The sprite said, “Your majesty! there was a king of Ujjain, named
Mahãsain; and an inhabitant of that place was a Brahman, Devasharmã,
whose son’s name was Gunãkar. He (the son) turned out a great gambler;
so much so that he lost at play all the wealth the Brahman possessed.
Thereupon all the members of the family turned Gunãkar out of house and
home. And he could not help himself in any way; (so) having no other
resource, he took his departure from the place, and in several days’
time came to a certain city. What does he see there but a devotee
sitting over a fire, and inhaling smoke by way of penance. After
saluting him, he, too, sat down there. The devotee asked him, ‘Wilt thou
eat anything?’ He replied, ‘Your highness! of course I will eat, if you
give me (something).’ The devotee filled a human skull with food and
brought it to him. On seeing it he said, ‘I’ll not eat food out of this
skull.’”
“When he did not partake of the food, the ascetic repeated such an
incantation, that a fairy * appeared before him with joined hands, and
said, ‘Your highness! I will execute any command you may give me.’ The
ascetic said, ‘Give this Brahman whatever food he desires.’ On hearing
this, she built a very fine house, and furnishing it with all comforts,
took him away with her from that place, and seating him on a stool,
placed various kinds of condiments and meats, by dishfuls, before him.
He ate whatever he liked to his heart’s content. Again, after this, she
placed the pãn-box before him, and after rubbing down saffron and sandal
in rose-water, applied (the mixture) to his body. Farther, she clothed
him in garments scented with sweet perfumes, threw a garland of flowers
round his neck, and bringing him away thence, seated him on a bed. Now
while this was taking place it became evening, and she, too, having
first decked herself out, went and sat on the bed, and the Brahman
passed the whole night in pleasure and enjoyment.”
* Yakshani is a female Yakshã, or kind of demi-god,
attendant on Kuvera, the god of wealth.
“When morn arrived, the fairy went away to her own place, and he came
to the devotee and said, ‘Master! she’s gone away; what shall I do now?’
The ascetic said, ‘She came through the power of magic art, and abides
near him who possesses the art.’ He replied, ‘Impart this art to me,
your highness! that I may practise it.’ Then the devotee gave him a
charm, and said, ‘Practise this charm for forty days, at midnight,
sitting in water, and with a steadfast mind.’ Thus used he to go to
practise the charm, while many and various frightful objects appeared
in view; but he felt no alarm at any of them. When the time expired,
he came to the devotee and said, ‘Your highness! I come from practising
(the charm) for the number of days you prescribed.’ He said, ‘Now
practise it for that number of days, sitting in fire.’ He replied,
‘Master! I will go and pay a visit to my family, and then return and
practise it.’”
“After saying this to the devotee, he took leave and went home; and when
his relations saw him, they embraced him and commenced weeping; while
his father said, ‘O Gunãkar; where have you been so many days, and why
did you forget your home! O my son, it is said that, he who leaves a
faithful wife and lives apart, and turns his back on a youthful woman,
or he who does not care for one who loves him, is on a level with the
lowest * of the low. It is said, farther, that no virtue equals the
domestic virtues, and no woman in the world imparts happiness equal to
that which the mistress of one’s house imparts; and those who slight
their parents are impious men, and their future state will never, never
be one of salvation; thus has Brahma declared.’”
* Lit,--Is equal to a chandil, or man of the lowest of the
mixed tribes.
“On this _Gunãkar_ spoke, saying, ‘This body is composed of flesh and
blood, which same is food for worms; and its nature is such that, if you
neglect it for a day, a fetid smell proceeds from it. Fools are they who
feel affection for such a body, and wise are they who set not their
heart on it. Further, it is of the nature of this body that it is
repeatedly born and destroyed. What dependence can one place on such a
body! Cleanse it ever so much, it does not become clean; just as an
earthen vessel, filled with filth, does not become clean by washing the
outer surface; or however much one washes charcoal, it does not become
white. Again, by what means can that body become clean, in which the
fount of impurity is never-failing?’ Having said so much, he spoke
again, saying, ‘Whose father (is one)? Whose mother? Whose wife? Whose
brother? * The way of this world is such, that numbers come and numbers
depart. Those who offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings consider Agni
(fire) their god; while those who are deficient in understanding make an
image and worship it as god; but the class of ascetics regard god as in
their very bodies. I will not practise such domestic duties (as those
you have mentioned), but will practise religious meditation.’” **
“Having said this, he bid adieu to his kindred, and came where the
devotee was, and practised the charm, seated in fire. The fairy,
however, did not come. Then he went to the devotee, and the devotee said
to him, ‘Hast thou not acquired the art?’ Thereupon he said, ‘Just so,
Master! I have not acquired it!’”
* This may also be rendered, “Who has a father,” &c.
** Yogãbhyãs may mean, either “the particular practice of
devotion by which union with God is supposed to be
obtained,” or “the practice of the magic art.”
“Having related so much of the story, the sprite said, ‘Say, O king! why
did he not acquire the art?’ The king replied, saying, ‘The practiser
was of two minds, (i e., did not give his undivided attention to the
task), and hence he failed to acquire it. And it is said that a spell
is perfected by (the operator’s) being of one mind (or by his giving his
entire mind to it), and does not succeed on his thoughts being divided.
Further, it is also said that those who are wanting in liberality do
not obtain celebrity; and those who lack truthfulness are without shame;
those who are wanting in justice do not acquire wealth; and those who
lack meditation do not find God.”
“When the sprite heard this he said, ‘How can the operator who sat in
fire to work his spell be termed two-minded?’ The king replied, ‘When,
at the time of practising the spell, he went to visit his family, the
devotee said to himself in vexation, ‘Why did I teach the magic art to
so vacillating an operator?’ and it was in consequence of this that he
did not acquire the art. And it is said, that however much a man may
exert himself, destiny attends him all the same; and whatever number
of things he may achieve by force of his intellect, he, nevertheless,
obtains that alone which fate has recorded.” On hearing this the sprite
went again and hung on to that tree; and the king, too, followed him,
and having bound him, and placed him on his shoulder, took him away.