The sprite said, “Attend, King Vikram! There is a city named
Kusmavati, of which one Subichãr was king, whose daughter’s name was
Chandra-prabhã. When she became marriageable, she went out one spring
day, along with her companions, to stroll about in the garden. Now,
before arrangements had been made for the ladies to come out (i.e.,
before the garden had been cleared of all strangers and others not
permitted to set eyes on the women), a Brahman’s son, named Manswi,
of twenty years or so, very handsome, had come into the garden in the
course of his wanderings, and meeting with cool shade under a tree, had
fallen asleep there. The king’s attendants came and made arrangements
for the ladies of the seraglio in the garden, but it so happened that
none of them saw the Brahman’s son sleeping there; and so he continued
sleeping under that tree, and the princess entered the garden with her
attendants. Strolling about with her companions, where does she come but
to the place where the Brahman’s son was sleeping! She no sooner arrived
there than he also awoke at the sound of the people’s footsteps. The
eyes of both met; and to such a degree did they come under Cupid’s
power, that on the one side the Brahman’s son fell upon the ground in a
swoon, on the other, she too was so beside herself, that her legs began
to tremble. Her companions, however, quickly laid hold of her on the
very instant. At last, they laid her down in a litter, and brought
her home. And the Brahman’s son was lying in so complete a state of
insensibility here, that he had no consciousness whatever of his body or
mind.”
“During this interval two Brahmans, named Shashi and Müldeva, from the
country of Kanvrü, where they had studied the (occult) sciences,
happened to pass by there. Müldeva, seeing the Brahman’s son lying,
said, ‘Shashi! how is it that he is lying in such utter
unconsciousness?’ He replied, ‘A damsel has shot forth the arrows of her
eyes from the bow of her eyebrows; hence he is lying insensible.’
Müldeva said, ‘We ought to rouse him.’ He replied, ‘What need is there
for you to rouse him?’ He did not heed Shashi’s words, but sprinkled
water over him, and restored him to consciousness, and asked, ‘What has
been the matter with thee?’ The Brahman said, ‘One should relate his
troubles to him who can remove them; for what is to be gained by
relating your sorrows to him who, on hearing of them, is unable to
remove them?’ He said, ‘Well, tell me your troubles; I will remove
them.’”
“On hearing this, he said, ‘It was but now that the princess came here
with her companions; and it was through seeing her that I have fallen
into this state. Should I obtain possession of her, I will preserve
my life; otherwise I will abandon life.’ Then he replied, ‘Come to my
abode; I will exert myself to the utmost to obtain her; and, if I should
not succeed, I will bestow great wealth upon thee.’ Thereupon Manswi
said, ‘God has created many a jewel in the world; but the jewel, woman,
surpasses all; and for her sake it is that man treasures up wealth. When
I have lost the woman, what will I do with the wealth? Brute beasts
are better off in the world than those who do not possess themselves
of handsome wives. The fruit of merit is wealth, and the advantage of
wealth is ease, and the consequence of ease is (the taking) a wife; now,
what happiness can there be where there is no wife?’ On hearing this,
Müldeva said, ‘I will give thee whatsoever thou may’st ask for.’ Then
he said, ‘O Brahman obtain that same maiden’s hand for me.’ Müldeva
thereupon said, ‘So be it; come along with me; I will have that very
maiden bestowed on thee.’”
“In short, ministering much comfort to him, he took him to his house;
and when he reached there, he prepared two magic pills. One pill he gave
to the (young) Brahman, saying, ‘When thou puttest this into thy mouth,
thou wilt be turned into a girl of twelve years; and when thou takest it
out of thy mouth, thou wilt become the self-same man thou wert before.’
He said further, ‘Put this into thy mouth.’ On his putting it into his
mouth, he became a girl of twelve years. And he, (Müldeva) having put
the other pill into his own mouth, became transformed into an old man of
eighty years; and taking that young girl with him, he proceeded to the
king.”
“The king, seeing the Brahman, saluted him, gave him a seat, and another
to the young girl also. Then the Brahman gave him his blessing in verse,
saying, ‘May he whose glory pervades the three worlds; and who, taking
the form of a dwarf, deceived * King Bali; and who, taking monkeys with
him, bridged the ocean; ** and who, supporting the mountain (Go
vardhan) on his hand, *** protected the cowherds from the bolts of
Indra,--may the same Vasudeva protect you!’ On hearing this, the
king inquired, ‘Whence has your highness come?’ The Brahman, Mãldeva,
replied, ‘I have come from the other side of the Ganges, and my home is
there; and I had gone to bring away my son’s wife, (and) in my absence,
a general flight from the village took place; and so I know not whither
my wife and son have fled to. And now, with this girl with me, how shall
I seek them? It is, therefore, advisable that I leave this (girl) with
your majesty. Keep her with the greatest care until I return.’”
