Complet Folk Talk of Vikram And Vetal The Ghost

VIKRAM AND THE VAMPIRE.
INTRODUCTION
The sage Bhavabhuti -- Eastern teller of these tales -- after makinghis initiatory and propitiatory conge to Ganesha, Lord of Incepts,informs the reader that this book is a string of fine pearls to behung round the neck of human intelligence; a fragrant flower to beborne on the turband of mental wisdom; a jewel of pure gold,which becomes the brow of all supreme minds; and a handful ofpowdered rubies, whose tonic effects will appear palpably uponthe mental digestion of every patient. Finally, that by aid of thelessons inculcated in the following pages, man will pass happilythrough this world into the state of absorption, where fables will beno longer required.
He then teaches us how Vikramaditya the Brave became King ofUjjayani.
Some nineteen centuries ago, the renowned city of Ujjayaniwitnessed the birth of a prince to whom was given the giganticname Vikramaditya. Even the Sanskrit-speaking people, who arenot usually pressed for time, shortened it to "Vikram", and a littlefurther West it would infallibly have been docked down to "Vik".
Vikram was the second son of an old king Gandharba-Sena,concerning whom little favourable has reached posterity, exceptthat he became an ass, married four queens, and had by them sixsons, each of whom was more learned and powerful than the other.It so happened that in course of time the father died. Thereupon hiseldest heir, who was known as Shank, succeeded to the carpet ofRajaship, and was instantly murdered by Vikram, his "scorpion",the hero of the following pages.[FN#15]
By this act of vigour and manly decision, which all younger-brother princes should devoutly imitate, Vikram having obtainedthe title of Bir, or the Brave, made himself Raja. He began to rulewell, and the gods so favoured him that day by day his dominionsincreased. At length he became lord of all India, and having firmlyestablished his government, he instituted an era--an uncommonfeat for a mere monarch, especially when hereditary.
The steps,[FN#16] says the historian, which he took to arrive atthat pinnacle of grandeur, were these:
The old King calling his two grandsons Bhartari-hari andVikramaditya, gave them good counsel respecting their futurelearning. They were told to master everything, a certain way not tosucceed in anything. They were diligently to learn grammar, theScriptures, and all the religious sciences. They were to becomefamiliar with military tactics, international law, and music, theriding of horses and elephants-- especially the latter--the driving ofchariots, and the use of the broadsword, the bow, and the mogdarsor Indian clubs. They were ordered to be skilful in all kinds ofgames, in leaping and running, in besieging forts, in forming andbreaking bodies of troops; they were to endeavour to excel inevery princely quality, to be cunning in ascertaining the power ofan enemy, how to make war, to perform journeys, to sit in thepresence of the nobles, to separate the different sides of a question,to form alliances, to distinguish between the innocent and theguilty, to assign proper punishments to the wicked, to exerciseauthority with perfect justice, and to be liberal. The boys were thensent to school, and were placed under the care of excellentteachers, where they became truly famous. Whilst under pupilage,the eldest was allowed all the power necessary to obtain aknowledge of royal affairs, and he was not invested with the regaloffice till in these preparatory steps he had given full satisfactionto his subjects, who expressed high approval of his conduct.
The two brothers often conversed on the duties of kings, when thegreat Vikramaditya gave the great Bhartari-hari the followingvaluable advice[FN#17]:
"As Indra, during the four rainy months, fills the earth with water,so a king should replenish his treasury with money. As Surya thesun, in warming the earth eight months, does not scorch it, so aking, in drawing revenues from his people, ought not to oppressthem. As Vayu, the wind, surrounds and fills everything, so theking by his officers and spies should become acquainted with theaffairs and circumstances of his whole people. As Yama judgesmen without partiality or prejudice, and punishes the guilty, soshould a king chastise, without favour, all offenders. As Varuna,the regent of water, binds with his pasha or divine noose hisenemies, so let a king bind every malefactor safely in prison. AsChandra,[FN#18] the moon, by his cheering light gives pleasure toall, thus should a king, by gifts and generosity, make his peoplehappy. And as Prithwi, the earth, sustains all alike, so should aking feel an equal affection and forbearance towards every one."
Become a monarch, Vikram meditated deeply upon what is said ofmonarchs:--"A king is fire and air; he is both sun and moon; he isthe god of criminal justice; he is the genius of wealth; he is theregent of water; he is the lord of the firmament; he is a powerfuldivinity who appears in human shape." He reflected with somesatisfaction that the scriptures had made him absolute, had left thelives and properties of all his subjects to his arbitrary will, hadpronounced him to be an incarnate deity, and had threatened topunish with death even ideas derogatory to his honour.
He punctually observed all the ordinances laid down by the authorof the Niti, or institutes of government. His night and day weredivided into sixteen pahars or portions, each one hour and a half,and they were disposed of as follows:--
Before dawn Vikram was awakened by a servant appointed to thisspecial duty. He swallowed-- a thing allowed only to a khshatriyaor warrior-- Mithridatic every morning on the saliva[FN#19], andhe made the cooks taste every dish before he ate of it. As soon ashe had risen, the pages in waiting repeated his splendid qualities,and as he left his sleeping-room in full dress, several Brahmansrehearsed the praises of the gods. Presently he bathed, worshippedhis guardian deity, again heard hymns, drank a little water, andsaw alms distributed to the poor. He ended this watch by auditinghis accounts.
Next entering his court, he placed himself amidst the assembly. Hewas always armed when he received strangers, and he caused evenwomen to be searched for concealed weapons. He was surroundedby so many spies and so artful, that of a thousand, no two ever toldthe same tale. At the levee, on his right sat his relations, theBrahmans, and men of distinguished birth. The other castes wereon the left, and close to him stood the ministers and those whom hedelighted to consult. Afar in front gathered the bards chanting thepraises of the gods and of the king; also the charioteers,elephanteers, horsemen, and soldiers of valour. Amongst thelearned men in those assemblies there were ever some who werewell instructed in all the scriptures, and others who had studied inone particular school of philosophy, and were acquainted only withthe works on divine wisdom, or with those on justice, civil andcriminal, on the arts, mineralogy or the practice of physic; alsopersons cunning in all kinds of customs; riding-masters, dancing-masters, teachers of good behaviour, examiners, tasters, mimics,mountebanks, and others, who all attended the court and awaitedthe king's commands. He here pronounced judgment in suits ofappeal. His poets wrote about him:
The lord of lone splendour an instant suspends His course at mid~noon, ere he westward descends; And brief are the moments our young monarch knows, Devoted to pleasure or paid to repose!
Before the second sandhya,[FN#20] or noon, about the beginningof the third watch, he recited the names of the gods, bathed, andbroke his fast in his private room; then rising from food, he wasamused by singers and dancing girls. The labours of the day nowbecame lighter. After eating he retired, repeating the name of hisguardian deity, visited the temples, saluted the gods conversedwith the priests, and proceeded to receive and to distributepresents. Fifthly, he discussed political questions with hisministers and councillors.
On the announcement of the herald that it was the sixth watch--about 2 or 3 P.M.--Vikram allowed himself to follow his owninclinations, to regulate his family, and to transact business of aprivate and personal nature.
After gaining strength by rest, he proceeded to review his troops,examining the men, saluting the officers, and holding militarycouncils. At sunset he bathed a third time and performed the fivesacraments of listening to a prelection of the Veda; makingoblations to the manes; sacrificing to Fire in honour of the deities;giving rice to dumb creatures; and receiving guests with dueceremonies. He spent the evening amidst a select company of wise,learned, and pious men, conversing on different subjects, andreviewing the business of the day.
The night was distributed with equal care. During the first portionVikram received the reports which his spies and envoys, dressed inevery disguise, brought to him about his enemies. Against thelatter he ceased not to use the five arts, namely--dividing thekingdom, bribes, mischief-making, negotiations, and brute-force--especially preferring the first two and the last. His forethought andprudence taught him to regard all his nearest neighbours and theirallies as hostile. The powers beyond those natural enemies heconsidered friendly because they were the foes of his foes. And allthe remoter nations he looked upon as neutrals, in a transitional orprovisional state as it were, till they became either his neighbours'neighbours, or his own neighbours, that is to say, his friends or hisfoes.
This important duty finished he supped, and at the end of the thirdwatch he retired to sleep, which was not allowed to last beyondthree hours. In the sixth watch he arose and purified himself. Theseventh was devoted to holding private consultations with hisministers, and to furnishing the officers of government withrequisite instructions. The eighth or last watch was spent with thePurohita or priest, and with Brahmans, hailing the dawn with itsappropriate rites; he then bathed, made the customary offerings,and prayed in some unfrequented place near pure water.
And throughout these occupations he bore in mind the duty ofkings, namely--to pursue every object till it be accomplished; tosuccour all dependents, and hospitably to receive guests, howevernumerous. He was generous to his subjects respecting taxes, andkind of speech; yet he was inexorable as death in the punishmentof offenses. He rarely hunted, and he visited his pleasure gardensonly on stated days. He acted in his own dominions with justice;he chastised foreign foes with rigour; he behaved generously toBrahmans, and he avoided favouritism amongst his friends. In warhe never slew a suppliant, a spectator, a person asleep orundressed, or anyone that showed fear. Whatever country heconquered, offerings were presented to its gods, and effects andmoney were given to the reverends. But what benefited him mostwas his attention to the creature comforts of the nine Gems ofScience: those eminent men ate and drank themselves into fits ofenthusiasm, and ended by immortalizing their patron's name.
Become Vikram the Great he established his court at a delightfuland beautiful location rich in the best of water. The country wasdifficult of access, and artificially made incapable of supporting ahost of invaders, but four great roads met near the city. The capitalwas surrounded with durable ramparts, having gates of defence,and near it was a mountain fortress, under the especial charge of agreat captain.
The metropolis was well garrisoned and provisioned, and itsurrounded the royal palace, a noble building without as well aswithin. Grandeur seemed embodied there, and Prosperity had madeit her own. The nearer ground, viewed from the terraces andpleasure pavilions, was a lovely mingling of rock and mountain,plain and valley, field and fallow, crystal lake and glitteringstream. The banks of the winding Lavana were fringed with meadswhose herbage, pearly with morning dew, afforded choicestgrazing for the sacred cow, and were dotted with perfumed clumpsof Bo-trees, tamarinds, and holy figs: in one place Vikram planted100,000 in a single orchard and gave them to his spiritual advisers.The river valley separated the stream from a belt of forest growthwhich extended to a hill range, dark with impervious jungle, andcleared here and there for the cultivator's village. Behind it, roseanother sub-range, wooded with a lower bush and already bluewith air, whilst in the background towered range upon range, hererising abruptly into points and peaks, there ramp-shaped or wall-formed, with sheer descents, and all of light azure hue adornedwith glories of silver and gold.
After reigning for some years, Vikram the Brave found himself atthe age of thirty, a staid and sober middle-aged man, He hadseveral sons--daughters are naught in India--by his several wives,and he had some paternal affection for nearly all--except of course,for his eldest son, a youth who seemed to conduct himself asthough he had a claim to the succession. In fact, the king seemedto have taken up his abode for life at Ujjayani, when suddenly hebethought himself, "I must visit those countries of whose names Iam ever hearing." The fact is, he had determined to spy out indisguise the lands of all his foes, and to find the best means ofbringing against them his formidable army.
* * * * * *
We now learn how Bhartari Raja becomes Regent of Ujjayani.
Having thus resolved, Vikram the Brave gave the government intothe charge of a younger brother, Bhartari Raja, and in the garb of areligious mendicant, accompanied by Dharma Dhwaj, his secondson, a youth bordering on the age of puberty, he began to travelfrom city to city, and from forest to forest.
The Regent was of a settled melancholic turn of mind, having lostin early youth a very peculiar wife. One day, whilst out hunting, hehappened to pass a funeral pyre, upon which a Brahman's widowhad just become Sati (a holy woman) with the greatest fortitude.On his return home he related the adventure to Sita Rani, hisspouse, and she at once made reply that virtuous women die withtheir husbands, killed by the fire of grief, not by the flames of thepile. To prove her truth the prince, after an affectionate farewell,rode forth to the chase, and presently sent back the suite with hisrobes torn and stained, to report his accidental death. Sita perishedupon the spot, and the widower remained inconsolable--for a time.
He led the dullest of lives, and took to himself sundry spouses, allequally distinguished for birth, beauty, and modesty. Like hisbrother, he performed all the proper devoirs of a Raja, risingbefore the day to finish his ablutions, to worship the gods, and todo due obeisance to the Brahmans. He then ascended the throne, tojudge his people according to the Shastra, carefully keeping insubjection lust, anger, avarice, folly, drunkenness, and pride;preserving himself from being seduced by the love of gaming andof the chase; restraining his desire for dancing, singing, andplaying on musical instruments, and refraining from sleep duringdaytime, from wine, from molesting men of worth, from dice, fromputting human beings to death by artful means, from uselesstravelling, and from holding any one guilty without thecommission of a crime. His levees were in a hall decentlysplendid, and he was distinguished only by an umbrella ofpeacock's feathers; he received all complainants, petitioners, andpresenters of offenses with kind looks and soft words. He united tohimself the seven or eight wise councillors, and the sober andvirtuous secretary that formed the high cabinet of his royal brother,and they met in some secret lonely spot, as a mountain, a terrace, abower or a forest, whence women, parrots, and other talkativebirds were carefully excluded.
And at the end of this useful and somewhat laborious day, heretired to his private apartments, and, after listening to spiritualsongs and to soft music, he fell asleep. Sometimes he wouldsummon his brother's "Nine Gems of Science," and give ear totheir learned discourses. But it was observed that the viceroyreserved this exercise for nights when he was troubled withinsomnia--the words of wisdom being to him an infallible remedyfor that disorder.
Thus passed onwards his youth, doing nothing that it could desire,forbidden all pleasures because they were unprincely, and workingin the palace harder than in the pauper's hut. Having, however,fortunately for himself, few predilections and no imagination, hebegan to pride himself upon being a philosopher. Much businessfrom an early age had dulled his wits, which were never of themost brilliant; and in the steadily increasing torpidity of his spirit,he traced the germs of that quietude which forms the highesthappiness of man in this storm of matter called the world. Hetherefore allowed himself but one friend of his soul. He retained, Ihave said, his brother's seven or eight ministers; he was constant inattendance upon the Brahman priests who officiated at the palace,and who kept the impious from touching sacred property; and hewas courteous to the commander-in-chief who directed hiswarriors, to the officers of justice who inflicted punishment uponoffenders, and to the lords of towns, varying in number from oneto a thousand. But he placed an intimate of his own in the highposition of confidential councillor, the ambassador to regulate warand peace.
Mahi-pala was a person of noble birth, endowed with shiningabilities, popular, dexterous in business, acquainted with foreignparts, famed for eloquence and intrepidity, and as Menu theLawgiver advises, remarkably handsome.
Bhartari Raja, as I have said, became a quietist and a philosopher.But Kama,[FN#21] the bright god who exerts his sway over thethree worlds, heaven and earth and grewsome Hades,[FN#22] hadmarked out the prince once more as the victim of his blossom-tipped shafts and his flowery bow. How, indeed, could he hope toescape the doom which has fallen equally upon Brahma theCreator, Vishnu the Preserver, and dreadful Shiva the Three-eyedDestroyer[FN#23]?
By reason of her exceeding beauty, her face was a full moonshining in the clearest sky; her hair was the purple cloud of autumnwhen, gravid with rain, it hangs low over earth; and hercomplexion mocked the pale waxen hue of the large-floweredjasmine. Her eyes were those of the timid antelope; her lips wereas red as those of the pomegranate's bud, and when they opened,from them distilled a fountain of ambrosia. Her neck was like apigeon's; her hand the pink lining of the conch-shell; her waist aleopard's; her feet the softest lotuses. In a word, a model of graceand loveliness was Dangalah Rani, Raja Bhartari's last andyoungest wife.
The warrior laid down his arms before her; the politician spoke outevery secret in her presence. The religious prince would haveslaughtered a cow--that sole unforgivable sin--to save one of hereyelashes: the absolute king would not drink a cup of waterwithout her permission; the staid philosopher, the sober quietist, towin from her the shadow of a smile, would have danced before herlike a singing-girl. So desperately enamoured became BhartariRaja.
It is written, however, that love, alas! breeds not love; and so ithappened to the Regent. The warmth of his affection, instead ofanimating his wife, annoyed her; his protestations wearied her; hisvows gave her the headache; and his caresses were a colic thatmade her blood run cold. Of course, the prince perceived nothing,being lost in wonder and admiration of the beauty's coyness andcoquetry. And as women must give away their hearts, whetherasked or not, so the lovely Dangalah Rani lost no time in lavishingall the passion of her idle soul upon Mahi-pala, the handsomeambassador of peace and war. By this means the three were happyand were contented; their felicity, however, being built on a rottenfoundation, could not long endure. It soon ended in the followingextraordinary way.
In the city of Ujjayani,[FN#24] within sight of the palace, dwelt aBrahman and his wife, who, being old and poor, and havingnothing else to do, had applied themselves to the practice ofaustere devotion.[FN#25] They fasted and refrained from drink,they stood on their heads and held their arms for weeks in the air;they prayed till their knees were like pads; they disciplinedthemselves with scourges of wire; and they walked about unclad inthe cold season, and in summer they sat within a circle of flamingwood, till they became the envy and admiration of all the plebeiangods that inhabit the lower heavens. In fine, as a reward for theirexceeding piety, the venerable pair received at the hands of acelestial messenger an apple of the tree Kalpavriksha-- a fruitwhich has the virtue of conferring eternal life upon him that tastesit.
Scarcely had the god disappeared, when the Brahman, opening histoothless mouth, prepared to eat the fruit of immortality. Then hiswife addressed him in these words, shedding copious tears thewhile:
"To die, O man, is a passing pain; to be poor is an interminableanguish. Surely our present lot is the penalty of some great crimecommitted by us in a past state of being.[FN#26] Callest thou thisstate life? Better we die at once, and so escape the woes of theworld!"
Hearing these words, the Brahman sat undecided, with open jawsand eyes fixed upon the apple. Presently he found tongue: "I haveaccepted the fruit, and have brought it here; but having heard thyspeech, my intellect hath wasted away; now I will do whateverthou pointest out."
The wife resumed her discourse, which had been interrupted by amore than usually copious flow of tears. "Moreover, O husband,we are old, and what are the enjoyments of the stricken in years?Truly quoth the poet--
Die loved in youth, not hated in age.
If that fruit could have restored thy dimmed eyes, and deaf ears,and blunted taste, and warmth of love, I had not spoken to theethus."
After which the Brahman threw away the apple, to the great joy ofhis wife, who felt a natural indignation at the prospect of seeingher goodman become immortal, whilst she still remained subject tothe laws of death; but she concealed this motive in the depths ofher thought, enlarging, as women are apt to do, upon everythingbut the truth. And she spoke with such success, that the priest wasabout to toss in his rage the heavenly fruit into the fire,reproaching the gods as if by sending it they had done him aninjury. Then the wife snatched it out of his hand, and telling him itwas too precious to be wasted, bade him arise and gird his loinsand wend him to the Regent's palace, and offer him the fruit--asKing Vikram was absent--with a right reverend brahmanicalbenediction. She concluded with impressing upon her unworldlyhusband the necessity of requiring a large sum of money as areturn for his inestimable gift. "By this means, "she said, "thoumayst promote thy present and future welfare.[FN#27]"
Then the Brahman went forth, and standing in the presence of theRaja, told him all things touching the fruit, concluding with "O,mighty prince! vouchsafe to accept this tribute, and bestow wealthupon me. I shall be happy in your living long!"
Bhartari Raja led the supplicant into an inner strongroom, wherestood heaps of the finest gold-dust, and bade him carry away allthat he could; this the priest did, not forgetting to fill even hiseloquent and toothless mouth with the precious metal. Havingdismissed the devotee groaning under the burden, the Regententered the apartments of his wives, and having summoned thebeautiful Queen Dangalah Rani, gave her the fruit, and said, "Eatthis, light of my eyes! This fruit--joy of my heart!--will make theeeverlastingly young and beautiful."
The pretty queen, placing both hands upon her husband's bosom,kissed his eyes and lips, and sweetly smiling on his face--for greatis the guile of women--whispered, "Eat it thyself, dear one, or atleast share it with me; for what is life and what is youth withoutthe presence of those we love?" But the Raja, whose heart wasmelted by these unusual words, put her away tenderly, and, havingexplained that the fruit would serve for only one person, departed.
Whereupon the pretty queen, sweetly smiling as before, slipped theprecious present into her pocket. When the Regent was transactingbusiness in the hall of audience she sent for the ambassador whoregulated war and peace, and presented him with the apple in amanner at least as tender as that with which it had been offered toher.
Then the ambassador, after slipping the fruit into his pocket also,retired from the presence of the pretty queen, and meeting Lakha,one of the maids of honour, explained to her its wonderful power,and gave it to her as a token of his love. But the maid of honour,being an ambitious girl, determined that the fruit was a fit presentto set before the Regent in the absence of the King. Bhartari Rajaaccepted it, bestowed on her great wealth, and dismissed her withmany thanks.
He then took up the apple and looked at it with eyes brimful oftears, for he knew the whole extent of his misfortune. His heartached, he felt a loathing for the world, and he said with sighs andgroans[FN#28]:
"Of what value are these delusions of wealth and affection, whosesweetness endures for a moment and becomes eternal bitterness?Love is like the drunkard's cup: delicious is the first drink, pallingare the draughts that succeed it, and most distasteful are the dregs.What is life but a restless vision of imaginary pleasures and of realpains, from which the only waking is the terrible day of death? Theaffection of this world is of no use, since, in consequence of it, wefall at last into hell. For which reason it is best to practice theausterities of religion, that the Deity may bestow upon us hereafterthat happiness which he refuses to us here!"
Thus did Bhartari Raja determine to abandon the world. But beforesetting out for the forest, he could not refrain from seeing thequeen once more, so hot was the flame which Kama had kindled inhis heart. He therefore went to the apartments of his women, andhaving caused Dangalah Rani to be summoned, he asked her whathad become of the fruit which he had given to her. She answeredthat, according to his command, she had eaten it. Upon which theRegent showed her the apple, and she beholding it stood aghast,unable to make any reply. The Raja gave careful orders for herbeheading; he then went out, and having had the fruit washed, ateit. He quitted the throne to be a jogi, or religious mendicant, andwithout communicating with any one departed into the jungle.There he became such a devotee that death had no power over him,and he is wandering still. But some say that he was duly absorbedinto the essence of the Deity.
* * * * * *
We are next told how the valiant Vikram returned to his owncountry.
Thus Vikram's throne remained empty. When the news reachedKing Indra, Regent of the Lower Firmament and Protector ofEarthly Monarchs, he sent Prithwi Pala, a fierce giant,[FN#29] todefend the city of Ujjayani till such time as its lawful master mightreappear, and the guardian used to keep watch and ward night andday over his trust.
In less than a year the valorous Raja Vikram became thoroughlytired of wandering about the woods half dressed: now sufferingfrom famine, then exposed to the attacks of wild beasts, and at alltimes very ill at ease. He reflected also that he was not doing hisduty to his wives and children; that the heir-apparent wouldprobably make the worst use of the parental absence; and finally,that his subjects, deprived of his fatherly care, had been left in thehands of a man who, for ought he could say, was not worthy of thehigh trust. He had also spied out all the weak points of friend andfoe. Whilst these and other equally weighty considerations werehanging about the Raja's mind, he heard a rumour of the state ofthings spread abroad; that Bhartari, the regent, having abdicatedhis throne, had gone away into the forest. Then quoth Vikram tohis son,"We have ended our wayfarings, now let us turn our stepshomewards!"
The gong was striking the mysterious hour of midnight as the kingand the young prince approached the principal gate. And they werepushing through it when a monstrous figure rose up before themand called out with a fearful voice, "Who are ye, and where are yegoing ? Stand and deliver your names!"
"I am Raja Vikram," rejoined the king, half choked with rage, "andI am come to mine own city. Who art thou that darest to stop orstay me?"
"That question is easily answered," cried Prithwi Pala the giant, inhis roaring voice; "the gods have sent me to protect Ujjayani. Ifthou be really Raja Vikram, prove thyself a man: first fight withme, and then return to thine own."
The warrior king cried "Sadhu!" wanting nothing better. He girt hisgirdle tight round his loins, summoned his opponent into the emptyspace beyond the gate, told him to stand on guard, and presentlybegan to devise some means of closing with or running in uponhim. The giant's fists were large as watermelons, and his knottedarms whistled through the air like falling trees, threatening fatalblows. Besides which the Raja's head scarcely reached the giant'sstomach, and the latter, each time he struck out, whooped soabominably loud, that no human nerves could remain unshaken.
At last Vikram's good luck prevailed. The giant's left foot slipped,and the hero, seizing his antagonist's other leg, began to trip himup. At the same moment the young prince, hastening to his parent'sassistance, jumped viciously upon the enemy's naked toes. By theirunited exertions they brought him to the ground, when the son satdown upon his stomach, making himself as weighty as he wellcould, whilst the father, climbing up to the monster's throat, placedhimself astride upon it, and pressing both thumbs upon his eyes,threatened to blind him if he would not yield.
Then the giant, modifying the bellow of his voice, cried out--
"O Raja, thou hast overthrown me, and I grant thee thy life."
"Surely thou art mad, monster," replied the king, in jeering tone,half laughing, half angry. "To whom grantest thou life? If I desireit I can kill thee; how, then, cost thou talk about granting me mylife?"
"Vikram of Ujjayani," said the giant, "be not too proud! I will savethee from a nearly impending death. Only hearken to the talewhich I have to tell thee, and use thy judgment, and act upon it. Soshalt thou rule the world free from care, and live without danger,and die happily."
"Proceed," quoth the Raja, after a moment's thought, dismountingfrom the giant's throat, and beginning to listen with all his ears.
The giant raised himself from the ground, and when in a sittingposture, began in solemn tones to speak as follows:
"In short, the history of the matter is, that three men were born inthis same city of Ujjayani, in the same lunar mansion, in the samedivision of the great circle described upon the ecliptic, and in thesame period of time. You, the first, were born in the house of aking. The second was an oilman's son, who was slain by the third,a jogi, or anchorite, who kills all he can, wafting the sweet scent ofhuman sacrifice to the nostrils of Durga, goddess of destruction.Moreover, the holy man, after compassing the death of theoilman's son, has suspended him head downwards from a mimosatree in a cemetery. He is now anxiously plotting thy destruction.He hath murdered his own child-- "
"And how came an anchorite to have a child?" asked Raja Vikram,incredulously.
"That is what I am about to tell thee," replied the giant. "In thegood days of thy generous father, Gandharba-Sena, as the courtwas taking its pleasure in the forest, they saw a devotee, or rather adevotee's head, protruding from a hole in the ground. The whiteants had surrounded his body with a case of earth, and had madetheir home upon his skin. All kinds of insects and small animalscrawled up and down the face, yet not a muscle moved. Wasps hadhung their nests to its temples, and scorpions wandered in and outof the matted and clotted hair; yet the hermit felt them not. Hespoke to no one; he received no gifts; and had it not been for theopening of his nostrils, as he continually inhaled the pungentsmoke of a thorn fire, man would have deemed him dead. Suchwere his religious austerities.
"Thy father marvelled much at the sight, and rode home inprofound thought. That evening, as he sat in the hall of audience,he could speak of nothing but the devotee; and his curiosity soonrose to such a pitch, that he proclaimed about the city a reward ofone hundred gold pieces to any one that could bring to court thisanchorite of his own free will.
"Shortly afterwards, Vasantasena, a singing and dancing girl morecelebrated for wit and beauty than for sagesse or discretion,appeared before thy sire, and offered for the petty inducement of agold bangle to bring the anchorite into the palace, carrying a babyon his shoulder.
"The king hearing her speak was astonished, gave her a betel leafin token that he held her to her promise, and permitted her todepart, which she did with a laugh of triumph.
"Vasantasena went directly to the jungle, where she found thepious man faint with thirst, shriveled with hunger, and half deadwith heat and cold. She cautiously put out the fire. Then, havingprepared a confection, she approached from behind and rubbedupon his lips a little of the sweetmeat, which he licked up withgreat relish. Thereupon she made more and gave it to him. Aftertwo days of this generous diet he gained some strength, and on thethird, as he felt a finger upon his mouth, he opened his eyes andsaid, "Why hast thou come here?"
"The girl, who had her story in readiness, replied: "I am thedaughter of a deity, and have practiced religious observances in theheavenly regions. I have now come into this forest!" And thedevotee, who began to think how much more pleasant is suchsociety than solitude, asked her where her hut was, and requestedto be led there.
"Then Vasantasena, having unearthed the holy man and compelledhim to purify himself, led him to the abode which she had causedto be built for herself in the wood. She explained its luxuries by thenature of her vow, which bound her to indulge in costly apparel, infood with six flavours, and in every kind of indulgence.[FN#30] Incourse of time the hermit learned to follow her example; he gaveup inhaling smoke, and he began to eat and drink as a dailyoccupation.
"At length Kama began to trouble him. Briefly the saint andsaintess were made man and wife, by the simple form ofmatrimony called the Gandharba-vivaha,[FN#31] and about tenmonths afterwards a son was born to them. Thus the anchoritecame to have a child.
"Remained Vasantasena's last feat. Some months passed: then shesaid to the devotee her husband, 'Oh saint! let us now, havingfinished our devotions, perform a pilgrimage to some sacred place,that all the sins of our bodies may be washed away, after which wewill die and depart into everlasting happiness.' Cajoled by thesespeeches, the hermit mounted his child upon his shoulder andfollowed her where she went--directly into Raja Gandharba-Sena'spalace.
"When the king and the ministers and the officers and the courtierssaw Vasantasena, and her spouse carrying the baby, theyrecognized her from afar. The Raja exclaimed, 'Lo! this is the verysinging girl who went forth to bring back the devotee. 'And allreplied: 'O great monarch! thou speakest truly; this is the verysame woman. And be pleased to observe that whatever things she,having asked leave to undertake, went forth to do, all these shehath done!' Then gathering around her they asked her all manner ofquestions, as if the whole matter had been the lightest and the mostlaughable thing in the world.
"But the anchorite, having heard the speeches of the king and hiscourtiers, thought to himself, 'They have done this for the purposeof taking away the fruits of my penance.' Cursing them all withterrible curses, and taking up his child, he left the hall. Thence hewent to the forest, slaughtered the innocent, and began to practiceausterities with a view to revenge that hour, and having slain hischild, he will attempt thy life. His prayers have been heard. In thefirst place they deprived thee of thy father. Secondly, they castenmity between thee and thy brother, thus dooming him to anuntimely end. Thirdly, they are now working thy ruin. Theanchorite's design is to offer up a king and a king's son to hispatroness Durga, and by virtue of such devotional act he willobtain the sovereignty of the whole world!
"But I have promised, O Vikram, to save thee, if such be the willof Fortune, from impending destruction. Therefore hearken wellunto my words. Distrust them that dwell amongst the dead, andremember that it is lawful and right to strike off his head thatwould slay thee. So shalt thou rule the universal earth, and leavebehind thee an immortal name!"
Suddenly Prithwi Pala, the giant, ceased speaking, anddisappeared. Vikram and his son then passed through the citygates, feeling their limbs to be certain that no bones were broken,and thinking over the scene that had occurred.
* * * * * *
We now are informed how the valiant King Vikram met with theVampire.
It was the spring season when the Raja returned, and the Holifestival[FN#32] caused dancing and singing in every house.Ujjayani was extraordinarily happy and joyful at the return of herruler, who joined in her gladness with all his kingly heart. Thefaces and dresses of the public were red and yellow with gulal andabir,--perfumed powders,[FN#33]--which were sprinkled upon oneanother in token of merriment. Musicians deafened the citizens'ears, dancing girls performed till ready to faint with fatigue, themanufacturers of comfits made their fortunes, and the Nine Gemsof Science celebrated the auspicious day with the most long-winded odes. The royal hero, decked in regal attire, and attendedby many thousands of state palanquins glittering with their variousornaments, and escorted by a suite of a hundred kingly personages,with their martial array of the four hosts, of cavalry, elephants,chariots, and infantry, and accompanied by Amazon girls, lovelyas the suite of the gods, himself a personification of majesty,bearing the white parasol of dominion, with a golden staff andtassels, began once more to reign.
After the first pleasures of return, the king applied himselfunremittingly to good government and to eradicating the abuseswhich had crept into the administration during the period of hiswanderings.
Mindful of the wise saying, "if the Rajadid not punish the guilty,the stronger would roast the weaker like a fish on the spit," hebegan the work of reform with an iron hand. He confiscated theproperty of a councillor who had the reputation of taking bribes; hebranded the forehead of a sudra or servile man whose breath smeltof ardent spirits, and a goldsmith having been detected in fraud heordered him to be cut in shreds with razors as the law in its mercydirects. In the case of a notorious evil-speaker he opened the backof his head and had his tongue drawn through the wound. A fewmurderers he burned alive on iron beds, praying the while thatVishnu might have mercy upon their souls. His spies were ordered,as the shastra called "The Prince" advises, to mix with robbers andthieves with a view of leading them into situations where theymight most easily be entrapped, and once or twice when thefellows were too wary, he seized them and their relations andimpaled them all, thereby conclusively proving, without anymistake, that he was king of earth.
With the sex feminine he was equally severe. A woman convictedof having poisoned an elderly husband in order to marry a youngerman was thrown to the dogs, which speedily devoured her. Hepunished simple infidelity by cutting off the offender's nose--anadmirable practice, which is not only a severe penalty to theculprit, but also a standing warning to others, and an efficientpreventative to any recurrence of the fault. Faithlessness combinedwith bad example or brazen-facedness was further treated by beingled in solemn procession through the bazar mounted on adiminutive and crop-eared donkey, with the face turned towardsthe crupper. After a few such examples the women of Ujjayanibecame almost modest; it is the fault of man when they are nottolerably well behaved in one point at least.
Every day as Vikram sat upon the judgment-seat, trying causes andpunishing offenses, he narrowly observed the speech, the gestures,and the countenances of the various criminals and litigants andtheir witnesses. Ever suspecting women, as I have said, andholding them to be the root of all evil, he never failed when somesin or crime more horrible than usual came before him, to ask theaccused, "Who is she?" and the suddenness of the question oftenelicited the truth by accident. For there can be nothing thoroughlyand entirely bad unless a woman is at the bottom of it; and,knowing this, Raja Vikram made certain notable hits under themost improbable circumstances, which had almost given him areputation for omniscience. But this is easily explained: a manintent upon squaring the circle will see squares in circles whereverhe looks, and sometimes he will find them.
In disputed cases of money claims, the king adhered strictly toestablished practice, and consulted persons learned in the law. Heseldom decided a cause on his own judgment, and he showed greattemper and patience in bearing with rough language from irritatedplaintiffs and defendants, from the infirm, and from old menbeyond eighty. That humble petitioners might not be baulked inhaving access to the "fountain of justice," he caused an iron box tobe suspended by a chain from the windows of his sleepingapartment. Every morning he ordered the box to be opened beforehim, and listened to all the placets at full length. Even in thissimple process he displayed abundant cautiousness. For, havingforgotten what little of the humanities he had mastered in hisyouth, he would hand the paper to a secretary whose business itwas to read it out before him; after which operation the man ofletters was sent into an inner room, and the petition was placed inthe hands of a second scribe. Once it so happened by the bunglingof the deceitful kayasths(clerks) that an important difference wasfound to occur in the same sheet. So upon strict inquiry onesecretary lost his ears and the other his right hand. After thispetitions were rarely if ever falsified.
The Raja Vikram also lost no time in attacking the cities and townsand villages of his enemies, but the people rose to a man againsthim, and hewing his army to pieces with their weapons,vanquished him. This took place so often that he despaired ofbringing all the earth under the shadow of his umbrella.
At length on one occasion when near a village he listened to aconversation of the inhabitants. A woman having baked somecakes was giving them to her child, who leaving the edges wouldeat only the middle. On his asking for another cake, she cried,"This boy's way is like Vikram's in his attempt to conquer theworld!" On his inquiring "Mother, why, what am I doing; and whathas Vikram done?" " Thou, my boy," she replied, "throwing awaythe outside of the cake eatest the middle only. Vikram also in hisambition, without subduing the frontiers before attacking thetowns, invades the heart of the country and lays it waste. On thataccount, both the townspeople and others rising, close upon himfrom the frontiers to the centre, and destroy his army. That is hisfolly."
Vikram took notice of the woman's words. He strengthened hisarmy and resumed his attack on the provinces and cities, beginningwith the frontiers, reducing the outer towns and stationing troopsin the intervals. Thus he proceeded regularly with his invasions.After a respite, adopting the same system and marshalling hugearmies, he reduced in regular course each kingdom and provincetill he became monarch of the whole world.
It so happened that one day as Vikram the Brave sat upon thejudgment-seat, a young merchant, by name Mal Deo, who hadlately arrived at Ujjayani with loaded camels and elephants, andwith the reputation of immense wealth, entered the palace court.Having been received with extreme condescension, he gave intothe king's hand a fruit which he had brought in his own, and thenspreading a prayer carpet on the floor he sat down. Presently, aftera quarter of an hour, he arose and went away. When he had gonethe king reflected in his mind: "Under this disguise, perhaps, is thevery man of whom the giant spoke." Suspecting this, he did not eatthe fruit, but calling the master of the household he gave thepresent to him, ordering him to keep it in a very careful manner.The young merchant, however, continued every day to court thehonour of an interview, each time presenting a similar gift.
By chance one morning Raja Vikram went, attended by hisministers, to see his stables. At this time the young merchant alsoarrived there, and in the usual manner placed a fruit in the royalhand. As the king was thoughtfully tossing it in the air, itaccidentally fell from his fingers to the ground. Then the monkey,who was tethered amongst the horses to draw calamities from theirheads,[FN#34] snatched it up and tore it to pieces. Whereupon aruby of such size and water came forth that the king and hisministers, beholding its brilliancy, gave vent to expressions ofwonder.
Quoth Vikram to the young merchant severely--for his suspicionswere now thoroughly roused--"Why hast thou given to us all thiswealth?"
"O great king," replied Mal Deo, demurely, "it is written in thescriptures (shastra) 'Of Ceremony' that 'we must not go empty-handed into the presence of the following persons, namely, Rajas,spiritual teachers, judges, young maidens, and old women whosedaughters we would marry.' But why, O Vikram, cost thou speakof one ruby only, since in each of the fruits which I have laid at thyfeet there is a similar jewel?" Having heard this speech, the kingsaid to the master of his household, "Bring all the fruits which Ihave entrusted to thee." The treasurer, on receiving the royalcommand, immediately brought them, and having split them, therewas found in each one a ruby, one and all equally perfect in sizeand water. Raja Vibram beholding such treasures was excessivelypleased. Having sent for a lapidary, he ordered him to examine therubies, saying, "We cannot take anything with us out of this world.Virtue is a noble quality to possess here below--so tell justly whatis the value of each of these gems.[FN#35]"
To so moral a speech the lapidary replied, " Maha-Raja[FN#36]!thou hast said truly; whoever possesses virtue, possesseseverything; virtue indeed accompanies us always, and is ofadvantage in both worlds. Hear, O great king! each gem is perfectin colour, quality and beauty. If I were to say that the value of eachwas ten million millions of suvarnas (gold pieces), even then thoucouldst not understand its real worth. In fact, each ruby would buyone of the seven regions into which the earth is divided."
The king on hearing this was delighted, although his suspicionswere not satisfied; and, having bestowed a robe of honour upon thelapidary, dismissed him. Thereon, taking the young merchant'shand, he led him into the palace, seated him upon his own carpet inpresence of the court, and began to say, "My entire kingdom is notworth one of these rubies: tell me how it is that thou who buyestand sellest hast given me such and so many pearls?"
Mal Deo replied: "O great king, the speaking of matters like thefollowing in public is not right; these things--prayers, spells, drugs,good qualities, household affairs, the eating of forbidden food, andthe evil we may have heard of our neighbour--should not bediscussed in full assembly. Privately I will disclose to thee mywishes. This is the way of the world; when an affair comes to sixears, it does not remain secret; if a matter is confided to four ears itmay escape further hearing; and if to two ears even Brahma theCreator does not know it; how then can any rumour of it come toman?"
Having heard this speech, Raja Vikram took Mal Deo aside, andbegan to ask him, saying, "O generous man! you have given me somany rubies, and even for a single day you have not eaten foodwith me; I am exceedingly ashamed, tell me what you desire."
"Raja," said the young merchant, "I am not Mal Deo, but Shanta-Shil,[FN#37] a devotee. I am about to perform spells, incantationsand magical rites on the banks of the river Godavari, in a largesmashana, a cemetery where bodies are burned. By this means theEight Powers of Nature will all become mine. This thing I ask ofyou as alms, that you and the young prince Dharma Dhwaj willpass one night with me, doing my bidding. By you remaining nearme my incantations will be successful."
The valiant Vikram nearly started from his seat at the wordcemetery, but, like a ruler of men, he restrained his face fromexpressing his feelings, and he presently replied, "Good, we willcome, tell us on what day!"
"You are to come to me," said the devotee, "armed, but withoutfollowers, on the Monday evening the 14th of the dark half of themonth Bhadra.[FN#38]" The Raja said: "Do you go your ways, wewill certainly come." In this manner, having received a promisefrom the king, and having taken leave, the devotee returned to hishouse: thence he repaired to the temple, and having madepreparations, and taken all the necessary things, he went back intothe cemetery and sat down to his ceremonies.
The valiant Vikram, on the other hand, retired into an innerapartment, to consult his own judgment about an adventure withwhich, for fear of ridicule, he was unwilling to acquaint even themost trustworthy of his ministers.
In due time came the evening moon's day, the 14th of the dark halfof the month Bhadra. As the short twilight fell gloomily on earth,the warrior king accompanied by his son, with turband-ends tiedunder their chins, and with trusty blades tucked under their armsready for foes, human, bestial, or devilish, slipped out unseenthrough the palace wicket, and took the road leading to thecemetery on the river bank.
Dark and drear was the night. Urged by the furious blast of thelingering winter-rains, masses of bistre-coloured cloud, like theforms of unwieldy beasts, rolled heavily over the firmament plain.Whenever the crescent of the young moon, rising from an horizonsable as the sad Tamala's hue,[FN#39] glanced upon the wayfarers,it was no brighter than the fine tip of an elephant's tusk protrudingfrom the muddy wave. A heavy storm was impending; big dropsfell in showers from the forest trees as they groaned under theblast, and beneath the gloomy avenue the clayey ground gleamedghastly white. As the Raja and his son advanced, a faint ray oflight, like the line of pure gold streaking the dark surface of thetouchstone, caught their eyes, and directed their footsteps towardsthe cemetery.
When Vikram came upon the open space on the riverbank wherecorpses were burned, he hesitated for a moment to tread its impureground. But seeing his son undismayed, he advanced boldly,trampling upon remnants of bones, and only covering his mouthwith his turband-end.
