lack nothing,” Vikrama responded, “by your grace I have a sufficiency of everything.” “My lord!” exclaimed Bāli, “when did I say that Your Majesty lacks anything! I spoke out of friendship, for the signs of a friend are thus described. It is said,

  These are the six signs of affection:

  to give and to receive;

  to tell and to ask secrets
;

  to entertain and to be entertained.

  There can be no affection

  for anyone without some service

  rendered; even the gods grant wishes

  only in return for the gift of prayers.”

  ‘Having said this, the lord of the giants gave to the king an essence and an elixir before bidding him farewell. To assist him on the way out, he sent the very same attendant who had earlier assumed the shape of the boar. Escorted by this person, the king came back swiftly to where his horse stood at the entrance of the cave. Dismissing the giant, he remounted his horse and proceeded towards Ujjayini.

  ‘On of the the way the king saw two brahmins who were distraught with hunger. They begged him for some rice and suchlike to eat. “I have nothing here except this magic essence and this elixir with divine powers,” said the king. “Take one. The essence can turn all metals into gold, and the elixir is able to prevent old age and death.”

  ‘One of the two brahmins was old. “I am stricken with age, O King,” he said on hearing the monarch’s words. “Give me the elixir.” But his son, who was a young man, said: “What is the use of the elixir? Give us the essence which produces gold.” Then there commenced an unholy quarrel between father and son: “This is the best! That is the best! This is for me! That is mine!” Observing their argument, the king took pity and said: “O you two! Do not fight. Take both these things.” And he gladly gave them the essence as well as the elixir. The two went away, praising him, and he too returned to Ujjayini.

  ‘My lord, whoever has such generosity, daring and fortitude would alone be worthy of occupying this throne.’