* Ball was a powerful king, who, by his austerities and
devotion, overcame Indra in battle, and obtained power over
heaven and earth. The gods became alarmed at this, and
sought the aid of Vishnü, who visited the earth in the form
of a dwarf, and went before Bali, who, according to custom,
offered him presents. These the dwarf, affecting utter
contempt for worldly wealth, declined, saying he merely
wanted as much territory as could be comprised in three of
his paces. Bali laughed, and granted his request; whereupon
the dwarf increased his stature to prodigious dimensions,
and, at one step, placed his foot on the heavens; at the
next, on the earth; and, no room remaining for the third
step, he placed his foot on Bali’s head, and so pressed him
down to the region of Nãga-loka, beneath the earth, where he
was kept in confinement, and bound with bonds made of
twisted serpents.
** etband (from the Sanskrit setu-bandha) signifies a dike
or bridge, and is applied to the ridge of rooks between the
Coromandel coast and Ceylon. This dike or bridge is said to
have been built by the allies of Rama (i.e., the monkey army
under the leadership of Hanuman), when he invaded Ceylon to
recover his wife Sltã, who had been carried off thither by
Bãvan. It is said that, as fast as the monkeys built up the
dike, Bãvan destroyed it; so, to prevent his doing this,
Bãma erected a temple to Shiva (the god adored by Bavan) at
the extremity of the dike. Thenceforth Setband Rãmeshwar
became a place of pilgrimage.
*** This allusion to the exploits of Krishna the curious
reader will find fully explained in the 26th chapter of the
“Prem Sãgar.”
“On hearing these words of the Brahman’s, the king began thinking to
himself, ‘How shall I take charge of a very beautiful young woman? And
if I do not take her, this Brahman will curse me, (and) my dominion will
be overthrown.’ Having thought this over in his mind, the king said,
‘Your highness! the command you have given me shall be obeyed.’ On this,
the king summoned his daughter, and said, ‘Daughter! take this Brahman’s
daughter-in-law and keep her with you, with all care and attention; and,
whether sleeping or waking, eating or drinking, or moving about, do not
let her be away from you for a moment.’ On hearing this, the princess
took hold of the hand of the Brahman’s daughter-in-law, and led her away
to her own apartment. At night, the two slept in one bed, and began
conversing with each other. In the course of conversation, the Brahman’s
daughter-in-law said, ‘Tell me, O princess! to what trouble is it owing
that you have become so worn and feeble?”’
“The princess said, ‘I went one day in the spring, accompanied by my
female friends, to stroll about in the garden, and there beheld a very
handsome, Cupid-like Brahman, and our eyes met. He swooned away on one
side, and I became unconscious on the other. Then my companions, seeing
my predicament, brought me home. And I am totally ignorant of both his
name and his abode. His image fills my eyes, and I have not the least
desire for food and drink. It is through this trouble that my body
has been reduced to the state you see.’ On hearing this, the Brahman’s
daughter-in-law said, ‘What wilt thou give me if I bring thy beloved and
thee together?’ The princess said, ‘I will remain thy slave for ever.’
Hearing this, he took the magic pill out of his mouth and became a man
again; and she was abashed at beholding him. After that, the Brahman’s
son married her after the fashion of Gandharb marriages; and used
constantly to convert himself thus into a man at night, and to remain
a woman by day. At length, after six months, the princess became
pregnant.”
“They say that, one day, the king went with his whole family to a
marriage festival at his minister’s house. There the minister’s son
beheld that Brahman’s son disguised as a woman, and fell in love as soon
as he saw her (or him), and began to say to a friend of his, ‘If this
woman does not become mine, I will sacrifice my life.’ In the interval,
the king having partaken of the feast, returned to the palace with his
family. But the condition of the minister’s son became most painful
through the anguish of separation from his beloved, and he gave up food
and water. Seeing this state (of his), his friend went and informed the
minister. And the minister, on hearing the story, went and said to the
king, ‘Your majesty! love for that Brahman’s daughter-in-law has brought
my son to a wretched state. He has given up eating and drinking. If you
would kindly give the Brahman’s daughter-in-law to me, his life would be
saved.’”
“On hearing this, the king said angrily, ‘Thou fool! It is not the
nature of kings to do such a wrong. Hearken! Is it right to give away
to another that which is given in trust, without the permission of the
person making over the trust, that you mention this matter to me?’ On
hearing this, the minister returned home in despair. But perceiving the
suffering of his son, he also gave up meat and drink. When three days
passed without the minister’s eating and drinking, then, indeed, all the
officials combined, and said to the king, ‘Your majesty! the minister’s
son is in a precarious state, and in the event of his dying, the
minister, too, will not survive. And on the minister’s dying, the
affairs of the state will come to a stand-still. It is better that
you consent to that which we state.’ Hearing this, the king gave them
permission to speak. Then one of them said, ‘Your majesty! it is long
since that old Brahman left this, and he has not returned; God knows
whether he is dead or alive. It is therefore right that you give that
Brahman’s daughter-in-law to the minister’s son, and so uphold your
kingdom; and should he return, you can give him villages and wealth.
