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
that Bráhman kept watch the whole night at the door with the sword
of the Fire-god in his hand, that came to him on his thinking of it.
And on the morrow early, Vidúshaka, without receiving any orders, of
his own accord saddled the horse for the king, as soon as he awoke. The
king for his part took leave of him, and mounting his horse entered
the city of Ujjayiní, beheld afar off by the people bewildered with
joy. And the moment he entered, his subjects approached him with a
confused hum of delight at his return. The king accompanied by his
ministers entered the palace, and great anxiety left the breast of the
queen Tejasvatí. Immediately grief seemed to be swept away from the
city by the rows of silken flags displayed out of joy, which waved in
the wind; and the queen made high festival until the end of the day,
until such time as the people of the city and the sun were red as
vermilion. [252] And the next day the king Ádityasena had Vidúshaka
summoned from the monastery with all the other Bráhmans. And as
soon as he had made known what took place in the night, he gave his
benefactor Vidúshaka a thousand villages. And the grateful king also
gave that Bráhman an umbrella and an elephant and appointed him his
domestic chaplain, so that he was beheld with great interest by the
people. So Vidúshaka then became equal to a chieftain, for how can
a benefit conferred on great persons fail of bearing fruit? And the
noble-minded Vidúshaka shared all those villages, which he had received
from the king, with the Bráhmans who lived in the monastery. And he
remained in the court of the king in attendance upon him, enjoying
together with the other Bráhmans the income of those villages. But
as time went on, those other Bráhmans began striving each of them
to be chief, and made no account of Vidúshaka, being intoxicated
with the pride of wealth. Dwelling in separate parties, seven in one
place, with their mutual rivalries they oppressed the villages like
malignant planets. Vidúshaka regarded their excesses with scornful
indifference, for men of firm mind rightly treat with contempt men of
little soul. Once upon a time a Bráhman of the name of Chakradhara,
who was naturally stern, seeing them engaged in wrangling, came up to
them. Chakradhara, though he was one-eyed, was keen-sighted enough in
deciding what was right in other men's affairs, and though a hunchback,
was straightforward enough in speech. He said to them--"While you
were living by begging, you obtained this windfall, you rascals,
then why do you ruin the villages with your mutual intolerance? It is
all the fault of Vidúshaka who has permitted you to act thus; so you
may be certain that in a short time you will again have to roam about
begging. For a situation, in which there is no head, and every one has
to shift for himself by his own wits as chance directs, is better than
one of disunion under many heads, in which all affairs go to rack and
ruin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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