The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of StorySomadeva Bhatta, active 11th century
General
The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
Somadeva Bhatta, active 11th century
Folk literature -- Themes, motives; Hindu mythology; India -- Social life and customs; Tales -- India
Once on a time there was a king named Devasena, best of wise men,
and the city of Srávastí was his capital. And in that city there was a
wealthy merchant, and to him there was born a daughter of unparalleled
beauty. And that daughter became known by the name of Unmádiní,
because every one, who beheld her beauty, became mad. Her father the
merchant thought, "I must not give this daughter of mine to any one
without telling the king, or he may be angry." So he went and said
to the king Devasena, "King, I have a daughter who is a very pearl,
take her if she finds favour in your eyes." When he heard that, the
king sent some Bráhmans, his confidential ministers, saying to them,
"Go and see if that maiden possesses the auspicious marks or not." The
ministers said, "We will do so," and went. But when they beheld that
merchant's daughter, Unmádiní, love was suddenly produced in their
souls, and they became utterly bewildered. When they recovered their
senses, the Bráhmans said to one another: "If the king marries this
maiden, he will think only of her, and will neglect the affairs of
the State, and everything will go to rack and ruin; so what is the
good of her?" Accordingly they went and told the king, what was not
true, that the maiden had inauspicious marks. Then the merchant gave
that Unmádiní, whom the king had refused, and who in her heart felt
a proud resentment at it, to the king's commander-in-chief. When she
was in the house of her husband, she ascended one day to the roof, and
exhibited herself to the king, who she knew would pass that way. And
the moment the king beheld her, resembling a world-bewildering drug
employed by the god of love, distraction seemed to be produced within
him. When he returned to his palace, and discovered that it was the
same lady he had previously rejected, he was full of regret, and fell
violently ill with fever; the commander-in-chief, the husband of the
lady, came to him and earnestly entreated him to take her, saying, "She
is a slave, she is not the lawful wife of another, or if it seem fit,
I will repudiate her in the temple, then my lord can take her for his
own." But the king said to him, "I will not take unto myself another
man's wife, and if you repudiate her, your righteousness will be at
end, and you will deserve punishment at my hands." When they heard
that, the other ministers remained silent, and the king was gradually
consumed by love's burning fever, and so died. So that king perished,
though of firm soul, being deprived of Unmádiní; but what will become
of the lord of Vatsa without Vásavadattá? When Yaugandharáyana heard
this from Rumanvat, he answered; "Affliction is bravely endured by
kings who have their eyes firmly fixed on their duty. Did not Ráma
when commissioned by the gods, who were obliged to resort to that
contrivance, to kill Rávana, endure the pain of separation from queen
Sítá? When he heard this, Rumanvat said in answer--"Such as Ráma are
gods, their souls can endure all things.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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