Presently, at the further extremity of the smashana, or burningground, appeared a group. By the lurid flames that flared andflickered round the half-extinguished funeral pyres, with remnantsof their dreadful loads, Raja Vikram and Dharma Dhwaj couldnote the several features of the ill-omened spot. There was an outercircle of hideous bestial forms; tigers were roaring, and elephantswere trumpeting; wolves, whose foul hairy coats blazed withsparks of bluish phosphoric light, were devouring the remnants ofhuman bodies; foxes, jackals, and hyenas were disputing over theirprey; whilst bears were chewing the livers of children. The spacewithin was peopled by a multitude of fiends. There were the subtlebodies of men that had escaped their grosser frames prowlingabout the charnel ground, where their corpses had been reduced toashes, or hovering in the air, waiting till the new bodies which theywere to animate were made ready for their reception. The spirits ofthose that had been foully slain wandered about with gashed limbs;and skeletons, whose mouldy bones were held together by bits ofblackened sinew, followed them as the murderer does his victim.Malignant witches with shriveled skins, horrid eyes and distortedforms, crawled and crouched over the earth; whilst spectres andgoblins now stood motionless, and tall as lofty palm trees; then, asif in fits, leaped, danced, and tumbled before their evocator. Theair was filled with shrill and strident cries, with the fitful moaningof the storm-wind, with the hooting of the owl, with the jackal'slong wild cry, and with the hoarse gurgling of the swollen river,from whose banks the earth-slip thundered in its fall.
In the midst of all, close to the fire which lit up his evilcountenance, sat Shanta-Shil, the jogi, with the banner that denotedhis calling and his magic staff planted in the ground behind him.He was clad in the ochre-coloured loin-wrap of his class; from hishead streamed long tangled locks of hair like horsehair; his blackbody was striped with lines of chalk, and a girdle of thighbonesencircled his waist. His face was smeared with ashes from afuneral pyre, and his eyes, fixed as those of a statue, gleamed fromthis mask with an infernal light of hate. His cheeks were shaven,and he had not forgotten to draw the horizontal sectarian mark. Butthis was of blood; and Vikram, as he drew near saw that he wasplaying upon a human skull with two shank bones, making musicfor the horrid revelry.
Now Raja Vibram, as has been shown by his encounter withIndra's watchman, was a bold prince, and he was cautious as hewas brave. The sight of a human being in the midst of these terrorsraised his mettle; he determined to prove himself a hero, andfeeling that the critical moment was now come, he hoped to ridhimself and his house forever of the family curse that hovered overthem.
For a moment he thought of the giant's words, "And remember thatit is lawful and right to strike off his head that would slay thee." Astroke with his good sword might at once and effectually put anend to the danger. But then he remembered that he had passed hisroyal word to do the devotee's bidding that night. Besides, he feltassured that the hour for action had not yet sounded.
These reflections having passed through his mind with the rapidcourse of a star that has lost its honours,[FN#40] Vikramcourteously saluted Shanta-Shil. The jogi briefly replied, "Comesit down, both of ye." The father and son took their places, by nomeans surprised or frightened by the devil dances before andaround them. Presently the valiant Raja reminded the devotee thathe was come to perform his promise, and lastly asked, "Whatcommands are there for us?"
The jogi replied, "O king, since you have come, just perform onepiece of business. About two kos[FN#41] hence, in a southerlydirection, there is another place where dead bodies are burned; andin that place is a mimosa tree, on which a body is hanging. Bring itto me immediately."
Raja Vikram took his son's hand, unwilling to leave him in suchcompany; and, catching up a fire-brand, went rapidly away in theproper direction. He was now certain that Shanta-Shil was theanchorite who, enraged by his father, had resolved his destruction;and his uppermost thought was a firm resolve "to breakfast uponhis enemy, ere his enemy could dine upon him." He muttered thisold saying as he went, whilst the tom-toming of the anchorite uponthe skull resounded in his ears, and the devil-crowd, which hadheld its peace during his meeting with Shanta-Shil, broke out againin an infernal din of whoops and screams, yells and laughter.
The darkness of the night was frightful, the gloom deepened till itwas hardly possible to walk. The clouds opened their fountains,raining so that you would say they could never rain again.Lightning blazed forth with more than the light of day, and the roarof the thunder caused the earth to shake. Baleful gleams tipped theblack cones of the trees and fitfully scampered like fireflies overthe waste. Unclean goblins dogged the travellers and threwthemselves upon the ground in their path and obstructed them in athousand different ways. Huge snakes, whose mouths distilledblood and black venom, kept clinging around their legs in theroughest part of the road, till they were persuaded to loose theirhold either by the sword or by reciting a spell. In fact, there wereso many horrors and such a tumult and noise that even a brave manwould have faltered, yet the king kept on his way.
At length having passed over, somehow or other, a very difficultroad, the Raja arrived at the smashana, or burning place pointedout by the jogi. Suddenly he sighted the tree where from root to topevery branch and leaf was in a blaze of crimson flame. And whenhe, still dauntless, advanced towards it, a clamour continued to beraised, and voices kept crying, "Kill them! kill them! seize them!seize them! take care that they do not get away! let them scorchthemselves to cinders! let them suffer the pains of Patala.[FN#42]"
Far from being terrified by this state of things the valiant Rajaincreased in boldness, seeing a prospect of an end to his adventure.Approaching the tree he felt that the fire did not burn him, and sohe sat there for a while to observe the body, which hung, headdownwards, from a branch a little above him.
Its eyes, which were wide open, were of a greenish-brown, andnever twinkled; its hair also was brown,[FN#43] and brown was itsface--three several shades which, notwithstanding, approached oneanother in an unpleasant way, as in an over-dried cocoa-nut. Itsbody was thin and ribbed like a skeleton or a bamboo framework,and as it held on to a bough, like a flying fox,[FN#44] by the toe-tips, its drawn muscles stood out as if they were ropes of coin.Blood it appeared to have none, or there would have been adecided determination of that curious juice to the head; and as theRaja handled its skin it felt icy cold and clammy as might a snake.The only sign of life was the whisking of a ragged little tail muchresembling a goat's.
Judging from these signs the brave king at once determined thecreature to be a Baital--a Vampire. For a short time he was puzzledto reconcile the appearance with the words of the giant, whoinformed him that the anchorite had hung the oilman's son to atree. But soon he explained to himself the difficulty, rememberingthe exceeding cunning of jogis and other reverend men, anddetermining that his enemy, the better to deceive him, haddoubtless altered the shape and form of the young oilman's body.
With this idea, Vikram was pleased, saying, "My trouble has beenproductive of fruit." Remained the task of carrying the Vampire toShanta-Shil the devotee. Having taken his sword, the Rajafearlessly climbed the tree, and ordering his son to stand awayfrom below, clutched the Vampire's hair with one hand, and withthe other struck such a blow of the sword, that the bough was cutand the thing fell heavily upon the ground. Immediately on fallingit gnashed its teeth and began to utter a loud wailing cry like thescreams of an infant in pain. Vikram having heard the sound of itslamentations, was pleased, and began to say to himself, "This devilmust be alive." Then nimbly sliding down the trunk, he made acaptive of the body, and asked " Who art thou?"
Scarcely, however, had the words passed the royal lips, when theVampire slipped through the fingers like a worm, and uttering aloud shout of laughter, rose in the air with its legs uppermost, andas before suspended itself by its toes to another bough. And there itswung to and fro, moved by the violence of its cachinnation.
"Decidedly this is the young oilman!" exclaimed the Raja, after hehad stood for a minute or two with mouth open, gazing upwardsand wondering what he should do next. Presently he directedDharma Dhwaj not to lose an instant in laying hands upon thething when it next might touch the ground, and then he againswarmed up the tree. Having reached his former position, he oncemore seized the Baital's hair, and with all the force of his arms--forhe was beginning to feel really angry--he tore it from its hold anddashed it to the ground, saying, "O wretch, tell me who thou art?"
Then, as before, the Raja slid deftly down the trunk, and hurried tothe aid of his son, who in obedience to orders, had fixed his graspupon the Vampire's neck. Then, too, as before, the Vampire,laughing aloud, slipped through their fingers and returned to itsdangling-place.
To fail twice was too much for Raja Vikram's temper, which wasright kingly and somewhat hot. This time he bade his son strike theBaital's head with his sword. Then, more like a wounded bear ofHimalaya than a prince who had established an era, he hurried upthe tree, and directed a furious blow with his sabre at theVampire's lean and calfless legs. The violence of the stroke madeits toes loose their hold of the bough, and when it touched theground, Dharma Dhwaj's blade fell heavily upon its matted brownhair. But the blows appeared to have lighted on iron-wood--tojudge at least from the behaviour of the Baital, who no soonerheard the question, "O wretch, who art thou?" than it returned inloud glee and merriment to its old position.
Five mortal times did Raja Vikram repeat this profitless labour.But so far from losing heart, he quite entered into the spirit of theadventure. Indeed he would have continued climbing up that treeand taking that corpse under his arm--he found his sword useless--and bringing it down, and asking it who it was, and seeing it slipthrough his fingers, six times sixty times, or till the end of thefourth and present age,[FN#45] had such extreme resolution beenrequired.
However, it was not necessary. On the seventh time of falling, theBaital, instead of eluding its capturer's grasp, allowed itself to beseized, merely remarking that "even the gods cannot resist athoroughly obstinate man."[FN#46] And seeing that the stranger,for the better protection of his prize, had stripped off his waistclothand was making it into a bag, the Vampire thought proper to seekthe most favourable conditions for himself, and asked hisconqueror who he was, and what he was about to do?
"Vile wretch," replied the breathless hero, "know me to be Vikramthe Great, Raja of Ujjayani, and I bear thee to a man who isamusing himself by drumming to devils on a skull."
"Remember the old saying, mighty Vikram!" said the Baital, witha sneer, "that many a tongue has cut many a throat. I have yieldedto thy resolution and I am about to accompany thee, bound to thyback like a beggar's wallet. But hearken to my words, ere we setout upon the way. I am of a loquacious disposition, and it is wellnigh an hour's walk between this tree and the place where thyfriend sits, favouring his friends with the peculiar music whichthey love. Therefore, I shall try to distract my thoughts, whichotherwise might not be of the most pleasing nature, by means ofsprightly tales and profitable reflections. Sages and men of sensespend their days in the delights of light and heavy literature,whereas dolts and fools waste time in sleep and idleness. And Ipurpose to ask thee a number of questions, concerning which wewill, if it seems fit to thee, make this covenant:
"Whenever thou answerest me, either compelled by Fate orentrapped by my cunning into so doing, or thereby gratifying thyvanity and conceit, I leave thee and return to my favourite placeand position in the siras-tree, but when thou shalt remain silent,confused, and at a loss to reply, either through humility or therebyconfessing thine ignorance, and impotence, and want ofcomprehension, then will I allow thee, of mine own free will, toplace me before thine employer. Perhaps I should not say so; itmay sound like bribing thee, but--take my counsel, and mortify thypride, and assumption, and arrogance, and haughtiness, as soon aspossible. So shalt thou derive from me a benefit which none butmyself can bestow."
Raja Vikram hearing these rough words, so strange to his royalear, winced; then he rejoiced that his heir apparent was not near;then he looked round at his son Dharma Dhwaj, to see if he wasimpertinent enough to be amused by the Baital. But the first glanceshowed him the young prince busily employed in pinching andscrewing the monster's legs, so as to make it fit better into thecloth. Vikram then seized the ends of the waistcloth, twisted theminto a convenient form for handling, stooped, raised the bundlewith a jerk, tossed it over his shoulder, and bidding his son not tolag behind, set off at a round pace towards the western end of thecemetery.
The shower had ceased, and, as they gained ground, the weathergreatly improved.
The Vampire asked a few indifferent questions about the wind andthe rain and the mud. When he received no answer, he began tofeel uncomfortable, and he broke out with these words: "O KingVikram, listen to the true story which I am about to tell thee."
THE VAMPIRE'S FIRST STORY.
In which a man deceives a woman.
In Benares once reigned a mighty prince, by name Pratapamukut,to whose eighth son Vajramukut happened the strangest adventure.
One morning, the young man, accompanied by the son of hisfather's pradhan or prime minister, rode out hunting, and went farinto the jungle. At last the twain unexpectedly came upon abeautiful "tank [FN#47]" of a prodigious size. It was surroundedby short thick walls of fine baked brick; and flights and ramps ofcut-stone steps, half the length of each face, and adorned withturrets, pendants, and finials, led down to the water. Thesubstantial plaster work and the masonry had fallen into disrepair,and from the crevices sprang huge trees, under whose thick shadethe breeze blew freshly, and on whose balmy branches the birdssang sweetly; the grey squirrels [FN#48] chirruped joyously asthey coursed one another up the gnarled trunks, and from thependent llianas the longtailed monkeys were swinging sportively.The bountiful hand of Sravana [FN#49] had spread the earthenrampart with a carpet of the softest grass and many-hued wildflowers, in which were buzzing swarms of bees and myriads ofbright winged insects; and flocks of water fowl, wild geeseBrahmini ducks, bitterns, herons, and cranes, male and female,were feeding on the narrow strip of brilliant green that belted thelong deep pool, amongst the broad-leaved lotuses with the lovelyblossoms, splashing through the pellucid waves, and baskinghappily in the genial sun.
The prince and his friend wondered when they saw the beautifultank in the midst of a wild forest, and made many vain conjecturesabout it. They dismounted, tethered their horses, and threw theirweapons upon the ground; then, having washed their hands andfaces, they entered a shrine dedicated to Mahadeva, and therebegan to worship the presiding deity.
Whilst they were making their offerings, a bevy of maidens,accompanied by a crowd of female slaves, descended the oppositeflight of steps. They stood there for a time, talking and laughingand looking about them to see if any alligators infested the waters.When convinced that the tank was safe, they disrobed themselvesin order to bathe. It was truly a splendid spectacle
"Concerning which the less said the better," interruptedRajaVikram in an offended tone.[FN#50]
--but did not last long. The Raja's daughter -- for the principalmaiden was a princess -- soon left her companions, who werescooping up water with their palms and dashing it over oneanother's heads, and proceeded to perform the rites of purification,meditation, and worship. Then she began strolling with a friendunder the shade of a small mango grove.
The prince also left his companion sitting in prayer, and walkedforth into the forest. Suddenly the eyes of the Raja's son and theRaja's daughter met. She started back with a little scream. He wasfascinated by her beauty, and began to say to himself, " O thou vileKarma,[FN#51] why worriest thou me?"
Hearing this, the maiden smiled encouragement, but the pooryouth, between palpitation of the heart and hesitation about whatto say, was so confused that his tongue crave to his teeth. Sheraised her eyebrows a little. There is nothing which women despisein a man more than modesty, [FN#52] for mo-des-ty --
A violent shaking of the bag which hung behind Vikram's royalback broke off the end of this offensive sentence. And the warriorking did not cease that discipline till the Baital promised him topreserve more decorum in his observations.
Still the prince stood before her with downcast eyes and suffusedcheeks: even the spur of contempt failed to arouse his energies.Then the maiden called to her friend, who was picking jasmineflowers so as not to witness the scene, and angrily asked why thatstrange man was allowed to stand and stare at her? The friend, inhot wrath, threatened to call the slave, and throw Vajramukut intothe pond unless he instantly went away with his impudence. But asthe prince was rooted to the spot, and really had not heard a wordof what had been said to him, the two women were obliged tomake the first move.
As they almost reached the tank, the beautiful maiden turned herhead to see what the poor modest youth was doing.
Vajramukut was formed in every way to catch a woman's eye. TheRaja's daughter therefore half forgave him his offence of mod ----.Again she sweetly smiled, disclosing two rows of little opals. Thendescending to the water's edge, she stooped down and plucked alotus This she worshipped; next she placed it in her hair, then sheput it in her ear, then she bit it with her teeth, then she trod upon itwith her foot, then she raised it up again, and lastly she stuck it inher bosom. After which she mounted her conveyance and wenthome to her friends; whilst the prince, having become thoroughlydesponding and drowned in grief at separation from her, returnedto the minister's son.
"Females!" ejaculated the minister's son, speaking to himself in acareless tone, when, his prayer finished, he left the temple, and satdown upon the tank steps to enjoy the breeze. He presently drew aroll of paper from under his waist-belt, and in a short time wasengrossed with his study. The women seeing this conduct, exertedthemselves in every possible way of wile to attract his attentionand to distract his soul. They succeeded only so far as to make himroll his head with a smile, and to remember that such is always thecustom of man's bane; after which he turned over a fresh page ofmanuscript. And although he presently began to wonder what hadbecome of the prince his master, he did not look up even oncefrom his study.
He was a philosopher, that young man. But after all, Raja Vikram,what is mortal philosophy? Nothing but another name forindifference! Who was ever philosophical about a thing truly lovedor really hated? -- no one! Philosophy, says Shankharacharya, iseither a gift of nature or the reward of study. But I, the Baital, thedevil, ask you, what is a born philosopher, save a man of colddesires? And what is a bred philosopher but a man who hassurvived his desires? A young philosopher? - a cold-bloodedyouth! An elderly philosopher? --a leuco-phlegmatic old man!Much nonsense, of a verity, ye hear in praise of nothing from yourRajaship's Nine Gems of Science, and from sundry other such wisefools.
Then the prince began to relate the state of his case, saying, " Ofriend, I have seen a damsel, but whether she be a musician fromIndra's heaven, a maiden of the sea, a daughter of the serpentkings, or the child of an earthly Raja, I cannot say."
"Describe her," said the statesman in embryo.
"Her face," quoth the prince, "was that of the full moon, her hairlike a swarm of bees hanging from the blossoms of the acacia, thecorners of her eyes touched her ears, her lips were sweet with lunarambrosia, her waist was that of a lion, and her walk the walk of aking goose. [FN#53] As a garment, she was white; as a season, thespring; as a flower, the jasmine; as a speaker, the kokila bird; as aperfume, musk; as a beauty, Kamadeva; and as a being, Love. Andif she does not come into my possession I will not live; this I havecertainly determined upon."
The young minister, who had heard his prince say the same thingmore than once before, did not attach great importance to theseawful words. He merely remarked that, unless they mounted atonce, night would surprise them in the forest. Then the two youngmen returned to their horses, untethered them, drew on theirbridles, saddled them, and catching up their weapons, rode slowlytowards the Raja's palace. During the three hours of return hardly aword passed between the pair. Vajramukut not only avoidedspeaking; he never once replied till addressed thrice in the loudestvoice.
The young minister put no more questions, "for," quoth he tohimself, "when the prince wants my counsel, he will apply for it."In this point he had borrowed wisdom from his father, who held inpeculiar horror the giving of unasked- for advice. So, when he sawthat conversation was irksome to his master, he held his peace andmeditated upon what he called his "day-thought." It was hispractice to choose every morning some tough food for reflection,and to chew the cud of it in his mind at times when, without suchemployment, his wits would have gone wool-gathering. You mayimagine, Raja Vikram, that with a few years of this head work, theminister's son became a very crafty young person.
After the second day the Prince Vajramukut, being restless fromgrief at separation, fretted himself into a fever. Having given upwriting, reading, drinking, sleeping, the affairs entrusted to him byhis father, and everything else, he sat down, as he said, to die. Heused constantly to paint the portrait of the beautiful lotus gatherer,and to lie gazing upon it with tearful eyes; then he would start upand tear it to pieces and beat his forehead, and begin anotherpicture of a yet more beautiful face.
At last, as the pradhan's son had foreseen, he was summoned bythe young Raja, whom he found upon his bed, looking yellow andcomplaining bitterly of headache. Frequent discussions upon thesubject of the tender passion had passed between the two youths,and one of them had ever spoken of it so very disrespectfully thatthe other felt ashamed to introduce it. But when his friend, with aview to provoke communicativeness, advised a course of boiledand bitter herbs and great attention to diet, quoting the hemistichattributed to the learned physician Charndatta
A fever starve, but feed a cold,
the unhappy Vajramukut's fortitude abandoned him; he burst intotears, and exclaimed," Whosoever enters upon the path of lovecannot survive it; and if (by chance) he should live, what is life tohim but a prolongation of his misery?"
"Yea," replied the minister's son, "the sage hath said --
The road of love is that which hath no beginning nor end;Take thou heed of thyself, man I ere thou place foot upon it.
And the wise, knowing that there are three things whose effectupon himself no man can foretell --namely, desire of woman, thedice-box, and the drinking of ardent spirits - find total abstinencefrom them the best of rules. Yet, after all, if there is no cow, wemust milk the bull."
The advice was, of course, excellent, but the hapless lover couldnot help thinking that on this occasion it came a little too late.However, after a pause he returned to the subject and said, "I haveventured to tread that dangerous way, be its end pain or pleasure,happiness or destruction." He then hung down his head and sighedfrom the bottom of his heart.
"She is the person who appeared to us at the tank?" asked thepradhan's son, moved to compassion by the state of his master.
The prince assented.
"O great king," resumed the minister's son, "at the time of goingaway had she said anything to you? or had you said anything toher?"
"Nothing!" replied the other laconically, when he found his friendbeginning to take an interest in the affair.
"Then," said the minister's son, "it will be exceedingly difficult toget possession of her."
"Then," repeated the Raja's son, "I am doomed to death; to an earlyand melancholy death!"
"Humph!" ejaculated the young statesman rather impatiently, "didshe make any sign, or give any hint? Let me know all thathappened: half confidences are worse than none."
Upon which the prince related everything that took place by theside of the tank, bewailing the false shame which had made himdumb, and concluding with her pantomime.
The pradhan's son took thought for a while. He thereupon seizedthe opportunity of representing to his master all the evil effects ofbashfulness when women are concerned, and advised him, as hewould be a happy lover, to brazen his countenance for the nextinterview.
Which the young Raja faithfully promised to do.
"And, now," said the other, "be comforted, O my master! I knowher name and her dwelling-place. When she suddenly plucked thelotus flower and worshipped it, she thanked the gods for havingblessed her with a sight of your beauty."
Vajramukut smiled, the first time for the last month.
"When she applied it to her ear, it was as if she would haveexplained to thee, 'I am a daughter of the Carnatic: [FN#54] andwhen she bit it with her teeth, she meant to say that 'My father isRaja Dantawat, [FN#55]' who, by-the-bye, has been, is, and everwill be, a mortal foe to thy father."
Vajramukut shuddered.
"When she put it under her foot it meant, 'My name is Padmavati.[FN#56]'"
Vajramukut uttered a cry of joy.
"And when she placed it in her bosom, 'You are truly dwelling inmy heart' was meant to be understood."
At these words the young Raja started up full of new life, and afterpraising with enthusiasm the wondrous sagacity of his dear friend,begged him by some contrivance to obtain the permission of hisparents, and to conduct him to her city. The minister's son easilygot leave for Vajramukut to travel, under pretext that his bodyrequired change of water, and his mind change of scene. They bothdressed and armed themselves for the journey, and having takensome jewels, mounted their horses and followed the road in thatdirection in which the princess had gone.
Arrived after some days at the capital of the Carnatic, theminister's son having disguised his master and himself in the garbof travelling traders, alighted and pitched his little tent upon a clearbit of ground in one of the suburbs. He then proceeded to inquirefor a wise woman, wanting, he said, to have his fortune told. Whenthe prince asked him what this meant, he replied that elderly dameswho professionally predict the future are never above [ministeringto the present, and therefore that, in such circumstances, they arethe properest persons to be consulted.
"Is this a treatise upon the subject of immorality, devil?"demanded the King Vikram ferociously. The Baital declared that itwas not, but that he must tell his story.
The person addressed pointed to an old woman who, seated beforethe door of her hut, was spinning at her wheel. Then the youngmen went up to her with polite salutations and said, "Mother, weare travelling traders, and our stock is coming after us; we havecome on in advance for the purpose of finding a place to live in. Ifyou will give us a house, we will remain there and pay youhighly."
The old woman, who was a physiognomist as well as afortune-teller, looked at the faces of the young men and likedthem, because their brows were wide, and their mouths denotedgenerosity. Having listened to their words, she took pity upon themand said kindly, "This hovel is yours, my masters, remain here aslong as you please." Then she led them into an inner room, againwelcomed them, lamented the poorness of her abode, and beggedthem to lie down and rest themselves.
After some interval of time the old woman came to them oncemore, and sitting down began to gossip. The minister's son uponthis asked her, "How is it with thy family, thy relatives, andconnections; and what are thy means of subsistence?" She replied,``My son is a favourite servant in the household of our great kingDantawat, and your slave is the wet-nurse of the PrincessPadmavati, his eldest child. From the coming on of old age," sheadded, "I dwell in this house, but the king provides for my eatingand drinking. I go once a day to see the girl, who is a miracle ofbeauty and goodness, wit and accomplishments, and returningthence, I bear my own griefs at home. [FN#57]''
In a few days the young Vajramukut had, by his liberality, softspeech, and good looks, made such progress in nurse Lakshmi'saffections that, by the advice of his companion, he ventured tobroach the subject ever nearest his heart. He begged his hostess,when she went on the morrow to visit the charming Padmavati,that she would be kind enough to slip a bit of paper into theprincess's hand.
"Son," she replied, delighted with the proposal -- and what oldwoman would not be? --"there is no need for putting off so urgentan affair till the morrow. Get your paper ready, and I willimmediately give it."
Trembling with pleasure, the prince ran to find his friend, who wasseated in the garden reading, as usual, and told him what the oldnurse had engaged to do. He then began to debate about how heshould write his letter, to cull sentences and to weigh phrases;whether "light of my eyes" was not too trite, and "blood of myliver" rather too forcible. At this the minister's son smiled, andbade the prince not trouble his head with composition. He thendrew his inkstand from his waist shawl, nibbed a reed pen, andchoosing a piece of pink and flowered paper, he wrote upon it afew lines. He then folded it, gummed it, sketched a lotus flowerupon the outside, and handing it to the young prince, told him togive it to their hostess, and that all would be well.
The old woman took her staff in her hand and hobbled straight tothe palace. Arrived there, she found the Raja's daughter sittingalone in her apartment. The maiden, seeing her nurse, immediatelyarose, and making a respectful bow, led her to a seat and began themost affectionate inquiries. After giving her blessing and sittingfor some time and chatting about indifferent matters, the nursesaid, " O daughter! in infancy I reared and nourished thee, now theBhagwan (Deity) has rewarded me by giving thee stature, beauty,health, and goodness. My heart only longs to see the happiness ofthy womanhood, [FN#58] after which I shall depart in peace. Iimplore thee read this paper, given to me by the handsomest andthe properest young man that my eyes have ever seen."
The princess, glancing at the lotus on the outside of the note,slowly unfolded it and perused its contents, which were as follows:
1.
She was to me the pearl that clings To sands all hid from mortalsight, Yet fit for diadems of kings, The pure and lovely light.
2.
She was to me the gleam of sun That breaks the gloom of wintryday; One moment shone my soul upon, Then passed --how soon! - away.
3.
She was to me the dreams of bliss That float the dying eyes before, For one short hour shed happiness, And fly to bless no more.
4.
O light, again upon me shine; O pearl, again delight my eyes; O dreams of bliss, again be mine! -- No! earth may not be Paradise.
I must not forget to remark, parenthetically, that the minister's son,in order to make these lines generally useful, had provided themwith a last stanza in triplicate. "For lovers," he said sagely," areeither in the optative mood, the desperative, or the exultative."This time he had used the optative. For the desperative he wouldsubstitute:
4.
The joys of life lie dead, lie dead, The light of day is quenched ingloom The spark of hope my heart hath fled-- What now witholds me from thetomb?
And this was the termination exultative, as he called it:
4.
O joy I the pearl is mine again, Once more the day is bright andclear, And now 'tis real, then 'twas vain, My dream of bliss - O heaven ishere!
The Princess Padmavati having perused this doggrel with acontemptuous look, tore off the first word of the last line, and saidto the nurse, angrily, "Get thee gone, O mother of Yama, [FN#59]O unfortunate creature, and take back this answer" --giving her thescrap of paper -- "to the fool who writes such bad verses. I wonderwhere he studied the humanities. Begone, and never do such anaction again!"
The old nurse, distressed at being so treated, rose up and returnedhome. Vajramukut was too agitated to await her arrival, so he wentto meet her on the way. Imagine his disappointment when she gavehim the fatal word and repeated to him exactly what happened, notforgetting to describe a single look! He felt tempted to plunge hissword into his bosom; but Fortune interfered, and sent him toconsult his confidant.
"Be not so hasty and desperate, my prince," said the pradhan's son,seeing his wild grief; "you have not understood her meaning. Laterin life you will be aware of the fact that, in nine cases out of ten, awoman's 'no' is a distinct 'yes.' This morning's work has been good;the maiden asked where you learnt the humanities, which beinginterpreted signifies 'Who are you?"'
On the next day the prince disclosed his rank to old Lakshmi, whonaturally declared that she had always known it. The trust theyreposed in her made her ready to address Padmavati once more onthe forbidden subject. So she again went to the palace, and havinglovingly greeted her nursling, said to her, "The Raja's son, whoseheart thou didst fascinate on the brim of the tank, on the fifth dayof the moon, in the light half of the month Yeth, has come to myhouse, and sends this message to thee: "Perform what youpromised; we have now come"; and I also tell thee that this princeis worthy of thee: just as thou art beautiful, so is he endowed withall good qualities of mind and body."
When Padmavati heard this speech she showed great anger, and,rubbing sandal on her beautiful hands, she slapped the oldwoman's cheeks, and cried, "Wretch, Daina (witch)! get out of myhouse; did I not forbid thee to talk such folly in my presence?"
The lover and the nurse were equally distressed at having taken theadvice of the young minister, till he explained what the craftydamsel meant. "When she smeared the sandal on her ten fingers,"he explained, "and struck the old woman on the face, she signifiedthat when the remaining ten moonlight nights shall have passedaway she will meet you in the dark." At the same time he warnedhis master that to all appearances the lady Padmavati was far tooclever to make a comfortable wife. The minister's son especiallyhated talented intellectual, and strong-minded women; he had beenheard to describe the torments of Naglok [FN#60] as thecompulsory companionship of a polemical divine and a learnedauthoress, well stricken in years and of forbidding aspect, as suchpersons mostly are. Amongst womankind he admired --theoretically, as became a philosopher --the small, plump,laughing, chattering, unintellectual, and material-minded. Andtherefore --excuse the digression, Raja Vikram --he married an oldmaid, tall, thin, yellow, strictly proper, cold-mannered, aconversationist, and who prided herself upon spirituality. But morewonderful still, after he did marry her, he actually loved her --whatan incomprehensible being is man in these matters!
To return, however. The pradhan's son, who detected certainsymptoms of strong-mindedness in the Princess Padmavati,advised his lord to be wise whilst wisdom availed him. This sagecounsel was, as might be guessed, most ungraciously rejected byhim for whose benefit it was intended. Then the sensible youngstatesman rated himself soundly for having broken his father's ruletouching advice, and atoned for it by blindly forwarding the viewsof his master.
After the ten nights of moonlight had passed, the old nurse wasagain sent to the palace with the usual message. This timePadmavati put saffron on three of her fingers, and again left theirmarks on the nurse's cheek. The minister's son explained that thiswas to crave delay for three days, and that on the fourth the loverwould have access to her.
When the time had passed the old woman again went and inquiredafter her health and well-being. The princess was as usual verywroth, and having personally taken her nurse to the western gate,she called her "Mother of the elephant's trunk, [FN#61]'' and droveher out with threats of the bastinado if she ever came back. Thiswas reported to the young statesman, who, after a few minutes'consideration, said, "The explanation of this matter is, that she hasinvited you to-morrow, at nighttime, to meet her at this very gate.
"When brown shadows fell upon the face of earth, and here andthere a star spangled the pale heavens, the minister's son calledVajramukut, who had been engaged in adorning himself at leasthalf that day. He had carefully shaved his cheeks and chin; hismustachio was trimmed and curled; he had arched his eyebrows byplucking out with tweezers the fine hairs around them; he hadtrained his curly musk-coloured love-locks to hang gracefullydown his face; he had drawn broad lines of antimony along hiseyelids, a most brilliant sectarian mark was affixed to his forehead,the colour of his lips had been heightened by chewing betel-nut --
"One would imagine that you are talking of a silly girl, not of aprince, fiend!" interrupted Vikram, who did not wish his son tohear what he called these fopperies and frivolities.
-- and whitened his neck by having it shaved (continued the Baital,speaking quickly, as if determined not to be interrupted), andreddened the tips of his ears by squeezing them, and made his teethshine by rubbing copper powder into the roots, and set off thedelicacy of his fingers by staining the tips with henna. He had notbeen less careful with his dress: he wore a well-arranged turband,which had taken him at least two hours to bind, and a rich suit ofbrown stuff chosen for the adventure he was about to attempt, andhe hung about his person a number of various weapons, so as toappear a hero -- which young damsels admire.
Vajramukut asked his friend how he looked, and smiled happilywhen the other replied "Admirable!" His happiness was so greatthat he feared it might not last, and he asked the minister's son howbest to conduct himself?
"As a conqueror, my prince!" answered that astute young man, "ifit so be that you would be one. When you wish to win a woman,always impose upon her. Tell her that you are her master, and shewill forthwith believe herself to be your servant. Inform her thatshe loves you, and forthwith she will adore you. Show her that youcare nothing for her, and she will think of nothing but you. Proveto her by your demeanour that you consider her a slave, and shewill become your pariah. But above all things --excuse me if Irepeat myself too often --beware of the fatal virtue which men callmodesty and women sheepishness. Recollect the trouble it hasgiven us, and the danger which we have incurred: all this mighthave been managed at a tank within fifteen miles of your royalfather's palace. And allow me to say that you may still thank yourstars: in love a lost opportunity is seldom if ever recovered. Thetime to woo a woman is the moment you meet her, before she hashad time to think; allow her the use of reflection and she mayescape the net. And after avoiding the rock of Modesty, fall not, Iconjure you, into the gulf of Security. I fear the lady Padmavati,she is too clever and too prudent. When damsels of her age drawthe sword of Love, they throw away the scabbard of Precaution.But you yawn --I weary you --it is time for us to move."
Two watches of the night had passed, and there was profoundstillness on earth. The young men then walked quietly through theshadows, till they reached the western gate of the palace, andfound the wicket ajar. The minister's son peeped in and saw theporter dozing, stately as a Brahman deep in the Vedas, and behindhim stood a veiled woman seemingly waiting for somebody. Hethen returned on tiptoe to the place where he had left his master,and with a parting caution against modesty and security, bade himfearlessly glide through the wicket. Then having stayed a shorttime at the gate listening with anxious ear, he went back to the oldwoman's house.
Vajramukut penetrating to the staircase, felt his hand grasped bythe veiled figure, who motioning him to tread lightly, led himquickly forwards. They passed under several arches, through dimpassages and dark doorways, till at last running up a flight of stonesteps they reached the apartments of the princess.
Vajramukut was nearly fainting as the flood of splendour brokeupon him. Recovering himself he gazed around the rooms, andpresently a tumult of delight invaded his soul, and his body bristledwith joy. [FN#62] The scene was that of fairyland. Golden censersexhaled the most costly perfumes, and gemmed vases bore themost beautiful flowers; silver lamps containing fragrant oililluminated doors whose panels were wonderfully decorated, andwalls adorned with pictures in which such figures were formed thaton seeing them the beholder was enchanted. On one side of theroom stood a bed of flowers and a couch covered with brocade ofgold, and strewed with freshly-culled jasmine flowers. On theother side, arranged in proper order, were attar holders,betel-boxes, rose-water bottles, trays, and silver cases with fourpartitions for essences compounded of rose leaves, sugar, andspices, prepared sandal wood, saffron, and pods of musk. Scatteredabout a stuccoed floor white as crystal, were coloured caddies ofexquisite confections, and in others sweetmeats of variouskinds.[FN#63] Female attendants clothed in dresses of variouscolours were standing each according to her rank, with handsrespectfully joined. Some were reading plays and beautiful poems,others danced and others performed with glittering fingers andflashing arms on various instruments --the ivory lute, the ebonypipe and the silver kettledrum. In short, all the means andappliances of pleasure and enjoyment were there; and anydescription of the appearance of the apartments, which were thewonder of the age, is impossible.
Then another veiled figure, the beautiful Princess Padmavati, cameup and disclosed herself, and dazzled the eyes of her delightedVajramukut. She led him into an alcove, made him sit down,rubbed sandal powder upon his body, hung a garland of jasmineflowers round his neck, sprinkled rose-water over his dress, andbegan to wave over his head a fan of peacock feathers with agolden handle.
Said the prince, who despite all efforts could not entirely shake offhis unhappy habit of being modest, "Those very delicate hands ofyours are not fit to ply the pankha.[FN#64] Why do you take somuch trouble? I am cool and refreshed by the sight of you. Do givethe fan to me and sit down."
"Nay, great king!" replied Padmavati, with the most fascinating ofsmiles, "you have taken so much trouble for my sake in cominghere, it is right that I perform service for you."
Upon which her favourite slave, taking the pankha from the handof the princess, exclaimed, "This is my duty. I will perform theservice; do you two enjoy yourselves!"
The lovers then began to chew betel, which, by the bye, theydisposed of in little agate boxes which they drew from theirpockets, and they were soon engaged in the tenderest conversation.
Here the Baital paused for a while, probably to take breath. Thenhe resumed his tale as follows:
In the meantime, it became dawn; the princess concealed him; andwhen night returned they again engaged in the same innocentpleasures. Thus day after day sped rapidly by. Imagine, if you can,the youth's felicity; he was of an ardent temperament, deeplyenamoured, barely a score of years old, and he had been strictlybrought up by serious parents. He therefore resigned himselfentirely to the siren for whom he willingly forgot the world, and hewondered at his good fortune, which had thrown in his way aconquest richer than all the mines of Meru.[FN#65] He could notsufficiently admire his Padmavati's grace, beauty, bright wit, andnumberless accomplishments. Every morning, for vanity's sake, helearned from her a little useless knowledge in verse as well asprose, for instance, the saying of the poet --
Enjoy the present hour, 'tis shine; be this, O man, thy law; Who e'er resew the yester? Who the morrow e'er foresaw?
And this highly philosophical axiom --
Eat, drink, and love --the rest's not worth a fillip.
"By means of which he hoped, Raja Vikram!" said the demon, notheeding his royal carrier's "ughs" and "poohs," "to become incourse of time almost as clever as his mistress."
Padmavati, being, as you have seen, a maiden of superior mind,was naturally more smitten by her lover's dulness than by anyother of his qualities; she adored it, it was such a contrast toherself.[FN#66] At first she did what many clever women do --sheinvested him with the brightness of her own imagination. Stillwater, she pondered, runs deep; certainly under this disguise mustlurk a brilliant fancy, a penetrating but a mature and readyjudgment --are they not written by nature's hand on that broad highbrow? With such lovely mustachios can he be aught but generous,noble-minded, magnanimous? Can such eyes belong to any but ahero? And she fed the delusion. She would smile upon him withintense fondness, when, after wasting hours over a few lines ofpoetry, he would misplace all the adjectives and barbarouslyentreat the metre. She laughed with gratification, when, excited bythe bright sayings that fell from her lips, the youth put forth someplatitude, dim as the lamp in the expiring fire-fly. When he slippedin grammar she saw malice under it, when he retailed a borrowedjest she called it a good one, and when he used --as princessometimes will --bad language, she discovered in it a charmingsimplicity.
At first she suspected that the stratagems which had won her heartwere the results of a deep-laid plot proceeding from her lover. Butclever women are apt to be rarely sharp-sighted in every matterwhich concerns themselves. She frequently determined that a thirdwas in the secret. She therefore made no allusion to it. Before longthe enamoured Vajramukut had told her everything, beginningwith the diatribe against love pronounced by the minister's son,and ending with the solemn warning that she, the pretty princess,would some day or other play her husband a foul trick.
"If I do not revenge myself upon him," thought the beautifulPadmavati, smiling like an angel as she listened to the youth'sconfidence, "may I become a gardener's ass in the next birth!"
Having thus registered a vow, she broke silence, and praised to theskies the young pradhan's wisdom and sagacity; professed herselfready from gratitude to become his slave, and only hoped that oneday or other she might meet that true friend by whose skill her soulhad been gratified in its dearest desire. "Only," she concluded, "Iam convinced that now my Vajramukut knows every corner of hislittle Padmavati's heart, he will never expect her to do anything butlove, admire, adore and kiss him!'' Then suiting the action to theword, she convinced him that the young minister had for once beentoo crabbed and cynic in his philosophy.
But after the lapse of a month Vajramukut, who had eaten anddrunk and slept a great deal too much, and who had not oncehunted, became bilious in body and in mind melancholic. His faceturned yellow, and so did the whites of his eyes; he yawned, asliver patients generally do, complained occasionally of sickheadaches, and lost his appetite: he became restless and anxious,and once when alone at night he thus thought aloud: "I have givenup country, throne, home, and everything else, but the friend bymeans of whom this happiness was obtained I have not seen for thelong length of thirty days. What will he say to himself, and howcan I know what has happened to him?"
In this state of things he was sitting, and in the meantime thebeautiful princess arrived. She saw through the matter, and lost nota moment in entering upon it. She began by expressing herastonishment at her lover's fickleness and fondness for change, andwhen he was ready to wax wroth, and quoted the words of thesage, "A barren wife may be superseded by another in the eighthyear; she whose children all die, in the tenth; she who brings forthonly daughters, in the eleventh; she who scolds, without delay,"thinking that she alluded to his love, she smoothed his temper byexplaining that she referred to his forgetting his friend. "How is itpossible, O my soul," she asked with the softest of voices, thatthou canst happiness here whilst thy heart is wandering there?Why didst thou conceal this from me, O astute one? Was it for fearof distressing me? Think better of thy wife than to suppose that shewould ever separate thee from one to whom we both owe so much!
"After this Padmavati advised, nay ordered, her lover to go forththat night, and not to return till his mind was quite at ease, and shebegged him to take a few sweetmeats and other trifles as a littletoken of her admiration and regard for the clever young man ofwhom she had heard so much.
Vajramukut embraced her with a transport of gratitude, which soinflamed her anger, that fearing lest the cloak of concealmentmight fall from her countenance, she went away hurriedly to findthe greatest delicacies which her comfit boxes contained. Presentlyshe returned, carrying a bag of sweetmeats of every kind for herlover, and as he rose up to depart, she put into his hand a littleparcel of sugar-plums especially intended for the friend; they weremade up with her own delicate fingers, and they would please, sheflattered herself, even his discriminating palate.
The young prince, after enduring a number of farewell embracesand hopings for a speedy return, and last words ever beginningagain, passed safely through the palace gate, and with a relievedaspect walked briskly to the house of the old nurse. Although itwas midnight his friend was still sitting on his mat.
