THE ADVENT OF FALSE INDRA IN THE COTTAGE OF THE HAPPY PAIR.
Argument.--The travels of the pair, and their meeting the false Indra,
and their call to Heaven.
Now as the orient sun, gilded the world with his golden rays; the queen
consort of Sikhidhwaja, changed her form of Madaniká to that of the
Bráhman boy Kumbha.
2. She stood confest as such before her friend, sitting in the cavern
of Mandara, where they lived in conjugal union together, as a pair of
sylvan deities by night.
3. They roved about in the daytime, amidst the sylvan forests and
amongst the trees and plants loaded with fruits, and flowers of various
hues.
4. They passed the day as the two loving friends together, and spent
the night as a wedded couple; and never separated from the company of
one another either by day or night.
5. They rambled about the caverns and arbours of the mountain, and
sported under the bowers of _támala_ and _mandára_ trees.
6. They roved about the skirts of Dardura, Kailása, Mahendra, Malaya,
Gandhamádana, Vindhádri and Lokáloka.
7. On every third day or night, when Chúdálá found the prince to be
fast asleep; she used to take upon herself her former form of the
princess, and repair to her royal palace, whence she returned to her
husband in the forest, soon after her discharge of the state affairs as
before.
8. Thus the loving pair lived as two friends by day, and as husband and
wife at night; both decked in flowers, and sleeping on their flowery
bed.
9. They remained for a month in a gemming grotto of the Mahendra, and
under the shade of the delightful _sarala_ trees; where they were
greatly endeared by the sylvan deities and the Kinnara foresters.
10. They lived a fortnight in the arbour of Suktimat mountain, beset by
mandára trees and Kalpa plants; and feasted upon the fruits which they
could reach with their hands.
11. They passed two months on the southern ridge of the winged mountain
of Maináka, and its bowers overhung by the fruits and flowers of the
celestial _párijata_ trees.
12. They dwelt a month in the valley of Jammu, at the foot of Himálayan
range and beside the Jambu river; they regaled on the fruits of _Jám_,
which gave its name to the whole country (Jambudwípa).
13. They travelled through the northern Kuru country for ten days, and
for seven and twenty days, they sojourned in the districts lying north
of Kosalá. (Oudh).
14. In this manner they passed over many countries and hilly districts,
living together as two friends by day, and as a conjugal pair at night.
15. Thus many months rolled away in their travels through many places,
till there arose a thought in the mind of Chúdálá, to make a trial of
her associate, and said:--
16. I will make a trial of the heart of my partner, and see whether it
is liable to have any attraction toward beauty and pleasurable objects.
17. Thinking so, Chúdálá showed by her magic skill the god Indra,
sporting in the company of celestial nymphs in that forest.
18. Sikhidhwaja seeing the god with his companion there, advanced
before him and worshipped him, as he deserved, and said:--
19. "O lord of gods!" will you deign to reveal unto me, the cause of
your advent to this forest from your seat in the high and far distant
heaven.
20. Indra replied:--It is the attraction of the virtues, that has
brought us down to these woods, as the flying kites of the air are
drawn on earth, by the string fastened in their breasts.
21. Now rise from here, and proceed with us to heaven; where the
celestial nymphs are in eager expectation of seeing thee, since they
have heard of your wondrous virtues.
22. Wear these sandals and hold the sword, and anoint thy body with
the ointment of these pills, and ascend to the upper sky and thence to
heaven, in the manner of _siddhas_ and perfect _yogis_.
23. On reaching to the region of the gods, you will enjoy all sorts of
delights, which awaits on the living liberated souls in this world and
the next, and to which I come to invite you at present.
24. No holy man like yourself, doth ever neglect the proffered occasion
to their prosperity, nor should you scorn to take your heavenward
course with ourselves at his moment.
25. Let there be no impediment to your ascent to and enjoyment of
heaven, where you will enjoy your full bliss, and which will be blessed
by your presence as the three worlds by that of Hari.
26. Sikhidhwaja said:--I know O lord of gods, the delights that there
abound in heaven; but I have my heaven every where, and there is no
particular place which I deem as heaven.
27. I am content every where, and am pleased with every place; and my
soul being desirous of nothing from its fulness in itself, I am fully
satisfied every where.
28. O God! if it be forever to remain in one place and in the same
state, what you call heaven; then pardon me for I decline to it
(because I am at liberty here to go wherever I like).
29. Indra answered:--I know, O holy saint! that those that have known
the knowable, and are perfect in their understandings, are indifferent
to their sensual gratification; it is however not the part of the wise
to reject an enjoyment, which offers itself unto him by the gracious
allotment of his destiny.
30. After the God had said so, the prince remained silent and returned
no answer; when the God told him saying, "If you are resolved not
to leave this place, then I must leave you here, and take my way to
heaven".
31. Sikhidhwaja said:--I must not go there now ("though I may do so on
some future occasion"). Upon this the God made farewell to Kumbha (who
had invoked him down by his spell, and disappeared from the spot).
32. All the other Gods that were in the train of Indra, vanished also
from view upon the disappearance of their chief; as the huge surges of
the sea, subside in the deep together with their foaming froths, and
the shoals of whales and fishes that played and lashed about the main,
after a lull of the gales that had raised them.