APPEARANCE OF CHÚDÁLÁ IN THE PRESENCE OF HER LORD.
Argument:--Recognisance of Chúdálá, relation of her adventures and
reunion with her lord.
Vasishtha related:--Sikhidhwaja was surprised to see princess, so
suddenly appearing before him; he looked upon her with his eyes staring
with mute astonishment, and then broke his silence, with uttering the
following words in his faltering speech.
2. What art thou, O lotus eyed maid, and whence comest thou to this
place? why comest thou here, and how long hast thou been herein? say
for what purpose dost thou abide in this forest.
3. Thy gait and figure, thy features and thy form, thy sweet smiles,
manners and courtesy, bespeak thee plainly, to be an ectype or
counterpart of the image of my wedded wife.
4. Chúdálá replied:--So it is my lord, as thou thinkest me to be thy
lawful consort; I am no doubt thy princess Chúdálá, who has met thee
today in her natural and undisguised form, as thou also hast found her
as the same.
5. I assumed to me the counterfeit forms of Kumbha and others, only to
remonstrate with thee on thy mistaken course; and used every art and
stratagem to recall thee only to the right path.
6. Ever since thy foolish renunciation of thy kingdom, for the purpose
of the performance of thy ascetic austerities in the forest. I have had
recourse to the employment of every art, in order to reclaim thee to
the right path of religion.
7. I awakened to the light of truth in my form of Kumbha, and all the
other forms which I took upon myself, were chiefly intended for thy
instruction (and rousing thee from thy lethargy).
8. The forms of Kumbha and others, were no real but magical appearance
before thee; and thou that knowest the knowable, can very well discern
the whole affair in your meditation.
9. You will be convinced of all this, if you will but look into it by
the light of your meditation and not otherwise. After Chúdálá said so
far, the prince sat in his meditative mood and in the posture of his
meditation--_yogásana_.
10. He saw the whole affair, rising and exhibiting itself plainly
before his mental vision; ever since the renunciation of his royalty,
until his meeting with Chúdálá at the end (from first to last).
11. All these he saw rising in his soul, in one moment of his
meditation; and the successive events appeared before it, since the
resignation of his kingdom to the present instant.
12. The prince felt glad in himself, at seeing all these in his
meditation; and he greatly rejoiced with his full open eyes, when his
meditation was over at the end of the scene.
13. He extended both his arms with the hairs standing at an end of
his body through joy, and his countenance shining with the gladness
of his heart; while the fondness of his heart had its vent, in the
tears trickling in his eyes, and his limbs slackened by his want of
self-control.
14. And then embraced her to his bosom, as a weasel does its mate
for a long time; and this continued embrace of theirs, indicated the
permanency of their passion for one another.
15. No body nor even the hundred hooded Vásuki serpent, can express
with its hundred tongues, the height of the happiness which the happy
pair felt on this occasion of their reunion; when their two bodies met
together, like the two orbs of the sun and moon in their conjunction;
or as their two disks were joined in one, by adhesion of some paste or
clay.
16. The two constant lovers continued in their close contact, like two
contiguous rocks sticking to one another; till at last they parted
apart, with the profuse perspiration of their bodies.
17. They then gradually relaxed their arms from their mutual embraces,
and their hearts which had ere long over flowed with delight, became
now as light as two empty pots of water.
18. They loosened their arms, and stared at one another with their
fixed and mute gaze of amazement; and they sat silent with their deep
felt love, after the fervour of their delight was over.
19. Then did the prince lay his hand under the chin of his legal and
royal consort, and bespoke to her in soft and sweet words distilling
with honey.
20. Matrimonial love, is righteous and sweeter far than the celestial
ambrosia itself; how then was it, O my moon faced love, that thou
couldst continue so long without tasting its sweets?
21. Thou hast doubtless undergone much privation, and suffered
great pains in the absence of thy husband, and so also was the toil
exceedingly great, that thou hast taken on thyself, in order to redeem
me from the dungeon of the world.
22. I know not with whom to compare thee, for the great wisdom that
thou hast displayed in thine act of my redemption, for even the pious
ladies Sachí and Arundhatí and the great goddesses Gourí, Gáyatrí and
Sri (Ceres) and Sarasvatí, fall short of thy admirable qualities.
23. I see, my love, that even the personified powers of understanding
and prosperity, the persons of the graces and clemency, and the virtues
of forgiveness, sympathy and universal love, are unequal to thy
unequalled virtues and beauty.
24. I know no adequate recompense, that will compensate thy labour
and repay my gratitude to thee, that hast spared no patience nor
persevering pains, in the cause of my instruction and redemption.
25. O say, what retribution will requite thy pains, and gladden
thy mind; for thy redeeming me from the dark pit of ignorance, and
reclaiming me from the boundless wilderness of errors.