The two young men fell upon one another's bosoms and embracedaffectionately. They then began to talk of matters nearest theirhearts. The Raja's son wondered at seeing the jaded and haggardlooks of his companion, who did not disguise that they werecaused by his anxiety as to what might have happened to his friendat the hand of so talented and so superior a princess. Upon whichVajramukut, who now thought Padmavati an angel, and his lateabode a heaven, remarked with formality -- and two blunders toone quotation --that abilities properly directed win for a man thehappiness of both worlds.
The pradhan's son rolled his head.
"Again on your hobby-horse, nagging at talent whenever you findit in others! " cried the young prince with a pun, which would havedelighted Padmavati. "Surely you are jealous of her!" he resumed,anything but pleased with the dead silence that had received hisjoke; "jealous of her cleverness, and of her love for me. She is thevery best creature in the world. Even you, woman-hater as you are,would own it if you only knew all the kind messages she sent, andthe little pleasant surprise that she has prepared for you. There!take and eat; they are made by her own dear hands!" cried theyoung Raja, producing the sweetmeats. "As she herself taught meto say -
Thank God I am a man, Not a philosopher!"
"The kind messages she sent me! The pleasant surprise she hasprepared for me!" repeated the minister's son in a hard, dry tone."My lord will be pleased to tell me how she heard of my name?"
"I was sitting one night," replied the prince, "in anxious thoughtabout you, when at that moment the princess coming in and seeingmy condition, asked, 'Why are you thus sad? Explain the cause tome.' I then gave her an account of your cleverness, and when sheheard it she gave me permission to go and see you, and sent thesesweetmeats for you: eat them and I shall be pleased."
"Great king!" rejoined the young statesman, "one thing vouchsafeto hear from me. You have not done well in that you have told myname. You should never let a woman think that your left handknows the secret which she confided to your right, much less thatyou have shared it to a third person. Secondly, you did evil inallowing her to see the affection with which you honour yourunworthy servant --a woman ever hates her lover's or husband'sfriend."
"What could I do?" rejoined the young Raja, in a querulous tone ofvoice. "When I love a woman I like to tell her everything --to haveno secrets from her --to consider her another self ----"
"Which habit," interrupted the pradhan's son, "you will lose whenyou are a little older, when you recognize the fact that love isnothing but a bout, a game of skill between two individuals ofopposite sexes: the one seeking to gain as much, and the otherstriving to lose as little as possible; and that the sharper of thetwain thus met on the chessboard must, in the long run, win. Andreticence is but a habit. Practise it for a year, and you will find itharder to betray than to conceal your thoughts. It hath its joy also.Is there no pleasure, think you, when suppressing an outbreak oftender but fatal confidence in saying to yourself, 'O, if she onlyknew this?' 'O, if she did but suspect that?' Returning, however, tothe sugar-plums, my life to a pariah's that they are poisoned!"
"Impossible!" exclaimed the prince, horror-struck at the thought;"what you say, surely no one ever could do. If a mortal fears nothis fellow-mortal, at least he dreads the Deity."
"I never yet knew," rejoined the other, "what a woman in love doesfear. However, prince, the trial is easy. Come here, Muti!" cried heto the old woman's dog, "and off with thee to that three-headedkinsman of shine, that attends upon his amiable-lookingmaster.[FN#67]"
Having said this, he threw one of the sweetmeats to the dog; theanimal ate it, and presently writhing and falling down, died.
"The wretch! O the wretch!" cried Vajramukut, transported withwonder and anger. " And I loved her! But now it is all over. I darenot associate with such a calamity!"
"What has happened, my lord, has happened!" quoth the minister'sson calmly. "I was prepared for something of this kind from sotalented a princess. None commit such mistakes, such blunders,such follies as your clever women; they cannot even turn out acrime decently executed. O give me dulness with one idea, oneaim, one desire. O thrice blessed dulness that combines withhappiness, power."
This time Vajramukut did not defend talent.
"And your slave did his best to warn you against perfidy. But nowmy heart is at rest. I have tried her strength. She has attempted andfailed; the defeat will prevent her attempting again --just yet. Butlet me ask you to put to yourself one question. Can you be happywithout her?"
"Brother!" replied the prince, after a pause, "I cannot"; and heblushed as he made the avowal.
"Well," replied the other, "better confess then conceal that fact; wemust now meet her on the battle-field, and beat her at her ownweapons --cunning. I do not willingly begin treachery withwomen, because, in the first place, I don't like it; and secondly, Iknow that they will certainly commence practicing it upon me,after which I hold myself justified in deceiving them. Andprobably this will be a good wife; remember that she intended topoison me, not you. During the last month my fear has been lestmy prince had run into the tiger's brake. Tell me, my lord, whendoes the princess expect you to return to her?"
"She bade me," said the young Raja, "not to return till my mindwas quite at ease upon the subject of m talented friend."
"This means that she expects you back to-morrow night, as youcannot enter the palace before. And now I will retire to my cot, asit is there that I am wont to ponder over my plans. Before dawn mythought shall mature one which must place the beautiful Padmavatiin your power."
"A word before parting," exclaimed the prince "you know myfather has already chosen a spouse for me; what will he say if Ibring home a second? "
"In my humble opinion," said the minister's son rising to retire,"woman is a monogamous, man a polygamous, creature, a factscarcely established in physio- logical theory, but very observablein every-day practice For what said the poet? -- Divorce, friend! Re-wed thee! The spring drawethnear,[FN#68] And a wife's but an almanac --good for the year.
If your royal father say anything to you, refer him to what hehimself does."
Reassured by these words, Vajramukut bade his friend a cordialgood-night and sought his cot, where he slept soundly, despite theemotions of the last few hours. The next day passed somewhatslowly. In the evening, when accompanying his master to thepalace, the minister's son gave him the following directions.
"Our object, dear my lord, is how to obtain possession of theprincess. Take, then, this trident, and hide it carefully when yousee her show the greatest love and affection. Conceal what hashappened, and when she, wondering at your calmness, asks aboutme, tell her that last night I was weary and out of health, thatillness prevented my eating her sweetmeats, but that I shall eatthem for supper to-night. When she goes to sleep, then, taking offher jewels and striking her left leg with the trident, instantly comeaway to me. But should she lie awake, rub upon your thumb a littleof this --do not fear, it is only a powder of grubs fed on verdigris --and apply it to her nostrils. It would make an elephant senseless, sobe careful how you approach it to your own face."
Vajramukut embraced his friend, and passed safely through thepalace gate. He found Padmavati awaiting him; she fell upon hisbosom and looked into his eyes, and deceived herself, as cleverwomen will do. Overpowered by her joy and satisfaction, she nowfelt certain that her lover was hers eternally, and that her treacheryhad not been discovered; so the beautiful princess fell into a deepsleep.
Then Vajramukut lost no time in doing as the minister's son hadadvised, and slipped out of the room, carrying off Padmavati'sjewels and ornaments. His counsellor having inspected them, tookup a sack and made signs to his master to follow him. Leaving thehorses and baggage at the nurse's house, they walked to aburning-place outside the city. The minister's son there buried hisdress, together with that of the prince, and drew from the sack thecostume of a religious ascetic: he assumed this himself, and gaveto his companion that of a disciple. Then quoth the guru (spiritualpreceptor) to his chela (pupil), "Go, youth, to the bazar, and sellthese jewels, remembering to let half the jewellers in the place seethe things, and if any one lay hold of thee, bring him to me."
Upon which, as day had dawned, Vajramukut carried the princess'sornaments to the market, and entering the nearest goldsmith's shop,offered to sell them, and asked what they were worth. As yourmajesty well knows, gardeners, tailors, and goldsmiths areproverbially dishonest, and this man was no exception to the rule.He looked at the pupil's face and wondered, because he hadbrought articles whose value he did not appear to know. A thoughtstruck him that he might make a bargain which would fill hiscoffers, so he offered about a thousandth part of the price. This thepupil rejected, because he wished the affair to go further. Then thegoldsmith, seeing him about to depart, sprang up and stood in thedoor way, threatening to call the officers of justice if the youngman refused to give up the valuables which he said had lately beenstolen from his shop. As the pupil only laughed at this, thegoldsmith thought seriously of executing his threat, hesitating onlybecause he knew that the officers of justice would gain more thanhe could by that proceeding. As he was still in doubt a shadowdarkened his shop, and in entered the chief jeweller of the city. Themoment the ornaments were shown to him he recognized them,and said, "These jewels belong to Raja Dantawat's daughter; Iknow them well, as I set them only a few months ago!" Then heturned to the disciple, who still held the valuables in his hand, andcried, "Tell me truly whence you received them?"
While they were thus talking, a crowd of ten or twenty persons hadcollected, and at length the report reached the superintendent of thearchers. He sent a soldier to bring before him the pupil, thegoldsmith, and the chief jeweller, together with the ornaments.And when all were in the hall of justice, he looked at the jewelsand said to the young man, "Tell me truly, whence have youobtained these?"
"My spiritual preceptor," said Vajramukut, pretending great fear,"who is now worshipping in the cemetery outside the town, gaveme these white stones, with an order to sell them. How know Iwhence he obtained them? Dismiss me, my lord, for I am aninnocent man."
"Let the ascetic be sent for," commanded the kotwal.[FN#69]Then, having taken both of them, along with the jewels, into thepresence of King Dantawat, he related the whole circumstances.
"Master," said the king on hearing the statement, "whence haveyou obtained these jewels?"
The spiritual preceptor, before deigning an answer, pulled fromunder his arm the hide of a black antelope, which he spread outand smoothed deliberately before using it as an asan.[FN#70] Hethen began to finger a rosary of beads each as large as an egg, andafter spending nearly an hour in mutterings and in rollings of thehead, he looked fixedly at the Raja, and repined:
"By Shiva! great king, they are mine own. On the fourteenth of thedark half of the moon at night, I had gone into a place where deadbodies are burned, for the purpose of accomplishing a witch'sincantation. After long and toilsome labour she appeared, but herdemeanour was so unruly that I was forced to chastise her. I struckher with this, my trident, on the left leg, if memory serves me. Asshe continued to be refractory, in order to punish her I took off allher jewels and clothes, and told her to go where she pleased. Eventhis had little effect upon her --never have I looked upon soperverse a witch. In this way the jewels came into my possession."
Raja Dantawat was stunned by these words. He begged the asceticnot to leave the palace for a while, and forthwith walked into theprivate apartments of the women. Happening first to meet thequeen dowager, he said to her, "Go, without losing a minute, O mymother, and look at Padmavati's left leg, and see if there is a markor not, and what sort of a mark!" Presently she returned, andcoming to the king said, "Son, I find thy daughter lying upon herbed, and complaining that she has met with an accident; andindeed Padmavati must be in great pain. I found that some sharpinstrument with three points had wounded her. The girl says that anail hurt her, but I never yet heard of a nail making three holes.However, we must all hasten, or there will be erysipelas,tumefaction, gangrene, mortification, amputation, and perhapsdeath in the house," concluded the old queen, hurrying away in thepleasing anticipation of these ghastly consequences.
For a moment King Dantawat's heart was ready to break. But hewas accustomed to master his feelings; he speedily applied thereins of reflection to the wild steed of passion. He thought tohimself, "the affairs of one's household, the intentions of one'sheart, and whatever one's losses may be, should not be disclosed toany one. Since Padmavati is a witch, she is no longer my daughter.I will verily go forth and consult the spiritual preceptor."
With these words the king went outside, where the guru was stillsitting upon his black hide, making marks with his trident on thefloor. Having requested that the pupil might be sent away, andhaving cleared the room, he said to the jogi, "O holy man! whatpunishment for the heinous crime of witchcraft is awarded to awoman in the Dharma- Shastra [FN#71]?"
"Greet king!" replied the devotee, "in the Dharma Shastra it is thuswritten: 'If a Brahman, a cow, a woman, a child, or any otherperson whatsoever who may be dependent on us, should be guiltyof a perfidious act, their punishment is that they be banished thecountry.' However much they may deserve death, we must not spilltheir blood, as Lakshmi[FN#72] flies in horror from the deed."
Hearing these words the Raja dismissed the guru with many thanksand large presents. He waited till nightfall and then ordered a bandof trusty men to seize Padmavati without alarming the household,and to carry her into a distant jungle full of fiends, tigers, andbears, and there to abandon her.
In the meantime, the ascetic and his pupil hurrying to the cemeteryresumed their proper dresses; they then went to the old nurse'shouse, rewarded her hospitality till she wept bitterly, girt on theirweapons, and mounting their horses, followed the party whichissued from the gate of King Dantawat's palace. And it may easilybe believed that they found little difficulty in persuading the poorgirl to exchange her chance in the wild jungle for the prospect ofbecoming Vajramukut's wife --lawfully wedded at Benares. Shedid not even ask if she was to have a rival in the house, --aquestion which women, you know, never neglect to put underusual circumstances. After some days the two pilgrims of one lovearrived at the house of their fathers, and to all, both great andsmall, excess in joy came.
"Now, Raja Vikram!" said the Baital, "you have not spoken much;doubtless you are engrossed by the interest of a story wherein aman beats a woman at her own weapon --deceit. But I warn youthat you will assuredly fall into Narak (the infernal regions) if youdo not make up your mind upon and explain this matter. Who wasthe most to blame amongst these four? the lover[FN#73] thelover's friend, the girl, or the father?"
"For my part I think Padmavati was the worst, she being at thebottom of all their troubles," cried Dharma Dhwaj. The king saidsomething about young people and the two senses of seeing andhearing, but his son's sentiment was so sympathetic that he at oncepardoned the interruption. At length, determined to do justicedespite himself, Vikram said, "Raja Dantawat is the person most atfault."
"In what way was he at fault? " asked the Baital curiously.
King Vikram gave him this reply: "The Prince Vajramukut beingtempted of the love-god was insane, and therefore not responsiblefor his actions. The minister's son performed his master's businessobediently, without considering causes or asking questions --a veryexcellent quality in a dependent who is merely required to do as heis bid. With respect to the young woman, I have only to say thatshe was a young woman, and thereby of necessity a possiblemurderess. But the Raja, a prince, a man of a certain age andexperience, a father of eight! He ought never to have beendeceived by so shallow a trick, nor should he, without reflection,have banished his daughter from the country."
"Gramercy to you!" cried the Vampire, bursting into a discordantshout of laughter, "I now return to my tree. By my tail! I never yetheard a Raja so readily condemn a Raja." With these words heslipped out of the cloth, leaving it to hang empty over the greatking's shoulder.
Vikram stood for a moment, fixed to the spot with blank dismay.Presently, recovering himself, he retraced his steps, followed byhis son, ascended the sires-tree, tore down the Baital, packed himup as before, and again set out upon his way.
Soon afterwards a voice sounded behind the warrior king's back,and began to tell another true story.
THE VAMPIRE'S SECOND STORY.
Of the Relative Villany of Men and Women.
In the great city of Bhogavati dwelt, once upon a time, a youngprince, concerning whom I may say that he strikingly resembledthis amiable son of your majesty.
Raja Vikram was silent, nor did he acknowledge the Baital'sindirect compliment. He hated flattery, but he liked, whenflattered, to be flattered in his own person; a feature in their royalpatron's character which the Nine Gems of Science had turned totheir own account.
Now the young prince Raja Ram (continued the tale teller) had anold father, concerning whom I may say that he was exceedinglyunlike your Rajaship, both as a man and as a parent. He was fondof hunting, dicing, sleeping by day, drinking at night, and eatingperpetual tonics, while he delighted in the idleness of watchingnautch girls, and the vanity of falling in love. But he was adoredby his children because he took the trouble to win their hearts. Hedid not lay it down as a law of heaven that his offspring wouldassuredly go to Patala if they neglected the duty of bestowing uponhim without cause all their affections, as your moral, virtuous, andhighly respectable fathers are only too apt ----. Aie! Aie!
These sounds issued from the Vampire's lips as the warrior king,speechless with wrath, passed his hand behind his back, andviciously twisted up a piece of the speaker's skin. This caused theVampire to cry aloud, more however, it would appear, in derisionthan in real suffering, for he presently proceeded with the samesubject.
Fathers, great king, may be divided into three kinds; and be it saidaside, that mothers are the same. Firstly, we have the parent ofmany ideas, amusing, pleasant, of course poor, and the idol of hischildren. Secondly, there is the parent with one idea and a half.This sort of man would, in your place, say to himself, "That demonfellow speaks a manner of truth. I am not above learning from him,despite his position in life. I will carry out his theory, just to seehow far it goes"; and so saying, he wends his way home, and treatshis young ones with prodigious kindness for a time, but it is notlasting. Thirdly, there is the real one-idea'd type of parent-yourself,O warrior king Vikram, an admirable example. You learn in youthwhat you are taught: for instance, the blessed precept that the greenstick is of the trees of Paradise; and in age you practice what youhave learned. You cannot teach yourselves anything before yourbeards sprout, and when they grow stiff you cannot be taught byothers. If any one attempt to change your opinions you cry,
What is new is not true, What is true is not new.
and you rudely pull his hand from the subject. Yet have you youruses like other things of earth. In life you are good working camelsfor the mill-track, and when you die your ashes are not worsecompost than those of the wise.
Your Rajaship will observe (continued the Vampire, as Vikrambegan to show symptoms of ungovernable anger) that I have beenconcise in treating this digression. Had I not been so, it would haveled me far indeed from my tale. Now to return.
When the old king became air mixed with air, the young king,though he found hardly ten pieces of silver in the paternal treasuryand legacies for thousands of golden ounces, yet mourned his losswith the deepest grief. He easily explained to himself the recklessemptiness of the royal coffers as a proof of his dear kind parent'sgoodness, because he loved him.
But the old man had left behind him, as he could not carry it offwith him, a treasure more valuable than gold and silver: oneChuraman, a parrot, who knew the world, and who besidesdiscoursed in the most correct Sanscrit. By sage counsel and wiseguidance this admirable bird soon repaired his young master'sshattered fortunes.
One day the prince said, "Parrot, thou knowest everything: tell mewhere there is a mate fit for me. The shastras inform us, respectingthe choice of a wife, 'She who is not descended from his paternalor maternal ancestors within the sixth degree is eligible by a highcaste man for nuptials. In taking a wife let him studiously avoidthe following families, be they ever so great, or ever so rich inkine, goats, sheep, gold, or grain: the family which has omittedprescribed acts of devotion; that which has produced no malechildren; that in which the Veda (scripture) has not been read; thatwhich has thick hair on the body; and that in which members havebeen subject to hereditary disease. Let a person choose for his wifea girl whose person has no defect; who has an agreeable name;who walks gracefully, like a young elephant; whose hair and teethare moderate in quantity and in size; and whose body is ofexquisite softness.'"
"Great king," responded the parrot Churaman, "there is in thecountry of Magadh a Raja, Magadheshwar by name, and he has adaughter called Chandravati. You will marry her; she is verylearned, and, what is better far, very fait. She is of yellow colour,with a nose like the flower of the sesamum; her legs are taper, likethe plantain-tree; her eyes are large, like the principal leaf of thelotus; her eye-brows stretch towards her ears; her lips are red, likethe young leaves of the mango-tree; her face is like the full moon;her voice is like the sound of the cuckoo; her arms reach to herknees; her throat is like the pigeon's; her flanks are thin, like thoseof the lion; her hair hangs in curls only down to her waist; her teethare like the seeds of the pomegranate; and her gait is that of thedrunken elephant or the goose."
On hearing the parrot's speech, the king sent for an astrologer, andasked him, "Whom shall I marry?" The wise man, havingconsulted his art, replied, "Chandravati is the name of the maiden,and your marriage with her will certainly take place." Thereuponthe young Raja, though he had never seen his future queen, becameincontinently enamoured of her. He summoned a Brahman, andsent him to King Magadheshwar, saying, "If you arrangesatisfactorily this affair of our marriage we will reward youamply"-a promise which lent wings to the priest.
Now it so happened that this talented and beautiful princess had ajay,[FN#74] whose name was Madan-manjari or Love-garland.She also possessed encyclopaedic knowledge after her degree, and,like the parrot, she spoke excellent Sanscrit.
Be it briefly said, O warrior king-for you think that I am talkingfables--that in the days of old, men had the art of making birdsdiscourse in human language. The invention is attributed to a greatphilosopher, who split their tongues, and after many generationsproduced a selected race born with those members split. He alteredthe shapes of their skulls by fixing ligatures behind the occiput,which caused the sinciput to protrude, their eyes to becomeprominent, and their brains to master the art of expressing thoughtsin words.
But this wonderful discovery, like those of great philosophersgenerally, had in it a terrible practical flaw The birds beginning tospeak, spoke wisely and so well, they told the truth so persistently,they rebuked their brethren of the featherless skins so openly, theyflattered them so little and they counselled them so much, thatmankind presently grew tired of hearing them discourse. Thus theart gradually fell into desuetude, and now it is numbered with thethings that were.
One day the charming Princess Chandravati was sitting inconfidential conversation with her jay. The dialogue was notremarkable, for maidens in all ages seldom consult theirconfidantes or speculate upon the secrets of futurity, or ask to havedreams interpreted, except upon one subject. At last the princesssaid, for perhaps the hundredth time that month, "Where, O jay, isthere a husband worthy of me?"
"Princess," replied Madan-manjari, "I am happy at length to beable as willing to satisfy your just curiosity. For just it is, thoughthe delicacy of our sex --"
"Now, no preaching!" said the maiden; "or thou shalt have saltinstead of sugar for supper."
Jays, your Rajaship, are fond of sugar. So the confidante retained aquantity of good advice which she was about to produce, andreplied,
"I now see clearly the ways of Fortune. Raja Ram, king ofBhogavati, is to be thy husband. He shall be happy in thee and thouin him, for he is young and handsome, rich and generous,good-tempered, not too clever, and without a chance of being aninvalid."
Thereupon the princess, although she had never seen her futurehusband, at once began to love him. In fact, though neither had seteyes upon the other, both were mutually in love.
"How can that be, sire?" asked the young Dharma Dhwaj of hisfather. " I always thought that --"
The great Vikram interrupted his son, and bade him not to ask sillyquestions. Thus he expected to neutralize the evil effects of theBaital's doctrine touching the amiability of parents unlike himself.
Now, as both these young people (resumed the Baital) were ofprincely family and well to do in the world, the course of their lovewas unusually smooth. When the Brahman sent by Raja Ram hadreached Magadh, and had delivered his King's homage to the RajaMagadheshwar, the latter received him with distinction, and agreedto his proposal. The beautiful princess's father sent for a Brahmanof his own, and charging him with nuptial gifts and the customarypresents, sent him back to Bhogavati in company with the otherenvoy, and gave him this order, "Greet Raja Ram, on my behalf,and after placing the tilak or mark upon his forehead, return herewith all speed. When you come back I will get all things ready forthe marriage."
Raja Ram, on receiving the deputation, was greatly pleased, andafter generously rewarding the Brahmans and making all thenecessary preparations, he set out in state for the land of Magadha,to claim his betrothed.
In due season the ceremony took place with feasting and bands ofmusic, fireworks and illuminations, rehearsals of scripture, songs,entertainments, processions, and abundant noise. And hardly hadthe turmeric disappeared from the beautiful hands and feet of thebride, when the bridegroom took an affectionate leave of his newparents - he had not lived long in the house - and receiving thedowry and the bridal gifts, set out for his own country.
Chandravati was dejected by leaving her mother, and therefore shewas allowed to carry with her the jay, Madanmanian. She soontold her husband the wonderful way in which she had first heardhis name, and he related to her the advantage which he had derivedfrom confabulation with Churaman, his parrot.
"Then why do we not put these precious creatures into one cage,after marrying them according to the rites of the angelic marriage(Gandharva-lagana)?" said the charming queen. Like most brides,she was highly pleased to find an opportunity of making a match.
"Ay! why not, love ? Surely they cannot live happy in what theworld calls single blessedness," replied the young king. Asbridegrooms sometimes are for a short time, he was very warmupon the subject of matrimony.
Thereupon, without consulting the parties chiefly concerned intheir scheme, the master and mistress, after being comfortablysettled at the end of their journey, caused a large cage to bebrought, and put into it both their favourites.
Upon which Churaman the parrot leaned his head on one side anddirected a peculiar look at the jay. But Madan- manjari raised herbeak high in the air, puffed through it once or twice, and turnedaway her face in extreme disdain.
"Perhaps," quoth the parrot, at length breaking silence, "you willtell me that you have no desire to be married?"
"Probably," replied the jay.
"And why?" asked the male bird.
"Because I don't choose," replied the female.
"Truly a feminine form of resolution this," ejaculated the parrot. "Iwill borrow my master's words and call it a woman's reason, that isto say, no reason at all. Have you any objection to be moreexplicit?"
"None whatever," retorted the jay, provoked by the rude innuendointo telling more plainly than politely exactly what she thought;"none whatever, sir parrot. You he-things are all of you sinful,treacherous, deceitful, selfish, devoid of conscience, andaccustomed to sacrifice us, the weaker sex, to your smallest desireor convenience."
"Of a truth, fair lady," quoth the young Raja Ram to his bride, "thispet of thine is sufficiently impudent."
"Let her words be as wind in thine ear, master," interrupted theparrot. "And pray, Mistress Jay, what are you she-things buttreacherous, false, ignorant, and avaricious beings, whose onlywish in this world is to prevent life being as pleasant as it mightbe?"
"Verily, my love," said the beautiful Chandravati to herbridegroom, "this thy bird has a habit of expressing his opinions ina very free and easy way."
"I can prove what I assert," whispered the jay in the ear of theprincess.
"We can confound their feminine minds by an anecdote,"whispered the parrot in the ear of the prince.
Briefly, King Vikram, it was settled between the twain that eachshould establish the truth of what it had advanced by an illustrationin the form of a story.
Chandravati claimed, and soon obtained, precedence for the jay.Then the wonderful bird, Madan-manjari, began to speak asfollows:-
I have often told thee, O queen, that before coming to thy feet, mymistress was Ratnawati, the daughter of a rich trader, the dearest,the sweetest, the ---
Here the jay burst into tears, and the mistress was sympatheticallyaffected. Presently the speaker resumed---
However, I anticipate. In the city of Ilapur there was a wealthymerchant, who was without offspring; on this account he wascontinually fasting and going on pilgrimage, and when at home hewas ever engaged in reading the Puranas and in giving alms to theBrahmans.
At length, by favour of the Deity, a son was born to this merchant,who celebrated his birth with great pomp and rejoicing, and gavelarge gifts to Brahmans and to bards, and distributed largely to thehungry, the thirsty, and the poor. When the boy was five years oldhe had him taught to read, and when older he was sent to a guru,who had formerly himself been a student, and who was celebratedas teacher and lecturer.
In the course of time the merchant's son grew up. Praise be toBrahma! what a wonderful youth it was, with a face like amonkey's, legs like a stork's, and a back like a camel's. You knowthe old proverb:--
Expect thirty-two villanies from the limping, and eightyfrom the one-eyed man, But when the hunchback comes, say "Lord defend us!"
Instead of going to study, he went to gamble with otherne'er-do-weels, to whom he talked loosely, and whom he taught tobe bad-hearted as himself. He made love to every woman, anddespite his ugliness, he was not unsuccessful. For they are equallyfortunate who are very handsome or very ugly, in so far as they areboth remarkable and remarked. But the latter bear away the palm.Beautiful men begin well with women, who do all they can toattract them, love them as the apples of their eyes, discover them tobe fools, hold them to be their equals, deceive them, and speedilydespise them. It is otherwise with the ugly man, who, inconsequence of his homeliness, must work his wits and take painswith himself, and become as pleasing as he is capable of being, tillwomen forget his ape's face, bird's legs, and bunchy back.
The hunchback, moreover, became a Tantri, so as to complete hisvillanies. He was duly initiated by an apostate Brahman, made adeclaration that he renounced all the ceremonies of his oldreligion, and was delivered from their yoke, and proceeded toperform in token of joy an abominable rite. In company with eightmen and eight women-a Brahman female, a dancing girl, aweaver's daughter, a woman of ill fame, a washerwoman, abarber's wife, a milkmaid, and the daughter of a land-owner-choosing the darkest time of night and the most secret part of thehouse, he drank with them, was sprinkled and anointed, and wentthrough many ignoble ceremonies, such as sitting nude upon adead body. The teacher informed him that he was not to indulgeshame, or aversion to anything, nor to prefer one thing to another,nor to regard caste, ceremonial cleanness or uncleanness, butfreely to enjoy all the pleasures of sense-that is, of course, wineand us, since we are the representatives of the wife of Cupid, andwine prevents the senses from going astray. And whereas holymen, holding that the subjugation or annihilation of the passions isessential to final beatitude, accomplish this object by bodilyausterities, and by avoiding temptation, he proceeded to blunt theedge of the passions with excessive indulgence. And he jeered atthe pious, reminding them that their ascetics are safe only inforests, and while keeping a perpetual fast; but that he couldsubdue his passions in the very presence of what they mostdesired.
Presently this excellent youth's father died, leaving him immensewealth. He blunted his passions so piously and so vigorously, thatin very few years his fortune was dissipated. Then he turnedtowards his neighbour's goods and prospered for a time, till beingdiscovered robbing, he narrowly escaped the stake. At length heexclaimed, "Let the gods perish! the rascals send me nothing but illluck!" and so saying he arose and fled from his own country.
Chance led that villain hunchback to the city of Chandrapur,where, hearing the name of my master Hemgupt, he recollectedthat one of his father's wealthiest correspondents was so called.Thereupon, with his usual audacity, he presented himself at thehouse, walked in, and although he was clothed in tatters,introduced himself, told his father's name and circumstances, andwept bitterly.
The good man was much astonished, and not less grieved, to seethe son of his old friend in such woful plight. He rose up, however,embraced the youth, and asked the reason of his coming.
"I freighted a vessel," said the false hunchback, "for the purpose oftrading to a certain land. Having gone there, I disposed of mymerchandise, and, taking another cargo, I was on my voyagehome. Suddenly a great storm arose, and the vessel was wrecked,and I escaped on a plank, and after a time arrived here. But I amashamed, since I have lost all my wealth, and I cannot show myface in this plight in my own city. My excellent father would haveconsoled me with his pity. But now that I have carried him and mymother to Ganges,[FN#75] every one will turn against me; theywill rejoice in my misfortunes, they will accuse me of folly andrecklessness - alas! alas! I am truly miserable."
My dear master was deceived by the cunning of the wretch. Heoffered him hospitality, which was readily enough accepted, andhe entertained him for some time as a guest. Then, having reasonto be satisfied with his conduct, Hemgupt admitted him to hissecrets, and finally made him a partner in his business. Briefly, thevillain played his cards so well, that at last the merchant said tohimself:
"I have had for years an anxiety and a calamity in my house. Myneighbours whisper things to my disadvantage, and those who arebolder speak out with astonishment amongst themselves, saying,'At seven or eight, people marry their daughters, and this indeed isthe appointment of the law: that period is long since gone; she isnow thirteen or fourteen years old, and she is very tall and lusty,resembling a married woman of thirty. How can her father eat hisrice with comfort and sleep with satisfaction, whilst such adisreputable thing exists in his house? At present he is exposed toshame, and his deceased friends are suffering through his retaininga girl from marriage beyond the period which nature hasprescribed.' And now, while I am sitting quietly at home, theBhagwan (Deity) removes all my uneasiness: by his favour such anopportunity occurs. It is not right to delay. It is best that I shallgive my daughter in marriage to him. Whatever can be done to-dayis best; who knows what may happen to-morrow?
"Thus thinking, the old man went to his wife and said to her,"Birth, marriage, and death are all under the direction of the gods;can anyone say when they will be ours? We want for our daughtera young man who is of good birth, rich and handsome, clever andhonourable. But we do not find him. If the bridegroom be faulty,thou sayest, all will go wrong. I cannot put a string round the neckof our daughter and throw her into the ditch. If, however, thouthink well of the merchant's son, now my partner, we will celebrateRatnawati's marriage with him."
The wife, who had been won over by the hunchback's hypocrisy,was also pleased, and replied, "My lord! when the Deity so plainlyindicates his wish, we should do it; since, though we have satquietly at home, the desire of our hearts is accomplished. It is bestthat no delay be made: and, having quickly summoned the familypriest, and having fixed upon a propitious planetary conjunction,that the marriage be celebrated."
Then they called their daughter -- ah, me! what a beautiful beingshe was, and worthy the love of a Gandharva (demigod). Her longhair, purple with the light of youth, was glossy as thebramra's[FN#76] wing; her brow was pure and clear as the agate;the ocean-coral looked pale beside her lips, and her teeth were astwo chaplets of pearls. Everything in her was formed to be loved.Who could look into her eyes without wishing to do it again? Whocould hear her voice without hoping that such music would soundonce more? And she was good as she was fair. Her father adoredher; her mother, though a middle-aged woman, was not envious orjealous of her; her relatives doted on her, and her friends couldfind no fault with her. I should never end were I to tell her preciousqualities. Alas, alas ! my poor Ratnawati!
So saying, the jay wept abundant tears; then she resumed:
When her parents informed my mistress of their resolution, shereplied, "Sadhu-it is well!" She was not like most young women,who hate nothing so much as a man whom their seniors order themto love. She bowed her head and promised obedience, although, asshe afterwards told her mother, she could hardly look at herintended, on account of his prodigious ugliness. But presently thehunchback's wit surmounted her disgust. She was grateful to himfor his attention to her father and mother; she esteemed him for hismoral and religious conduct; she pitied him for his misfortunes,and she finished with forgetting his face, legs, and back in heradmiration of what she supposed to be his mind.
She had vowed before marriage faithfully to perform all the dutiesof a wife, however distasteful to her they might be; but after thenuptials, which were not long deferred, she was not surprised tofind that she loved her husband. Not only did she omit to think ofhis features and figure; I verily believe that she loved him the morefor his repulsiveness. Ugly, very ugly men prevail over women fortwo reasons. Firstly, we begin with repugnance, which in thecourse of nature turns to affection; and we all like the most thatwhich, when unaccustomed to it, we most disliked. Hence the poetsays, with as much truth as is in the male:
Never despair, O man! when woman's spite Detests thy name and sickens at thy sight: Sometime her heart shall learn to love thee more For the wild hatred which it felt before, &c.
Secondly, the very ugly man appears, deceitfully enough, to thinklittle of his appearance, and he will give himself the trouble topursue a heart because he knows that the heart will not follow afterhim. Moreover, we women (said the jay) are by nature pitiful, andthis our enemies term a "strange perversity." A widow is generallydisconsolate if she loses a little, wizen-faced, shrunken shanked,ugly, spiteful, distempered thing that scolded her and quarrelledwith her, and beat her and made her hours bitter; whereas she willfollow her husband to Ganges with exemplary fortitude if he wasbrave, handsome, generous ---
"Either hold your tongue or go on with your story," cried thewarrior king, in whose mind these remarks awakened disagreeablefamily reflections.
"Hi! hi! hi!" laughed the demon; "I will obey your majesty, andmake Madan-manjari, the misanthropical jay, proceed."
Yes, she loved the hunchback; and how wonderful is our love!quoth the jay. A light from heaven which rains happiness on thisdull, dark earth! A spell falling upon the spirit, which reminds usof a higher existence! A memory of bliss! A present delight! Anearnest of future felicity! It makes hideousness beautiful andstupidity clever, old age young and wickedness good, morosenessamiable, and low-mindedness magnanimous, perversity pretty andvulgarity piquant. Truly it is sovereign alchemy and excellent fluxfor blending contradictions is our love, exclaimed the jay.
And so saying, she cast a triumphant look at the parrot, who onlyremarked that he could have desired a little more originality in herremarks.
For some months (resumed Madan-manjari), the bride and thebridegroom lived happily together in Hemgupt's house. But it issaid:
Never yet did the tiger become a lamb;
and the hunchback felt that the edge of his passions again wantedblunting. He reflected, "Wisdom is exemption from attachment,and affection for children, wife, and home." Then he thusaddressed my poor young mistress:
"I have been now in thy country some years, and I have heard notidings of my own family, hence my mind is sad, I have told theeeverything about myself; thou must now ask thy mother leave forme to go to my own city, and, if thou wishest, thou mayest go withme."
Ratnawati lost no time in saying to her mother, "My husbandwishes to visit his own country; will you so arrange that he maynot be pained about this matter?"
The mother went to her husband, and said, "Your son-in-lawdesires leave to go to his own country."
Hemgupt replied, " Very well; we will grant him leave. One has nopower over another man's son. We will do what he wishes."
The parents then called their daughter, and asked her to tell themher real desire-whether she would go to her father-in-law's house,or would remain in her mother's home. She was abashed at thisquestion, and could not answer; but she went back to her husband,and said, "As my father and mother have declared that you shoulddo as you like, do not leave me behind."
Presently the merchant summoned his son-in-law, and havingbestowed great wealth upon him, allowed him to depart. He alsobade his daughter farewell, after giving her a palanquin and afemale slave. And the parents took leave of them with wailing andbitter tears; their hearts were like to break. And so was mine.
For some days the hunchback travelled quietly along with his wife,in deep thought. He could not take her to his city, where she wouldfind out his evil life, and the fraud which he had passed upon herfather. Besides which, although he wanted her money, he by nomeans wanted her company for life. After turning on manyprojects in his evil-begotten mind, he hit upon the following:
He dismissed the palanquin-bearers when halting at a little shed inthe thick jungle through which they were travelling, and said to hiswife, "This is a place of danger; give me thy jewels, and I will hidethem in my waist-shawl. When thou reachest the city thou canstwear them again." She then gave up to him all her ornaments,which were of great value. Thereupon he inveigled the slave girlinto the depths of the forest, where he murdered her, and left herbody to be devoured by wild beasts. Lastly, returning to my poormistress, he induced her to leave the hut with him, and pushed herby force into a dry well, after which exploit he set out alone withhis ill-gotten wealth, walking towards his own city.
In the meantime, a wayfaring man, who was passing through thatjungle, hearing the sound of weeping, stood still, and began to sayto himself, "How came to my ears the voice of a mortal's grief inthis wild wood?" then followed the direction of the noise, whichled him a pit, and peeping over the side, he saw a woman crying atthe bottom. The traveller at once loosened his gird cloth, knotted itto his turband, and letting down the line pulled out the poor bride.He asked her who she was and how she came to fall into that well.She replied, "I am the daughter of Hemgupt, the wealthiestmerchant in the city of Chandrapur; and I was journeying wit myhusband to his own country, when robbers set upon us andsurrounded us. They slew my slave girl, the threw me into a well,and having bound my husband they took him away, together withmy jewels. I have no tidings of him, nor he of me." And so saying,she burst into tears and lamentations.
The wayfaring man believed her tale, and conducted her to herhome, where she gave the same account of the accident which hadbefallen her, ending with, "beyond this, I know not if they havekilled my husband, or have let him go." The father thus soothedher grief "Daughter! have no anxiety; thy husband is alive, and bythe will of the Deity he will come to thee in a few days. Thievestake men's money, not their lives." Then the parents presented herwith ornaments more precious than those which she had lost; andsummoning their relations and friends, they comforted her to thebest of their power.
And so did I. The wicked hunchback had, meanwhile, returned tohis own city, where he was excellently well received, because hebrought much wealth with him. His old associates flocked aroundhim rejoicing; and he fell into the same courses which hadbeggared him before. Gambling and debauchery soon blunted hispassions, and emptied his purse. Again his boon companions,finding him without a broken cowrie, drove him from their doors,he stole and was flogged for theft; and lastly, half famished, hefled the city. Then he said to himself, "I must go to myfather-in-law, and make the excuse that a grandson has been bornto him, and that I have come to offer him congratulations on theevent."
Imagine, however, his fears and astonishment, when, as he enteredthe house, his wife stood before him. At first he thought it was aghost, and turned to run away, but she went out to him and said,"Husband, be not troubled ! I have told my father that thieves cameupon us, and killed the slave girl and robbed me and threw me intoa well, and bound thee and carried thee off. Tell the same story,and put away all anxious feelings. Come up and change thytattered garments-alas! some misfortune hath befallen thee. Butconsole thyself; all is now well, since thou art returned to me, andfear not, for the house is shine, and I am thy slave."
The wretch, with all his hardness of heart, could scarcely refrainfrom tears. He followed his wife to her room, where she washedhis feet, caused him to bathe, dressed him in new clothes, andplaced food before him. When her parents returned, she presentedhim to their embrace, saying in a glad way, "Rejoice with me, Omy father and mother! the robbers have at length allowed him tocome back to us." Of course the parents were deceived, they aremostly a purblind race; and Hemgupt, showing great favour to hisworthless son-in-law, exclaimed, "Remain with us, my son, and behappy!"
For two or three months the hunchback lived quietly with his wife,treating her kindly and even affectionately. But this did not lastlong. He made acquaintance with a band of thieves, and arrangedhis plans with them.
After a time, his wife one night came to sleep by his side, havingput on all her jewels. At midnight, when he saw that she was fastasleep, he struck her with a knife so that she died. Then headmitted his accomplices, who savagely murdered Hemgupt andhis wife; and with their assistance he carried off any valuablearticle upon which he could lay his hands. The ferocious wretch!As he passed my cage he looked at it, and thought whether he hadtime to wring my neck. The barking of a dog saved my life; but mymistress, my poor Ratnawati-ah, me! ah, me!--
"Queen," said the jay, in deepest grief, "all this have I seen withmine own eyes, and have heard with mine own ears. It affected mein early life, and gave me a dislike for the society of the other sex.With due respect to you, I have resolved to remain an old maid.Let your majesty reflect, what crime had my poor mistresscommitted? A male is of the same disposition as a highway robber;and she who forms friendship with such an one, cradles upon herbosom a black and venomous snake."
"Sir Parrot," said the jay, turning to her wooer, "I have spoken. Ihave nothing more to say, but that you he-things are all atreacherous, selfish, wicked race, created for the express purposeof working our worldly woe, and--"
"When a female, O my king, asserts that she has nothing more tosay, but," broke in Churaman, the parrot with a loud dogmaticalvoice, "I know that what she has said merely whets her tongue forwhat she is about to say. This person has surely spoken longenough and drearily enough."
"Tell me, then, O parrot," said the king, "what faults there may bein the other sex."
"I will relate," quoth Churaman, "an occurrence which in my earlyyouth determined me to live and to die an old bachelor."
When quite a young bird, and before my schooling began, I wascaught in the land of Malaya, and was sold to a very rich merchantcalled Sagardati, a widower with one daughter, the lady Jayashri.As her father spent all his days and half his nights in hiscounting-house, conning his ledgers and scolding his writers, thatyoung woman had more liberty than is generally allowed to thoseof her age, and a mighty bad use she made of it.
O king! men commit two capital mistakes in rearing the "domesticcalamity," and these are over-vigilance and under-vigilance. Someparents never lose sight of their daughters, suspect them of all evilintentions, and are silly enough to show their suspicions, which isan incentive to evil-doing. For the weak-minded things donaturally say, "I will be wicked at once. What do I now but sufferall the pains and penalties of badness, without enjoying itspleasures?" And so they are guilty of many evil actions; for,however vigilant fathers and mothers may be, the daughter canalways blind their eyes.
