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
I will do you great honour to-day." When the Bráhman Harisarman heard
that, he thought that his last hour had come, and he called to mind
the pet name of frog which his father had given him in his childhood
in sport, and impelled by the deity he apostrophized himself by it,
lamenting his hard fate, and suddenly exclaimed there--"This is a fine
pitcher for you, frog, since suddenly it has become the swift destroyer
of your helpless self in this place." The people there, when they
heard that, made a tumult of applause, because his speech chimed in
so well with the object presented to him, and murmured,--"Ah! a great
sage, he knows even about the frog!" Then the king, thinking that
this was all due to knowledge of divination, was highly delighted,
and gave Harisarman villages with gold, umbrella, and vehicles of
all kinds. And immediately Harisarman became like a feudal chief.
"Thus good objects are brought about by fate for those whose actions
in a former life have been good. Accordingly fate made that daughter
of yours, Tejasvatí, approach Somadatta a man of equal birth, and kept
away one who was unsuited to her." Hearing this from the mouth of his
minister, the king Vikramasena gave his daughter to that prince as if
she were the goddess of fortune. Then the prince went and overcame his
enemies by the help of his father-in-law's host, and being established
in his own kingdom, lived happily in the company of his wife.
"So true is it that all this happens by the special favour of fate;
who on earth would be able to join you, lovely as you are, with the
king of Vatsa, though a suitable match for you, without the help of
fate? What can I do in this matter, friend Kalingasená?" Kalingasená,
hearing this story in private from the mouth of Somaprabhá,
became eager in her soul for union with the king of Vatsa, and,
in her aspirations after him, began to feel in a less degree the
fear of her relations and the warnings of modesty. Then, the sun,
the great lamp of the three worlds, being about to set, Somaprabhá
the daughter of the Asura Maya, having with difficulty taken leave,
until her morning return, of her friend, whose mind was fixed upon
her proposed attempt, went through the air to her own home.
Note on the story of Harisarman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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