Should he not be satisfied with this, get his son married (to another
maiden) and let him depart.’”
“On hearing this, the king sent for the Brahman’s daughter-in-law, and
said, ‘Go thou to the house of my minister’s son.’ She said, ‘The virtue
of a woman is destroyed by her being gifted with excessive beauty, and
a Brahman’s character is lost by his serving a king, and a cow is ruined
by grazing in remote pastures, and wealth vanishes on meeting with
abuse.’ After saying so much, she added, ‘If your majesty would give me
to the minister’s son, settle this matter with him, viz., that he will
do whatever I tell him; then will I go to his house.’ The king said,
‘Say! what should he do.’ She replied, ‘Your majesty! I am a Brahman
woman, and he is a Kshatri by caste; hence it is best that he first
perform all the prescribed pilgrimages; after that I will cohabit with
him.’”
“When he heard this speech, the king sent for the minister’s son and
said to him, ‘Go thou, first, and visit all the places of pilgrimage;
after that I will give the Brahman’s girl to thee,’ On hearing these
words from the king, the minister’s son said, ‘Your majesty! let her go
and take up her abode in my house, and then I will go on pilgrimage.’
After hearing this, the king said to the Brahman’s girl, ‘If thou
will first go and take up thy abode in his house, he will set out on
pilgrimage.’ Having no alternative, the Brahman’s girl went at the
king’s bidding and took up her abode in his house. Then the minister’s
son said to his wife, ‘Do you both live together in one place, on terms
of the greatest affection and friendliness, and on no account quarrel
and fight with each other, and never go to a strange house.’”
“Having given them these instructions, he, for his part, set out on
a pilgrimage; and here (at home), his wife, whose name was
Saubhagya-sundari, lying at night on one bed along with the Brahman’s
daughter-in-law, began conversing on various topics. After some time the
wife of the minister’s son spake as follows:--‘O friend! at this
moment I am consumed with the flame of love; but how can my desire be
attained?’
“The other said, ‘If I accomplish thy desire, what wilt thou give me?’
She replied, ‘I will be thy humble and obedient slave for ever.’ On this
he took the magic pill out of his mouth and became transformed into a
man. Thus he regularly transformed himself into a man by night, and into
a woman by day. After that, indeed, great love existed between the two
of them.”
“In short, six months passed away in this manner, and the minister’s son
returned. On the one hand, the people hearing of his arrival, began to
rejoice; and on the other, the Brahman’s daughter-in-law, having taken
the magic pill out of her mouth and transformed herself into a man, came
out from the house by way of the wicket, and went off. Again, after some
time, he came to the same Brahman, Müldeva, who had given him the magic
pill, and told him his whole story from beginning to end. Then Müldeva,
after hearing all the circumstances, took the magic pill from him and
gave it to his companion, Shashi, and each of them put the pill (he had)
into his mouth. One was transformed into an old man, and the other a
young man of twenty. After this the two went to the king’s.’”
“The king saluted them on the instant of seeing them, and gave them
seats. And they, too, gave (the king) their blessings. After inquiring
after their health and welfare, the king spake to Müldeva, saying,
‘Where have you been detained for so many days?’ The Brahman said, ‘Your
majesty! I went to search for this son of mine, and having discovered
him, I have brought him to you. If you will now give up his wife, I will
take both daughter-in-law and son home.’ Then the king related the whole
story to the Brahman. The Brahman became very angry on hearing it, and
said to the king, ‘What proceeding is this, for thee to give my son’s
wife to another? Well! thou hast acted as thou pleasedst; but now
receive my curse.’ Thereupon the king said, ‘O holy man! be not angry;
I will do whatever you bid me.’ The Brahman said, ‘So be it; if, through
fear of my curse, thou wilt do as I say, then give thy daughter in
marriage to my son.’ On hearing this, the king summoned an astrologer,
and after having the auspicious conjunction and moment determined, gave
his daughter in marriage to the Brahman’s son. Then he took leave of the
king and came to his own village, bringing the princess, together with
her dowry, along with him.”
“On hearing this intelligence, the Brahman Manswi also came there, and
commenced quarrelling with him, saying, ‘Give me my wife.’ The Brahman
named Shashi said, ‘I have married her before ten witnesses and brought
her home; she is my wife.’ He replied, ‘She is with child by me; how
can she become thy wife?’ And they went on wrangling with each other.
Müldeva reasoned much with both of them, but neither heeded what he
said.”
After relating so much of the story, the sprite said, “Say, king Bir
Vikramajit! whose wife was she?” The king replied, “She became the wife
of the Brahman Shashi.” Then the sprite said, “Pregnant by the other
Brahman, how could she become the wife of this one?” The king said, “No
one was aware of her being with child by that Brahman; whereas this one
married her in the presence of ten arbitrators; therefore she became his
wife. And the child, too, will have the right to perform his funeral
obsequies.” On hearing this, the sprite went and hung on to the same
tree. Again did the king go, and, after binding the sprite, and placing
him on his shoulder, carry him away.