On the other hand, many parents take no trouble whatever withtheir charges: they allow them to sit in idleness, the origin ofbadness; they permit them to communicate with the wicked, andthey give them liberty which breeds opportunity. Thus they also,falling into the snares of the unrighteous, who are ever a morepainstaking race than the righteous, are guilty of many evil actions.
What, then, must wise parents do? The wise will study thecharacters of their children, and modify their treatmentaccordingly. If a daughter be naturally good, she will be treatedwith a prudent confidence. If she be vicious, an apparent trust willbe reposed in her; but her father and mother will secretly ever beupon their guard. The one-idea'd --
"All this parrot-prate, I suppose, is only intended to vex me," criedthe warrior king, who always considered himself, and verynaturally, a person of such consequence as ever to be uppermost inthe thoughts and minds of others. "If thou must tell a tale, then tellone, Vampire! or else be silent, as I am sick to the death of thypsychics."
"It is well, O warrior king," resumed the Baital.
After that Churaman the parrot had given the young Raja Ram agolden mine full of good advice about the management ofdaughters, he proceeded to describe Jayashri.
She was tall, stout, and well made, of lymphatic temperament, andyet strong passions. Her fine large eyes had heavy and rather fulleyelids, which are to be avoided. Her hands were symmetricalwithout being small, and the palms were ever warm and damp.Though her lips were good, her mouth was somewhat underhung;and her voice was so deep, that at times it sounded like that of aman. Her hair was smooth as the kokila's plume, and hercomplexion was that of the young jasmine; and these were thepoints at which most persons looked. Altogether, she was neitherhandsome nor ugly, which is an excellent thing in woman. Sita thegoddess[FN#77] was lovely to excess; therefore she was carriedaway by a demon. Raja Bali was exceedingly generous, and heemptied his treasury. In this way, exaggeration, even of good, isexceedingly bad.
Yet must I confess, continued the parrot, that, as a rule, thebeautiful woman is more virtuous than the ugly. The former isoften tempted, but her vanity and conceit enable her to resist, bythe self-promise that she shall be tempted again and again. On theother hand, the ugly woman must tempt instead of being tempted,and she must yield, because her vanity and conceit are gratified byyielding, not by resisting.
"Ho, there!" broke in the jay contemptuously. "What womancannot win the hearts of the silly things called men? Is it not saidthat a pig-faced female who dwells in Landanpur has a lover?"
I was about to remark, my king! said the parrot, somewhat nettled,if the aged virgin had not interrupted me, that as ugly women aremore vicious than handsome women, so they are most successful."We love the pretty, we adore the plain," is a true saying amongstthe worldly wise. And why do we adore the plain? Because theyseem to think less of themselves than of us-a vital condition ofadoration.
Jayashri made some conquests by the portion of good looks whichshe possessed, more by her impudence, and most by her father'sreputation for riches. She was truly shameless, and never allowedherself fewer than half a dozen admirers at the time. Her chiefamusement was to appoint interviews with them successively, atintervals so short that she was obliged to hurry away one in orderto make room for another. And when a lover happened to bejealous, or ventured in any way to criticize her arrangements, shereplied at once by showing him the door. Answer unanswerable!
When Jayashri had reached the ripe age of thirteen, the son of amerchant, who was her father's gossip and neighbour, returnedhome after a long sojourn in far lands, whither he had travelled inthe search of wealth. The poor wretch, whose name, by-the-bye,was Shridat (Gift of Fortune), had loved her in her childhood; andhe came back, as men are apt to do after absence from familiarscenes, painfully full of affection for house and home and allbelonging to it. From his cross, stingy old uncle to the snarlingsuperannuated beast of a watchdog, he viewed all with eyes of loveand melting heart. He could not see that his idol was greatlychanged, and nowise for the better; that her nose was broader andmore club-like, her eyelids fatter and thicker, her under lip moreprominent, her voice harsher, and her manner coarser. He did notnotice that she was an adept in judging of men's dress, and that shelooked with admiration upon all swordsmen, especially upon thosewho fought upon horses and elephants. The charm of memory, thecurious faculty of making past time present caused all he viewed tobe enchanting to him.
Having obtained her father's permission, Shridat applied forbetrothal to Jayashri, who with peculiar boldness, had resolved thatno suitor should come to her through her parent. And she, afterleading him on by all the coquetries of which she was a mistress,refused to marry him, saying that she liked him as a friend, butwould hate him as a husband.
You see, my king! there are three several states of feeling withwhich women regard their masters, and these are love, hate, andindifference. Of all, love is the weakest and the most transient,because the essentially unstable creatures naturally fall out of it asreadily as they fall into it. Hate being a sister excitement willeasily become, if a man has wit enough to effect the change, love;and hate-love may perhaps last a little longer than love-love. Also,man has the occupation, the excitement, and the pleasure ofbringing about the change. As regards the neutral state, that poetwas not happy in his ideas who sang --
Whene'er indifference appears, or scorn, Then, man, despair! then, hapless lover, mourn!
For a man versed in the Lila Shastra[FN#78] can soon turn awoman's indifference into hate, which I have shown is as easilypermuted to love. In which predicament it is the old thing overagain, and it ends in the pure Asat[FN#79] or nonentity.
"Which of these two birds, the jay or the parrot, had dipped deeperinto human nature, mighty King Vikram?" asked the demon in awheedling tone of voice.
The trap was this time set too openly, even for the royal personage,to fall into it. He hurried on, calling to his son, and not answering aword. The Vampire therefore resumed the thread of his story at theplace where he had broken it off.
Shridat was in despair when he heard the resolve of his idol. Hethought of drowning himself, of throwing himself down from thesummit of Mount Girnar,[FN#80] of becoming a religious beggar;in short, of a multitude of follies. But he refrained from all suchheroic remedies for despair, having rightly judged, when hebecame somewhat calmer, that they would not be likely to furtherhis suit. He discovered that patience is a virtue, and he resolvedimpatiently enough to practice it. And by perseverance hesucceeded. The worse for him! How vain are men to wish! Howwise is the Deity, who is deaf to their wishes!
Jayashri, for potent reasons best known to herself, was married toShridat six months after his return home. He was in raptures. Hecalled himself the happiest man in existence. He thanked andsacrificed to the Bhagwan for listening to his prayers. He recalledto mind with thrilling heart the long years which he had spent inhopeless exile from all that was dear to him, his sadness andanxiety, his hopes and joys, his toils and troubles his loyal love andhis vows to Heaven for the happiness of his idol, and for thefurtherance of his fondest desires.
For truly he loved her, continued the parrot, and there is somethingholy in such love. It becomes not only a faith, but the best offaiths-an abnegation of self which emancipates the spirit from itsstraightest and earthliest bondage, the "I"; the first step in theregions of heaven; a homage rendered through the creature to theCreator; a devotion solid, practical, ardent, not as worship mostlyis, a cold and lifeless abstraction; a merging of human nature intoone far nobler and higher the spiritual existence of the supernalworld. For perfect love is perfect happiness, and the onlyperfection of man; and what is a demon but a being without love?And what makes man's love truly divine, is the fact that it isbestowed upon such a thing as woman.
"And now, Raja Vikram," said the Vampire, speaking in his properperson, "I have given you Madanmanjari the jay's and Churamanthe parrot's definitions of the tender passion, or rather theirdescriptions of its effects. Kindly observe that I am far fromaccepting either one or the other. Love is, according to me,somewhat akin to mania, a temporary condition of selfishness, atransient confusion of identity. It enables man to predicate ofothers who are his other selves, that which he is ashamed to sayabout his real self. I will suppose the beloved object to be ugly,stupid, vicious, perverse, selfish, low minded, or the reverse; manfinds it charming by the same rule that makes his faults and foiblesdearer to him than all the virtues and good qualities of hisneighbours. Ye call love a spell, an alchemy, a deity. Why?Because it deifies self by gratifying all man's pride, man's vanity,and man's conceit, under the mask of complete unegotism. Who isnot in heaven when he is talking of himself? and, prithee, of whatelse consists all the talk of lovers?"
It is astonishing that the warrior king allowed this speech to last aslong as it did. He hated nothing so fiercely, now that he was inmiddle-age, as any long mention of the "handsome god.[FN#81]"Having vainly endeavoured to stop by angry mutterings the courseof the Baital's eloquence, he stepped out so vigorously and sorudely shook that inveterate talker, that the latter once or twicenearly bit off the tip of his tongue. Then the Vampire becamesilent, and Vikram relapsed into a walk which allowed the tale tobe resumed.
Jayashri immediately conceived a strong dislike for her husband,and simultaneously a fierce affection for a reprobate who beforehad been indifferent to her. The more lovingly Shridat behaved toher, the more vexed end annoyed she was. When her friends talkedto her, she turned up her nose, raising her eyebrows (in token ofdispleasure), and remained silent. When her husband spoke wordsof affection to her, she found them disagreeable, and turning awayher face, reclined on the bed. Then he brought dresses andornaments of various kinds and presented them to her, saying,"Wear these." Whereupon she would become more angry, knit herbrows, turn her face away, and in an audible whisper call him"fool." All day she stayed out of the house, saying to hercompanions, "Sisters, my youth is passing away, and I have not, upto the present time, tasted any of this world's pleasures." Then shewould ascend to the balcony, peep through the lattice, and seeingthe reprobate going along, she would cry to her friend, "Bring thatperson to me." All night she tossed and turned from side to side,reflecting in her heart, "I am puzzled in my mind what I shall say,and whither I shall go. I have forgotten sleep, hunger, and thirst;neither heat nor cold is refreshing to me."
At last, unable any longer to support the separation from herreprobate paramour, whom she adored, she resolved to fly withhim. On one occasion, when she thought that her husband was fastasleep, she rose up quietly, and leaving him, made her wayfearlessly in the dark night to her lover's abode. A footpad, whosaw her on the way, thought to himself, "Where can this woman,clothed in jewels, be going alone at midnight?" And thus hefollowed her unseen, and watched her.
When Jayashri reached the intended place, she went into the house,and found her lover lying at the door. He was dead, having beenstabbed by the footpad; but she, thinking that he had, according tocustom, drunk intoxicating hemp, sat upon the floor, and raisinghis head, placed it tenderly in her lap. Then, burning with the fireof separation from him, she began to kiss his cheeks, and to fondleand caress him with the utmost freedom and affection.
By chance a Pisach (evil spirit) was seated in a largefig-tree[FN#82] opposite the house, and it occurred to him, whenbeholding this scene, that he might amuse himself in acharacteristic way. He therefore hopped down from his branch,vivified the body, and began to return the woman's caresses. But asJayashri bent down to kiss his lips, he caught the end of her nose inhis teeth, and bit it clean off. He then issued from the corpse, andreturned to the branch where he had been sitting.
Jayashri was in despair. She did not, however, lose her presence ofmind, but sat down and proceeded to take thought; and when shehad matured her plan she arose, dripping with blood, and walkedstraight home to her husband's house. On entering his room sheclapped her hand to her nose, and began to gnash her teeth, and toshriek so violently, that all the members of the family werealarmed. The neighbours also collected in numbers at the door,and, as it was bolted inside, they broke it open and rushed in,carrying lights. There they saw the wife sitting upon the groundwith her face mutilated, and the husband standing over her,apparently trying to appease her.
"O ignorant, criminal, shameless, pitiless wretch!" cried thepeople, especially the women; "why hast thou cut off her nose, shenot having offended in any way?"
Poor Shridat, seeing at once the trick which had been played uponhim, thought to himself: "One should put no confidence in achangeful mind, a black serpent, or an armed enemy, and oneshould dread a woman's doings. What cannot a poet describe?What is there that a saint (jogi) does not know? What nonsensewill not a drunken man talk? What limit is there to a woman'sguile? True it is that the gods know nothing of the defects of ahorse, of the thundering of clouds, of a woman's deeds, or of aman's future fortunes. How then can we know?" He could donothing but weep, and swear by the herb basil, by his cattle, by hisgrain, by a piece of gold, and by all that is holy, that he had notcommitted the crime.
In the meanwhile, the old merchant, Jayashri's father, ran off, andlaid a complaint before the kotwal, and the footmen of the policemagistrate were immediately sent to apprehend the husband, and tocarry him bound before the judge. The latter, after dueexamination, laid the affair before the king. An example happeningto be necessary at the time, the king resolved to punish the offencewith severity, and he summoned the husband and wife to the court.
When the merchant's daughter was asked to give an account ofwhat had happened, she pointed out the state of her nose, and said,"Maharaj! why inquire of me concerning what is so manifest?"The king then turned to the husband, and bade him state hisdefence. He said, "I know nothing of it," and in the face of thestrongest evidence he persisted in denying his guilt.
Thereupon the king, who had vainly threatened to cut off Shridat'sright hand, infuriated by his refusing to confess and to beg formercy, exclaimed, "How must I punish such a wretch as thou art?"The unfortunate man answered, "Whatever your majesty mayconsider just, that be pleased to do." Thereupon the king cried,"Away with him, and impale him"; and the people, hearing thecommand, prepared to obey it.
Before Shridat had left the court, the footpad, who had beenlooking on, and who saw that an innocent man was about to beunjustly punished, raised a cry for justice and, pushing through thecrowd, resolved to make himself heard. He thus addressed thethrone: "Great king, the cherishing of the good, and thepunishment of the bad, is the invariable duty of kings." The rulerhaving caused him to approach, asked him who he was, and hereplied boldly, " Maharaj! I am a thief, and this man is innocentand his blood is about to be shed unjustly. Your majesty has notdone what is right in this affair." Thereupon the king charged himto tell the truth according to his religion; and the thief relatedexplicitly the whole circumstances, omitting of course, the murder.
"Go ye," said the king to his messengers, "and look in the mouth ofthe woman's lover who has fallen dead. If the nose be there found,then has this thief-witness told the truth, and the husband is aguiltless man."
The nose was presently produced in court, and Shridat escaped thestake. The king caused the wicked Jayashri's face to be smearedwith oily soot, and her head and eyebrows to be shaved; thusblackened and disfigured, she was mounted upon a littleragged-limbed ass and was led around the market and the streets,after which she was banished for ever from the city. The husbandand the thief were then dismissed with betel and other gifts,together with much sage advice which neither of them wanted.
"My king," resumed the misogyne parrot, "of such excellencies asthese are women composed. It is said that 'wet cloth willextinguish fire and bad food will destroy strength; a degenerate sonruins a family, and when a friend is in wrath he takes away life.But a woman is an inflicter of grief in love and in hate, whatevershe does turns out to be for our ill. Truly the Deity has createdwoman a strange being in this world.' And again, 'The beauty ofthe nightingale is its song, science is the beauty of an ugly man,forgiveness is the beauty of a devotee, and the beauty of a womanis virtue-but where shall we find it?' And again, 'Among the sages,Narudu; among the beasts, the jackal; among the birds, the crow;among men, the barber; and in this world woman-is the mostcrafty.'
"What I have told thee, my king, I have seen with mine own eyes,and I have heard with mine own ears. At the time I was young, butthe event so affected me that I have ever since held female kind tobe a walking pest, a two-legged plague, whose mission on earth,like flies and other vermin, is only to prevent our being too happy.O, why do not children and young parrots sprout in crops from theground-from budding trees or vinestocks?"
"I was thinking, sire," said the young Dharma Dhwaj to the warriorking his father, "what women would say of us if they couldcompose Sanskrit verses!"
"Then keep your thoughts to yourself," replied the Raja, nettled athis son daring to say a word in favour of the sex. "You always takethe part of wickedness and depravity--- "
"Permit me, your majesty," interrupted the Baital, "to conclude mytale."
When Madan-manjari, the jay, and Churaman, the parrot, hadgiven these illustrations of their belief, they began to wrangle, andwords ran high. The former insisted that females are the salt of theearth, speaking, I presume, figuratively. The latter went so far as toassert that the opposite sex have no souls, and that their brains arein a rudimental and inchoate state of development. Thereupon hewas tartly taken to task by his master's bride, the beautifulChandravati, who told him that those only have a bad opinion ofwomen who have associated with none but the vicious and the low,and that he should be ashamed to abuse feminine parrots, becausehis mother had been one.
This was truly logical.
On the other hand, the jay was sternly reproved for her mutinousand treasonable assertions by the husband of her mistress, RajaRam, who, although still a bridegroom, had not forgotten thegallant rule of his syntax--
The masculine is more worthy than the feminine;
till Madan-manjari burst into tears and declared that her life wasnot worth having. And Raja Ram looked at her as if he could havewrung her neck.
In short, Raja Vikram, all the four lost their tempers, and withthem what little wits they had. Two of them were but birds, and theothers seem not to have been much better, being young, ignorant,inexperienced, and lately married. How then could they decide sodifficult a question as that of the relative wickedness and villany ofmen and women? Had your majesty been there, the knot ofuncertainty would soon have been undone by the trenchant edge ofyour wit and wisdom, your knowledge and experience. You have,of course, long since made up your mind upon the subject?
Dharma Dhwaj would have prevented his father's reply. But theyouth had been twice reprehended in the course of this tale, and hethought it wisest to let things take their own way.
"Women," quoth the Raja, oracularly, "are worse than we are; aman, however depraved he may be, ever retains some notion ofright and wrong, but a woman does not. She has no such regardwhatever."
"The beautiful Bangalah Rani for instance?" said the Baital, with ademonaic sneer.
At the mention of a word, the uttering of which was punishable byextirpation of the tongue, Raja Vikram's brain whirled with rage.He staggered in the violence of his passion, and putting forth bothhands to break his fall, he dropped the bundle from his back. Thenthe Baital, disentangling himself and laughing lustily, ran offtowards the tree as fast as his thin brown legs would carry him. Buthis activity availed him little.
The king, puffing with fury, followed him at the top of his speed,and caught him by his tail before he reached the siras-tree, hurledhim backwards with force, put foot upon his chest, and aftershaking out the cloth, rolled him up in it with extreme violence,bumped his back half a dozen times against the stony ground, andfinally, with a jerk, threw him on his shoulder, as he had donebefore.
The young prince, afraid to accompany his father whilst he waspursuing the fiend, followed slowly in the rear, and did not joinhim for some minutes.
But when matters were in their normal state, the Vampire, who hadendured with exemplary patience the penalty of his impudence,began in honeyed accents,
"Listen, O warrior king, whilst thy servant recounts unto theeanother true tale."
THE VAMPIRE'S THIRD STORY.
Of a High-minded Family.
In the venerable city of Bardwan, O warrior king! (quoth theVampire) during the reign of the mighty Rupsen, flourished oneRajeshwar, a Rajput warrior of distinguished fame. By his valourand conduct he had risen from the lowest ranks of the army tocommand it as its captain. And arrived at that dignity, he did notput a stop to all improvements, like other chiefs, who rejoice torest and return thanks. On the contrary, he became such a reformerthat, to some extent, he remodelled the art of war.
Instead of attending to rules and regulations, drawn up in theirstudies by pandits and Brahmans, he consulted chiefly his ownexperience and judgment. He threw aside the systematic plans ofcampaigns laid down in the Shastras or books of the ancients, andhe acted upon the spur of the moment. He displayed a skill in thechoice of ground, in the use of light troops, and in securing hisown supplies whilst he cut off those of the enemy, whichKartikaya himself, God of War, might have envied. Finding thatthe bows of his troops were clumsy and slow to use, he had themall changed before compelled so to do by defeat; he also gave hisattention to the sword handles, which cramped the men's grasp butwhich having been used for eighteen hundred years wereconsidered perfect weapons. And having organized a special corpsof warriors using fire arrows, he soon brought it to such perfectionthat, by using it against the elephants of his enemies, he gainedmany a campaign.
One instance of his superior judgment I am about to quote to thee,O Vikram, after which I return to my tale; for thou art truly awarrior king, very likely to imitate the innovations of the greatgeneral Rajeshwar.
(A grunt from the monarch was the result of the Vampire's sneer.)
He found his master's armies recruited from Northern Hindustan,and officered by Kshatriya warriors, who grew great only becausethey grew old and - fat. Thus the energy and talent of the youngermen were wasted in troubles and disorders; whilst the seniors wereoften so ancient that they could not mount their chargers unaided,nor, when they were mounted, could they see anything a dozenyards before them. But they had served in a certain obsoletecampaign, and until Rajeshwar gave them pensions and dismissals,they claimed a right to take first part in all campaigns present andfuture. The commander-in-chief refused to use any captain whocould not stand steady on his legs, or endure the sun for a wholeday. When a soldier distinguished himself in action, he raised himto the powers and privileges of the warrior caste. And whereas ithad been the habit to lavish circles and bars of silver and othermetals upon all those who had joined in the war, whether they hadsat behind a heap of sand or had been foremost to attack the foe, hebroke through the pernicious custom, and he rendered the honourvaluable by conferring it only upon the deserving. I need hardlysay that, in an inordinately short space of time, his army beat everyking and general that opposed it.
One day the great commander-in-chief was seated in a certainroom near the threshold of his gate, when the voices of a numberof people outside were heard. Rajeshwar asked, "Who is at thedoor, and what is the meaning of the noise I hear?" The porterreplied, "It is a fine thing your honour has asked. Many personscome sitting at the door of the rich for the purpose of obtaining alivelihood and wealth. When they meet together they talk ofvarious things: it is these very people who are now making thisnoise."
Rajeshwar, on hearing this, remained silent.
In the meantime a traveller, a Rajput, Birbal by name, hoping toobtain employment, came from the southern quarter to the palaceof the chief. The porter having listened to his story, made thecircumstance known to his master, saying, "O chief! an armed manhas arrived here, hoping to obtain employment, and is standing atthe door. If I receive a command he shall be brought into yourhonour's presence."
"Bring him in," cried the commander-in-chief.
The porter brought him in, and Rajeshwar inquired, "O Rajput,who and what art thou?"
Birbal submitted that he was a person of distinguished fame for theuse of weapons, and that his name for fidelity and velour had goneforth to the utmost ends of Bharat-Kandha.[FN#83]
The chief was well accustomed to this style of self introduction,and its only effect upon his mind was a wish to shame the man byshowing him that he had not the least knowledge of weapons. Hetherefore bade him bare his blade and perform some feat.
Birbal at once drew his good sword. Guessing the thoughts whichwere hovering about the chief's mind, he put forth his left hand,extending the forefinger upwards, waved his blade like the arm ofa demon round his head, and, with a dexterous stroke, so shavedoff a bit of nail that it fell to the ground, and not a drop of bloodappeared upon the finger-tip.
"Live for ever!" exclaimed Rajeshwar in admiration. He thenaddressed to the recruit a few questions concerning the art of war,or rather concerning his peculiar views of it. To all of which Birbalanswered with a spirit and a judgment which convinced the hearerthat he was no common sworder.
Whereupon Rajeshwar bore off the new man at arms to the palaceof the king Rupsen, and recommended that he should be engagedwithout delay.
The king, being a man of few words and many ideas, after hearinghis commander-in-chief, asked, "O Rajput, what shall I give theefor thy daily expenditure?"
"Give me a thousand ounces of gold daily," said Birbal, "and then Ishall have wherewithal to live on."
"Hast thou an army with thee?" exclaimed the king in the greatestastonishment.
"I have not," responded the Rajput somewhat stiffly. "I have first, awife; second, a son; third, a daughter; fourth, myself; there is nofifth person with me."
All the people of the court on hearing this turned aside their headsto laugh, and even the women, who were peeping at the scene,covered their mouths with their veils. The Rajput was thendismissed the presence.
It is, however, noticeable amongst you humans, that the worldoften takes you at your own valuation. Set a high price uponyourselves, and each man shall say to his neighbour, "In this manthere must be something." Tell everyone that you are brave, clever,generous, or even handsome, and after a time they will begin tobelieve you. And when thus you have attained success, it will beharder to unconvince them than it was to convince them. Thus - -
"Listen not to him, sirrah," cried Raja Vikram to Dharma Dhwaj,the young prince, who had fallen a little way behind, and wasgiving ear attentively to the Vampire's ethics. "Listen to him not.And tell me, villain, with these ignoble principles of shine, whatwill become of modesty, humility, self-sacrifice, and a host ofother Guna or good qualities which - which are good qualities?"
"I know not," rejoined the Baital, "neither do I care. But myhabitually inspiriting a succession of human bodies has taught meone fact. The wise man knows himself, and is, therefore, neitherunduly humble nor elated, because he had no more to do withmaking himself than with the cut of his cloak, or with the fitness ofhis loin-cloth. But the fool either loses his head by comparinghimself with still greater fools, or is prostrated when he findshimself inferior to other and lesser fools. This shyness he callsmodesty, humility, and so forth. Now, whenever entering a corpse,whether it be of man, woman, or child, I feel peculiarly modest; Iknow that my tenement lately belonged to some conceited ass.And --"
"Wouldst thou have me bump thy back against the ground?" askedRaja Vikram angrily.
(The Baital muttered some reply scarcely intelligible about hishaving this time stumbled upon a metaphysical thread of ideas, andthen continued his story.)
Now Rupsen, the king, began by inquiring of himself why theRajput had rated his services so highly. Then he reflected that ifthis recruit had asked so much money, it must have been for somereason which would afterwards become apparent. Next, he hopedthat if he gave him so much, his generosity might some day turnout to his own advantage. Finally, with this idea in his mind, hesummoned Birbal and the steward of his household, and said to thelatter, "Give this Rajput a thousand ounces of gold daily from ourtreasury."
It is related that Birbal made the best possible use of his wealth. Heused every morning to divide it into two portions, one of whichwas distributed to Brahmans and Parohitas.[FN#84] Of theremaining moiety, having made two parts, he gave one as alms topilgrims, to Bairagis or Vishnu's mendicants, and to Sanyasis orworshippers of Shiva, whose bodies, smeared with ashes, werehardly covered with a narrow cotton cloth and a rope about theirloins, and whose heads of artificial hair, clotted like a rope,besieged his gate. With the remaining fourth, having caused foodto be prepared, he regaled the poor, while he himself and hisfamily ate what was left. Every evening, arming himself withsword and buckler, he took up his position as guard at the royalbedside, and walked round it all night sword in hand. If the kingchanced to wake and asked who was present, Birbal immediatelygave reply that "Birbal is here; whatever command you give, thathe will obey." And oftentimes Rupsen gave him unusualcommands, for it is said, "To try thy servant, bid him do things inseason and out of season: if he obey thee willingly, know him to beuseful; if he reply, dismiss him at once. Thus is a servant tried,even as a wife by the poverty of her husband, and brethren andfriends by asking their aid."
In such manner, through desire of money, Birbal remained onguard all night; and whether eating, drinking, sleeping, sitting,going or wandering about, during the twenty-four hours, he heldhis master in watchful remembrance. This, indeed, is the custom; ifa man sell another the latter is sold, but a servant by doing servicesells himself, and when a man has become dependent, how can hebe happy? Certain it is that however intelligent, clever, or learned aman may be, yet, while he is in his master's presence, he remainssilent as a dumb man, and struck with dread. Only while he isaway from his lord can he be at ease. Hence, learned men say thatto do service aright is harder than any religious study.
On one occasion it is related that there happened to be heard atnight-time the wailing of a woman in a neighbouring cemetery.The king on hearing it called out, "Who is in waiting?"
"I am here," replied Birbal; "what command is there?"
"Go," spoke the king, "to the place whence proceeds this sound ofwoman's wail, and having inquired the cause of her grief, returnquickly."
On receiving this order the Rajput went to obey it; and the king,unseen by him, and attired in a black dress, followed for thepurpose of observing his courage.
Presently Birbal arrived at the cemetery. And what sees he there?A beautiful woman of a light yellow colour, loaded with jewelsfrom head to foot, holding a horn in her right and a necklace in herleft hand. Sometimes she danced, sometimes she jumped, andsometimes she ran about. There was not a tear in her eye, butbeating her head and making lamentable cries, she kept dashingherself on the ground.
Seeing her condition, and not recognizing the goddess born of seafoam, and whom all the host of heaven loved,[FN#85] Birbalinquired, "Why art thou thus beating thyself and crying out? Whoart thou? And what grief is upon thee?"
"I am the Royal-Luck," she replied.
"For what reason," asked Birbal, "art thou weeping?"
The goddess then began to relate her position to the Rajput. Shesaid, with tears, "In the king's palace Shudra (or low caste acts) aredone, and hence misfortune will certainly fall upon it, and I shallforsake it. After a month has passed, the king, having enduredexcessive affliction, will die. In grief for this, I weep. I havebrought much happiness to the king's house, and hence I am full ofregret that this my prediction cannot in any way prove untrue."
"Is there," asked Birbal, "any remedy for this trouble, so that theking may be preserved and live a hundred years?"
"Yes," said the goddess, "there is. About eight miles to the eastthou wilt find a temple dedicated to my terrible sister Devi. Offerto her thy son's head, cut off with shine own hand, and the reign ofthy king shall endure for an age." So saying Raj-Lakshmidisappeared.
Birbal answered not a word, but with hurried steps he turnedtowards his home. The king, still in black so as not to be seen,followed him closely, and observed and listened to everything hedid.
The Rajput went straight to his wife, awakened her, and related toher everything that had happened. The wise have said, "she alonedeserves the name of wife who always receives her husband withaffectionate and submissive words." When she heard thecircumstances, she at once aroused her son, and her daughter alsoawoke. Then Birbal told them all that they must follow him to thetemple of Devi in the wood.
On the way the Rajput said to his wife, "If thou wilt give up thyson willingly, I will sacrifice him for our master's sake to Devi theDestroyer."
She replied, "Father and mother, son and daughter, brother andrelative, have I now none. You are everything to me. It is writtenin the scripture that a wife is not made pure by gifts to priests, norby performing religious rites; her virtue consists in waiting uponher husband, in obeying him and in loving him - yea! though he belame, maimed in the hands, dumb, deaf, blind, one eyed, leprous,or humpbacked. It is a true saying that 'a son under one's authority,a body free from sickness, a desire to acquire knowledge, anintelligent friend, and an obedient wife; whoever holds these fivewill find them bestowers of happiness and dispellers of affliction.An unwilling servant, a parsimonious king, an insincere friend, anda wife not under control; such things are disturbers of ease andgivers of trouble.'"
Then the good wife turned to her son and said "Child by the gift ofthy head, the king's life may be spared, and the kingdom remainunshaken."
"Mother," replied that excellent youth, "in my opinion we shouldhasten this matter. Firstly, I must obey your command; secondly, Imust promote the interests of my master; thirdly, if this body be ofany use to a goddess, nothing better can be done with it in thisworld."
("Excuse me, Raja Vikram," said the Baital, interrupting himself,"if I repeat these fair discourses at full length; it is interesting tohear a young person, whose throat is about to be cut, talk so like adoctor of laws.")
Then the youth thus addressed his sire: "Father, whoever can be ofuse to his master, the life of that man in this world has been livedto good purpose, and by reason of his usefulness he will berewarded in other worlds."
His sister, however, exclaimed, "If a mother should give poison toher daughter, and a father sell his son, and a king seize the entireproperty of his subjects, where then could one look forprotection?" But they heeded her not, and continued talking as theyjourneyed towards the temple of Devi - the king all the whilesecretly following them.
Presently they reached the temple, a single room, surrounded by aspacious paved area; in front was an immense building capable ofseating hundreds of people. Before the image there were pools ofblood, where victims had lately been slaughtered. In the sanctumwas Devi, a large black figure with ten arms. With a spear in oneof her right hands she pierced the giant Mahisha; and with one ofher left hands she held the tail of a serpent, and the hair of thegiant, whose breast the serpent was biting. Her other arms were allraised above her head, and were filled with different instruments ofwar; against her right leg leaned a lion.
Then Birbal joined his hands in prayer, and with Hindu mildnessthus addressed the awful goddess: "O mother, let the king's life beprolonged for a thousand years by the sacrifice of my son. O Devi,mother! destroy, destroy his enemies! Kill! kill! Reduce them toashes! Drive them away! Devour them! devour them! Cut them intwo! Drink! drink their blood! Destroy them root and branch! Withthy thunderbolt, spear, scymitar, discus, or rope, annihilate them!Spheng! Spheng!"
The Rajput, having caused his son to kneel before the goddess,struck him so violent a blow that his head rolled upon the ground.He then threw the sword down, when his daughter, frantic withgrief, snatched it up and struck her neck with such force that herhead, separated from her body, fell. In her turn the mother, unableto survive the loss of her children, seized the weapon andsucceeded in decapitating herself. Birbal, beholding all thisslaughter, thus reflected: "My children are dead why, now, shouldI remain in servitude, and upon whom shall I bestow the gold Ireceive from the king?" He then gave himself so deep a wound inthe neck, that his head also separated from his body.
Rupsen, the king, seeing these four heads on the ground, said in hisheart, "For my sake has the family of Birbal been destroyed.Kingly power, for the purpose of upholding which the destructionof a whole household is necessary, is a mere curse, and to carry ongovernment in this manner is not just." He then took up the swordand was about to slay himself, when the Destroying Goddess,probably satisfied with bloodshed, stayed his hand, bidding him atthe same time ask any boon he pleased.
The generous monarch begged, thereupon, that his faithful servantmight be restored to life, together with all his high-minded family;and the goddess Devi in the twinkling of an eye fetched fromPatala, the regions below the earth, a vase full of Amrita, the waterof immortality, sprinkled it upon the dead, and raised them all asbefore. After which the whole party walked leisurely home, and indue time the king divided his throne with his friend Birbal.
Having stopped for a moment, the Baital proceeded to remark, in asententious tone, "Happy the servant who grudges not his own lifeto save that of his master! And happy, thrice happy the master whocan annihilate all greedy longing for existence and worldlyprosperity. Raja, I have to ask thee one searching question - Ofthese five, who was the greatest fool?"
"Demon!" exclaimed the great Vikram, all whose cherishedfeelings about fidelity and family affection, obedience, andhigh-mindedness, were outraged by this Vampire view of thequestion; "if thou meanest by the greatest fool the noblest mind, Ireply without hesitating Rupsen, the king."
"Why, prithee?" asked the Baital.
"Because, dull demon," said the king, "Birbal was bound to offerup his life for a master who treated him so generously; the soncould not disobey his father, and the women naturally andinstinctively killed themselves, because the example was set tothem. But Rupsen the king gave up his throne for the sake of hisretainer, and valued not a straw his life and his high inducementsto live. For this reason I think him the most meritorious."
"Surely, mighty Vikram," laughed the Vampire, "you will be tiredof ever clambering up yon tall tree, even had you the legs and armsof Hanuman[FN#86] himself."
And so saying he disappeared from the cloth, although it had beenplaced upon the ground.
But the poor Baital had little reason to congratulate himself on thesuccess of his escape. In a short time he was again bundled into thecloth with the usual want of ceremony, and he revenged himself bytelling another true story.
THE VAMPIRE'S FOURTH STORY. Of A Woman Who Told The Truth.
"Listen, great king!" again began the Baital.
An unimportant Baniya[FN#87] (trader), Hiranyadatt, had adaughter, whose name was Madansena Sundari, the beautiful armyof Cupid. Her face was like the moon; her hair like the clouds; hereyes like those of a muskrat; her eyebrows like a bent bow; hernose like a parrot's bill; her neck like that of a dove; her teeth likepomegranate grains; the red colour of her lips like that of a gourd;her waist lithe and bending like the pards: her hands and feet likesoftest blossoms; her complexion like the jasmine-in fact, day byday the splendour of her youth increased.
When she had arrived at maturity, her father and mother beganoften to resolve in their minds the subject of her marriage. And thepeople of all that country side ruled by Birbar king of Madanpurbruited it abroad that in the house of Hiranyadatt had been born adaughter by whose beauty gods, men, and munis (sages) werefascinated.
Thereupon many, causing their portraits to be painted, sent themby messengers to Hiranyadatt the Baniya, who showed them all tohis daughter. But she was capricious, as beauties sometimes are,and when her father said, "Make choice of a husband thyself," shetold him that none pleased her, and moreover she begged of him tofind her a husband who possessed good looks, good qualities, andgood sense.
At length, when some days had passed, four suitors came fromfour different countries. The father told them that he must havefrom each some indication that he possessed the required qualities;that he was pleased with their looks, but that they must satisfy himabout their knowledge.
"I have," the first said, "a perfect acquaintance with the Shastras(or Scriptures); in science there is none to rival me. As for myhandsome mien, it may plainly be seen by you."
The second exclaimed, "My attainments are unique in theknowledge of archery. I am acquainted with the art of dischargingarrows and killing anything which though not seen is heard, andmy fine proportions are plainly visible to you."
The third continued, "I understand the language of land and wateranimals, of birds and of beasts, and I have no equal in strength. Ofmy comeliness you yourself may judge."
"I have the knowledge," quoth the fourth, "how to make a certaincloth which can be sold for five rubies: having sold it I give theproceeds of one ruby to a Brahman, of the second I make anoffering to a deity, a third I wear on my own person, a fourth Ikeep for my wife; and, having sold the fifth, I spend it in givingfeasts. This is my knowledge, and none other is acquainted with it.My good looks are apparent."
The father hearing these speeches began to reflect, "It is said thatexcess in anything is not good. Sita[FN#88] was very lovely, butthe demon Ravana carried her away; and Bali king of Mahabahpurgave much alms, but at length he became poor.[FN#89] Mydaughter is too fair to remain a maiden; to which of these shall Igive her?"
So saying, Hiranyadatt went to his daughter, explained thequalities of the four suitors, and asked, "To which shall I givethee?" On hearing these words she was abashed; and, hangingdown her head, knew not what to reply.
Then the Baniya, having reflected, said to himself, "He who isacquainted with the Shastras is a Brahman, he who could shoot anarrow at the sound was a Kshatriya or warrior, and he who madethe cloth was a Shudra or servile. But the youth who understandsthe language of birds is of our own caste. To him, therefore, will Imarry her." And accordingly he proceeded with the betrothal of hisdaughter.
Meanwhile Madansena went one day, during the spring season intothe garden for a stroll. It happened, just before she came out, thatSomdatt, the son of the merchant Dharmdatt, had gone for pleasureinto the forest, and was returning through the same garden to hishome.
He was fascinated at the sight of the maiden, and said to his friend,"Brother, if I can obtain her my life will be prosperous, and if I donot obtain her my living in the world will be in vain."
Having thus spoken, and becoming restless from the fear ofseparation, he involuntarily drew near to her, and seizing her hand,said - "If thou wilt not form an affection for me, I will throw awaymy life on thy account."
"Be pleased not to do this," she replied; "it will be sinful, and itwill involve me in the guilt and punishment of shedding blood;hence I shall be miserable in this world and in that to be."
"Thy blandishments," he replied, "have pierced my heart, and theconsuming thought of parting from thee has burnt up my body, andmemory and understanding have been destroyed by this pain; andfrom excess of love I have no sense of right or wrong. But if thouwilt make me a promise, I will live again."
She replied, "Truly the Kali Yug (iron age) has commenced, sincewhich time falsehood has increased in the world and truth hasdiminished; people talk smoothly with their tongues, but nourishdeceit in their hearts; religion is destroyed, crime has increased,and the earth has begun to give little fruit. Kings levy fines,Brahmans have waxed covetous, the son obeys not his sire'scommands, brother distrusts brother; friendship has departed fromamongst friends; sincerity has left masters; servants have given upservice; man has abandoned manliness; and woman has abandonedmodesty. Five days hence, my marriage is to be; but if thou slaynot thyself, I will visit thee first, and after that I will remain withmy husband."
Having given this promise, and having sworn by the Ganges, shereturned home. The merchant's son also went his way.
Presently the marriage ceremonies came on, and Hiranyadatt theBaniya expended a lakh of rupees in feasts and presents to thebridegroom. The bodies of the twain were anointed with turmeric,the bride was made to hold in her hand the iron box for eye paint,and the youth a pair of betel scissors. During the night before thewedding there was loud and shrill music, the heads and limbs ofthe young couple were rubbed with an ointment of oil, and thebridegroom's head was duly shaved. The wedding procession wasvery grand. The streets were a blaze of flambeaux and torchescarried in the hand, fireworks by the ton were discharged as thepeople passed; elephants, camels, and horses richly caparisoned,were placed in convenient situations; and before the processionhad reached the house of the bride half a dozen wicked boys andbad young men were killed or wounded.[FN#90] After themarriage formulas were repeated, the Baniya gave a feast orsupper, and the food was so excellent that all sat down quietly, noone uttered a complaint, or brought dishonour on the bride'sfamily, or cut with scissors the garments of his neighbour.
The ceremony thus happily concluded, the husband broughtMadansena home to his own house. After some days the wife ofher husband's youngest brother, and also the wife of his eldestbrother, led her at night by force to her bridegroom, and seated heron a bed ornamented with flowers.
As her husband proceeded to take her hand, she jerked it away, andat once openly told him all that she had promised to Somdatt oncondition of his not killing himself.
"All things," rejoined the bridegroom, hearing her words, "havetheir sense ascertained by speech; in speech they have their basis,and from speech they proceed; consequently a falsifier of speechfalsifies everything. If truly you are desirous of going to him, go!
"Receiving her husband's permission, she arose and went off to theyoung merchant's house in full dress. Upon the road a thief sawher, and in high good humour came up and asked -
"Whither goest thou at midnight in such darkness, having put onall these fine clothes and ornaments?"
She replied that she was going to the house of her beloved.
"And who here," said the thief, "is thy protector?"
"Kama Deva," she replied, "the beautiful youth who by his fieryarrows wounds with love the hearts of the inhabitants of the threeworlds, Ratipati, the husband of Rati,[FN#91] accompanied by thekokila bird,[FN#92] the humming bee and gentle breezes." Shethen told to the thief the whole story, adding -
"Destroy not my jewels: I give thee a promise before I go, that onmy return thou shalt have all these ornaments."
Hearing this the thief thought to himself that it would be uselessnow to destroy her jewels, when she had promised to give them tohim presently of her own good will. He therefore let her go, andsat down and thus soliloquized:
"To me it is astonishing that he who sustained me in my mother'swomb should take no care of me now that I have been born and amable to enjoy the good things of this world. I know not whether heis asleep or dead. And I would rather swallow poison than ask manfor money or favour. For these six things tend to lower a man: --friendship with the perfidious; causeless laughter; altercation withwomen; serving an unworthy master; riding an ass, and speakingany language but Sanskrit. And these five things the deity writeson our fate at the hour of birth:-- first, age; secondly, action;thirdly, wealth; fourthly, science; fifthly, fame. I have now done agood deed, and as long as a man's virtue is in the ascendant, allpeople becoming his servants obey him. But when virtuous deedsdiminish, even his friends become inimical to him."
Meanwhile Madansena had reached the place where Somdatt theyoung trader had fallen asleep.
She awoke him suddenly, and he springing up in alarm quicklyasked her, "Art thou the daughter of a deity? or of a saint? or of aserpent? Tell me truly, who art thou? And whence hast thoucome?"