26. It is the true virtue of faithful wives, to raise their fallen
husbands much more than the sástras or learning, riches, the spiritual
guide and his teaching, can serve to save a man from his degradation.
(Such accomplished wife, is very hard to be in India found in these
days of degeneration).
27. Faithful and affectionate wives, are by far more serviceable to
their husbands, than a brother or relation or any friend or servant, or
even a _guru_ or one's riches ever can be.
28. The faithful wife is the best guide of man, and her person serves
to be his best abode and attendant than anything else in this world.
Therefore the wife deserves to be always regarded above all others,
with utmost diligence and attention.
29. The happiness of both worlds depends entirely on the person of the
disinterested and virtuous wife, who serves as a raft to her husband,
for his going across the wide ocean of the perilous world.
30. How shall I, O virtuous lady! repay the recompense of what thou
hast done for me, and whom I now regard as the wisest and best of all
the virtuous ladies in the whole world.
31. Thy name must ever afterwards remain foremost of virtuous women in
the world, in all future narratives of female virtues and respectable
character among female sex.
32. Methinks the virtuous lady Arundhatí and others, whose names are
immortalized for their virtues, in the record of sacred history, will
feel jealous of thee as they came to learn thy chastity and other
admirable qualities. So my dear, let me embrace thee again to my bosom.
33. Vasishtha related:--Saying so, Sikhidhwaja again held Chúdálá to
his fast embrace, as the weasel does his mate in their mutual fondness.
34. Chúdálá said:--My lord, I was sorry to find you entirely devoted to
your dry ceremonial duties, and it was for that reason, that I took so
much pains to dissuade you from them, and lead you to the knowledge of
the intelligent soul.
35. Now tell me, my lord, what shall we do in this place and what is
the use of your extolling my virtues so far.
36. Sikhidhwaja replied:--O you most excellent among women, you are
here at your liberty to do whatever you think best; as it is the
prerogative of respectable ladies, to manage everything in their own
way.
37. Chúdálá answered:--Now my lord! as you have come to know, that you
are released from the network of this world, and are set free on the
shore from all its broils: you must have perceived now that your past
austerities were all in vain and gone for nothing.
38. You must have known that it is all in vain, when you say "I do this
or that, and will get its reward, and will thus be settled in life
etc."; say, do you smile to think of these and other vagaries of your
simple understanding.
39. Do you know that these vagaries are the creatures of your avarice,
and mere creations of your fancy? (because there is nothing that can do
or bring out of your will or by your own power).
40. Don't you yet perceive that these false creations of your
imagination, are as unreal as the situation or appearance of mountains
in the empty air?
41. Say what is it that you have learnt after all, what is it that you
depend upon, and what is the object that you seek at present, and in
what light you view all your bodily acts either of your past or future
life.
42. Sikhidhwaja replied:--O dear lady, with thy blooming eyes,
resembling the leaves of a full blown blue lotus, I am likewise
situated in and at the same place, wherein thou art located also.
43. I am tranquil and alike (or likened to) the object of my
meditation, and am situated in the true ego long after leaving the
sense of my personality: I am arrived to that state (of rapturous
delight) which is known to and felt by the heart only (lit, by way of
the heart).
44. There is no power any where, nor even that of Hari and Hara,
that is able to obstruct that heart-felt joy of mine, which makes me
think myself as nothing else or less than the very intellect (or a
particle--chinmátra) itself.
45. I am now free from errors, and liberated from the trammels of the
world; I am neither this nor that, nor am I glad nor sorry at any thing
or at any event in the world.
46. I am neither any gross or subtile matter, nor am I like a ray of
the solar light, that emanates from the body of the sun, and falls
below by traversing through the midday sky. (_i.e._ The human soul is
the image of God, and not a particle of the undivided essence of the
Deity).
47. I am of the essence of that glorious light, which is ever without
its increase or decrease; I am always tranquil and ever even in my
nature, and I am quite at ease, having no desire of mine own, nor
anything to expect from any body.
48. O thou most chaste lady, know me to be of that essence, which
exists as extinct every where; I am what I am and what I cannot
describe, and no other than this.
49. O beauteous lady, with thy eye balls glancing like the flitting
waves of rivulets! I bow down to thee as my instructor; because it is
by thy good grace that I have come across the turbulent ocean of the
world.
50. I shall no more be soiled with the dirt of the earth, after being
cleansed from it like a bit of gold from its alloy by repeated burnings.
51. I am quite calm and easy, quiet and free from passions, and never
divided in my attention nor distracted in my mind. I am beyond all
things, I am ubiquitous and all pervading, and am situated as I am
(without any change in me).
