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
And while, after the ground had been examined, peasants were digging
there, a Yaksha in stature like a mountain rose up from beneath it,
and said, "O king, this treasure, which I have so long guarded,
belongs to thee, as having been buried by thy forefathers, therefore
take possession of it." After he had said this to the king and
accepted his worship, the Yaksha disappeared, and a great treasure
was displayed in the excavation. And from it was extracted a valuable
throne studded with jewels, [244] for in the time of prosperity a long
series of happy and fortunate events takes place. The Lord of Vatsa
took away the whole treasure from the spot in high glee, and after
chastising those herdsmen returned to his own city. There the people
saw that golden throne brought by the king, which seemed with the
streams of rays issuing from its blood-red jewels to foretell [245]
the king's forceful conquest of all the regions, and which with its
pearls fixed on the end of projecting silver spikes seemed to show its
teeth as if laughing again and again when it considered the astonishing
intellect of the king's ministers; [246] and they expressed their joy
in a charming manner, by striking drums of rejoicing so that they sent
forth their glad sounds. The ministers too rejoiced exceedingly, making
certain of the king's triumph; for prosperous events happening at the
very commencement of an enterprise portend its final success. Then
the sky was filled with flags resembling flashes of lightning, and the
king like a cloud rained gold on his dependants. And this day having
been spent in feasting, on the morrow Yaugandharáyana, wishing to know
the mind of the king of Vatsa, said to him; "O king, ascend and adorn
that great throne, which thou hast obtained by inheritance from thy
ancestors." But the king said, "Surely it is only after conquering all
the regions that I can gain glory by ascending that throne, which those
famous ancestors of mine mounted after conquering the earth. Not till
I have subdued this widely-gemmed earth bounded by the main, will I
ascend the great jewelled throne of my ancestors." Saying this, the
king did not mount the throne as yet. For men of high birth possess
genuine loftiness of spirit. Thereupon Yaugandharáyana being delighted
said to him in private; "Bravo! my king! So make first an attempt to
conquer the eastern region." When he heard that, the king eagerly
asked his minister; "When there are other cardinal points, why do
kings first march towards the East?" When Yaugandharáyana heard this,
he said to him again; "The North, O king, though rich, is defiled by
intercourse with barbarians, and the West is not honoured as being
the cause of the setting of the sun and other heavenly bodies; and
the South is seen to be neighboured by Rákshasas and inhabited by
the god of death; but in the eastern quarter the sun rises, over the
East presides Indra, and towards the East flows the Ganges, therefore
the East is preferred.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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