She replied, "I am human-- Madansena, the daughter of the BaniyaHiranyadatt. Dost thou not remember taking my hand in thatgrove, and declaring that thou wouldst slay thyself if I did notswear to visit thee first and after that remain with my husband?"
"Hast thou," he inquired, "told all this to thy husband or not?"
She replied, "I have told him everything; and he, thoroughlyunderstanding the whole affair, gave me permission."
"This matter," exclaimed Somdatt in a melancholy voice, "is likepearls without a suitable dress, or food without clarifiedbutter,[FN#93] or singing without melody; they are all alikeunnatural. In the same way, unclean clothes will mar beauty, badfood will undermine strength, a wicked wife will worry herhusband to death, a disreputable son will ruin his family, anenraged demon will kill, and a woman, whether she love or hate,will be a source of pain. For there are few things which a womanwill not do. She never brings to her tongue what is in her heart, shenever speaks out what is on her tongue, and she never tells whatshe is doing. Truly the Deity has created woman a strange creaturein this world." He concluded with these words: "Return thou homewith another man's wife I have no concern."
Madansena rose and departed. On her way she met the thief, who,hearing her tale, gave her great praise, and let her gounplundered.[FN#94]
She then went to her husband, and related the whole matter to him.But he had ceased to love her, and he said, "Neither a king nor aminister, nor a wife, nor a person's hair nor his nails, look well outof their places. And the beauty of the kokila is its note, of an uglyman knowledge, of a devotee forgiveness, and of a woman herchastity."
The Vampire having narrated thus far, suddenly asked the king,"Of these three, whose virtue was the greatest?"
Vikram, who had been greatly edified by the tale, forgot himself,and ejaculated, "The Thief's."
"And pray why?" asked the Baital.
"Because," the hero explained, "when her husband saw that sheloved another man, however purely, he ceased to feel affection forher. Somdatt let her go unharmed, for fear of being punished bythe king. But there was no reason why the thief should fear the lawand dismiss her; therefore he was the best."
"Hi! hi! hi!" laughed the demon, spitefully. "Here, then, ends mystory."
Upon which, escaping as before from the cloth in which he wasslung behind the Raja's back, the Baital disappeared through thedarkness of the night, leaving father and son looking at each otherin dismay.
"Son Dharma Dhwaj," quoth the great Vikram, "the next timewhen that villain Vampire asks me a question, I allow thee to takethe liberty of pinching my arm even before I have had time toanswer his questions. In this way we shall never, of a truth, end ourtask."
"Your words be upon my head, sire," replied the young prince. Buthe expected no good from his father's new plan, as, arrived underthe sires-tree, he heard the Baital laughing with all his might."
Surely he is laughing at our beards, sire," said the beardless prince,who hated to be laughed at like a young person.
"Let them laugh that win," fiercely cried Raja Vikram, who hatedto be laughed at like an elderly person.
* * * * * * *
The Vampire lost no time in opening a fresh story.
THE VAMPIRE'S FIFTH STORY.
Of the Thief Who Laughed and Wept.
Your majesty (quoth the demon, with unusual politeness), there isa country called Malaya, on the western coast of the land ofBharat--you see that I am particular in specifying the place--and init was a city known as Chandrodaya, whose king was namedRandhir.
This Raja, like most others of his semi-deified order, had been inyouth what is called a Sarva-rasi[FN#95]; that is, he ate and drankand listened to music, and looked at dancers and made love muchmore than he studied, reflected, prayed, or conversed with thewise. After the age of thirty he began to reform, and he broughtsuch zeal to the good cause, that in an incredibly short space oftime he came to be accounted and quoted as the paragon of correctRajas. This was very praiseworthy. Many of Brahma's vicegerentson earth, be it observed, have loved food and drink, and music anddancing, and the worship of Kama, to the end of their days.
Amongst his officers was Gunshankar, a magistrate of police, who,curious to say, was as honest as he was just. He administeredequity with as much care before as after dinner; he took no bribeseven in the matter of advancing his family; he was rather mercifulthan otherwise to the poor, and he never punished the richostentatiously, in order to display his and his law's disrespect forpersons. Besides which, when sitting on the carpet of justice, hedid not, as some Kotwals do, use rough or angry language to thosewho cannot reply; nor did he take offence when none wasintended.
All the people of the city Chandrodaya, in the province of Malaya,on the western coast of Bharatland, loved and esteemed thisexcellent magistrate; which did not, however, prevent thefts beingcommitted so frequently and so regularly, that no one felt hisproperty secure. At last the merchants who had suffered most fromthese depredations went in a body before Gunshankar, and said tohim:
"O flower of the law! robbers have exercised great tyranny uponus, so great indeed that we can no longer stay in this city."
Then the magistrate replied, "What has happened, has happened.But in future you shall be free from annoyance. I will make duepreparation for these thieves."
Thus saying Gunshankar called together his various delegates, anddirected them to increase the number of their people. He pointedout to them how they should keep watch by night; besides whichhe ordered them to open registers of all arrivals and departures, tomake themselves acquainted by means of spies with themovements of every suspected person in the city, and to raise abody of paggis (trackers), who could follow the footprints ofthieves even when they wore thieving shoes,[FN#96] till theycame up with and arrested them. And lastly, he gave the patrolsfull power, whenever they might catch a robber in the act, to slayhim without asking questions.
People in numbers began to mount guard throughout the city everynight, but, notwithstanding this, robberies continued to becommitted. After a time all the merchants having again mettogether went before the magistrate, and said, "O incarnation ofjustice! you have changed your officers, you have hired watchmen,and you have established patrols: nevertheless the thieves have notdiminished, and plundering is ever taking place."
Thereupon Gunshankar carried them to the palace, and made themlay their petition at the feet of the king Randhir. That Raja, havingconsoled them, sent them home, saying, "Be ye of good cheer. Iwill to-night adopt a new plan, which, with the blessing of theBhagwan, shall free ye from further anxiety."
Observe, O Vikram, that Randhir was one of those concerningwhom the poet sang--
The unwise run from one end to the other.
Not content with becoming highly respectable, correct, and evenunimpeachable in point of character, he reformed even hisreformation, and he did much more than he was required to do.
When Canopus began to sparkle gaily in the southern skies, theking arose and prepared for a night's work. He disguised his faceby smearing it with a certain paint, by twirling his moustachios upto his eyes, by parting his beard upon his chin, and conducting thetwo ends towards his ears, and by tightly tying a hair from ahorse's tail over his nose, so as quite to change its shape. He thenwrapped himself in a coarse outer garment, girt his loins, buckledon his sword, drew his shield upon his arm, and without saying aword to those within the palace, he went out into the streets alone,and on foot.
It was dark, and Raja Randhir walked through the silent city fornearly an hour without meeting anyone. As, however, he passedthrough a back street in the merchants' quarter, he saw whatappeared to be a homeless dog, lying at the foot of a house-wall.He approached it, and up leaped a human figure, whilst a loudvoice cried, "Who art thou?"
Randhir replied, "I am a thief; who art thou?"
"And I also am a thief," rejoined the other, much pleased athearing this; "come, then, and let us make together. But what artthou, a high-loper or a lully-prigger[FN#97]?"
"A little more ceremony between coves in the lorst,[FN#98]"whispered the king, speaking as a flash man, "were not out ofplace. But, look sharp, mind old Oliver,[FN#99] or the lamb-skinman[FN#100] will have the pull of us, and as sure as eggs is eggswe shall be scragged as soon as lagged.[FN#101]"
"Well, keep your red rag[FN#102] quiet," grumbled the other, "andlet us be working."
Then the pair, king and thief, began work in right earnest. Thegang seemed to swarm in the street. They were drinking spirits,slaying victims, rubbing their bodies with oil, daubing their eyeswith lamp-black, and repeating incantations to enable them to seein the darkness; others were practicing the lessons of the god withthe golden spear,[FN#103] and carrying out the four modes ofbreaching a house: 1. Picking out burnt bricks. 2.Cutting throughunbaked ones when old, when softened by recent damp, byexposure to the sun, or by saline exudations. 3. Throwing water ona mud wall; and 4. Boring through one of wood. The sons ofSkanda were making breaches in the shape of lotus blossoms, thesun, the new moon, the lake, and the water jar, and they seemed tobe anointed with magic unguents, so that no eye could behold, noweapon harm them.
At length having filled his bag with costly plunder, the thief said tothe king, "Now, my rummy cove, we'll be off to the flash ken,where the lads and the morts are waiting to wet their whistles."
Randhir, who as a king was perfectly familiar with "thieves'Latin," took heart, and resolved to hunt out the secrets of the den.On the way, his companion, perfectly satisfied with the importancewhich the new cove had attached to a rat-hole,[FN#104] andconvinced that he was a true robber, taught him the whistle, theword, and the sign peculiar to the gang, and promised him that heshould smack the lit[FN#105] that night before "turning in."
So saying the thief rapped twice at the city gate, which was at onceopened to him, and preceding his accomplice led the way to a rockabout two kos (four miles) distant from the walls. Before enteringthe dark forest at the foot of the eminence, the robber stood still fora moment and whistled twice through his fingers with a shrillscream that rang through the silent glades. After a few minutes thesignal was answered by the hooting of an owl, which the robberacknowledged by shrieking like a jackal. Thereupon half a dozenarmed men arose from their crouching places in the grass, and oneadvanced towards the new comers to receive the sign. It was given,and they both passed on, whilst the guard sank, as it were, into thebowels of the earth. All these things Randhir carefully remarked:besides which he neglected not to take note of all thedistinguishable objects that lay on the road, and, when he enteredthe wood, he scratched with his dagger all the tree trunks withinreach.
After a sharp walk the pair reached a high perpendicular sheet ofrock, rising abruptly from a clear space in the jungle, and profuselyprinted over with vermilion hands. The thief, having walked up toit, and made his obeisance, stooped to the ground, and removed abunch of grass. The two then raised by their united efforts a heavytrap door, through which poured a stream of light, whilst aconfused hubbub of voices was heard below.
"This is the ken," said the robber, preparing to descend a thinladder of bamboo, "follow me!" And he disappeared with his bagof valuables.
The king did as he was bid, and the pair entered together a largehall, or rather a cave, which presented a singular spectacle. It waslighted up by links fixed to the sombre walls, which threw a smokyglare over the place, and the contrast after the deep darknessreminded Randhir of his mother's descriptions of Patal-puri, theinfernal city. Carpets of every kind, from the choicest tapestry tothe coarsest rug, were spread upon the ground, and were strewedwith bags, wallets, weapons, heaps of booty, drinking cups, and allthe materials of debauchery.
Passing through this cave the thief led Randhir into another, whichwas full of thieves, preparing for the pleasures of the night. Somewere changing garments, ragged and dirtied by creeping throughgaps in the houses: others were washing the blood from their handsand feet; these combed out their long dishevelled, dusty hair: thoseanointed their skins with perfumed cocoa-nut oil. There were allmanner of murderers present, a villanous collection of Kartikeya'sand Bhawani's[FN#106] crew. There were stabbers with theirponiards hung to lanyards lashed round their naked waists,Dhaturiya- poisoners[FN#107] distinguished by the little bag slungunder the left arm, and Phansigars[FN#108] wearing their fatalkerchiefs round their necks. And Randhir had reason to thank thegood deed in the last life that had sent him there in such strictdisguise, for amongst the robbers he found, as might be expected, anumber of his own people, spies and watchmen, guards andpatrols.
The thief, whose importance of manner now showed him to be thechief of the gang, was greeted with applause as he entered therobing room, and he bade all make salam to the new companion. Anumber of questions concerning the success of the night's workwas quickly put and answered: then the company, having gotready for the revel, flocked into the first cave. There they sat downeach in his own place, and began to eat and drink and make merry.
After some hours the flaring torches began to burn out, anddrowsiness to overpower the strongest heads. Most of the robbersrolled themselves up in the rugs, and covering their heads, went tosleep. A few still sat with their backs to the wall, nodding drowsilyor leaning on one side, and too stupefied with opium and hemp tomake any exertion.
At that moment a servant woman, whom the king saw for the firsttime, came into the cave, and looking at him exclaimed, "O Raja!how came you with these wicked men? Do you run away as fast asyou can, or they will surely kill you when they awake."
"I do not know the way; in which direction am I to go?" askedRandhir.
The woman then showed him the road. He threaded the confusedmass of snorers, treading with the foot of a tiger-cat, found theladder, raised the trap-door by exerting all his strength, andbreathed once more the open air of heaven. And before plunginginto the depths of the wood he again marked the place where theentrance lay and carefully replaced the bunch of grass.
Hardly had Raja Randhir returned to the palace, and removed thetraces of his night's occupation, when he received a seconddeputation of the merchants, complaining bitterly and with thelongest faces about their fresh misfortunes.
"O pearl of equity!" said the men of money, "but yesterday youconsoled us with the promise of some contrivance by the blessingof which our houses and coffers would be safe from theft; whereasour goods have never yet suffered so severely as during the lasttwelve hours."
Again Randhir dismissed them, swearing that this time he wouldeither die or destroy the wretches who had been guilty of suchviolence.
Then having mentally prepared his measures, the Raja warned acompany of archers to hold themselves in readiness for secretservice, and as each one of his own people returned from therobbers' cave he had him privily arrested and put to death--becausethe deceased, it is said, do not, like Baitals, tell tales. Aboutnightfall, when he thought that the thieves, having finished theirwork of plunder, would meet together as usual for wassail anddebauchery, he armed himself, marched out his men, and led themto the rock in the jungle.
But the robbers, aroused by the disappearance of the newcompanion, had made enquiries and had gained intelligence of theimpending danger. They feared to flee during the daytime, lestbeing tracked they should be discovered and destroyed in detail.When night came they hesitated to disperse, from the certainty thatthey would be captured in the morning. Then their captain, whothroughout had been of one opinion, proposed to them that theyshould resist, and promised them success if they would hear hiswords. The gang respected him, for he was known to be brave:they all listened to his advice, and they promised to be obedient.
As young night began to cast transparent shade upon the jungleground, the chief of the thieves mustered his men, inspected theirbows and arrows, gave them encouraging words, and led themforth from the cave. Having placed them in ambush he climbed therock to espy the movements of the enemy, whilst others appliedtheir noses and ears to the level ground. Presently the moon shonefull upon Randhir and his band of archers, who were advancingquickly and carelessly, for they expected to catch the robbers intheir cave. The captain allowed them to march nearly through theline of ambush. Then he gave the signal, and at that moment thethieves, rising suddenly from the bush fell upon the royal troopsand drove them back in confusion.
The king also fled, when the chief of the robbers shouted out,"Hola! thou a Rajput and running away from combat?" Randhirhearing this halted, and the two, confronting each other, bared theirblades and began to do battle with prodigious fury.
The king was cunning of fence, and so was the thief. They openedthe duel, as skilful swordsmen should, by bending almost double,skipping in a circle, each keeping his eye well fixed upon theother, with frowning brows and contemptuous lips; at the sametime executing divers gambados and measured leaps, springingforward like frogs and backward like monkeys, and beating timewith their sabres upon their shields, which rattled like drums.
Then Randhir suddenly facing his antagonist, cut at his legs with aloud cry, but the thief sprang in the air, and the blade whistledharmlessly under him. Next moment the robber chief's sword,thrice whirled round his head, descended like lightning in aslanting direction towards the king's left shoulder: the latter,however, received it upon his target and escaped all hurt, thoughhe staggered with the violence of the blow.
And thus they continued attacking each other, parrying andreplying, till their breath failed them and their hands and wristswere numbed and cramped with fatigue. They were so wellmatched in courage, strength, and address, that neither obtained theleast advantage, till the robber's right foot catching a stone slidfrom under him, and thus he fell to the ground at the mercy of hisenemy. The thieves fled, and the Raja, himself on his prize, tied hishands behind him, and brought him back to the city at the point ofhis good sword.
The next morning Randhir visited his prisoner, whom he caused tobe bathed, and washed, and covered with fine clothes. He then hadhim mounted on a camel and sent him on a circuit of the city,accompanied by a crier proclaiming aloud: "Who hears! whohears! who hears! the king commands! This is the thief who hasrobbed and plundered the city of Chandrodaya. Let all mentherefore assemble themselves together this evening in the openspace outside the gate leading towards the sea. And let thembehold the penalty of evil deeds, and learn to be wise."
Randhir had condemned the thief to be crucified,[FN#109] nailedand tied with his hands and feet stretched out at full length, in anerect posture until death; everything he wished to eat was orderedto him in order to prolong life and misery. And when death shoulddraw near, melted gold was to be poured down his throat till itshould burst from his neck and other parts of his body.
In the evening the thief was led out for execution, and by chancethe procession passed close to the house of a wealthy landowner.He had a favourite daughter named Shobhani, who was in theflower of her youth and very lovely; every day she improved, andevery moment added to her grace and beauty. The girl had beencarefully kept out of sight of mankind, never being allowed outsidethe high walls of the garden, because her nurse, a wise womanmuch trusted in the neighbourhood, had at the hour of death givena solemn warning to her parents. The prediction was that themaiden should be the admiration of the city, and should die a Sati-widow[FN#110] before becoming a wife. From that hour Shobhaniwas kept as a pearl in its casket by her father, who had vowednever to survive her, and had even fixed upon the place and styleof his suicide.
But the shaft of Fate[FN#111] strikes down the vulture sailingabove the clouds, and follows the worm into the bowels of theearth, and pierces the fish at the bottom of the ocean--how then canmortal man expect to escape it? As the robber chief, mounted uponthe camel, was passing to the cross under the old householder'swindows, a fire breaking out in the women's apartments, drove theinmates into the rooms looking upon the street.
The hum of many voices arose from the solid pavement of heads:"This is the thief who has been robbing the whole city; let himtremble now, for Randhir will surely crucify him!"
In beauty and bravery of bearing, as in strength and courage, noman in Chandrodaya surpassed the robber, who, beingmagnificently dressed, looked, despite his disgraceful cavalcade,like the son of a king. He sat with an unmoved countenance, hardlyhearing in his pride the scoffs of the mob; calm and steady whenthe whole city was frenzied with anxiety because of him. But as heheard the word "tremble" his lips quivered, his eyes flashed fire,and deep lines gathered between his eyebrows.
Shobhani started with a scream from the casement behind whichshe had hid herself, gazing with an intense womanly curiosity intothe thoroughfare. The robber's face was upon a level with, and nothalf a dozen feet from, her pale cheeks. She marked his handsomefeatures, and his look of wrath made her quiver as if it had been aflash of lightning. Then she broke away from the fascination of hisyouth and beauty, and ran breathless to her father, saying:
"Go this moment and get that thief released!
"The old housekeeper replied: "That thief has been pilfering andplundering the whole city, and by his means the king's archerswere defeated; why, then, at my request, should our most graciousRaja Randhir release him?"
Shobhani, almost beside herself, exclaimed: "If by giving up yourwhole property, you can induce the Raja to release him, theninstantly so do; if he does not come to me, I must give up my life!"
The maiden then covered her head with her veil, and sat down inthe deepest despair, whilst her father, hearing her words, burst intoa cry of grief, and hastened to present himself before the Raja. Hecried out:
"O great king, be pleased to receive four lakhs of rupees, and torelease this thief."
But the king replied: "He has been robbing the whole city, and byreason of him my guards have been destroyed. I cannot by anymeans release him."
Then the old householder finding, as he had expected the Rajainexorable, and not to be moved, either by tears or bribes, or by thecruel fate of the girl, returned home with fire in his heart, andaddressed her:
"Daughter, I have said and done all that is possible but it availsme nought with the king. Now, then, we die."
In the mean time, the guards having led the thief all round the city,took him outside the gates, and made him stand near the cross.Then the messengers of death arrived from the palace, and theexecutioners began to nail his limbs. He bore the agony with thefortitude of the brave; but when he heard what had been done bythe old householder's daughter, he raised his voice and weptbitterly, as though his heart had been bursting, and almost with thesame breath he laughed heartily as at a feast. All were startled byhis merriment; coming as it did at a time when the iron waspiercing his flesh, no man could see any reason for it.
When he died, Shobhani, who was married to him in the spirit,recited to herself these sayings:
"There are thirty-five millions of hairs on the human body. Thewoman who ascends the pile with her husband will remain somany years in heaven. As the snake-catcher draws the serpentfrom his hole, so she, rescuing her husband from hell, rejoices withhim; aye, though he may have sunk to a region of torment, berestrained in dreadful bonds, have reached the place of anguish, beexhausted of strength, and afflicted and tortured for his crimes. Noother effectual duty is known for virtuous women at any time afterthe death of their lords, except casting themselves into the samefire. As long as a woman in her successive transmigrations, shalldecline burning herself, like a faithful wife, in the same fire withher deceased lord, so long shall she not be exempted fromspringing again to life in the body of some female animal."
Therefore the beautiful Shobhani, virgin and wife, resolved to burnherself, and to make the next life of the thief certain. She showedher courage by thrusting her finger into a torch flame till it becamea cinder, and she solemnly bathed in the nearest stream.
A hole was dug in the ground, and upon a bed of green tree-trunkswere heaped hemp, pitch, faggots, and clarified butter, to form thefuneral pyre. The dead body, anointed, bathed, and dressed in newclothes, was then laid upon the heap, which was some two feethigh. Shobhani prayed that as long as fourteen Indras reign, or asmany years as there are hairs in her head, she might abide inheaven with her husband, and be waited upon by the heavenlydancers. She then presented her ornaments and little gifts of cornto her friends, tied some cotton round both wrists, put two newcombs in her hair, painted her forehead, and tied up in the end ofher body-cloth clean parched rice[FN#112] and cowrie-shells.These she gave to the bystanders, as she walked seven times roundthe funeral pyre, upon which lay the body. She then ascended theheap of wood, sat down upon it, and taking the thief's head in herlap, without cords or levers or upper layer or faggots, she orderedthe pile to be lighted. The crowd standing around set fire to it inseveral places, drummed their drums, blew their conchs, and raiseda loud cry of "Hari bol! Hari bol! [FN#113]" Straw was thrown on,and pitch and clarified butter were freely poured out. ButShobhani's was a Sahamaran, a blessed easy death: no part of herbody was seen to move after the pyre was lighted--in fact, sheseemed to die before the flame touched her.
By the blessing of his daughter's decease, the old householderbeheaded himself.[FN#114] He caused an instrument to be madein the shape of a half-moon with an edge like a razor, and fittingthe back of his neck. At both ends of it, as at the beam of abalance, chains were fastened. He sat down with eyes closed; hewas rubbed with the purifying clay of the holy river,Vaiturani[FN#115]; and he repeated the proper incantations. Thenplacing his feet upon the extremities of the chains, he suddenlyjerked up his neck, and his severed head rolled from his body uponthe ground. What a happy death was this!
The Baital was silent, as if meditating on the fortunatetransmigration which the old householder had thus secured.
"But what could the thief have been laughing at, sire?" asked theyoung prince Dharma Dhwaj of his father.
"At the prodigious folly of the girl, my son," replied the warriorking, thoughtlessly.
"I am indebted once more to your majesty," burst out the Baital,"for releasing me from this unpleasant position, but the Raja'spenetration is again at fault. Not to leave your royal son and heirlabouring under a false impression, before going I will explainwhy the brave thief burst into tears, and why he laughed at such amoment.
"He wept when he reflected that he could not requite her kindnessin being willing to give up everything she had in the world to savehis life; and this thought deeply grieved him.
Then it struck him as being passing strange that she had begun tolove him when the last sand of his life was well nigh run out; thatwondrous are the ways of the revolving heavens which bestowwealth upon the niggard that cannot use it, wisdom upon the badman who will misuse it, a beautiful wife upon the fool who cannotprotect her, and fertilizing showers upon the stony hills. Andthinking over these things, the gallant and beautiful thief laughedaloud.
"Before returning to my sires-tree," continued the Vampire, "as Iam about to do in virtue of your majesty's unintelligent reply, Imay remark that men may laugh and cry, or may cry and laugh,about everything in this world, from their neighbours' deaths,which, as a general rule, in no wise concern them, to their ownlatter ends, which do concern them exceedingly. For my part, I amin the habit of laughing at everything, because it animates thebrain, stimulates the lungs, beautifies the countenance, and--for themoment, good-bye, Raja Vikram!
The warrior king, being forewarned this time, shifted the bundlecontaining the Baital from his back to under his arm, where hepressed it with all his might.
This proceeding, however, did not prevent the Vampire fromslipping back to his tree, and leaving an empty cloth with the Raja.
Presently the demon was trussed up as usual; a voice soundedbehind Vikram, and the loquacious thing again began to talk.
THE VAMPIRE'S SIXTH STORY.
In Which Three Men Dispute about a Woman.
On the lovely banks of Jumna's stream there was a city known asDharmasthal--the Place of Duty; and therein dwelt a certainBrahman called Keshav. He was a very pious man, in the constanthabit of performing penance and worship upon the river Sidi. Hemodelled his own clay images instead of buying them from others;he painted holy stones red at the top, and made to them offeringsof flowers, fruit, water, sweetmeats, and fried peas. He hadbecome a learned man somewhat late in life, having, until twentyyears old, neglected his reading, and addicted himself toworshipping the beautiful youth Kama-Deva[FN#116] and Rati hiswife, accompanied by the cuckoo, the humming-bee, and sweetbreezes.
One day his parents having rebuked him sharply for hisungovernable conduct, Keshav wandered to a neighbouringhamlet, and hid himself in the tall fig-tree which shadowed acelebrated image of Panchanan.[FN#117] Presently an evil thoughtarose in his head: he defiled the god, and threw him into thenearest tank.
The next morning, when the person arrived whose livelihooddepended on the image, he discovered that his god was gone. Hereturned into the village distracted, and all was soon in an uproarabout the lost deity.
In the midst of this confusion the parents of Keshav arrived,seeking for their son; and a man in the crowd declared that he hadseen a young man sitting in Panchanan's tree, but what had becomeof the god he knew not.
The runaway at length appeared, and the suspicions of the villagersfell upon him as the stealer of Panchanan. He confessed the fact,pointed out the place where he had thrown the stone, and addedthat he had polluted the god. All hands and eyes were raised inamazement at this atrocious crime, and every one present declaredthat Panchanan would certainly punish the daring insult byimmediate death. Keshav was dreadfully frightened; he began toobey his parents from that very hour, and applied to his studies sosedulously that he soon became the most learned man of hiscountry.
Now Keshav the Brahman had a daughter whose name was theMadhumalati or Sweet Jasmine. She was very beautiful. Whencedid the gods procure the materials to form so exquisite a face?They took a portion of the most excellent part of the moon to formthat beautiful face? Does any one seek a proof of this? Let himlook at the empty places left in the moon. Her eyes resembled thefull-blown blue nymphaea; her arms the charming stalk of thelotus; her flowing tresses the thick darkness of night.
When this lovely person arrived at a marriageable age, her mother,father, and brother, all three became very anxious about her. Forthe wise have said, "A daughter nubile but without a husband isever a calamity hanging over a house." And, "Kings, women, andclimbing plants love those who are near them." Also, "Who isthere that has not suffered from the sex? for a woman cannot bekept in due subjection, either by gifts or kindness, or correctconduct, or the greatest services, or the laws of morality, or by theterror of punishment, for she cannot discriminate between goodand evil."
It so happened that one day Keshav the Brahman went to themarriage of a certain customer of his,[FN#118] and his sonrepaired to the house of a spiritual preceptor in order to read.During their absence, a young man came to the house, when theSweet Jasmine's mother, inferring his good qualities from his goodlooks, said to him, "I will give to thee my daughter in marriage."The father also had promised his daughter to a Brahman youthwhom he had met at the house of his employer; and the brotherlikewise had betrothed his sister to a fellow student at the placewhere he had gone to read.
After some days father and son came home, accompanied by thesetwo suitors, and in the house a third was already seated. The nameof the first was Tribikram, of the second Baman, and of the thirdMadhusadan. The three were equal in mind and body, inknowledge, and in age.
Then the father, looking upon them, said to himself, "Ho! there isone bride and three bridegrooms; to whom shall I give, and towhom shall I not give? We three have pledged our word to thesethree. A strange circumstance has occurred; what must we do?"
He then proposed to them a trial of wisdom, and made them agreethat he who should quote the most excellent saying of the wiseshould become his daughter's husband.
Quoth Tribikram: "Courage is tried in war; integrity in thepayment of debt and interest; friendship in distress; and thefaithfulness of a wife in the day of poverty."
Baman proceeded: "That woman is destitute of virtue who in herfather's house is not in subjection, who wanders to feasts andamusements, who throws off her veil in the presence of men, whoremains as a guest in the houses of strangers, who is much devotedto sleep, who drinks inebriating beverages, and who delights indistance from her husband."
"Let none," pursued Madhusadan, "confide in the sea, nor inwhatever has claws or horns, or who carries deadly weapons;neither in a woman, nor in a king."
Whilst the Brahman was doubting which to prefer, and ratherinclining to the latter sentiment, a serpent bit the beautiful girl, andin a few hours she died.
Stunned by this awful sudden death, the father and the three suitorssat for a time motionless. They then arose, used great exertions,and brought all kinds of sorcerers, wise men and women whocharm away poisons by incantations. These having seen the girlsaid, "She cannot return to life." The first declared, "A personalways dies who has been bitten by a snake on the fifth, sixth,eighth, ninth, and fourteenth days of the lunar month.'' The secondasserted, "One who has been bitten on a Saturday or a Tuesdaydoes not survive." The third opined, "Poison infused during certainsix lunar mansions cannot be got under." Quoth the fourth, "Onewho has been bitten in any organ of sense, the lower lip, the cheek,the neck, or the stomach, cannot escape death." The fifth said, "Inthis case even Brahma, the Creator, could not restore life--of whataccount, then, are we? Do you perform the funeral rites; we willdepart."
Thus saying, the sorcerers went their way. The mourning fathertook up his daughter's corpse and caused it to be burnt, in the placewhere dead bodies are usually burnt, and returned to his house.
After that the three young men said to one another, "We must nowseek happiness elsewhere. And what better can we do than obeythe words of Indra, the God of Air, who spake thus ?--
"'For a man who does not travel about there is no felicity, and agood man who stays at home is a bad man. Indra is the friend ofhim who travels. Travel!
"'A traveller's legs are like blossoming branches, and he himselfgrows and gathers the fruit. All his wrongs vanish, destroyed byhis exertion on the roadside. Travel!
"'The fortune of a man who sits, sits also; it rises when he rises; itsleeps when he sleeps; it moves well when he moves. Travel!
"'A man who sleeps is like the Iron Age. A man who awakes is likethe Bronze Age. A man who rises up is like the Silver Age. A manwho travels is like the Golden Age. Travel!
"'A traveller finds honey; a traveller finds sweet figs. Look at thehappiness of the sun, who travailing never tires. Travel!"'
Before parting they divided the relics of the beloved one, and thenthey went their way.
Tribikram, having separated and tied up the burnt bones, becameone of the Vaisheshikas, in those days a powerful sect. Hesolemnly forswore the eight great crimes, namely: feeding at night;slaying any animal; eating the fruit of trees that give milk, orpumpkins or young bamboos: tasting honey or flesh; plunderingthe wealth of others; taking by force a married woman; eatingflowers, butter, or cheese; and worshipping the gods of otherreligions. He learned that the highest act of virtue is to abstainfrom doing injury to sentient creatures; that crime does not justifythe destruction of life; and that kings, as the administrators ofcriminal justice, are the greatest of sinners. He professed the fivevows of total abstinence from falsehood, eating flesh or fish, theft,drinking spirits, and marriage. He bound himself to possessnothing beyond a white loin-cloth, a towel to wipe the mouth, abeggar's dish, and a brush of woollen threads to sweep the groundfor fear of treading on insects. And he was ordered to fear secularaffairs; the miseries of a future state; the receiving from othersmore than the food of a day at once; all accidents; provisions, ifconnected with the destruction of animal life; death and disgrace;also to please all, and to obtain compassion from all.
He attempted to banish his love. He said to himself, "Surely it wasowing only to my pride and selfishness that I ever looked upon awoman as capable of affording happiness; and I thought, 'Ah! ah!thine eyes roll about like the tail of the water-wagtail, thy lipsresemble the ripe fruit, thy bosom is like the lotus bud, thy form isresplendent as gold melted in a crucible, the moon wanes throughdesire to imitate the shadow of thy face, thou resemblest thepleasure-house of Cupid; the happiness of all time is concentratedin thee; a touch from thee would surely give life to a dead image;at thy approach a living admirer would be changed by joy into alifeless stone; obtaining thee I can face all the horrors of war; andwere I pierced by showers of arrows, one glance of thee wouldheal all my wounds.'
"My mind is now averted from the world. Seeing her I say, 'Is thisthe form by which men are bewitched? This is a basket coveredwith skin; it contains bones, flesh, blood, and impurities. Thestupid creature who is captivated by this--is there a cannibalfeeding in Currim a greater cannibal than he? These persons call athing made up of impure matter a face, and drink its charms as adrunkard swallows the inebriating liquor from his cup. The blind,infatuated beings! Why should I be pleased or displeased with thisbody, composed of flesh and blood? It is my duty to seek Him whois the Lord of this body, and to disregard everything which givesrise either to pleasure or to pain.'"
Baman, the second suitor, tied up a bundle of his beloved one'sashes, and followed--somewhat prematurely--the precepts of thegreat lawgiver Manu. "When the father of a family perceives hismuscles becoming flaccid, and his hair grey, and sees the child ofhis child, let him then take refuge in a forest. Let him take up hisconsecrated fire and all his domestic implements for makingoblations to it, and, departing from the town to the lonely wood, lethim dwell in it with complete power over his organs of sense andof action. With many sorts of pure food, such as holy sages used toeat, with green herbs, roots, and fruit, let him perform the fivegreat sacraments, introducing them with due ceremonies. Let himwear a black antelope-hide, or a vesture of bark; let him batheevening and morning; let him suffer the hair of his head, his beardand his nails to grow continually. Let him slide backwards andforwards on the ground; or let him stand a whole day on tiptoe; orlet him continue in motion, rising and sitting alternately; but atsunrise, at noon, and at sunset, let him go to the waters and batheIn the hot season let him sit exposed to five fires, four blazingaround him, with the sun above; in the rains let him standuncovered, without even a mantle, where the clouds pour theheaviest showers; in the cold season let him wear damp clothes,and let him increase by degrees the austerity of his devotions.Then, having reposited his holy fires, as the law directs, in hismind, let him live without external fire, without a mansion, whollysilent, feeding on roots and fruit."
Meanwhile Madhusadan the third, having taken a wallet andneckband, became a Jogi, and began to wander far and wide, livingon nothing but chaff, and practicing his devotions. In order to seeBrahma he attended to the following duties; 1. Hearing; 2.Meditation; 3. Fixing the Mind; 4. Absorbing the Mind. Hecombated the three evils, restlessness, injuriousness,voluptuousness by settling the Deity in his spirit, by subjecting hissenses, and by destroying desire. Thus he would do away with theillusion (Maya) which conceals all true knowledge. He repeatedthe name of the Deity till it appeared to him in the form of a DryLight or glory. Though connected with the affairs of life, that is,with affairs belonging to a body containing blood, bones, andimpurities; to organs which are blind, palsied, and full of weaknessand error; to a mind filled with thirst, hunger, sorrow, infatuation;to confirmed habits, and to the fruits of former births: still hestrove not to view these things as realities. He made a companionof a dog, honouring it with his own food, so as the better to thinkon spirit. He practiced all the five operations connected with thevital air, or air collected in the body. He attended much toPranayama, or the gradual suppression of breathing, and hesecured fixedness of mind as follows. By placing his sight andthoughts on the tip of his nose he perceived smell; on the tip of histongue he realized taste, on the root of his tongue he knew sound,and so forth. He practiced the eighty-four Asana or postures,raising his hand to the wonders of the heavens, till he felt no longerthe inconveniences of heat or cold, hunger or thirst. He particularlypreferred the Padma or lotus-posture, which consists of bringingthe feet to the sides, holding the right in the left hand and the left inthe right. In the work of suppressing his breath he permitted itsrespiration to reach at furthest twelve fingers' breadth, andgradually diminished the distance from his nostrils till he couldconfine it to the length of twelve fingers from his nose, and evenafter restraining it for some time he would draw it from no greaterdistance than from his heart. As respects time, he began byretaining inspiration for twenty-six seconds, and he enlarged thisperiod gradually till he became perfect. He sat cross-legged,closing with his fingers all the avenues of inspiration, and hepracticed Prityahara, or the power of restraining the members ofthe body and mind, with meditation and concentration, to whichthere are four enemies, viz., a sleepy heart, human passions, aconfused mind, and attachment to anything but the one Brahma.He also cultivated Yama, that is, inoffensiveness, truth, honesty,the forsaking of all evil in the world, and the refusal of gifts exceptfor sacrifice, and Nihama, i.e., purity relative to the use of waterafter defilement, pleasure in everything whether in prosperity oradversity, renouncing food when hungry, and keeping down thebody. Thus delivered from these four enemies of the flesh, heresembled the unruffled flame of the lamp, and by Brahmagnana,or meditating on the Deity, placing his mind on the sun, moon,fire, or any other luminous body, or within his heart, or at thebottom of his throat, or in the centre of his skull, he was enabled toascend from gross images of omnipotence to the works and thedivine wisdom of the glorious original.
One day Madhusadan, the Jogi, went to a certain house for food,and the householder having seen him began to say, "Be so good asto take your food here this day!" The visitor sat down, and whenthe victuals were ready, the host caused his feet and hands to bewashed, and leading him to the Chauka, or square place uponwhich meals are served, seated him and sat by him. And he quotedthe scripture: "No guest must be dismissed in the evening by ahousekeeper: he is sent by the returning sun, and whether he comein fit season or unseasonably, he must not sojourn in the housewithout entertainment: let me not eat any delicate food, withoutasking my guest to partake of it: the satisfaction of a guest willassuredly bring the housekeeper wealth, reputation, long life, and aplace in heaven."
The householder's wife then came to serve up the food, rice andsplit peas, oil, and spices, all cooked in a new earthen pot withpure firewood. Part of the meal was served and the rest remainedto be served, when the woman's little child began to cry aloud andto catch hold of its mother's dress. She endeavoured to releaseherself, but the boy would not let go, and the more she coaxed themore he cried, and was obstinate. On this the mother becameangry, took up the boy and threw him upon the fire, whichinstantly burnt him to ashes.
Madhusadan, the Jogi, seeing this, rose up without eating. Themaster of the house said to him, "Why eatest thou not?" Hereplied, "I am ' Atithi,' that is to say, to be entertained at yourhouse, but how can one eat under the roof of a person who hascommitted such a Rakshasa-like (devilish) deed? Is it not said, 'Hewho does not govern his passions, lives in vain'? 'A foolish king, aperson puffed up with riches, and a weak child, desire that whichcannot be procured'? Also, 'A king destroys his enemies, evenwhen flying; and the touch of an elephant, as well as the breath ofa serpent, are fatal; but the wicked destroy even while laughing'?"
Hearing this, the householder smiled; presently he arose and wentto another part of the tenement, and brought back with him a book,treating on Sanjivnividya, or the science of restoring the dead tolife. This he had taken from its hidden place, two beams almosttouching one another with the ends in the opposite wall. Theprecious volume was in single leaves, some six inches broad bytreble that length, and the paper was stained with yellow orpimentand the juice of tamarind seeds to keep away insects.
The householder opened the cloth containing the book, untied theflat boards at the top and bottom, and took out from it a charm.Having repeated this Mantra, with many ceremonies, he at oncerestored the child to life, saying, "Of all precious things,knowledge is the most valuable; other riches may be stolen, ordiminished by expenditure, but knowledge is immortal, and thegreater the expenditure the greater the increase; it can be sharedwith none, and it defies the power of the thief."
The Jogi, seeing this marvel, took thought in his heart, "If I couldobtain that book, I would restore my beloved to life, and give upthis course of uncomfortable postures and difficulty of breathing."With this resolution he sat down to his food, and remained in thehouse.
At length night came, and after a time, all, having eaten supper,and gone to their sleeping-places, lay down. The Jogi also went torest in one part of the house, but did not allow sleep to close hiseyes. When he thought that a fourth part of the hours of darknesshad sped, and that all were deep in slumber, then he got up veryquietly, and going into the room of the master of the house, hetook down the book from the beam-ends and went his ways.
Madhusadan, the Jogi, went straight to the place where thebeautiful Sweet Jasmine had been burned. There he found his tworivals sitting talking together and comparing experiences. Theyrecognized him at once, and cried aloud to him, "Brother! thoualso hast been wandering over the world; tell us this--hast thoulearned anything which can profit us?" He replied, "I have learnedthe science of restoring the dead to life"; upon which they bothexclaimed, "If thou hast really learned such knowledge, restore ourbeloved to life."
Madhusadan proceeded to make his incantations, despite terriblesights in the air, the cries of jackals, owls, crows, cats, asses,vultures, dogs, and lizards, and the wrath of innumerable invisiblebeings, such as messengers of Yama (Pluto), ghosts, devils,demons, imps, fiends, devas, succubi, and others. All the threelovers drawing blood from their own bodies, offered it to thegoddess Chandi, repeating the following incantation, "Hail!supreme delusion! Hail! goddess of the universe! Hail! thou whofulfillest the desires of all. May I presume to offer thee the bloodof my body; and wilt thou deign to accept it, and be propitioustowards me!"
They then made a burnt-offering of their flesh, and each oneprayed, "Grant me, O goddess! to see the maiden alive again, inproportion to the fervency with which I present thee with mineown flesh, invoking thee to be propitious to me. Salutation to theeagain and again, under the mysterious syllables any! any!"
Then they made a heap of the bones and the ashes, which had beencarefully kept by Tribikram and Baman. As the Jogi Madhusadanproceeded with his incantation, a white vapour arose from theground, and, gradually condensing, assumed a perispiritual form--the fluid envelope of the soul. The three spectators felt their bloodfreeze as the bones and the ashes were gradually absorbed into thebefore shadowy shape, and they were restored to themselves onlywhen the maiden Madhuvati begged to be taken home to hermother.
Then Kama, God of Love, blinded them, and they began fiercely toquarrel about who should have the beautiful maid. Each wanted tobe her sole master. Tribikram declared the bones to be the greatfact of the incantation; Baman swore by the ashes; andMadhusadan laughed them both to scorn. No one could decide thedispute; the wisest doctors were all nonplussed; and as for theRaja--well! we do not go for wit or wisdom to kings. I wonder ifthe great Raja Vikram could decide which person the womanbelonged to?
"To Baman, the man who kept her ashes, fellow!" exclaimed thehero, not a little offended by the free remarks of the fiend.
"Yet," rejoined the Baital impudently, "if Tribikram had notpreserved her bones how could she have been restored to life? Andif Madhusadan had not learned the science of restoring the dead tolife how could she have been revivified? At least, so it seems tome. But perhaps your royal wisdom may explain."