52. Chúdálá said:--If you remain in this manner, O thou lord of my
life, and dearly beloved one of my heart, then tell me, my lord, what
is it that is now best agreeable to your most noble disposition.
53. Sikhidhwaja answered:--I know of nothing, O good lady, that is
either delectable or detestable to me; I do the same as you do, and am
exactly of the same mind like yours in every thing.
54. O thou that art as fair as the firmament, know that I have nothing
to choose for myself, beyond what I am possest of; and leave it to you
to choose and do whatever you think proper for us.
55. I will act as you will do, like your shadow or reflexion in the
mirror; because my mind being devoid of its desire and effort, I will
patiently bear with whatever comes to pass on me.
56. I will neither excite nor prevent, nor praise or blame thee for
aught thou doest; but leave thee at thy full liberty, to do whatever
thou best choosest for thyself.
57. Chúdálá replied:--If it is so as you say, then hear me tell you
what is best to be done by you at present; you are to set yourself
to imitate the conduct of living-liberated persons, and set yourself
released from your ignorance, by knowing the unity of the Deity,
pervading all things in every place.
58. We are both as devoid of desires, as the empty void of the sky is
without its population; but that which I wish to do is what you do not
wish at all. (_i.e._ I wish to manage the state, which you dislike to
do).
59. Say what man is there, who neglects his life and livelihood, and
remains only, in his intellect? (No one can make his intellectual
culture without having his life and living). And as there are three
stages of human life, namely, its beginning or boyhood, its middle or
youth, and its end or old age, and we being situated in the midst of
it, must do the duties appertaining to this state, before we proceed to
the last stage of our being.
60. And as we are by birth the prince and princess of a realm, it is
paramount on us to rule our state, and pass our days in the discharge
of the duties of our royalty until our end.
61. Sikhidhwaja said:--Tell me, O fickle minded lady, what you mean by
the three stages; and how we stand at the midmost one, without having a
whit to care for the final one.
62. Chúdálá replied:--Know prince, that we are royal personages by
births, and must all along continue as such from the first to the last
stage of our lives.
63. Why then do you allow the imbecility and hermitage of old age, to
overtake you in the prime of your youth; when it is your duty to remain
in your city and palace, and govern your princely state.
64. And then I will reign there as thy consort queen, and crown the
ladies in the royal apartment; and all young maidens of the city will
dance about in jovialty, to see their prince and princess again in the
royal palace.
65. And then the city glittering with its uplifted flags, and
resounding with its loud beating drums, and decorated with wreaths of
flowers hanging all about it; will resemble a vernal garden, smiling
with its verdant plants, blooming buds and blushing flowers all around.
66. Vasishtha related:--Hearing these words of the princess, the king
smilingly spoke to her in his mellifluous words, which bespoke them to
proceed from the simplicity and frankness of his soul.
67. If such is your pleasure, O long sighted (eyed) lady, to incite
me to earthly pleasures, then tell me what cause had I to slight the
heavenly happiness, which was proffered to me by god Indra.
68. Chúdálá replied:--Know prince, that I also have no taste in earthly
enjoyments, nor any great zest for its grandeur or greatness. I depend
upon the bounty of nature, and live as I receive from her hand.
69. Hence I have no relish for heavenly joys or earthly royalty, nor
do I derive any pleasure from the performance of virtuous and manly
acts. My delight is in the undisturbed equanimity of my mind, and the
positive rest of my position.
70. It is only after I have lost my feeling of pleasure in something,
and that of pain in another, that I gain my equanimity and indifference
to both, and am settled in my perfect rest and tranquillity.
71. Sikhidhwaja responded:--You have rightly said, O large eyed dame,
with your calm and cool understanding; that it is all alike, whether we
get or lose a kingdom, since we derive no lasting good nor suffer great
evil, either from its gain or loss.
72. Let us remain in perfect ease, by shunning all thoughts of pleasure
or pain; and getting release of the envy, emulation and jealousy; and
continue in the same state of thoughtlessness as we are at present.
(Lovely lasting peace of mind, sweet delight of human kind; that
neither envy nor ambition knows &c. see ode on contentment).
73. In this manner did the conjugal pair, pass the day in their sweet
endearments and mutual conversation; and the day glided on swiftly and
sweetly over their feast of reason and flow of the soul.
74. They rose on the departure of the day, to discharge their duties on
the parting days; and though they were ill provided for the emergencies
of night, yet they well knew how to suit themselves to every occasions
in every place.
75. Disdaining heavenly bliss, the loving pair lived together in
perfect contentment with their conjugal bliss; and they both slept in
the same bed-stead, loving and loved by one another.
76. The live long night passed away swiftly in their heaven like
happiness of conjugal enjoyment, and upon their conferral of reciprocal
love and affection; and by exciting their anxiety for mutual embrace.