"Devil!" said the king angrily, "Tribikram, who preserved herbones, by that act placed himself in the position of her son;therefore he could not marry her. Madhusadan, who, restoring herto life, gave her life, was evidently a father to her; he could not,then, become her husband. Therefore she was the wife of Baman,who had collected her ashes."
"I am happy to see, O king," exclaimed the Vampire, "that in spiteof my presentiments, we are not to part company just yet. Theselittle trips I hold to be, like lovers' quarrels, the prelude to closerunion. With your leave we will still practice a little suspension."
And so saying, the Baital again ascended the tree, and wassuspended there.
"Would it not be better," thought the monarch, after recapturingand shouldering the fugitive, "for me to sit down this time andlisten to the fellow's story? Perhaps the double exercise of walkingand thinking confuses me."
With this idea Vikram placed his bundle upon the ground, well tiedup with turband and waistband; then he seated himselfcross-legged before it, and bade his son do the same.
The Vampire strongly objected to this measure, as it was contrary,he asserted, to the covenant between him and the Raja. Vikramreplied by citing the very words of the agreement, proving thatthere was no allusion to walking or sitting.
Then the Baital became sulky, and swore that he would not utteranother word. But he, too, was bound by the chain of destiny.Presently he opened his lips, with the normal prelude that he wasabout to tell a true tale.
THE VAMPIRE'S SEVENTH STORY.
Showing the Exceeding Folly of Many Wise Fools.
The Baital resumed.
Of all the learned Brahmans in the learnedest university of Gaur(Bengal) none was so celebrated as Vishnu Swami. He could writeverse as well as prose in dead languages, not very correctly, butstill, better than all his fellows--which constituted him adistinguished writer. He had history, theosophy, and the fourVedas of Scriptures at his fingers' ends, he was skilled in theargute science of Nyasa or Disputation, his mind was a mine ofPauranic or cosmogonico-traditional lore, handed down from theancient fathers to the modern fathers: and he had written bulkycommentaries, exhausting all that tongue of man has to say, uponthe obscure text of some old philosopher whose works upon ethics,poetry, and rhetoric were supposed by the sages of Gaur to containthe germs of everything knowable. His fame went over all thecountry; yea, from country to country. He was a sea of excellentqualities, the father and mother of Brahmans, cows, and women,and the horror of loose persons, cut-throats, courtiers, andcourtesans. As a benefactor he was equal to Karna, most liberal ofheroes. In regard to truth he was equal to the veracious kingYudhishtira.
True, he was sometimes at a loss to spell a common word in hismother tongue, and whilst he knew to a fingerbreadth how manypalms and paces the sun, the moon, and all the stars are distantfrom the earth, he would have been puzzled to tell you where theregion called Yavana[FN#119] lies. Whilst he could enumerate, instrict chronological succession, every important event thathappened five or six million years before he was born, he wasprofoundly ignorant of those that occurred in his own day. Andonce he asked a friend seriously, if a cat let loose in the junglewould not in time become a tiger.
Yet did all the members of alma mater Kasi, Pandits[FN#120] aswell as students, look with awe upon Vishnu Swami's livid cheeks,and lack-lustre eyes, grimed hands and soiled cottons.
Now it so happened that this wise and pious Brahmanic peer hadfour sons, whom he brought up in the strictest and most seriousway. They were taught to repeat their prayers long before theyunderstood a word of them, and when they reached the age offour[FN#121] they had read a variety of hymns and spiritualsongs. Then they were set to learn by heart precepts that inculcatesacred duties, and arguments relating to theology, abstract andconcrete.
Their father, who was also their tutor, sedulously cultivated, as allthe best works upon education advise, their implicit obedience,humble respect, warm attachment, and the virtues and sentimentsgenerally. He praised them secretly and reprehended them openly,to exercise their humility. He derided their looks, and dressed themcoarsely, to preserve them from vanity and conceit. Whenever theyanticipated a "treat," he punctually disappointed them, to teachthem self-denial. Often when he had promised them a present, hewould revoke, not break his word, in order that discipline mighthave a name and habitat in his household. And knowing byexperience how much stronger than love is fear, he frequentlythreatened, browbeat, and overawed them with the rod and thetongue, with the terrors of this world, and with the horrors of thenext, that they might be kept in the right way by dread of fallinginto the bottomless pits that bound it on both sides.
At the age of six they were transferred to the Chatushpati[FN#122]or school. Every morning the teacher and his pupils assembled inthe hut where the different classes were called up by turns. Theylaboured till noon, and were allowed only two hours, a moiety ofthe usual time, for bathing, eating, sleep, and worship, which tookup half the period. At 3 P.M. they resumed their labours, repeatingto the tutor what they had learned by heart, and listening to themeaning of it: this lasted till twilight. They then worshipped, ateand drank for an hour: after which came a return of study,repeating the day's lessons, till 10 P.M.
In their rare days of ease--for the learned priest, mindful of thewords of the wise, did not wish to dull them by everlasting work--they were enjoined to disport themselves with the gravity and thedecorum that befit young Samditats, not to engage in night frolics,not to use free jests or light expressions, not to draw pictures onthe walls, not to eat honey, flesh, and sweet substances turned acid,not to talk to little girls at the well-side, on no account to wearsandals, carry an umbrella, or handle a die even for love, and by nomeans to steal their neighbours' mangoes.
As they advanced in years their attention during work time wasunremittingly directed to the Vedas. Wordly studies were almostexcluded, or to speak more correctly, whenever wordly studieswere brought upon the carpet, they were so evil entreated, that theywell nigh lost all form and feature. History became "The Annals ofIndia on Brahminical Principles," opposed to the Buddhistical;geography "The Lands of the Vedas," none other being deemedworthy of notice; and law, "The Institutes of Manu," then almostobsolete, despite their exceeding sanctity.
But Jatu-harini[FN#123] had evidently changed these childrenbefore they were born; and Shani[FN#124] must have been in theninth mansion when they came to light.
Each youth as he attained the mature age of twelve was formallyentered at the University of Kasi, where, without loss of time, thefirst became a gambler, the second a confirmed libertine, the thirda thief, and the fourth a high Buddhist, or in other words an utteratheist.
Here King Vikram frowned at his son, a hint that he had better notbehave himself as the children of highly moral and religiousparents usually do. The young prince understood him, and brieflyremarking that such things were common in distinguishedBrahman families, asked the Baital what he meant by the word"Atheist."
Of a truth (answered the Vampire) it is most difficult to explain.The sages assign to it three or four several meanings: first, onewho denies that the gods exist secondly, one who owns that thegods exist but denies that they busy themselves with humanaffairs; and thirdly, one who believes in the gods and in theirprovidence, but also believes that they are easily to be set aside.Similarly some atheists derive all things from dead andunintelligent matter; others from matter living and energetic butwithout sense or will: others from matter with forms and qualitiesgenerable and conceptible; and others from a plastic andmethodical nature. Thus the Vishnu Swamis of the world haveinvested the subject with some confusion. The simple, that is tosay, the mass of mortality, have confounded that confusion byreproachfully applying the word atheist to those whose opinionsdiffer materially from their own.
But I being at present, perhaps happily for myself, a Vampire, andhaving, just now, none of these human or inhuman ideas, meantsimply to say that the pious priest's fourth son being great atsecond and small in the matter of first causes, adopted to theirfullest extent the doctrines of the philosophical Buddhas.[FN#125]Nothing according to him exists but the five elements, earth, water,fire, air (or wind), and vacuum, and from the last proceeded thepenultimate, and so forth. With the sage Patanjali, he held theuniverse to have the power of perpetual progression.[FN#126] Hecalled that Matra (matter), which is an eternal and infiniteprinciple, beginningless and endless. Organization, intelligence,and design, he opined, are inherent in matter as growth is in a tree.He did not believe in soul or spirit, because it could not be detectedin the body, and because it was a departure from physiologicalanalogy. The idea "I am," according to him, was not theidentification of spirit with matter, but a product of the mutation ofmatter in this cloud-like, error-formed world. He believed inSubstance (Sat) and scoffed at Unsubstance (Asat). He asserted thesubtlety and globularity of atoms which are uncreate. He mademind and intellect a mere secretion of the brain, or rather wordsexpressing not a thing, but a state of things. Reason was to himdeveloped instinct, and life an element of the atmosphere affectingcertain organisms. He held good and evil to be merelygeographical and chronological expressions, and he opined thatwhat is called Evil is mostly an active and transitive form of Good.Law was his great Creator of all things, but he refused a creator oflaw, because such a creator would require another creator, and soon in a quasi-interminable series up to absurdity. This reduced hislaw to a manner of haphazard. To those who, arguing against it,asked him their favourite question, How often might a man after hehad jumbled a set of letters in a bag fling them out upon the groundbefore they would fall into an exact poem? he replied that thecalculation was beyond his arithmetic, but that the man had only tojumble and fling long enough inevitably to arrive at that end. Herejected the necessity as well as the existence of revelation, and hedid not credit the miracles of Krishna, because, according to him,nature never suspends her laws, and, moreover, he had never seenaught supernatural. He ridiculed the idea of Mahapralaya, or thegreat destruction, for as the world had no beginning, so it will haveno end. He objected to absorption, facetiously observing with thesage Jamadagni, that it was pleasant to eat sweetmeats, but that forhis part he did not wish to become the sweetmeat itself. He wouldnot believe that Vishnu had formed the universe out of the wax inhis ears. He positively asserted that trees are not bodies in whichthe consequences of merit and demerit are received. Nor would heconclude that to men were attached rewards and punishments fromall eternity. He made light of the Sanskara, or sacrament. Headmitted Satwa, Raja, and Tama,[FN#127] but only as propertiesof matter. He acknowledged gross matter (Sthulasharir), andatomic matter (Shukshma-sharir), but not Linga-sharir, or thearchetype of bodies. To doubt all things was the foundation of histheory, and to scoff at all who would not doubt was thecorner-stone of his practice. In debate he preferred logical andmathematical grounds, requiring a categorical "because" in answerto his "why?" He was full of morality and natural religion, whichsome say is no religion at all. He gained the name of atheist bydeclaring with Gotama that there are innumerable worlds, that theearth has nothing beneath it but the circumambient air, and that thecore of the globe is incandescent. And he was called a practicalatheist--a worse form apparently--for supporting the followingdogma: "that though creation may attest that a creator has been, itsupplies no evidence to prove that a creator still exists." On whichoccasion, Shiromani, a nonplussed theologian, asked him, "Bywhom and for what purpose west thou sent on earth?" The youthscoffed at the word "sent," and replied, "Not being thy SupremeIntelligence, or Infinite Nihility, I am unable to explain thephenomenon." Upon which he quoted--
How sunk in darkness Gaur must be Whose guide is blind Shiromani!
At length it so happened that the four young men, havingfrequently been surprised in flagrant delict, were summoned to thedread presence of the university Gurus,[FN#128] who addressedthem as follows:--
"There are four different characters in the world: he who perfectlyobeys the commands; he who practices the commands, but followsevil; he who does neither good nor evil; and he who does nothingbut evil. The third character, it is observed, is also an offender, forhe neglects that which he ought to observe. But ye all belong to thefourth category." Then turning to the elder they said:
"In works written upon the subject of government it is advised,'Cut off the gambler's nose and ears, hold up his name to publiccontempt, and drive him out of the country, that he may thusbecome an example to others. For they who play must more oftenlose than win; and losing, they must either pay or not pay. In thelatter case they forfeit caste, in the former they utterly reducethemselves. And though a gambler's wife and children are in thehouse, do not consider them to be so, since it is not known whenthey will be lost.[FN#129] Thus he is left in a state of perfectnot-twoness (solitude), and he will be reborn in hell.' O youngman! thou hast set a bad example to others, therefore shalt thouimmediately exchange this university for a country life."
Then they spoke to the second offender thus :---
"The wise shun woman, who can fascinate a man in the twinklingof an eye; but the foolish, conceiving an affection for her, forfeit inthe pursuit of pleasure their truthfulness, reputation, and gooddisposition, their way of life and mode of thought, their vows andtheir religion. And to such the advice of their spiritual teacherscomes amiss, whilst they make others as bad as themselves. For itis said, 'He who has lost all sense of shame, fears not to disgraceanother; 'and there is the proverb, 'A wild cat that devours its ownyoung is not likely to let a rat escape; ' therefore must thou too, Oyoung man! quit this seat of learning with all possible expedition."
The young man proceeded to justify himself by quotations fromthe Lila-shastra, his text-book, by citing such 1ines as--
Fortune favours folly and force,
and by advising the elderly professors to improve their skill in thepeace and war of love. But they drove him out with execrations.
As sagely and as solemnly did the Pandits and the Gurus reprovethe thief and the atheist, but they did not dispense the words ofwisdom in equal proportions. They warned the former that pettylarceny is punishable with fine, theft on a larger scale withmutilation of the hand, and robbery, when detected in the act, withloss of life[FN#130]; that for cutting purses, or for snatching themout of a man's waistcloth,[FN#131] 'the first penalty is choppingoff the fingers, the second is the loss of the hand, and the third isdeath. Then they call him a dishonour to the college, and they said,"Thou art as a woman, the greatest of plunderers; other robberspurloin property which is worthless, thou stealest the best; theyplunder in the night, thou in the day," and so forth. They told himthat he was a fellow who had read his Chauriya Vidya to morepurpose then his ritual.[FN#132] And they drove him from thedoor as he in his shamelessness began to quote texts about the fourapproved ways of housebreaking, namely, picking out burntbricks, cutting through unbaked bricks, throwing water on a mudwall, and boring one of wood with a centre-bit.
But they spent six mortal hours in convicting the atheist, whoseabominations they refuted by every possible argumentation: byinference, by comparison, and by sounds, by Sruti and Smriti, i.e.,revelational and traditional, rational and evidential, physical andmetaphysical, analytical and synthetical, philosophical andphilological, historical, and so forth. But they found all theirendeavours vain. "For," it is said, "a man who has lost all shame,who can talk without sense, and who tries to cheat his opponent,will never get tired, and will never be put down." He declared thata non-ad was far more probable than a monad (the activeprinciple), or the duad (the passive principle or matter.) Hecompared their faith with a bubble in the water, of which we cannever predicate that it does exist or it does not. It is, he said,unreal, as when the thirsty mistakes the meadow mist for a pool ofwater. He proved the eternity of sound.[FN#133] He impudentlyrecounted and justified all the villanies of the Vamachari orleft-handed sects. He told them that they had taken up an ass's loadof religion, and had better apply to honest industry. He fell foul ofthe gods; accused Yama of kicking his own mother, Indra oftempting the wife of his spiritual guide, and Shiva of associatingwith low women. Thus, he said, no one can respect them. Do notwe say when it thunders awfully, "the rascally gods are dying!"And when it is too wet, "these villain gods are sending too muchrain"? Briefly, the young Brahman replied to and harangued themall so impertinently, if not pertinently, that they, waxing angry, fellupon him with their staves, and drove him out of assembly.
Then the four thriftless youths returned home to their father, whoin his just indignation had urged their disgrace upon the Panditsand Gurus, otherwise these dignitaries would never have resortedto such extreme measures with so distinguished a house. He tookthe opportunity of turning them out upon the world, until such timeas they might be able to show substantial signs of reform. "For," hesaid, "those who have read science in their boyhood, and who inyouth, agitated by evil passions, have remained in the insolence ofignorance, feel regret in their old age, and are consumed by the fireof avarice." In order to supply them with a motive for the taskproposed, he stopped their monthly allowance But he added, ifthey would repair to the neighbouring university of Jayasthal, andthere show themselves something better than a disgrace to theirfamily, he would direct their maternal uncle to supply them withall the necessaries of food and raiment.
In vain the youths attempted, with sighs and tears and threats ofsuicide, to soften the paternal heart. He was inexorable, for tworeasons. In the first place, after wondering away the wonder withwhich he regarded his own failure, he felt that a stigma nowattached to the name of the pious and learned Vishnu Swami,whose lectures upon "Management during Teens," and whose"Brahman Young Man's Own Book,'' had become standard works.Secondly, from a sense of duty, he determined to omit nothing thatmight tend to reclaim the reprobates. As regards the monthlyallowance being stopped, the reverend man had become every yeara little fonder of his purse; he had hoped that his sons would havequalified themselves to take pupils, and thus achieve forthemselves, as he phrased it, "A genteel independence"; whilstthey openly derided the career, calling it "an admirable provisionfor the more indigent members of the middle classes." For whichreason he referred them to their maternal uncle, a man of knownand remarkable penuriousness.
The four ne'er-do-weals, foreseeing what awaited them atJayasthal, deferred it as a last resource; determining first to see alittle life, and to push their way in the world, before condemningthemselves to the tribulations of reform.
They tried to live without a monthly allowance, and notably theyfailed; it was squeezing, as men say, oil from sand. The gambler,having no capital, and, worse still, no credit, lost two or threesuvernas[FN#134] at play, and could not pay them; in consequenceof which he was soundly beaten with iron-shod staves, and wasnearly compelled by the keeper of the hell to sell himself intoslavery. Thus he became disgusted; and telling his brethren thatthey would find him at Jayasthal, he departed, with the intention ofstudying wisdom.
A month afterwards came the libertine's turn to be disappointed.He could no longer afford fine new clothes; even a well-washedcoat was beyond his means. He had reckoned upon his handsomeface, and he had matured a plan for laying various elderlyconquests under contribution. Judge, therefore, his disgust whenall the women-- high and low, rich and poor, old and young, uglyand beautiful--seeing the end of his waistcloth thrown empty overhis shoulder, passed him in the streets without even deigning alook. The very shopkeepers' wives, who once had adored hismustachio and had never ceased talking of his "elegant" gait,despised him; and the wealthy old person who formerly suppliedhis small feet with the choicest slippers, left him to starve. Uponwhich he also in a state of repentance, followed his brother toacquire knowledge.
"Am I not," quoth the thief to himself, "a cat in climbing, a deer inrunning, a snake in twisting, a hawk in pouncing, a dog inscenting?--keen as a hare, tenacious as a wolf, strong as a lion?--alamp in the night, a horse on a plain, a mule on a stony path, a boatin the water, a rock on land[FN#135]?" The reply to his ownquestions was of course affirmative. But despite all these finequalities, and notwithstanding his scrupulous strictness ininvocating the house-breaking tool and in devoting a due portionof his gains to the gods of plunder,[FN#136] he was caught in astore-room by the proprietor, who inexorably handed him over tojustice. As he belonged to the priestly caste,[FN#137] the fineimposed upon him was heavy. He could not pay it, and thereforehe was thrown into a dungeon, where he remained for some time.But at last he escaped from jail, when he made his parting bow toKartikeya,[FN#138] stole a blanket from one of the guards, and setout for Jayasthal, cursing his old profession.
The atheist also found himself in a position that deprived him of allhis pleasures. He delighted in afterdinner controversies, and inbringing the light troops of his wit to bear upon the unwieldymasses of lore and logic opposed to him by polemical Brahmanswho, out of respect for his father, did not lay an action against himfor overpowering them in theological disputation.[FN#139] In thestrange city to which he had removed no one knew the son ofVishnu Swami, and no one cared to invite him to the house. Oncehe attempted his usual trick upon a knot of sages who, sittinground a tank, were recreating themselves with quoting mysticalSanskrit shlokas[FN#140] of abominable long-windedness. Theresult was his being obliged to ply his heels vigorously in flightfrom the justly incensed literati, to whom he had said "tush" and"pish," at least a dozen times in as many minutes. He therefore alsofollowed the example of his brethren, and started for Jayasthalwith all possible expedition.
Arrived at the house of their maternal uncle, the young men, as byone assent, began to attempt the unloosening of his purse-strings.Signally failing in this and in other notable schemes, theydetermined to lay in that stock of facts and useful knowledgewhich might reconcile them with their father, and restore them tothat happy life at Gaur which they then despised, and which nowbrought tears into their eyes.
Then they debated with one another what they should study
* * * * * * *
That branch of the preternatural, popularly called "white magic,"found with them favour.
* * * * * * *
They chose a Guru or teacher strictly according to the orders oftheir faith, a wise man of honourable family and affabledemeanour, who was not a glutton nor leprous, nor blind of oneeye, nor blind of both eyes, nor very short, nor suffering fromwhitlows,[FN#141] asthma, or other disease, nor noisy andtalkative, nor with any defect about the fingers and toes, norsubject to his wife.
* * * * * * *
A grand discovery had been lately made by a certainphysiologico-philosophico- psychologico-materialist, aJayasthalian. In investigating the vestiges of creation, the cause ofcauses, the effect of effects, and the original origin of that Matra(matter) which some regard as an entity, others as a non-entity,others self-existent, others merely specious and thereforeunexistent, he became convinced that the fundamental form oforganic being is a globule having another globule within itseloAfter inhabiting a garret and diving into the depths of his self-consciousness for a few score years, he was able to produce suchcomplex globule in triturated and roasted flint by means of--I willnot say what. Happily for creation in general, the discovery died anatural death some centuries ago. An edifying spectacle, indeed,for the world to see; a cross old man sitting amongst his gallipotsand crucibles, creating animalculae, providing the corpses of birds,beasts, and fishes with what is vulgarly called life, and supplyingto epigenesis all the latest improvements!
In those days the invention, being a novelty, engrossed thethoughts of the universal learned, who were in a fever ofexcitement about it. Some believed in it so implicity that they sawin every experiment a hundred things which they did not see.Others were so sceptical and contradictory that they would notpreceive what they did see. Those blended with each fact their owndeductions, whilst these span round every reality the web of theirown prejudices. Curious to say, the Jayasthalians, amongst whomthe luminous science arose, hailed it with delight, whilst theGaurians derided its claim to be considered an important additionto human knowledge.
Let me try to remember a few of their words.
"Unfortunate human nature," wrote the wise of Gaur against thewise of Jayasthal, "wanted no crowning indignity but this! Youhad already proved that the body is made of the basest element--earth. You had argued away the immovability, the ubiquity, thepermanency, the eternity, and the divinity of the soul, for is notyour favourite axiom, ' It is the nature of limbs which thinketh inman'? The immortal mind is, according to you, an ignoble viscus;the god-like gift of reason is the instinct of a dog somewhat highlydeveloped. Still you left us something to hope. Still you allowed usone boast. Still life was a thread connecting us with the Giver ofLife. But now, with an impious hand, in blasphemous rage ye haverent asunder that last frail tie." And so forth.
"Welcome! thrice welcome! this latest and most admirabledevelopment of human wisdom," wrote the sage Jayasthaliansagainst the sage Gaurians, "which has assigned to man his properstate and status and station in the magnificent scale of being. Wehave not created the facts which we have investigated, and whichwe now proudly publish. We have proved materialism to benature's own system. But our philosophy of matter cannot overturnany truth, because, if erroneous, it will necessarily sink intooblivion; if real, it will tend only to instruct and to enlighten theworld. Wise are ye in your generation, O ye sages of Gaur, yetwithal wondrous illogical." And much of this kind.
Concerning all which, mighty king! I, as a Vampire, have only toremark that those two learned bodies, like your Rajaship's NineGems of Science, were in the habit of talking most about what theyleast understood.
The four young men applied the whole force of their talents tomastering the difficulties of the life-giving process; and in duetime, their industry obtained its reward.
Then they determined to return home. As with beating hearts theyapproached the old city, their birthplace, and gazed with moistenedeyes upon its tall spires and grim pagodas, its verdant meads andvenerable groves, they saw a Kanjar,[FN#142] who, having tied upin a bundle the skin and bones of a tiger which he had found dead,was about to go on his way. Then said the thief to the gambler,"Take we these remains with us, and by means of them prove thetruth of our science before the people of Gaur, to the offence oftheir noses.[FN#143]" Being now possessed of knowledge, theyresolved to apply it to its proper purpose, namely, power over theproperty of others. Accordingly, the wencher, the gambler, and theatheist kept the Kanjar in conversation whilst the thief vivified ashank bone; and the bone thereupon stood upright, and hoppedabout in so grotesque and wonderful a way that the man, beingfrightened, fled as if I had been close behind him.
Vishnu Swami had lately written a very learned commentary onthe mystical words of Lokakshi:
"The Scriptures are at variance--the tradition is at variance. Hewho gives a meaning of his own, quoting the Vedas, is nophilosopher.
"True philosophy, through ignorance, is concealed as in thefissures of a rock.
"But the way of the Great One--that is to be followed."
And the success of his book had quite effaced from the Brahmanmind the holy man's failure in bringing up his children. Hefollowed up this by adding to his essay on education a twentiethtome, containing recipes for the "Reformation of Prodigals."
The learned and reverend father received his sons with open arms.He had heard from his brother-in-law that the youths werequalified to support themselves, and when informed that theywished to make a public experiment of their science, he exertedhimself, despite his disbelief in it, to forward their views.
The Pandits and Gurus were long before they would consent toattend what they considered dealings with Yama (the Devil). Inconsequence, however, of Vishnu Swami's name and importunity,at length, on a certain day, all the pious, learned, and reverendtutors, teachers, professors, prolocutors, pastors, spiritual fathers,poets, philosophers, mathematicians, schoolmasters, pedagogues,bear-leaders, institutors, gerund-grinders, preceptors, dominies,brushers, coryphaei, dry-nurses, coaches, mentors, monitors,lecturers, prelectors, fellows, and heads of houses at the universityat Gaur, met together in a large garden, where they usuallydiverted themselves out of hours with ball-tossing,pigeon-tumbling, and kite-flying.
Presently the four young men, carrying their bundle of bones andthe other requisites, stepped forward, walking slowly with eyesdowncast, like shrinking cattle: for it is said, the Brahman must notrun, even when it rains.
After pronouncing an impromptu speech, composed for them bytheir father, and so stuffed with erudition that even the writerhardly understood it, they announced their wish to prove, by oculardemonstration, the truth of a science upon which theirshort-sighted rivals of Jayasthal had cast cold water, but which,they remarked in the eloquent peroration of their discourse, thesages of Gaur had welcomed with that wise and catholic spirit ofinquiry which had ever characterized their distinguished body.
Huge words, involved sentences, and the high-flown compliment,exceedingly undeserved, obscured, I suppose, the bright wits of theintellectual convocation, which really began to think that theirliberality of opinion deserved all praise.
None objected to what was being prepared, except one of the headsof houses; his appeal was generally scouted, because his Sanskritstyle was vulgarly intelligible, and he had the bad name of being apractical man. The metaphysician Rashik Lall sneered to Vaiswatathe poet, who passed on the look to the theo-philosopherVardhaman. Haridatt the antiquarian whispered the metaphysicianVasudeva, who burst into a loud laugh; whilst Narayan,Jagasharma, and Devaswami, all very learned in the Vedas, openedtheir eyes and stared at him with well-simulated astonishment. Sohe, being offended, said nothing more, but arose and walked home.
A great crowd gathered round the four young men and their father,as opening the bundle that contained the tiger's remains, theyprepared for their task.
One of the operators spread the bones upon the ground and fixedeach one into its proper socket, not forgetting even the teeth andtusks.
The second connected, by means of a marvellous unguent, theskeleton with the muscles and heart of an elephant, which he hadprocured for the purpose.
The third drew from his pouch the brain and eyes of a largetom-cat, which he carefully fitted into the animal's skull, and thencovered the body with the hide of a young rhinoceros.
Then the fourth--the atheist--who had been directing the operation,produced a globule having another globule within itself. And asthe crowd pressed on them, craning their necks, breathless withanxiety, he placed the Principle of Organic Life in the tiger's bodywith such effect that the monster immediately heaved its chest,breathed, agitated its limbs, opened its eyes, jumped to its feet,shook itself, glared around, and began to gnash its teeth and lick itschops, lashing the while its ribs with its tail.
The sages sprang back, and the beast sprang forward. With a roarlike thunder during Elephanta-time,[FN#144] it flew at the nearestof the spectators, flung Vishnu Swami to the ground and clawedhis four sons. Then, not even stopping to drink their blood, ithurried after the flying herd of wise men. Jostling and tumbling,stumbling and catching at one another's long robes, they rushed inhottest haste towards the garden gate. But the beast, having themuscles of an elephant as well as the bones of a tiger, made a fewbounds of eighty or ninety feet each, easily distanced them, andtook away all chance of escape. To be brief: as the monster wasfrightfully hungry after its long fast, and as the imprudent youngmen had furnished it with admirable implements of destruction, itdid not cease its work till one hundred and twenty-one learned andhighly distinguished Pandits and Gurus lay upon the groundchawed, clawed, sucked dry, and in most cases stone-dead.Amongst them, I need hardly say, were the sage Vishnu Swamiand his four sons.
Having told this story the Vampire hung silent for a time. Presentlyhe resumed--
"Now, heed my words, Raja Vikram! I am about to ask thee,Which of all those learned men was the most finished fool? Theanswer is easily found, yet it must be distasteful to thee. Thereforemortify thy vanity, as soon as possible, or I shall be talking, andthou wilt be walking through this livelong night, to scanty purpose.Remember! science without understanding is of little use; indeed,understanding is superior to science, and those devoid ofunderstanding perish as did the persons who revivified the tiger.Before this, I warned thee to beware of thyself, and of shine ownconceit. Here, then, is an opportunity for self-discipline--which ofall those learned men was the greatest fool?"
The warrior king mistook the kind of mortification imposed uponhim, and pondered over the uncomfortable nature of the reply--inthe presence of his son.
Again the Baital taunted him.
"The greatest fool of all," at last said Vikram, in slow and by nomeans willing accents, "was the father. Is it not said, 'There is nofool like an old fool'?"
"Gramercy!" cried the Vampire, bursting out into a discordantlaugh, "I now return to my tree. By this head! I never before hearda father so readily condemn a father." With these words hedisappeared, slipping out of the bundle.
The Raja scolded his son a little for want of obedience, and saidthat he had always thought more highly of his acuteness--nevercould have believed that he would have been taken in by soshallow a trick. Dharma Dhwaj answered not a word to this, butpromised to be wiser another time.
Then they returned to the tree, and did what they had so often donebefore.
And, as before, the Baital held his tongue for a time. Presently hebegan as follows.
THE VAMPIRE'S EIGHTH STORY.
Of the Use and Misuse of Magic Pills.
The lady Chandraprabha, daughter of the Raja Subichar, was aparticularly beautiful girl, and marriage-able withal. One day asVasanta, the Spring, began to assert its reign over the world,animate and inanimate, she went accompanied by her youngfriends and companions to stroll about her father's pleasure-garden.
The fair troop wandered through sombre groves, where the darktamale-tree entwined its branches with the pale green foliage of thenim, and the pippal's domes of quivering leaves contrasted with thecolumnar aisles of the banyan fig. They admired the old monarchsof the forest, bearded to the waist with hangings of moss, theflowing creepers delicately climbing from the lower branches tothe topmost shoots, and the cordage of llianas stretching fromtrunk to trunk like bridges for the monkeys to pass over. Then theyissued into a clear space dotted with asokas bearing rich crimsonfiowers, cliterias of azure blue, madhavis exhibiting petals virginwhite as the snows on Himalaya, and jasmines raining showers ofperfumed blossoms upon the grateful earth. They could notsufficiently praise the tall and graceful stem of the arrowy areca,contrasting with the solid pyramid of the cypress, and the moremasculine stature of the palm. Now they lingered in the trellisedwalks closely covered over with vines and creepers; then theystopped to gather the golden bloom weighing down the mangoboughs, and to smell the highly-scented flowers that hung from thegreen fretwork of the chambela.
It was spring, I have said. The air was still except when broken bythe hum of the large black bramra bee, as he plied his task amidstthe red and orange flowers of the dak, and by the gushings of manywaters that made music as they coursed down their stuccoedchannels between borders of many coloured poppies and beds ofvarious flowers. From time to time the dulcet note of the kokilabird, and the hoarse plaint of the turtle-dove deep hid in her leafybower, attracted every ear and thrilled every heart. The southwind--"breeze of the south,[FN#145] the friend of love and spring"blew with a voluptuous warmth, for rain clouds canopied the earth,and the breath of the narcissus, the rose, and the citron, teemedwith a languid fragrance.
The charms of the season affected all the damsels. They amusedthemselves in their privacy with pelting blossoms at one another,running races down the smooth broad alleys, mounting the silkenswings that hung between the orange trees, embracing one another,and at times trying to push the butt of the party into the fishpond.Perhaps the liveliest of all was the lady Chandraprabha, who onaccount of her rank could pelt and push all the others, without fearof being pelted and pushed in return.
It so happened, before the attendants had had time to secureprivacy for the princess and her women, that Manaswi, a veryhandsome youth, a Brahman's son, had wandered withoutmalicious intention into the garden. Fatigued with walking, andfinding a cool shady place beneath a tree, he had lain down there,and had gone to sleep, and had not been observed by any of theking's people. He was still sleeping when the princess and hercompanions were playing together.
Presently Chandraprabha, weary of sport, left her friends, andsinging a lively air, tripped up the stairs leading to thesummer-house. Aroused by the sound of her advancing footsteps,Manaswi sat up; and the princess, seeing a strange man, started.But their eyes had met, and both were subdued by love--lovevulgarly called "love at first sight."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed the warrior king, testily, "I can neverbelieve in that freak of Kama Deva." He spoke feelingly, for thething had happened to himself more than once, and on no occasionhad it turned out well.
"But there is such a thing, O Raja, as love at first sight," objectedthe Baital, speaking dogmatically.
"Then perhaps thou canst account for it, dead one," growled themonarch surlily.
"I have no reason to do so, O Vikram," retorted the Vampire,"when you men have already done it. Listen, then, to the words ofthe wise. In the olden time, one of your great philosophersinvented a fluid pervading all matter, strongly self-repulsive likethe steam of a brass pot, and widely spreading like the breath ofscandal. The repulsiveness, however, according to that wise man,is greatly modified by its second property, namely, an energeticattraction or adhesion to all material bodies. Thus every substancecontains a part, more or less, of this fluid, pervading it throughout,and strongly bound to each component atom. He called it'Ambericity,' for the best of reasons, as it has no connection withamber, and he described it as an imponderable, which, meaningthat it could not be weighed, gives a very accurate and satisfactoryidea of its nature.
"Now, said that philosopher, whenever two bodies containing thatunweighable substance in unequal proportions happen to meet, acurrent of imponderable passes from one to the other, producing akind of attraction, and tending to adhere. The operation takes placeinstantaneously when the force is strong and much condensed.Thus the vulgar who call things after their effects and not fromtheir causes, term the action of this imponderable love at firstsight; the wise define it to be a phenomenon of ambericity. Asregards my own opinion about the matter, I have long ago told it toyou, O Vikram! Silliness--"
"Either hold your tongue, fellow, or go on with your story," criedthe Raja, wearied out by so many words that had no manner ofsense.
Well! the effect of the first glance was that Manaswi, theBrahman's son, fell back in a swoon and remained senseless uponthe ground where he had been sitting; and the Raja's daughterbegan to tremble upon her feet, and presently dropped unconsciousupon the floor of the summer-house. Shortly after this she wasfound by her companions and attendants, who, quickly taking herup in their arms and supporting her into a litter, conveyed herhome.
Manaswi, the Brahman's son, was so completely overcome, that helay there dead to everything. Just then the learned, deeply read, andpurblind Pandits Muldev and Shashi by name, strayed into thegarden, and stumbled upon the body.
"Friend," said Muldev, "how came this youth thus to fall senselesson the ground?"
"Man," replied Shashi, "doubtless some damsel has shot forth thearrows of her glances from the bow of her eyebrows, and thence hehas become insensible!"
"We must lift him up then," said Muldev the benevolent.
"What need is there to raise him?" asked Shashi the misanthropeby way of reply.
Muldev, however, would not listen to these words. He ran to thepond hard by, soaked the end of his waistcloth in water, sprinkledit over the young Brahman, raised him from the ground, andplaced him sitting against the wall. And perceiving, when he cameto himself, that his sickness was rather of the soul than of the body,the old men asked him how he came to be in that plight.
"We should tell our griefs," answered Manaswi, "only to thosewho will relieve us! What is the use of communicating them tothose who, when they have heard, cannot help us? What is to begained by the empty pity or by the useless condolence of men ingeneral?"
The Pandits, however, by friendly looks and words, presentlypersuaded him to break silence, when he said, "A certain princessentered this summer-house, and from the sight of her I have falleninto this state. If I can obtain her, I shall live; if not, I must die."
"Come with me, young man!" said Muldev the benevolent: "I willuse every endeavour to obtain her, and if I do not succeed I willmake thee wealthy and independent of the world."
Manaswi rejoined: "The Deity in his beneficence has created manyjewels in this world, but the pearl, woman, is chiefest of all; andfor her sake only does man desire wealth. What are riches to onewho has abandoned his wife? What are they who do not possessbeautiful wives? they are but beings inferior to the beasts! wealthis the fruit of virtue; ease, of wealth; a wife, of ease. And where nowife is, how can there be happiness?" And the enamoured youthrambled on in this way, curious to us, Raja Vikram, but perhapsnatural enough in a Brahman's son suffering under that endemicmalady--determination to marry.
"Whatever thou mayest desire," said Muldev, "shall by theblessing of heaven be given to thee."
Manaswi implored him, saying most pathetically, ''O Pandit,bestow then that damsel upon me!"
Muldev promised to do so, and having comforted the youth, ledhim to his own house. Then he welcomed him politely, seated himupon the carpet, and left him for a few minutes, promising him toreturn. When he reappeared, he held in his hand two little balls orpills, and showing them to Manaswi, he explained their virtues asfollows:
"There is in our house an hereditary secret, by means of which Itry to promote the weal of humanity. But in all cases my successdepends mainly upon the purity and the hear/wholeness of thosethat seek my aid. If thou place this in thy mouth, thou shalt bechanged into a damsel twelve years old, and when thouwithdrawest it again, thou shalt again recover shine original form.Beware, however, that thou use the power for none but a goodpurpose; otherwise some great calamity will befall thee. Therefore,take counsel of thyself before undertaking this trial!"
What lover, O warrior king Vikram, would have hesitated, undersuch circumstances, to assure the Pandit that he was the mostinnocent, earnest, and well-intentioned being in the Three Worlds?
The Brahman's son, at least, lost no time in so doing. Hence thesimple-minded philosopher put one of the pills into the youngman's mouth, warning him on no account to swallow it, and tookthe other into his own mouth. Upon which Manaswi became asprightly young maid, and Muldev was changed to a reverend anddecrepid senior, not fewer than eighty years old.
Thus transformed, the twain walked up to the palace of the RajaSubichar, and stood for a while to admire the gate. Then passingthrough seven courts, beautiful as the Paradise of Indra, theyentered, unannounced, as became the priestly dignity, a hall where,surrounded by his courtiers, sat the ruler. The latter, seeing theHoly Brahman under his roof, rose up, made the customaryhumble salutation, and taking their right hands, led what appearedto be the father and daughter to appropriate seats. Upon whichMuldev, having recited a verse, bestowed upon the Raja a blessingwhose beauty has been diffused over all creation.
"May that Deity[FN#146] who as a mannikin deceived the greatking Bali; who as a hero, with a monkey-host, bridged the SaltSea; who as a shepherd lifted up the mountain Gobarddhan in thepalm of his hand, and by it saved the cowherds and cowherdessesfrom the thunders of heaven--may that Deity be thy protector!"
Having heard and marvelled at this display of eloquence, the Rajainquired, "Whence hath your holiness come?"
"My country," replied Muldev, "is on the northern side of the greatmother Ganges, and there too my dwelling is. I travelled to adistant land, and having found in this maiden a worthy wife for myson, I straightway returned homewards. Meanwhile a famine hadlaid waste our village, and my wife and my son have fled I knownot where. Encumbered with this damsel, how can I wander aboutseeking them? Hearing the name of a pious and generous ruler, Isaid to myself, ' I will leave her under his charge until my return.'Be pleased to take great care of her."
For a minute the Raja sat thoughtful and silent. He was highlypleased with the Brahman's perfect compliment. But he could nothide from himself that he was placed between two difficulties: one,the charge of a beautiful young girl, with pouting lips, soft speech,and roguish eyes; the other, a priestly curse upon himself and hiskingdom. He thought, however, refusal the more dangerous; so heraised his face and exclaimed, "O produce of Brahma'shead,[FN#147] I will do what your highness has desired of me."
Upon which the Brahman, after delivering a benediction of adieualmost as beautiful and spirit-stirring as that with which he hadpresented himself, took the betel[FN#148] and went his ways.
Then the Raja sent for his daughter Chandraprabha and said to her,"This is the affianced bride of a young Brahman, and she has beentrusted to my protection for a time by her father-in-law. Take hertherefore into the inner rooms, treat her with the utmost regard,and never allow her to be separated from thee, day or night, asleepor awake, eating or drinking, at home or abroad."
Chandraprabha took the hand of Sita--as Manaswi had pleased tocall himself--and led the way to her own apartment. Once the seatof joy and pleasure, the rooms now wore a desolate andmelancholy look. The windows were darkened, the attendantsmoved noiselessly over the carpets, as if their footsteps wouldcause headache, and there was a faint scent of some drug muchused in cases of deliquium. The apartments were handsome, butthe only ornament in the room where they sat was a large bunch ofwithered flowers in an arched recess, and these, though possiblyinteresting to some one, were not likely to find favour as adecoration in the eyes of everybody.
The Raja's daughter paid the greatest attention and talked withunusual vivacity to the Brahman's daughter-in-law, either becauseshe had roguish eyes, or from some presentiment of what was tooccur, whichever you please, Raja Vikram, and it is no matterwhich. Still Sita could not help perceiving that there was a shadeof sorrow upon the forehead of her fair new friend, and so whenthey retired to rest she asked the cause of it.
Then Chandraprabha related to her the sad tale: "One day in thespring season, as I was strolling in the garden along with mycompanions, I beheld a very handsome Brahman, and our eyeshaving met, he became unconscious, and I also was insensible. Mycompanions seeing my condition, brought me home, and thereforeI know neither his name nor his abode. His beautiful form isimpressed upon my memory. I have now no desire to eat or todrink, and from this distress my colour has become pale and mybody is thus emaciated." And the beautiful princess sighed a sighthat was musical and melancholy, and concluded by predicting forherself--as persons similarly placed often do--a sudden anduntimely end about the beginning of the next month.
"What wilt thou give me," asked the Brahman's daughter-in-lawdemurely, "if I show thee thy beloved at this very moment?"
The Raja's daughter answered, "I will ever be the lowest of thyslaves, standing before thee with joined hands."
Upon which Sita removed the pill from her mouth, and instantlyhaving become Manaswi, put it carefully away in a little bag hunground his neck. At this sight Chandraprabha felt abashed, and hungdown her head in beautiful confusion. To describe--
"I will have no descriptions, Vampire!" cried the great Vikram,jerking the bag up and down as if he were sweating gold in it. "Thefewer of thy descriptions the better for us all."
Briefly (resumed the demon), Manaswi reflected upon the eightforms of marriage--viz., Bramhalagan, when a girl is given to aBrahman, or man of superior caste, without reward; Daiva, whenshe is presented as a gift or fee to the officiating priest at the closeof a sacrifice; Arsha, when two cows are received by the girl'sfather in exchange for the bride[FN#149]; Prajapatya, when thegirl is given at the request of a Brahman, and the father says to hisdaughter and her to betrothed, "Go, fulfil the duties of religion";Asura, when money is received by the father in exchange for thebride; Rakshasha, when she is captured in war, or when herbridegroom overcomes his rival; Paisacha, when the girl is takenaway from her father's house by craft; and eighthly,Gandharva-lagan, or the marriage that takes place by mutualconsent.[FN#150]
Manaswi preferred the latter, especially as by her rank and age theprincess was entitled to call upon her father for the LakshmiSwayambara wedding, in which she would have chosen her ownhusband. And thus it is that Rama, Arjuna, Krishna, Nala, andothers, were proposed to by the princesses whom they married.
For five months after these nuptials, Manaswi never stirred out ofthe palace, but remained there by day a woman, and a man bynight. The consequence was that he--I call him "he," for whetherManaswi or Sita, his mind ever remained masculine--presentlyfound himself in a fair way to become a father.
Now, one would imagine that a change of sex every twenty-fourhours would be variety enough to satisfy even a man. Manaswi,however, was not contented. He began to pine for more liberty,and to find fault with his wife for not taking him out into theworld. And you might have supposed that a young person who,from love at first sight, had fallen senseless upon the steps of asummer-house, and who had devoted herself to a sudden anduntimely end because she was separated from her lover, wouldhave repressed her yawns and little irritable words even for a yearafter having converted him into a husband. But no! Chandraprabhasoon felt as tired of seeing Manaswi and nothing but Manaswi, asManaswi was weary of seeing Chandraprabha and nothing butChandraprabha. Often she had been on the point of proposingvisits and out-of-door excursions. But when at last the idea wasfirst suggested by her husband, she at once became an injuredwoman. She hinted how foolish it was for married people toimprison themselves and to quarrel all day. When Manaswiremonstrated, saying that he wanted nothing better than to appearbefore the world with her as his wife, but that he really did notknow what her father might do to him, she threw out a cuttingsarcasm upon his effeminate appearance during the hours of light.She then told him of an unfortunate young woman in an oldnursery tale who had unconsciously married a fiend that became afine handsome man at night when no eye could see him, and utterugliness by day when good looks show to advantage. And lastly,when inveighing against the changeableness, fickleness, andinfidelity of mankind, she quoted the words of the poet--
Out upon change! it tires the heart And weighs the noble spirit down; A vain, vain world indeed thou art That can such vile condition own The veil hath fallen from my eyes, I cannot love where I despise....
You can easily, O King Vikram, continue for yourself andconclude this lecture, which I leave unfinished on account of itslength.
Chandraprabha and Sita, who called each other the Zodiacal Twinsand Laughter Light,[FN#151] and All-consenters, easily persuadedthe old Raja that their health would be further improved by air,exercise, and distractions. Subichar, being delighted with thechange that had taken place in a daughter whom he loved, andwhom he had feared to lose, told them to do as they pleased. Theybegan a new life, in which short trips and visits, baths and dances,music parties, drives in bullock chariots, and water excursionssucceeded one another.
It so happened that one day the Raja went with his whole family toa wedding feast in the house of his grand treasurer, where thelatter's son saw Manaswi in the beautiful shape of Sita. This was athird case of love at first sight, for the young man immediately saidto a particular friend, "If I obtain that girl, I shall live; if not, I shallabandon life."
In the meantime the king. having enjoyed the feast, came back tohis palace with his whole family. The condition of the treasurer'sson, however, became very distressing; and through separationfrom his beloved, he gave up eating and drinking. The particularfriend had kept the secret for some days, though burning to tell it.At length he found an excuse for himself in the sad state of hisfriend, and he immediately went and divulged all that he knew tothe treasurer. After this he felt relieved.
The minister repaired to the court, and laid his case before theking, saying, "Great Raja! through the love of that Brahman'sdaughter-in-law, my son's state is very bad; he has given up eatingand drinking; in fact he is consumed by the fire of separation. Ifnow your majesty could show compassion, and bestow the girlupon him, his life would be saved. If not----"
"Fool!" cried the Raja, who, hearing these words, had waxed verywroth; "it is not right for kings to do injustice. Listen! when aperson puts any one in charge of a protector, how can the lattergive away his trust without consulting the person that trusted him?And yet this is what you wish me to do."
The treasurer knew that the Raja could not govern his realmwithout him, and he was well acquainted with his master'scharacter. He said to himself, "This will not last long;" but heremained dumb, simulating hopelessness, and hanging down hishead, whilst Subichar alternately scolded and coaxed, abused andflattered him, in order to open his lips. Then, with tears in his eyes,he muttered a request to take leave; and as he passed through thepalace gates, he said aloud, with a resolute air, "It will cost me butten days of fasting!"
The treasurer, having returned home, collected all his attendants,and went straightway to his son's room. Seeing the youth stillstretched upon his sleeping-mat, and very yellow for the want offood. he took his hand, and said in a whisper, meant to be audible,"Alas! poor son, I can do nothing but perish with thee."
The servants, hearing this threat, slipped one by one out of theroom, and each went to tell his friend that the grand treasurer hadresolved to live no longer. After which, they went back to thehouse to see if their master intended to keep his word, and curiousto know, if he did intend to die, how, where, and when it was to be.And they were not disappointed: I do not mean that the wishedtheir lord to die, as he was a good master to them but still therewas an excitement in the thing----
(Raja Vikram could not refrain from showing his anger at theinsult thus cast by the Baital upon human nature; the wretch,however, pretending not to notice it, went on without interruptinghimself)
----which somehow or other pleased them.
When the treasurer had spent three days without touching bread orwater, all the cabinet council met and determined to retire frombusiness unless the Raja yielded to their solicitations. The treasurerwas their working man. "Besides which," said the cabinet council,"if a certain person gets into the habit of refusing us, what is to bethe end of it, and what is the use of being cabinet councillors anylonger?"
Early on the next morning, the ministers went in a body before theRaja, and humbly represented that "the treasurer's son is at thepoint of death, the effect of a full heart and an empty stomach.Should he die, the father, who has not eaten or drunk during thelast three days" (the Raja trembled to hear the intelligence, thoughhe knew it), "his father, we say, cannot be saved. If the father diesthe affairs of the kingdom come to ruin,--is he not the grandtreasurer? It is already said that half the accounts have beengnawed by white ants, and that some pernicious substance in theink has eaten jagged holes through the paper, so that the other halfof the accounts is illegible. It were best, sire, that you agree towhat we represent."
The white ants and corrosive ink were too strong for the Raja'sdetermination. Still, wishing to save appearances, he replied, withmuch firmness, that he knew the value of the treasurer and his son,that he would do much to save them, but that he had passed hisroyal word, and had undertaken a trust. That he would rather die adozen deaths than break his promise, or not discharge his dutyfaithfully. That man's condition in this world is to depart from it,none remaining in it; that one comes and that one goes, noneknowing when or where; but that eternity is eternity for happinessor misery. And much of the same nature, not very novel, and notperhaps quite to the purpose, but edifying to those who knew whatlay behind the speaker's words.
The ministers did not know their lord's character so well as thegrand treasurer, and they were more impressed by his firmdemeanour and the number of his words than he wished them tobe. After allowing his speech to settle in their minds, he did awaywith a great part of its effect by declaring that such were thesentiments and the principles--when a man talks of his principles,O Vikram! ask thyself the reason why--instilled into his youthfulmind by the most honourable of fathers and the most virtuous ofmothers. At the same time that he was by no means obstinate orproof against conviction. In token whereof he graciously permittedthe councillors to convince him that it was his royal duty to breakhis word and betray his trust, and to give away another man's wife.
Pray do not lose your temper, O warrior king! Subichar, although aRaja, was a weak man; and you know, or you ought to know, thatthe wicked may be wise in their generation, but the weak nevercan.
Well, the ministers hearing their lord's last words, took courage,and proceeded to work upon his mind by the figure of speechpopularly called "rigmarole." They said: "Great king! that oldBrahman has been gone many days, and has not returned; he isprobably dead and burnt. It is therefore right that by giving to thegrand treasurer's son his daughter-in-law, who is only affianced,not fairly married, you should establish your government firmly.And even if he should return, bestow villages and wealth uponhim; and if he be not then content, provide another and a morebeautiful wife for his son, and dismiss him. A person should besacrificed for the sake of a family, a family for a city, a city for acountry, and a country for a king!"
Subichar having heard them, dismissed them with the remark thatas so much was to be said on both sides, he must employ the nightin thinking over the matter, and that he would on the next dayfavour them with his decision. The cabinet councillors knew bythis that he meant that he would go and consult his wives. Theyretired contented, convinced that every voice would be in favour ofa wedding, and that the young girl, with so good an offer, wouldnot sacrifice the present to the future.
That evening the treasurer and his son supped together.
The first words uttered by Raja Subichar, when he entered hisdaughter's apartment, were an order addressed to Sita: "Go thou atonce to the house of my treasurer's son."
Now, as Chandraprabha and Manaswi were generally scoldingeach other, Chandraprabha and Sita were hardly on speakingterms. When they heard the Raja's order for their separation theywere--
--"Delighted?" cried Dharma Dhwaj, who for some reason took thegreatest interest in the narrative.
"Overwhelmed with grief, thou most guileless Yuva Raja (youngprince)!" ejaculated the Vampire.
Raja Vikram reproved his son for talking about thing of which heknew nothing, and the Baital resumed.
They turned pale and wept, and they wrung their hands, and theybegged and argued and refused obedience. In fact they dideverything to make the king revoke his order.
"The virtue of a woman," quoth Sita, "is destroyed through toomuch beauty; the religion of a Brahman is impaired by servingkings; a cow is spoiled by distant pasturage, wealth is lost bycommitting injustice, and prosperity departs from the house wherepromises are not kept."
The Raja highly applauded the sentiment, but was firm as a rockupon the subject of Sita marrying the treasurer's son.
Chandraprabha observed that her royal father, usually soconscientious, must now be acting from interested motives, andthat when selfishness sways a man, right becomes left and leftbecomes right, as in the reflection of a mirror.
Subichar approved of the comparison; he was not quite soresolved, but he showed no symptoms of changing his mind.
Then the Brahman's daughter-in-law, with the view of gainingtime--a famous stratagem amongst feminines--said to the Raja:"Great king, if you are determined upon giving me to the grandtreasurer's son, exact from him the promise that he will do what Ibid him. Only on this condition will I ever enter his house!"
"Speak, then," asked the king; "what will he have to do?"
She replied, "I am of the Brahman or priestly caste, he is the son ofa Kshatriya or warrior: the law directs that before we twain canwed, he should perform Yatra (pilgrimage) to all the holy places."
"Thou hast spoken Veda-truth, girl," answered the Raja, not sorryto have found so good a pretext for temporizing, and at the sametime to preserve his character for firmness, resolution,determination.
That night Manaswi and Chandraprabha, instead of scolding eachother, congratulated themselves upon having escaped an imminentdanger--which they did not escape.
In the morning Subichar sent for his ministers, including his grandtreasurer and his love-sick son, and told them how well and wiselythe Brahman's daughter-in-law had spoken upon the subject of themarriage. All of them approved of the condition; but the youngman ventured to suggest, that while he was a-pilgrimaging themaiden should reside under his father's roof. As he and his fathershowed a disposition to continue their fasts in case of the smallfavour not being granted, the Raja, though very loath to separatehis beloved daughter and her dear friend, was driven to do it. AndSita was carried off, weeping bitterly, to the treasurer's palace.That dignitary solemnly committed her to the charge of his thirdand youngest wife, the lady Subhagya-Sundari, who was about herown age, and said, "You must both live together, without any kindof wrangling or contention, and do not go into other people'shouses." And the grand treasurer's son went off to perform hispilgrimages.
It is no less sad than true, Raja Vikram, that in less than six daysthe disconsolate Sita waxed weary of being Sita, took the ball outof her mouth, and became Manaswi. Alas for the infidelity ofmankind! But it is gratifying to reflect that he met with thepunishment with which the Pandit Muldev had threatened him.One night the magic pill slipped down his throat. When morningdawned, being unable to change himself into Sita, Manaswi wasobliged to escape through a window from the ladySubhagya-Sundari's room. He sprained his ankle with the leap, andhe lay for a time upon the ground--where I leave him whilstconvenient to me.
When Muldev quitted the presence of Subichar, he resumed his oldshape, and returning to his brother Pandit Shashi, told him what hehad done. Whereupon Shashi, the misanthrope, looked black, andused hard words and told his friend that good nature andsoft-heartedness had caused him to commit a very bad action--agrievous sin. Incensed at this charge, the philanthropic Muldevbecame angry, and said, "I have warned the youth about his purity;what harm can come of it?"
"Thou hast," retorted Shashi, with irritating coolness, "placed asharp weapon in a fool's hand."
"I have not," cried Muldev, indignantly.
"Therefore," drawled the malevolent, "you are answerable for allthe mischief he does with it, and mischief assuredly he will do."
"He will not, by Brahma!" exclaimed Muldev.
"He will, by Vishnu!" said Shashi, with an amiability produced byhaving completely upset his friend's temper; "and if within thecoming six months he does not disgrace himself, thou shalt havethe whole of my book-case; but if he does, the philanthropicMuldev will use all his skill and ingenuity in procuring thedaughter of Raja Subichar as a wife for his faithful friend Shashi."
Having made this covenant, they both agreed not to speak of thematter till the autumn.
The appointed time drawing near, the Pandits began to makeinquiries about the effect of the magic pills. Presently they foundout that Sita, alias Manaswi, had one night mysteriouslydisappeared from the grand treasurer's house, and had not beenheard of since that time. This, together with certain other thingsthat transpired presently, convinced Muldev, who had cooled downin six months, that his friend had won the wager. He prepared tomake honourable payment by handing a pill to old Shashi, who atonce became a stout, handsome young Brahman, some twentyyears old. Next putting a pill into his own mouth, he resumed theshape and form under which he had first appeared before RajaSubichar; and, leaning upon his staff, he led the way to the palace.
The king, in great confusion, at once recognized the old priest, andguessed the errand upon which he and the youth were come.However, he saluted them, and offered them seats, and receivingtheir blessings, he began to make inquiries about their health andwelfare. At last he mustered courage to ask the old Brahman wherehe had been living for so long a time.
"Great king," replied the priest, "I went to seek after my son, andhaving found him, I bring him to your majesty. Give him his wife,and I will take them both home with me.''
Raja Subichar prevaricated not a little; but presently, being hardpushed, he related everything that had happened.
"What is this that you have done?" cried Muldev, simulatingexcessive anger and astonishment. "Why have you given my son'swife in marriage to another man? You have done what you wished,and now, therefore, receive my Shrap (curse)!"
The poor Raja, in great trepidation, said, "O Vivinity! be not thusangry! I will do whatever you bid me."
Said Muldev, "If through dread of my excommunication you willfreely give whatever I demand of you, then marry your daughter,Chandraprabha, to this my son. On this condition I forgive you. Tome, now a necklace of pearls and a venomous krishna (cobracapella); the most powerful enemy and the kindest friend, the mostprecious gem and a clod of earth; the softest bed and the hardeststone; a blade of grass and the loveliest woman--are precisely thesame. All I desire is that in some holy place, repeating the name ofGod, I may soon end my days."
Subichar, terrified by this additional show of sanctity, at oncesummoned an astrologer, and fixed upon the auspicious momentand lunar influence. He did not consult the princess, and had hedone so she would not have resisted his wishes. Chandraprabhahad heard of Sita's escape from the treasurer's house, and she hadon the subject her own suspicions. Besides which she lookedforward to a certain event, and she was by no means sure that herroyal father approved of the Gandharba form of marriage--at leastfor his daughter. Thus the Brahman's son receiving in due time theprincess and her dowry, took leave of the king and returned to hisown village.
Hardly, however, had Chandraprabha been married to Shashi thePandit, when Manaswi went to him, and began to wrangle, andsaid, "Give me my wife!" He had recovered from the effects of hisfall, and having lost her he therefore loved her--very dearly.
But Shashi proved by reference to the astrologers, priests, and tenpersons as witnesses, that he had duly wedded her, and brought herto his home; "therefore," said he, "she is my spouse."
Manaswi swore by all holy things that he had been legally marriedto her, and that he was the father of her child that was about to be."How then," continued he, "can she be thy spouse?" He wouldhave summoned Muldev as a witness, but that worthy, afterremonstrating with him, disappeared. He called uponChandraprabha to confirm his statement, but she put on aninnocent face, and indignantly denied ever having seen the man.
Still, continued the Baital, many people believed Manaswi's story,as it was marvellous and incredible. Even to the present day, thereare many who decidedly think him legally married to the daughterof Raja Subichar.
"Then they are pestilent fellows!" cried the warrior king Vikram,who hated nothing more than clandestine and runaway matches."No one knew that the villain, Manaswi, was the father of herchild; whereas, the Pandit Shashi married her lawfully, beforewitnesses, and with all the ceremonies.[FN#152] She thereforeremains his wife, and the child will perform the funeral obsequiesfor him, and offer water to the manes of his pitris (ancestors). Atleast, so say law and justice."
"Which justice is often unjust enough!" cried the Vampire; "andply thy legs, mighty Raja; let me see if thou canst reach thesires-tree before I do."
* * * * * *
"The next story, O Raja Vikram, is remarkably interesting."
THE VAMPIRE'S NINTH STORY. Showing That a Man's Wife Belongs Not to His Body but to His Head.
Far and wide through the lovely land overrun by the Arya from theWestern Highlands spread the fame of Unmadini, the beautifuldaughter of Haridas the Brahman. In the numberless odes, sonnets,and acrostics addressed to her by a hundred Pandits and poets hercharms were sung with prodigious triteness. Her presence wascompared to light shining in a dark house; her face to the fullmoon; her complexion to the yellow champaka flower; her curls tofemale snakes; her eyes to those of the deer; her eyebrows to bentbows; her teeth to strings of little opals; her feet to rubies and redgems,[FN#153] and her gait to that of the wild goose. And noneforgot to say that her voice affected the author like the song of thekokila bird, sounding from the shadowy brake, when the breezeblows coolly, or that the fairy beings of Indra's heaven would haveshrunk away abashed at her loveliness.
But, Raja Vikram! all the poets failed to win the fair Unmadini'slove. To praise the beauty of a beauty is not to praise her. Extol herwit and talents, which has the zest of novelty, then you maysucceed. For the same reason, read inversely, the plainer andcleverer is the bosom you would fire, the more personal you mustbe upon the subject of its grace and loveliness. Flattery you know,is ever the match which kindles the Flame of love. True it is thatsome by roughness of demeanour and bluntness in speech,contrasting with those whom they call the "herd," have the art tosucceed in the service of the bodyless god.[FN#154] But even theymust--
The young prince Dharma Dhwaj could not help laughing at thethought of how this must sound in his father's ear. And the Rajahearing the ill-timed merriment, sternly ordered the Baital to ceasehis immoralities and to continue his story.
Thus the lovely Unmadini, conceiving an extreme contempt forpoets and literati, one day told her father who greatly loved her,that her husband must be a fine young man who never wroteverses. Withal she insisted strongly on mental qualities andscience, being a person of moderate mind and an adorer of talent--when not perverted to poetry.
As you may imagine, Raja Vikram, all the beauty's bosom friends,seeing her refuse so many good offers, confidently predicted thatshe would pass through the jungle and content herself with a badstick, or that she would lead ring-tailed apes in Patala.
At length when some time had elapsed, four suitors appeared fromfour different countries, all of them claiming equal excellence inyouth and beauty, strength and understanding. And after payingtheir respects to Haridas, and telling him their wishes, they weredirected to come early on the next morning and to enter upon thefirst ordeal--an intellectual conversation.
This they did.
"Foolish the man," quoth the young Mahasani, "that seekspermanence in this world--frail as the stem of the plantain-tree,transient as the ocean foam.
"All that is high shall presently fall; all that is low must finallyperish.
"Unwillingly do the manes of the dead taste the tears shed by theirkinsmen: then wail not, but perform the funeral obsequies withdiligence."
"What ill-omened fellow is this?" quoth the fair Unmadini, whowas sitting behind her curtain;" besides, he has dared to quotepoetry! "There was little chance of success for that suitor.
"She is called a good woman, and a woman of pure descent,"quoth the second suitor, "who serves him to whom her father andmother have given her; and it is written in the scriptures that awoman who in the lifetime of her husband, becoming a devotee,engages in fasting, and in austere devotion, shortens his days, andhereafter falls into the fire. For it is said--
"A woman's bliss is found not in the smile Of father, mother, friend, nor in herself; Her husband is her only portion here, Her heaven hereafter."
The word "serve," which might mean "obey," was peculiarlydisagreeable to the fair one's ears, and she did not admire the checkso soon placed upon her devotion, or the decided language andmanner of the youth. She therefore mentally resolved never againto see that person, whom she determined to be stupid as anelephant.
"A mother," said Gunakar, the third candidate, "protects her son inbabyhood, and a father when his offspring is growing up. But theman of warrior descent defends his brethren at all times. Such isthe custom of the world, and such is my state. I dwell on the headsof the strong!"
Therefore those assembled together looked with great respect uponthe man of velour.
Devasharma, the fourth suitor, contented himself with listening tothe others, who fancied that he was overawed by their cleverness.And when it came to his turn he simply remarked, "Silence isbetter than speech." Being further pressed, he said, "A wise manwill not proclaim his age, nor a deception practiced upon himself,nor his riches, nor the loss of riches, nor family faults, norincantations, nor conjugal love, nor medicinal prescriptions, norreligious duties, nor gifts, nor reproach, nor the infidelity of hiswife."
Thus ended the first trial. The master of the house dismissed thetwo former speakers, with many polite expressions and sometrifling presents. Then having given betel to them, scented theirgarments with attar, and sprinkled rose-water over their heads, heaccompanied them to the door, showing much regret. The twolatter speakers he begged to come on the next day.
Gunakar and Devasharma did not fail. When they entered theassembly-room and took the seats pointed out to them, the fathersaid, "Be ye pleased to explain and make manifest the effects ofyour mental qualities. So shall I judge of them."
"I have made," said Gunakar, "a four-wheeled carriage, in whichthe power resides to carry you in a moment wherever you maypurpose to go."
"I have such power over the angel of death," said Devasharma,"that I can at all times raise a corpse, and enable my friends to dothe same."
Now tell me by thy brains, O warrior King Vikram, which of thesetwo youths was the fitter husband for the maid?
Either the Raja could not answer the question, or perhaps he wouldnot, being determined to break the spell which had already kepthim walking to and fro for so many hours. Then the Baital, whohad paused to let his royal carrier commit himself, seeing that theattempt had failed, proceeded without making any furthercomment.
The beautiful Unmadini was brought out, but she hung down herhead and made no reply. Yet she took care to move both her eyesin the direction of Devasharma. Whereupon Haridas, quoting theproverb that "pearls string with pearls," formally betrothed to himhis daughter.The soldier suitor twisted the ends of his mustachios into his eyes,which were red with wrath, and fumbled with his fingers about thehilt of his sword. But he was a man of noble birth, and presentlyhis anger passed away.
Mahasani the poet, however, being a shameless person--and whencan we be safe from such?--forced himself into the assembly andbegan to rage and to storm, and to quote proverbs in a loud tone ofvoice. He remarked that in this world women are a mine of grief, apoisonous root, the abode of solicitude, the destroyers ofresolution, the occasioners of fascination, and the plunderers of allvirtuous qualities. From the daughter he passed to the father, andafter saying hard things of him as a "Maha-Brahman,"[FN#155]who took cows and gold and worshipped a monkey, he fell with asweeping censure upon all priests and sons of priests, moreespecially Devasharma. As the bystanders remonstrated with him,he became more violent, and when Haridas, who was a weak man,appeared terrified by his voice, look, and gesture, he swore asolemn oath that despite all the betrothals in the world, unlessUnmadini became his wife he would commit suicide, and as ademon haunt the house and injure the inmates.
Gunakar the soldier exhorted this shameless poet to slay himself atonce, and to go where he pleased. But as Haridas reproved thewarrior for inhumanity, Mahasani nerved by spite, love, rage, andperversity to an heroic death, drew a noose from his bosom, rushedout of the house, and suspended himself to the nearest tree.
And, true enough, as the midnight gong struck, he appeared in theform of a gigantic and malignant Rakshasa (fiend), dreadfullyfrightened the household of Haridas, and carried off the lovelyUnmadini, leaving word that she was to he found on the topmostpeak of Himalaya.
The unhappy father hastened to the house where Devasharmalived. There, weeping bitterly and wringing his hands in despair,he told the terrible tale, and besought his intended son-in-law to beup and doing.
The young Brahman at once sought his late rival, and asked hisaid. This the soldier granted at once, although he had been nettledat being conquered in love by a priestling.
The carriage was at once made ready, and the suitors set out,bidding the father be of good cheer, and that before sunset heshould embrace his daughter. They then entered the vehicle;Gunakar with cabalistic words caused it to rise high in the air, andDevasharma put to flight the demon by reciting the sacredverse,[FN#156] "Let us meditate on the supreme splendour (oradorable light) of that Divine Ruler (the sun) who may illuminateour understandings. Venerable men, guided by the intelligence,salute the divine sun (Sarvitri) with oblations and praise. Om!"
Then they returned with the girl to the house, and Haridas blessedthem, praising the sun aloud in the joy of his heart. Lest otheraccidents might happen, he chose an auspicious planetaryconjunction, and at a fortunate moment rubbed turmeric upon hisdaughter's hands.
The wedding was splendid, and broke the hearts of twenty-fourrivals. In due time Devasharma asked leave from his father-in-lawto revisit his home, and to carry with him his bride. This requestbeing granted, he set out accompanied by Gunakar the soldier, whoswore not to leave the couple before seeing them safe under theirown roof-tree.
It so happened that their road lay over the summits of the wildVindhya hills, where dangers of all kinds are as thick as shellsupon the shore of the deep. Here were rocks and jagged precipicesmaking the traveller's brain whirl when he looked into them. Thereimpetuous torrents roared and flashed down their beds of blackstone, threatening destruction to those who would cross them. Nowthe path was lost in the matted thorny underwood and the pitchyshades of the jungle, deep and dark as the valley of death. Then thethunder-cloud licked the earth with its fiery tongue, and its voiceshook the crags and filled their hollow caves. At times, the sun wasso hot, that wild birds fell dead from the air. And at every momentthe wayfarers heard the trumpeting of giant elephants, the fiercehowling of the tiger, the grisly laugh of the foul hyaena, and thewhimpering of the wild dogs as they coursed by on the tracks oftheir prey.
Yet, sustained by the five-armed god[FN#157] the little partypassed safely through all these dangers. They had almost emergedfrom the damp glooms of the forest into the open plains whichskirt the southern base of the hills, when one night the fairUnmadini saw a terrible vision.
She beheld herself wading through a sluggish pool of muddywater, which rippled, curdling as she stepped into it, and which, asshe advanced, darkened with the slime raised by her feet. She wasbearing in her arms the semblance of a sick child, which struggledconvulsively and filled the air with dismal wails. These criesseemed to be answered by a multitude of other children, somebloated like toads, others mere skeletons lying upon the bank, orfloating upon the thick brown waters of the pond. And all seemedto address their cries to her, as if she were the cause of theirweeping; nor could all her efforts quiet or console them for amoment.
When the bride awoke, she related all the particulars of herill-omened vision to her husband; and the latter, after a shortpause, informed her and his friend that a terrible calamity wasabout to befall them. He then drew from his travelling wallet askein of thread. This he divided into three parts, one for each, andtold his companions that in case of grievous bodily injury, the bitof thread wound round the wounded part would instantly make itwhole. After which he taught them the Mantra,[FN#158] ormystical word by which the lives of men are restored to theirbodies, even when they have taken their allotted places amongstthe stars, and which for evident reasons I do not want to repeat. Itconcluded, however, with the three Vyahritis, or sacred syllables--Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svar!
Raja Vikram was perhaps a little disappointed by this declaration.He made no remark, however, and the Baital thus pursued:
As Devasharma foretold, an accident of a terrible nature did occur.On the evening of that day, as they emerged upon the plain, theywere attacked by the Kiratas, or savage tribes of themountain.[FN#159] A small, black, wiry figure, armed with a bowand little cane arrows, stood in their way, signifying by gesturesthat they must halt and lay down their arms. As they continued toadvance, he began to speak with a shrill chattering, like the note ofan affrighted bird, his restless red eyes glared with rage, and hewaved his weapon furiously round his head. Then from the rocksand thickets on both sides of the path poured a shower of shaftsupon the three strangers.
The unequal combat did not last long. Gunakar, the soldier,wielded his strong right arm with fatal effect and struck downsome threescore of the foes. But new swarms came on like angryhornets buzzing round the destroyer of their nests. And when hefell, Devasharma, who had left him for a moment to hide hisbeautiful wife in the hollow of a tree, returned, and stood fightingover the body of his friend till he also, overpowered by numbers,was thrown to the ground. Then the wild men, drawing theirknives, cut off the heads of their helpless enemies, stripped theirbodies of all their ornaments, and departed, leaving the womanunharmed for good luck.
When Unmadini, who had been more dead than alive during theaffray, found silence succeed to the horrid din of shrieks andshouts, she ventured to creep out of her refuge in the hollow tree.And what does she behold? her husband and his friend are lyingupon the ground, with their heads at a short distance from theirbodies. She sat down and wept bitterly.
Presently, remembering the lesson which she had learned that verymorning, she drew forth from her bosom the bit of thread andproceeded to use it. She approached the heads to the bodies, andtied some of the magic string round each neck. But the shades ofevening were fast deepening, and in her agitation, confusion andterror, she made a curious mistake by applying the heads to thewrong trunks. After which, she again sat down, and having recitedher prayers, she pronounced, as her husband had taught her, thelife-giving incantation.
In a moment the dead men were made alive. They opened theireyes, shook themselves, sat up and handled their limbs as if to feelthat all was right. But something or other appeared to them allwrong. They placed their palms upon their foreheads, and lookeddownwards, and started to their feet and began to stare at theirhands and legs. Upon which they scrutinized the very scantyarticles of dress which the wild men had left upon them, and lastlyone began to eye the other with curious puzzled looks.
The wife, attributing their gestures to the confusion which onemight expect to find in the brains of men who have just undergoneso great a trial as amputation of the head must be, stood beforethem for a moment or two. She then with a cry of gladness flew tothe bosom of the individual who was, as she supposed, herhusband. He repulsed her, telling her that she was mistaken. Then,blushing deeply in spite of her other emotions, she threw both herbeautiful arms round the neck of the person who must be, shenaturally concluded, the right man. To her utter confusion, he alsoshrank back from her embrace.
Then a horrid thought flashed across her mind: she perceived herfatal mistake, and her heart almost ceased to beat.
"This is thy wife!" cried the Brahman's head that had been fastenedto the soldier's body.
"No; she is thy wife!" replied the soldier's head which had beenplaced upon the Brahman's body.
"Then she is my wife!" rejoined the first compound creature.
"By no means! she is my wife," cried the second.
"What then am I?" asked Devasharma-Gunakar.
"What do you think I am?" answered GunakarDevasharma, withanother question.
"Unmadini shall be mine," quoth the head.
"You lie, she shall be mine," shouted the body.
"Holy Yama,[FN#160] hear the villain," exclaimed both of them atthe same moment.
* * * * * In short, having thus begun, they continued to quarrel violently,each one declaring that the beautiful Unmadini belonged to him,and to him only. How to settle their dispute Brahma the Lord ofcreatures only knows. I do not, except by cutting off their headsonce more, and by putting them in their proper places. And I amquite sure, O Raja Vikram! that thy wits are quite unfit to answerthe question, To which of these two is the beautiful Unmadiniwife? It is even said--amongst us Baitals --that when this pair ofhalf-husbands appeared in the presence of the Just King, a terribleconfusion arose, each head declaiming all the sins and peccadilloeswhich its body had committed, and that Yama the holy rulerhimself hit his forefinger with vexation.[FN#161]
Here the young prince Dharma Dhwaj burst out laughing at theridiculous idea of the wrong heads. And the warrior king, who, likesingle-minded fathers in general, was ever in the idea that his sonhad a velleity for deriding and otherwise vexing him, began asevere course of reproof. He reminded the prince of the commonsaying that merriment without cause degrades a man in the opinionof his fellows, and indulged him with a quotation extensively usedby grave fathers, namely, that the loud laugh bespeaks a vacantmind. After which he proceeded with much pompousness topronounce the following opinion:
"It is said .n the Shastras----"
"Your majesty need hardly display so much erudition! Doubtless itcomes from the lips of Jayudeva or some other one of your NineGems of Science, who know much more about their songs andtheir stanzas than they do about their scriptures," insolentlyinterrupted the Baital, who never lost an opportunity of carping atthose reverend men.
"It is said in the Shastras," continued Raja Vikram sternly, afterhesitating whether he should or should not administer a corporealcorrection to the Vampire, "that Mother Ganga[FN#162] is thequeen amongst rivers, and the mountain Sumeru[FN#163] is themonarch among mountains, and the tree Kalpavriksha[FN#164] isthe king of all trees, and the head of man is the best and mostexcellent of limbs. And thus, according to this reason, the wifebelonged to him whose noblest position claimed her."
"The next thing your majesty will do, I suppose," continued theBaital, with a sneer, "is to support the opinions of the Digambara,who maintains that the soul is exceedingly rarefied, confined toone place, and of equal dimensions with the body, or the fancies ofthat worthy philosopher Jaimani, who, conceiving soul and mindand matter to be things purely synonymous, asserts outwardly andwrites in his books that the brain is the organ of the mind which isacted upon by the immortal soul, but who inwardly and verilybelieves that the brain is the mind, and consequently that the brainis the soul or spirit or whatever you please to call it; in fact, thatsoul is a natural faculty of the body. A pretty doctrine, indeed, fora Brahman to hold. You might as well agree with me at once thatthe soul of man resides, when at home, either in a vein in thebreast, or in the pit of his stomach, or that half of it is in a man'sbrain and the other or reasoning half is in his heart, an organ of hisbody."
"What has all this string of words to do with the matter, Vampire?"asked Raja Vikram angrily.
"Only," said the demon laughing, "that in my opinion, as opposedto the Shastras and to Raja Vikram, that the beautiful Unmadinibelonged, not to the head part but to the body part. Because thelatter has an immortal soul in the pit of its stomach, whereas theformer is a box of bone, more or less thick, and contains brainswhich are of much the same consistence as those of a calf."
"Villain!" exclaimed the Raja, "does not the soul or conscious lifeenter the body through the sagittal suture and lodge in the brain,thence to contemplate, through the same opening, the divineperfections?"
"I must, however, bid you farewell for the moment, O warriorking, Sakadhipati-Vikramadityal[FN#165]! I feel a sudden andardent desire to change this cramped position for one more naturalto me."
The warrior monarch had so far committed himself that he couldnot prevent the Vampire from flitting. But he lost no more time infollowing him than a grain of mustard, in its fall, stays on a cow'shorn. And when he had thrown him over his shoulder, the kingdesired him of his own accord to begin a new tale.
"O my left eyelid flutters," exclaimed the Baital in despair, "myheart throbs, my sight is dim: surely now beginneth the end. It is asVidhata hath written on my forehead--how can it beotherwise[FN#166]? Still listen, O mighty Raja, whilst I recount toyou a true story, and Saraswati[FN#167] sit on my tongue."
THE VAMPIRE'S TENTH STORY.[FN#168]
Of the Marvellous Delicacy of Three Queens.
The Baital said, O king, in the Gaur country, Vardhman by name,there is a city, and one called Gunshekhar was the Raja of thatland. His minister was one Abhaichand, a Jain, by whose teachingsthe king also came into the Jain faith.
The worship of Shiva and of Vishnu, gifts of cows, gifts of lands,gifts of rice balls, gaming and spirit-drinking, all these heprohibited. In the city no man could get leave to do them, and asfor bones, into the Ganges no man was allowed to throw them, andin these matters the minister, having taken orders from the king,caused a proclamation to be made about the city, saying,"Whoever these acts shall do, the Raja having confiscated, willpunish him and banish him from the city."
Now one day the Diwan[FN#169] began to say to the Raja, "Ogreat king, to the decisions of the Faith be pleased to give ear.Whosoever takes the life of another, his life also in the future birthis taken: this very sin causes him to be born again and again uponearth and to die And thus he ever continues to be born again and todie. Hence for one who has found entrance into this world tocultivate religion is right and proper. Be pleased to behold! Bylove, by wrath, by pain, by desire, and by fascination overpowered,the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva (Shiva) in various waysupon the earth are ever becoming incarnate. Far better than they isthe Cow, who is free from passion, enmity, drunkenness, anger,covetousness, and inordinate affection, who supports mankind, andwhose progeny in many ways give ease and solace to the creaturesof the world These deities and sages (munis) believe in theCow.[FN#170]
"For such reason to believe in the gods is not good. Upon this earthbe pleased to believe in the Cow. It is our duty to protect the life ofeveryone, beginning from the elephant, through ants, beasts, andbirds, up to man. In the world righteousness equal to that there isnone. Those who, eating the flesh of other creatures, increase theirown flesh, shall in the fulness of time assuredly obtain the fruitionof Narak [FN#17l]; hence for a man it is proper to attend to theconversation of life. They who understand not the pain of othercreatures, and who continue to slay and to devour them, last butfew days in the land, and return to mundane existence, maimed,limping, one-eyed, blind, dwarfed, hunchbacked, and imperfect insuch wise. Just as they consume the bodies of beasts and of birds,even so they end by spoiling their own bodies. From drinkingspirits also the great sin arises, hence the consuming of spirits andflesh is not advisable."
The minister having in this manner explained to the king thesentiments of his own mind, so brought him over to the Jain faith,that whatever he said, so the king did. Thus in Brahmans, in Jogis,in Janganis, in Sevras, in Sannyasis,[FN#172] and in religiousmendicants, no man believed, and according to this creed the rulewas carried on.
Now one day, being in the power of Death, Raja Gunshekhar died.Then his son Dharmadhwaj sat upon the carpet (throne), and beganto rule. Presently he caused the minister Abhaichand to be seized,had his head shaved all but seven locks of hair, ordered his face tobe blackened, and mounting him on an ass, with drums beaten, hadhim led all about the city, and drove him from the kingdom. Fromthat time he carried on his rule free from all anxiety.
It so happened that in the season of spring, the king Dharmadhwaj,taking his queens with him, went for a stroll in the garden, wherethere was a large tank with lotuses blooming within it. The Rajaadmiring its beauty, took off his clothes and went down to bathe.
After plucking a flower and coming to the bank, he was going togive it into the hands of one of his queens, when it slipped from hisfingers, fell upon her foot, and broke it with the blow. Then theRaja being alarmed, at once came out of the tank, and began toapply remedies to her.
Hereupon night came on, and the moon shone brightly: the fallingof its rays on the body of the second queen formed blisters Andsuddenly from a distance the sound of a wooden pestle came out ofa householder's dwelling, when the third queen fainted away with asevere pain in the head
Having spoken thus much the Baital said "O my king! of thesethree which is the most delicate?" The Raja answered, "She indeedis the most delicate who fainted in consequence of the headache."The Baital hearing this speech, went and hung himself from thevery same tree, and the Raja, having gone there and taken himdown and fastened him in the bundle and placed him on hisshoulder, carried him away.
THE VAMPIRE'S ELEVENTH STORY.
Which Puzzles Raja Vikram.
There is a queer time coming, O Raja Vikram!--a queer timecoming (said the Vampire), a queer time coming. Elderly peoplelike you talk abundantly about the good old days that were, andabout the degeneracy of the days that are. I wonder what youwould say if you could but look forward a few hundred years.
Brahmans shall disgrace themselves by becoming soldiers andbeing killed, and Serviles (Shudras) shall dishonour themselves bywearing the thread of the twiceborn, and by refusing to be slaves;in fact, society shall be all "mouth" and mixed castes.[FN#173]The courts of justice shall be disused; the great works of peaceshall no longer be undertaken; wars shall last six weeks, and theircauses shall be clean forgotten; the useful arts and great sciencesshall die starved; there shall be no Gems of Science; there shall bea hospital for destitute kings, those, at least, who do not lose theirheads, and no Vikrama----
A severe shaking stayed for a moment the Vampire's tongue.
He presently resumed. Briefly, building tanks feeding Brahmans;lying when one ought to lie; suicide, the burning of widows, andthe burying of live children, shall become utterly unfashionable.
The consequence of this singular degeneracy, O mighty Vikram,will be that strangers shall dwell beneath the roof tree in BharatKhanda (India), and impure barbarians shall call the land theirown. They come from a wonderful country, and I am mostsurprised that they bear it. The sky which ought to be gold andblue is there grey, a kind of dark white; the sun looks deadly pale,and the moon as if he were dead.[FN#174] The sea, when not dirtygreen, glistens with yellowish foam, and as you approach theshore, tall ghastly cliffs, like the skeletons of giants, stand up toreceive or ready to repel. During the greater pert of the sun'sDakhshanayan (southern declination) the country is covered with asort of cold white stuff which dazzles the eyes; and at such timesthe air is obscured with what appears to be a shower of whitefeathers or flocks of cotton. At other seasons there is a pale glareproduced by the mist clouds which spread themselves over thelower firmament. Even the faces of the people are white; the menare white when not painted blue; the women are whiter, and thechildren are whitest: these indeed often have white hair.
"Truly," exclaimed Dharma Dhwaj, "says the proverb, 'Whososeeth the world telleth many a lie.'"
At present (resumed the Vampire, not heeding the interruption),they run about naked in the woods, being merely Hindu outcastes.Presently they will change-- the wonderful white Pariahs! Theywill eat all food indifferently, domestic fowls, onions, hogs fed inthe street, donkeys, horses, hares, and (most horrible!) the flesh ofthe sacred cow. They will imbibe what resembles meat ofcolocynth, mixed with water, producing a curious frothy liquid,and a fiery stuff which burns the mouth, for their milk will bemostly chalk and pulp of brains; they will ignore the sweet juicesof fruits and sugar-cane, and as for the pure element they willdrink it, but only as medicine, They will shave their beards insteadof their heads, and stand upright when they should sit down, andsquat upon a wooden frame instead of a carpet, and appear in redand black like the children of Yama.[FN#175] They will neveroffer sacrifices to the manes of ancestors, leaving them after theirdeath to fry in the hottest of places. Yet will they perpetuallyquarrel and fight about their faith; for their tempers are fierce, andthey would burst if they could not harm one another. Even now thechildren, who amuse themselves with making puddings on theshore, that is to say, heaping up the sand, always end their littlegames with "punching," which means shutting the hand andstriking one another's heads, and it is soon found that the childrenare the fathers of the men.
These wonderful white outcastes will often be ruled by femalechiefs, and it is likely that the habit of prostrating themselvesbefore a woman who has not the power of cutting off a singlehead, may account for their unusual degeneracy and uncleanness.They will consider no occupation so noble as running after ajackal; they will dance for themselves, holding on to strangewomen, and they will take a pride in playing upon instruments,like young music girls.
The women, of course, relying upon the aid of the femalechieftains, will soon emancipate themselves from the rules ofmodesty. They will eat with their husbands and with other men,and yawn and sit carelessly before them showing the backs of theirheads. They will impudently quote the words, "By confinement athome, even under affectionate and observant guardians, womenare not secure, but those are really safe who are guarded by theirown inclinations "; as the poet sang--
Woman obeys one only word, her heart.
They will not allow their husbands to have more than one wife,and even the single wife will not be his slave when he needs herservices, busying herself in the collection of wealth, in ceremonialpurification, and feminine duty; in the preparation of daily foodand in the superintendence of household utensils. What said Ramaof Sita his wife?" If I chanced to be angry, she bore my impatiencelike the patient earth without a murmur; in the hour of necessityshe cherished me as a mother does her child; in the moments ofrepose she was a lover to me; in times of gladness she was to meas a friend." And it is said, "a religious wife assists her husband inhis worship with a spirit as devout as his own. She gives her wholemind to make him happy; she is as faithful to him as a shadow tothe body, and she esteems him, whether poor or rich, good or bad,handsome or deformed. In his absence or his sickness sherenounces every gratification; at his death she dies with him, andhe enjoys heaven as the fruit of her virtuous deeds. Whereas if shebe guilty of many wicked actions and he should die first, he mustsuffer much for the demerits of his wife."
But these women will talk aloud, and scold as the braying ass, andmake the house a scene of variance, like the snake with theichneumon, the owl with the crow, for they have no fear of losingtheir noses or parting with their ears. They will (O my mother!)converse with strange men and take their hands; they will receivepresents from them, and, worst of all, they will show their whitefaces openly without the least sense of shame; they will ridepublicly in chariots and mount horses, whose points they pridethemselves upon knowing, and eat and drink in crowded places--their husbands looking on the while, and perhaps even leadingthem through the streets. And she will be deemed the pinnacle ofthe pagoda of perfection, that most excels in wit andshamelessness, and who can turn to water the livers of most men.They will dance and sing instead of minding their children, andwhen these grow up they will send them out of the house to shiftfor themselves, and care little if they never see themagain.[FN#176] But the greatest sin of all will be this: whenwidowed they will ever be on the look-out for a second husband,and instances will be known of women fearlessly marrying three,four, and five times.[FN#177] You would think that all this licencesatisfies them. But no! The more they have the more their weakminds covet. The men have admitted them to an equality, they willaim at an absolute superiority, and claim respect and homage; theywill eternally raise tempests about their rights, and if anyoneshould venture to chastise them as they deserve, they would callhim a coward and run off to the judge.
The men will, I say, be as wonderful about their women as aboutall other matters. The sage of Bharat Khanda guards the frail sexstrictly, knowing its frailty, and avoids teaching it to read andwrite, which it will assuredly use for a bad purpose. For womenare ever subject to the god[FN#178] with the sugar-cane bow andstring of bees, and arrows tipped with heating blossoms, and tohim they will ever surrender man, dhan, tan--mind, wealth, andbody. When, by exceeding cunning, all human precautions havebeen made vain, the wise man bows to Fate, and he forgets, or hetries to forget, the past. Whereas this race of white Pariahs willpurposely lead their women into every kind of temptation, and,when an accident occurs, they will rage at and accuse them, killingten thousand with a word, and cause an uproar, and talk scandaland be scandalized, and go before the magistrate, and make all theevil as public as possible. One would think they had in every waydone their duty to their women!
And when all this change shall have come over them, they will feelrestless and take flight, and fall like locusts upon the Aryavartta(land of India). Starving in their own country, they will findenough to eat here, and to carry away also. They will bemischievous as the saw with which ornament-makers trim theirshells, and cut ascending as well as descending. To cultivate theirfriendship will be like making a gap in the water, and theirpartisans will ever fare worse than their foes. They will be selfishas crows, which, though they eat every kind of flesh, will notpermit other birds to devour that of the crow.
In the beginning they will hire a shop near the mouth of motherGanges, and they will sell lead and bullion, fine and coarsewoollen cloths, and all the materials for intoxication. Then theywill begin to send for soldiers beyond the sea, and to enlistwarriors in Zambudwipa (India). They will from shopkeepersbecome soldiers: they will beat and be beaten; they will win andlose; but the power of their star and the enchantments of theirQueen Kompani, a daina or witch who can draw the blood out of aman and slay him with a look, will turn everything to their good.Presently the noise of their armies shall be as the roaring of thesea; the dazzling of their arms shall blind the eyes like lightning;their battle-fields shall be as the dissolution of the world; and theslaughter-ground shall resemble a garden of plantain trees after astorm. At length they shall spread like the march of a host of antsover the land They will swear, "Dehar Ganga[FN#179]!" and theyhate nothing so much as being compelled to destroy an army, totake and loot a city, or to add a rich slip of territory to their rule.And yet they will go on killing and capturing and adding region toregion, till the Abode of Snow (Himalaya) confines them to thenorth, the Sindhu-naddi (Incus) to the west, and elsewhere the sea.Even in this, too, they will demean themselves as lords andmasters, scarcely allowing poor Samudradevta[FN#180] to rule hisown waves.
Raja Vikram was in a silent mood, otherwise he would not haveallowed such ill-omened discourse to pass uninterrupted. Then theBaital, who in vain had often paused to give the royal carrier achance of asking him a curious question, continued his recital in adissonant and dissatisfied tone of voice.
By my feet and your head,[FN#181] O warrior king! it will farebadly in those days for the Rajas of Hindustan, when thered-coated men of Shaka[FN#182] shall come amongst them.Listen to my words.
In the Vindhya Mountain there will be a city named Dharmapur,whose king will be called Mahabul. He will be a mighty warrior,well-skilled in the dhanur-veda (art of war)[FN#183], and willalways lead his own armies to the field. He will duly regard all theomens, such as a storm at the beginning of the march, anearthquake, the implements of war dropping from the hands of thesoldiery, screaming vultures passing over or walking near thearmy, the clouds and the sun's rays waxing red, thunder in a clearsky, the moon appearing small as a star, the dropping of bloodfrom the clouds, the falling of lightning bolts, darkness filling thefour quarters of the heavens, a corpse or a pan of water beingcarried to the right of the army, the sight of a female beggar withdishevelled hair, dressed in red, and preceding the vanguard, thestarting of the flesh over the left ribs of the commander-in-chief,and the weeping or turning back of the horses when urged forward.
He will encourage his men to single combats, and will carefullytrain them to gymnastics. Many of the wrestlers and boxers will beso strong that they will often beat all the extremities of theantagonist into his body, or break his back, or rend him into twopieces. He will promise heaven to those who shall die in the frontof battle and he will have them taught certain dreadful expressionsof abuse to be interchanged with the enemy when commencing thecontest. Honours will be conferred on those who never turn theirbacks in an engagement, who manifest a contempt of death, whodespise fatigue, as well as the most formidable enemies, who shallbe found invincible in every combat, and who display a couragewhich increases before danger, like the glory of the sun advancingto his meridian splendour.
But King Mahabul will be attacked by the white Pariahs, who, asusual, will employ against him gold, fire, and steel. With gold theywill win over his best men, and persuade them openly to desertwhen the army is drawn out for battle. They will use the terrible"fire weapon,[FN#184]'' large and small tubes, which dischargeflame and smoke, and bullets as big as those hurled by the bow ofBharata.[FN#185] And instead of using swords and shields, theywill fix daggers to the end of their tubes, and thrust with them likelances.
Mahabul, distinguished by valour and military skill, will march outof his city to meet the white foe. In front will be the ensigns, bells,cows'-tails, and flags, the latter painted with the birdGarura,[FN#186] the bull of Shiva, the Bauhinia tree, themonkey-god Hanuman, the lion and the tiger, the fish, analms-dish, and seven palm-trees. Then will come the footmenarmed with fire-tubes, swords and shields, spears and daggers,clubs, and bludgeons. They will be followed by fighting men onhorses and oxen, on camels and elephants. The musicians, thewater-carriers, and lastly the stores on carriages, will bring up therear.
The white outcastes will come forward in a long thin red thread,and vomiting fire like the Jwalamukhi.[FN#187] King Mahabulwill receive them with his troops formed in a circle; anotherdivision will be in the shape of a halfmoon; a third like a cloud,whilst others shall represent a lion, a tiger, a carriage, a lily, agiant, and a bull. But as the elephants will all turn round when theyfeel the fire, and trample upon their own men, and as the cavalrydefiling in front of the host will openly gallop away; Mahabul,being thus without resource, will enter his palanquin, andaccompanied by his queen and their only daughter, will escape atnight-time into the forest.
The unfortunate three will be deserted by their small party, andlive for a time on jungle food, fruits and roots; they will even becompelled to eat game. After some days they will come in sight ofa village, which Mahabul will enter to obtain victuals. There thewild Bhils, famous for long years, will come up, and surroundingthe party, will bid the Raja throw down his arms. ThereuponMahabul, skilful in aiming, twanging and wielding the bow on allsides, so as to keep off the bolts of the enemy, will discharge hisbolts so rapidly, that one will drive forward another, and none ofthe barbarians will be able to approach. But he will have failed tobring his quiver containing an inexhaustible store of arms, some ofwhich, pointed with diamonds, shall have the faculty of returningagain to their case after they have done their duty. The conflict willcontinue three hours, and many of the Bhils will be slain: at lengtha shaft will cleave the king's skull, he will fall dead, and one of thewild men will come up and cut off his head.
When the queen and the princess shall have seen that Mahabul felldead, they will return to the forest weeping and beating theirbosoms. They will thus escape the Bhils, and after journeying onfor four miles, at length they will sit down wearied, and revolvemany thoughts ir; their minds.
They are very lovely (continued the Vampire), as I see them withthe eye of clear-seeing. What beautiful hair! it hangs down like thetail of the cow of Tartary, or like the thatch of a house; it is shiningas oil, dark as the clouds, black as blackness itself. What charmingfaces! likest to water-lilies, with eyes as the stones in unripemangos, noses resembling the beaks of parrots, teeth like pearls setin corals, ears like those of the redthroated vulture, and mouthslike the water of life. What excellent forms! breasts like boxescontaining essences, the unopened fruit of plantains or a couple ofcrabs; loins the width of a span, like the middle of the viol; legslike the trunk of an elephant, and feet like the yellow lotus.
And a fearful place is that jungle, a dense dark mass of thornyshrubs, and ropy creepers, and tall canes, and tangled brake, andgigantic gnarled trees, which groan wildly in the night wind'sembrace. But a wilder horror urges the unhappy women on; theyfear the polluting touch of the Bhils; once more they rise andplunge deeper into its gloomy depths.
The day dawns. The white Pariahs have done their usual work,They have cut off the hands of some, the feet and heads of others,whilst many they have crushed into shapeless masses, or scatteredin pieces upon the ground. The field is strewed with corpses, theriver runs red, so that the dogs and jackals swim in blood; the birdsof prey sitting on the branches, drink man's life from the stream,and enjoy the sickening smell of burnt flesh.
Such will be the scenes acted in the fair land of Bharat.
Perchance two white outcastes, father and son, who with a party ofmen are scouring the forest and slaying everything, fall upon thepath which the women have taken shortly before. Their attention isattracted by footprints leading towards a place full of tigers,leopards, bears, wolves, and wild dogs. And they are utterlyconfounded when, after inspection, they discover the sex of thewanderers.
"How is it," shall say the father, "that the footprints of mortals areseen in this part of the forest?"
The son shall reply, "Sir, these are the marks of women's feet: aman's foot would not be so small."
"It is passing strange," shall rejoin the elder white Pariah, "but thouspeakest truth. Certainly such a soft and delicate foot cannotbelong to anyone but a woman."
"They have only just left the track," shall continue the son, "andlook! this is the step of a married woman. See how she treads onthe inside of her sole, because of the bending of her ankles." Andthe younger white outcaste shall point to the queen's footprints.
"Come, let us search the forest for them," shall cry the father,"what an opportunity of finding wives fortune has thrown in ourhands. But no! thou art in error," he shall continue, after examiningthe track pointed out by his son, "in supposing this to be the signof a matron. Look at the other, it is much longer; the toes havescarcely touched the ground, whereas the marks of the heels aredeep. Of a truth this must be the married woman." And the elderwhite outcaste shall point to the footprints of the princess.
"Then," shall reply the son, who admires the shorter foot, "let usfirst seek them, and when we find them, give to me her who hasthe short feet, and take the other to wife thyself."
Having made this agreement they shall proceed on their way, andpresently they shall find the women lying on the earth, half deadwith fatigue and fear. Their legs and feet are scratched and torn bybrambles, their ornaments have fallen off, and their garments are instrips. The two white outcastes find little difficulty, the firstsurprise over, in persuading the unhappy women to follow themhome, and with great delight, conformably to their arrangement,each takes up his prize on his horse and rides back to the tents. Theson takes the queen, and the father the princess.
In due time two marriages come to pass; the father, according toagreement, espouses the long foot, and the son takes to wife theshort foot. And after the usual interval, the elder white outcaste,who had married the daughter, rejoices at the birth of a boy, andthe younger white outcaste, who had married the mother, isgladdened by the sight of a girl.
Now then, by my feet and your head, O warrior king Vikram,answer me one question. What relationship will there be betweenthe children of the two white Pariahs?
Vikram's brow waxed black as a charcoal-burner's, when he againheard the most irreverent oath ever proposed to mortal king. Thequestion presently attracted his attention, and he turned over theBaital's words in his head, confusing the ties of filiality,brotherhood, and relationship, and connection in general.
"Hem!" said the warrior king, at last perplexed, and remembering,in his perplexity, that he had better hold his tongue--"ahem!"
"I think your majesty spoke? " asked the Vampire, in an inquisitiveand insinuating tone of voice.
"Hem!" ejaculated the monarch.
The Baital held his peace for a few minutes, coughing once ortwice impatiently. He suspected that the extraordinary nature ofthis last tale, combined with the use of the future tense, had givenrise to a taciturnity so unexpected in the warrior king. He thereforeasked if Vikram the Brave would not like to hear another littleanecdote.
"This time the king did not even say "hem!" Having walked at anunusually rapid pace, he distinguished at a distance the fire kindledby the devotee, and he hurried towards it with an effort which lefthim no breath wherewith to speak, even had he been so inclined.
"Since your majesty is so completely dumbfoundered by it,perhaps this acute young prince may be able to answer myquestion?" insinuated the Baital, after a few minutes of anxioussuspense.
But Dharma Dhwaj answered not a syllable.
CONCLUSION.
At Raja Vikram's silence the Baital was greatly surprised, and hepraised the royal courage and resolution to the skies. Still he didnot give up the contest at once.
"Allow me, great king," pursued the Demon, in a dry tone of voice,"to wish you joy. After so many failures you have at lengthsucceeded in repressing your loquacity. I will not stop to enquirewhether it was humility and self-restraint which prevented youranswering my last question, or whether Rajait was mere ignoranceand inability. Of course I suspect the latter, but to say the truthyour condescension in at last taking a Vampire's advice, flatters meso much, that I will not look too narrowly into cause or motive."
Raja Vikram winced, but maintained a stubborn silence, squeezinghis lips lest they should open involuntarily.
"Now, however, your majesty has mortified, we will suppose, asomewhat exacting vanity, I also will in my turn forego thepleasure which I had anticipated in seeing you a corpse and inentering your royal body for a short time, just to know how queerit must feel to be a king. And what is more, I will now perform myoriginal promise, and you shall derive from me a benefit whichnone but myself can bestow. First, however, allow me to ask you,will you let me have a little more air?"
Dharma Dhwaj pulled his father's sleeve, but this time RajaVikram required no reminder: wild horses or the executioner's saw,beginning at the shoulder, would not have drawn a word from him.Observing his obstinate silence, the Baital, with an ominous smile,continued:
"Now give ear, O warrior king, to what I am about to tell thee, andbear in mind the giant's saying, 'A man is justified in killing onewho has a design to kill him.' The young merchant Mal Deo, whoplaced such magnificent presents at your royal feet, andShanta-Shil the devotee saint, who works his spells, incantations,and magical rites in a cemetery on the banks of the Godaveri river,are, as thou knowest, one person--the terrible Jogi, whose wrathyour father aroused in his folly, and whose revenge your bloodalone can satisfy. With regard to myself, the oilman's son, thesame Jogi, fearing lest I might interfere with his projects ofuniversal dominion, slew me by the power of his penance, and haskept me suspended, a trap for you, head downwards from thesires-tree.
"That Jogi it was, you now know, who sent you to fetch me back tohim on your back. And when you cast me at his feet he will returnthanks to you and praise your velour, perseverance and resolutionto the skies. I warn you to beware. He will lead you to the shrine ofDurga, and when he has finished his adoration he will say to you,'O great king, salute my deity with the eightlimbed reverence.' "
Here the Vampire whispered for a time and in a low tone, lestsome listening goblin might carry his words if spoken out loud tothe ears of the devotee Shanta-Shil.
At the end of the monologue a rustling sound was heard. Itproceeded from the Baital, who was disengaging himself from thedead body in the bundle, and the burden became sensibly lighterupon the monarch's back.
The departing Baital, however, did not forget to bid farewell to thewarrior king and to his son. He complimented the former for thelast time, in his own way, upon the royal humility and theprodigious self-mortification which he had displayed--qualities, heremarked, which never failed to ensure the proprietor's success inall the worlds.
Raja Vikram stepped out joyfully, and soon reached the burningground. There he found the Jogi, dressed in his usual habit, adeerskin thrown over his back, and twisted reeds instead of agarment hanging round his loins. The hair had fallen from hislimbs and his skin was bleached ghastly white by exposure to theelements. A fire seemed to proceed from his mouth, and the mattedlocks dropping from his head to the ground were changed by therays of the sun to the colour of gold or saffron. He had the beard ofa goat and the ornaments of a king; his shoulders were high and hisarms long, reaching to his knees: his nails grew to such a length asto curl round the ends of his fingers, and his feet resembled thoseof a tiger. He was drumming upon a skull, and incessantlyexclaiming, "Ho, Kali! ho, Durga! ho, Devi!"
As before, strange beings were holding their carnival in the Jogi'spresence. Monstrous Asuras, giant goblins, stood grimly gazingupon the scene with fixed eyes and motionless features. Rakshasasand messengers of Yama, fierce and hideous, assumed at pleasurethe shapes of foul and ferocious beasts. Nagas and Bhutas, partlyhuman and partly bestial, disported themselves in throngs aboutthe upper air, and were dimly seen in the faint light of the dawn.Mighty Daityas, Bramba-daityas, and Pretas, the size of a man'sthumb, or dried up like leaves, and Pisachas of terrible powerguarded the place. There were enormous goats, vivified by thespirits of those who had slain Brahmans; things with the bodies ofmen and the faces of horses, camels and monkeys; hideous wormscontaining the souls of those priests who had drunk spirituousliquors; men with one leg and one ear, and mischievousblood-sucking demons, who in life had stolen church property.There were vultures, wretches that had violated the beds of theirspiritual fathers, restless ghosts that had loved low-caste women,shades for whom funeral rites had not been performed, and whocould not cross the dread Vaitarani stream,[FN#188] and vitalsouls fresh from the horrors of Tamisra, or utter darkness, and theUsipatra Vana, or the sword-leaved forest. Pale spirits, Alayas,Gumas, Baitals, and Yakshas,[FN#189] beings of a base andvulgar order, glided over the ground, amongst corpses andskeletons animated by female fiends, Dakinis, Yoginis, Hakinis,and Shankinis, which were dancing in frightful revelry. The airwas filled with supernatural sights and sounds, cries of owls andjackals, cats and crows, dogs, asses, and vultures, high abovewhich rose the clashing of the bones with which the Jogi satdrumming upon the skull before him, and tending a huge cauldronof oil whose smoke was of blue fire. But as he raised his long lankarm, silver-white with ashes, the demons fled, and a momentarysilence succeeded to their uproar. The tigers ceased to roar and theelephants to scream; the bears raised their snouts from their foulbanquets, and the wolves dropped from their jaws the remnants ofhuman flesh. And when they disappeared, the hooting of the owl,and ghastly "ha! ha!" of the curlew, and the howling of the jackaldied away in the far distance, leaving a silence still moreoppressive.
As Raja Vikram entered the burning-ground, the hollow sound ofsolitude alone met his ear. Sadly wailed the wet autumnal blast.The tall gaunt trees groaned aloud, and bowed and trembled likeslaves bending before their masters. Huge purple clouds andpatches and lines of glaring white mist coursed furiously across theblack expanse of firmament, discharging threads and chains andlozenges and balls of white and blue, purple and pink lightning,followed by the deafening crash and roll of thunder, the dreadfulroaring of the mighty wind, and the torrents of plashing rain. Attimes was heard in the distance the dull gurgling of the swollenriver, interrupted by explosions, as slips of earth-bank fellheadlong into the stream. But once more the Jogi raised his armand all was still: nature lay breathless, as if awaiting the effect ofhis tremendous spells.
The warrior king drew near the terrible man, unstrung his bundlefrom his back, untwisted the portion which he held, threw open thecloth, and exposed to Shanta-Shil's glittering eyes the corpse,which had now recovered its proper form--that of a young child.Seeing it, the devotee was highly pleased, and thanked Vikram theBrave, extolling his courage and daring above any monarch thathad yet lived. After which he repeated certain charms facingtowards the south, awakened the dead body, and placed it in asitting position. He then in its presence sacrificed to his goddess,the White One,[FN#190] all that he had ready by his side--betelleaf and flowers, sandal wood and unbroken rice, fruits, perfumes,and the flesh of man untouched by steel. Lastly, he half filled hisskull with burning embers, blew upon them till they shot forthtongues of crimson light, serving as a lamp, and motioning theRaja and his son to follow him, led the way to a little fane of theDestroying Deity erected in a dark clump of wood, outside andclose to the burning ground.
They passed through the quadrangular outer court of the templewhose piazza was hung with deep shade.[FN#191] In silence theycircumambulated the small central shrine, and wheneverShanta-Shil directed, Raja Vikram entered the Sabha, or vestibule,and struck three times upon the gong, which gave forth a loud andwarning sound.
They then passed over the threshold, and looked into the gloomyinner depths. There stood Smashana-Kali,[FN#192] the goddess, inher most horrid form. She was a naked and very black woman,with half-severed head, partly cut and partly painted, resting on hershoulder; and her tongue lolled out from her wide yawningmouth[FN#193]; her eyes were red like those of a drunkard; andher eyebrows were of the same colour: her thick coarse hair hunglike a mantle to her heels. She was robed in an elephant's hide,dried and withered, confined at the waist with a belt composed ofthe hands of the giants whom she had slain in war: two deadbodies formed her earrings, and her necklace was of bleachedskulls. Her four arms supported a scimitar, a noose, a trident, and aponderous mace. She stood with one leg on the breast of herhusband, Shiva, and she rested the other on his thigh. Before theidol lay the utensils of worship, namely, dishes for the offerings,lamps, jugs, incense, copper cups, conches and gongs; and all ofthem smelt of blood.
As Raja Vikram and his son stood gazing upon the hideousspectacle, the devotee stooped down to place his skull-lamp uponthe ground, and drew from out his ochre-coloured cloth a sharpsword which he hid behind his back.
"Prosperity to shine and thy son's for ever and ever, O mightyVikram!" exclaimed Shanta-Shil, after he had muttered a prayerbefore the image. "Verily thou hast right royally redeemed thypledge, and by the virtue of thy presence all my wishes shallpresently be accomplished. Behold! the Sun is about to drive hiscar over the eastern hills, and our task now ends. Do thoureverence before this my deity, worshipping the earth through thynose, and so prostrating thyself that thy eight limbs may touch theground.[FN#194] Thus shall thy glory and splendour be great; theEight Powers[FN#195] and the Nine Treasures shall be thine, andprosperity shall ever remain under thy roof-tree."
Raja Vikram, hearing these words, recalled suddenly to mind allthat the Vampire had whispered to him. He brought his joinedhands open up to his forehead, caused his two thumbs to touch hisbrow several times, and replied with the greatest humility,
"O pious person! I am a king ignorant of the way to do suchobeisance. Thou art a spiritual preceptor: be pleased to teach meand I will do even as thou desirest."
Then the Jogi, being a cunning man, fell into his own net. As hebent him down to salute the goddess, Vikram, drawing his sword,struck him upon the neck so violent a blow, that his head rolledfrom his body upon the ground. At the same moment DharmaDhwaj, seizing his father's arm, pulled him out of the way in timeto escape being crushed by the image, which fell with the sound ofthunder upon the floor of the temple.
A small thin voice in the upper air was heard to cry, "A man isjustified in killing one who has the desire to kill him." Then gladshouts of triumph and victory were heard in all directions. Theyproceeded from the celestial choristers, the heavenly dancers, themistresses of the gods, and the nymphs of Indra's Paradise, wholeft their beds of gold and precious stones, their seats glorious asthe meridian sun, their canals of crystal water, their perfumedgroves, and their gardens where the wind ever blows in softestbreezes, to applaud the velour and good fortune of the warriorking.
At last the brilliant god, Indra himself, with the thousand eyes,rising from the shade of the Parigat tree, the fragrance of whoseflowers fills the heavens, appeared in his car drawn by yellowsteeds and cleaving the thick vapours which surround the earth--whilst his attendants sounded the heavenly drums and rained ashower of blossoms and perfumes--bade the Vikramajit the Braveask a boon.
The Raja joined his hands and respectfully replied,
"O mighty ruler of the lower firmament, let this my historybecome famous throughout the world!"
"It is well," rejoined the god. "As long as the sun and moonendure, and the sky looks down upon the ground, so long shall thisthy adventure be remembered over all the earth. Meanwhile rulethou mankind."
Thus saying, Indra retired to the delicious Amrawati[FN#196]Vikram took up the corpses and threw them into the cauldronwhich Shanta-Shil had been tending. At once two heroes startedinto life, and Vikram said to them, "When I call you, come!"
With these mysterious words the king, followed by his son,returned to the palace unmolested. As the Vampire had predicted,everything was prosperous to him, and he presently obtained theremarkable titles, Sakaro, or foe of the Sakas, andSakadhipati-Vikramaditya.
And when, after a long and happy life spent in bringing the worldunder the shadow of one umbrella, and in ruling it free from care,the warrior king Vikram entered the gloomy realms of Yama, fromwhom for mortals there is no escape, he left behind him a namethat endured amongst men like the odour of the flower whosememory remains long after its form has mingled with thedust.[FN#197]
FOOTNOTES
[FN#1] Metamorphoseon, seu de Asino Aureo, libri Xl. The wellknown and beautiful episode is in the fourth. the fifth, and the sixthbooks.
[FN#2] This ceremony will be explained in a future page.
[FN#3] A common exclamation of sorrow, surprise, fear, andother emotions. It is especially used by women.
[FN#4] Quoted from view of the Hindoos, by William Ward, ofSerampore (vol. i. p. 25).
[FN#5] In Sanskrit, Vetala-pancha-Vinshati. "Baital" is themodern form of " Vetala.
[FN#6] In Arabic, Badpai el Hakim.
[FN#7] Dictionnaire philosophique sub v. " Apocryphes."
[FN#8] I do not mean that rhymes were not known before the daysof Al-Islam, but that the Arabs popularized assonance andconsonance in Southern Europe.
[FN#9] "Vikrama" means "valour " or " prowess."
[FN#10] Mr. Ward of Serampore is unable to quote the names ofmore than nine out of the eighteen, namely: Sanskrit, Prakrit,Naga, Paisacha, Gandharba, Rakshasa, Ardhamagadi, Apa, andGuhyaka - most of them being the languages of different orders offabulous beings. He tells us, however, that an account of thesedialects may be found in the work called Pingala.
[FN#11] Translated by Sir Wm. Jones, 1789; and by ProfessorWilliams, 1856.
[FN#12] Translated by Professor H. H. Wilson.
[FN#13] The time was propitious to savans. Whilst Vikramadityalived, Magha, another king, caused to be written a poem calledafter his name For each verse he is said to have paid to learnedmen a gold piece, which amounted to a total of 5,280l. - a largesum in those days, which preceded those of Paradise Lost. Aboutthe same period Karnata, a third king, was famed for patronizingthe learned men who rose to honour at Vikram's court. Dhavaka, apoet of nearly the same period, received from King Shriharsha themagnificent present of 10,000l. for a poem called the Ratna-Mala.
[FN#14] Lieut. Wilford supports the theory that there were eightVikramadityas, the last of whom established the era. For furtherparticulars, the curious reader will consult Lassen's Anthologia,and Professor H. H. Wilson's Essay on Vikram (New), As. Red..ix. 117.
[FN#15] History tells us another tale. The god Indra and the Kingof Dhara gave the kingdom to Bhartari-hari, another son ofGandhar-ba-Sena, by a handmaiden. For some time, the brotherslived together; but presently they quarrelled. Vikram beingdismissed from court, wandered from place to place in abjectpoverty, and at one time hired himself as a servant to a merchantliving in Guzerat. At length, Bhartari-hari, disgusted with theworld on account of the infidelity of his wife, to whom he wasardently attached, became a religious devotee, and left thekingdom to its fate. In the course of his travels, Vikram came toUjjayani, and finding it without a head, assumed the sovereignty.He reigned with great splendour, conquering by his arms Utkala,Vanga, Kuch-bahar, Guzerat, Somnat, Delhi, and other places;until, in his turn, he was conquered, and slain by Shalivahan.
[FN#16] The words are found, says Mr. Ward, in the HinduHistory compiled by Mrityungaya.
[FN#17] These duties of kings are thus laid down in theRajtarangini. It is evident, as Professor H. H. Wilson says, that theroyal status was by no means a sinecure. But the rules areevidently the closet work of some pedantic, dogmatic Brahman,teaching kingcraft to kings. He directs his instructions, not tosubordinate judges, but to the Raja as the chief magistrate, andthrough him to all appointed for the administration of his justice.
[FN#18] Lunus, not Luna.
[FN#19] That is to say, "upon an empty stomach."
[FN#20] There are three sandhyas amongst the Hindus--morning,mid-day, and sunset; and all three are times for prayer.
[FN#21] The Hindu Cupid.
[FN#22] Patali, the regions beneath the earth.
[FN#23] The Hindu Triad.
[FN#24] Or Avanti, also called Padmavati. It is the first meridianof the Hindus, who found their longitude by observation of lunareclipses, calculated for it and Lanka, or Ceylon. The clepsydra wasused for taking time.
[FN#25] In the original only the husband ''practiced austeredevotion." For the benefit of those amongst whom the "pious wife"is an institution, I have extended the privilege.
[FN#26] A Moslem would say, "This is our fate." A Hindu refersat once to metempsychosis, as naturally as a modernSwedenborgian to spiritism.
[FN#27] In Europe, money buys this world, and delivers you fromthe pains of purgatory; amongst the Hindus, it furthermore opensthe gate of heaven.
[FN#28] This part of the introduction will remind the reader of thetwo royal brothers and their false wives in the introduction to theArabian Nights. The fate of Bhartari Raja, however, is historical.
[FN#29] In the original, "Div"--a supernatural being god, ordemon. This part of the plot is variously told. According to some,Raja Vikram was surprised, when entering the city to see a grandprocession at the house of a potter and a boy being carried off onan elephant to the violent grief of his parents The King inquiredthe reason of their sorrow, and was told that the wicked Div thatguarded the city was in the habit of eating a citizen per diem.Whereupon the valorous Raja caused the boy to dismount; took hisplace; entered the palace; and, when presented as food for thedemon, displayed his pugilistic powers in a way to excite themonsters admiration.
[FN#30] In India, there is still a monastic order the pleasant dutyof whose members is to enjoy themselves as much as possible. Ithas been much the same in Europe. "Representez-vous le conventde l'Escurial ou du Mont Cassin, ou les cenobites ont toutes sortesde commodities, necessaires, utiles, delectables. superflues,surabondantes, puisqu'ils ont les cent cinquante mille, les quatrecent mille, les cinq cent mille ecus de rente; et jugez si monsieurl'abbe a de quoi laisser dormir la meridienne a ceux quivoudront."--Saint Augustin, de l'Ouvrage des Moines, by LeCamus, Bishop of Belley, quoted by Voltaire, Dict. Phil., sub v."Apocalypse."
[FN#31] This form of matrimony was recognized by the ancientHindus, and is frequent in books. It is a kind of Scotch wedding--ultra-Caledonian--taking place by mutual consent, without anyform or ceremony. The Gandharbas are heavenly minstrels ofIndra's court, who are supposed to be witnesses.
[FN#32] The Hindu Saturnalia.
[FN#33] The powders are of wheaten flour, mixed with wildginger-root, sappan-wood, and other ingredients. Sometimes thestuff is thrown in syringes.
[FN#34] The Persian proverb is-- "Bala e tavilah bar sat imaimun": "The woes of the stable be on the monkey's head!" Insome Moslem countries a hog acts prophylactic. Hence probablyMungo Park's troublesome pig at Ludamar.
[FN#35] So the moribund father of the "babes in the wood"lectures his wicked brother, their guardian: "To God and you I recommend My children deare this day: But little while, be sure, we have Within this world to stay." But, to appeal to the moral sense of a goldsmith!
[FN#36] Maha (great) raja (king): common address even to thosewho are not royal.
[FN#37] The name means. "Quietistic Disposition."
[FN#38] August. In the solar-lunar year of the Hindu the monthsare divided into fortnights--light and dark.
[FN#39] A flower, whose name frequently occurs in Sanskritpoetry.
[FN#40] The stars being men's souls raised to the sky for a timepro portioned to their virtuous deeds on earth.
[FN#41] A measure of length, each two miles.
[FN#42] The warm region below.
[FN#43] Hindus admire only glossy black hair; the "bonny brownhair" loved by our ballads is assigned by them to low-caste men,witches, and fiends.
[FN#44] A large kind of bat; a popular and silly Anglo-Indianname. It almost justified the irate Scotchman in calling "prodigiousleears" those who told him in India that foxes flew and tress weretapped for toddy.
[FN#45] The Hindus, like the European classics and other ancientpeoples, reckon four ages:--The Satya Yug, or Golden Age,numbered 1,728,000 years: the second, or Treta Yug, comprised1,296,000; the Dwapar Yug had 864,000 and the present, the KaliYug, has shrunk to 832,000 years.
[FN#46] Especially alluding to prayer. On this point, Southeyjustly remarks (Preface to Curse of Kehama): "In the religion ofthe Hindoos there is one remarkable peculiarity. Prayers, penances,and sacrifices are supposed to possess an inherent and actual value,in one degree depending upon the disposition or motive of theperson who performs them. They are drafts upon heaven for whichthe gods cannot refuse payment. The worst men, bent upon theworst designs, have in this manner obtained power which hasmade them formidable to the supreme deities themselves."Moreover, the Hindu gods hear the prayers of those who desire theevil of others. Hence when a rich man becomes poor, his friendssay, "See how sharp are men's teeth!" and, "He is ruined becauseothers could not bear to see his happiness!"
[FN#47] A pond. natural or artificial; in the latter case oftencovering an extent of ten to twelve acres.
[FN#48] The Hindustani "gilahri," or little grey squirrel, whosetwittering cry is often mistaken for a bird's.
[FN#49] The autumn or rather the rainy season personified - ahackneyed Hindu prosopopoeia.
[FN#50] Light conversation upon the subject of women is apersona offence to serious-minded Hindus.
[FN#51] Cupid in his two forms, Eros and Anteros.
[FN#52] This is true to life in the East, women make the firstadvances, and men do the begueules.
[FN#53] Raja-hans, a large grey goose, the Hindu equivalent forour swan.
[FN#54] Properly Karnatak; karna in Sanskrit means an ear.
[FN#55] Danta in Sanskrit is a tooth.
[FN#56] Padma means a foot.
[FN#57] A common Hindu phrase equivalent to our " I manage toget on."
[FN#58] Meaning marriage maternity, and so forth.
[FN#59] Yama is Pluto; 'mother of Yama' is generally applied toan old scold.
[FN#60] Snake-land: the infernal region.
[FN#61] A form of abuse given to Durga, who was the mother ofGanesha (Janus); the latter had an elephant's head.
[FN#62] Unexpected pleasure, according to the Hindus, gives abristly elevation to the down of the body.
[FN#63] The Hindus banish " flasks,'' et hoc genus omne, fromthese scenes, and perhaps they are right.
[FN#64] The Pankha, or large common fan, is a leaf of theCorypha umbraculifera, with the petiole cut to the length of aboutfive feet, pared round the edges and painted to look pretty. It iswaved by the servant standing behind a chair.
[FN#65] The fabulous mass of precious stones forming the sacredmountain of Hindu mythology.
[FN#66] "I love my love with an 'S,' because he is stupid and notpyschological."
[FN#67] Hindu mythology has also its Cerberus, Trisisa, the "three headed " hound that attends dreadful Yama (Pluto)
[FN#68] Parceque c'est la saison des amours.
[FN#69] The police magistrate, the Catual of Camoens.
[FN#70] The seat of a Hindu ascetic.
[FN#71] The Hindu scriptures.
[FN#72] The Goddess of Prosperity.
[FN#73] In the original the lover is not blamed; this would be theHindu view of the matter; we might be tempted to think of the oldinjunction not to seethe a kid in the mother's milk.
[FN#74] In the original a "maina "-the Gracula religiosa.
[FN#75] As we should say, buried them.
[FN#76] A large kind of black bee, common in India.
[FN#77] The beautiful wife of the demigod Rama Chandra.
[FN#78] The Hindu Ars Amoris.
[FN#79] The old philosophers, believing in a " Sat " (xx xx),postulated an Asat (xx xx xx) and made the latter the root of theformer.
[FN#80] In Western India, a place celebrated for suicides.
[FN#81] Kama Deva. "Out on thee, foul fiend, talk'st thou ofnothing but ladies?"
[FN#82] The pipal or Ficus religiosa, a favourite roosting-placefor fiends.
[FN#83] India.
[FN#84] The ancient name of a priest by profession, meaning "praepositus " or praeses. He was the friend and counsellor of achief, the minister of a king, and his companion in peace and war.(M. Muller's Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 485).
[FN#85] Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity. Raj-Lakshmi wouldmean the King's Fortune, which we should call tutelary genius.Lakshichara is our " luckless," forming, as Mr. Ward says, anextraordinary coincidence of sound and meaning in languages sodifferent. But the derivations are very distinct.
[FN#86] The Monkey God.
[FN#87] Generally written "Banyan."
[FN#88] The daughter of Raja Janaka, married to Ramachandra.The latter placed his wife under the charge of his brotherLakshmana, and went into the forest to worship, when the demonRavana disguised himself as a beggar, and carried off the prize.
[FN#89] This great king was tricked by the god Vishnu out of thesway of heaven and earth, but from his exceeding piety he wasappointed to reign in Patala, or Hades.
[FN#90] The procession is fair game, and is often attacked in thedark with sticks and stones, causing serious disputes. At the supperthe guests confer the obligation by their presence, and areexceedingly exacting.
[FN#91] Rati is the wife of Kama, the God of Desire; and weexplain the word by "Spring personified."
[FN#92] The Indian Cuckoo (Cucuius Indicus). It is supposed tolay its eggs in the nest of the crow.
[FN#93] This is the well-known Ghi or Ghee, the one sauce ofIndia which is as badly off in that matter as England.
[FN#94] The European reader will observe that it is her puritywhich carries the heroine through all these perils. Moreover, thather :virtue is its own reward, as it loses to her the world.
[FN#95] Literally, "one of all tastes"--a wild or gay man, weshould say.
[FN#96] These shoes are generally made of rags and bits ofleather; they have often toes behind the foot, with other similarcontrivances, yet they scarcely ever deceive an experienced man.
[FN#97] The high-toper is a swell-thief, the other is a low dog.
[FN#98] Engaged in shoplifting.
[FN#99] The moon.
[FN#100] The judge.
[FN#101] To be lagged is to be taken; scragging is hanging.
[FN#102] The tongue.
[FN#103] This is the god Kartikeya, a mixture of Mars andMercury, who revealed to a certain Yugacharya the scripturesknown as "Chauriya-Vidya"--Anglice, "Thieves' Manual." Theclassical robbers of the Hindu drama always perform according toits precepts. There is another work respected by thieves and calledthe "Chora-Panchashila," because consisting of fifty lines.
[FN#104] Supposed to be a good omen.
[FN#105] Share the booty.
[FN#106] Bhawani is one of the many forms of the destroyinggoddess, the wife of Shiva.
[FN#107] Wretches who kill with the narcotic seed of thestramonium.
[FN#108] Better know as "Thugs," which in India means simply"rascals."
[FN#109] Crucifixion, until late years, was common amongst theBuddhists of the Burmese empire. According to an eye-witness,Mr. F. Carey, the puishment was inflicted in two ways. Sometimes criminals were crucified by their hands and feet beingnailed to a scaffold; others were merely tied up, and fed. In thesecases the legs and feet of the patient began to swell and mortify atthe expiration fo three or four days; men are said to have lived inthis state for a fortnight, and at last they expired from fatigue andmortification. The sufferings from cramp also must be verysevere. In India generally impalement was more common thancrucifixion.
[FN#110] Our Suttee. There is an admirable Hindu proverb,which says, "No one knows the ways of woman; she kill herhusband and becomes a Sati."
[FN#111] Fate and Destiny are rather Moslem than Hindu fancies.
[FN#112] Properly speaking, the husbandman should plough withnot fewer than four bullocks; but few can afford this. If he ploughwith a cow or a bullock, and not with a bull, the rice produced byhis ground is unclean, and may not be used in any religiousceremony.
[FN#113] A shout of triumph, like our "Huzza" or "Hurrah!" oflate degraded into "Hooray." "Hari bol" is of course religious,meaning "Call upon Hari!" i.e. Krishna, i.e. Vishnu.
[FN#114] This form of suicide is one of those recognized in India. So in Europe we read of fanatics who, with a suicidal ingenuity,have succeeded in crucifying themselves.
[FN#115] The river of Jaganath in Orissa; it shares the honours ofsanctity with some twenty-nine others, and in the lower regions itrepresents the classical Styx.
[FN#116] Cupid. His wife Rati is the spring personified. TheHindu poets always unite love and spring, and perhapsphysiologically they are correct.
[FN#117] An incarnation of the third person of the Hindu Triad,or Triumvirate, Shiva the God of Destruction, the Indian Bacchus.The image has five faces, and each face has three eyes. In Bengalit is found in many villages, and the women warn their children notto touch it on pain of being killed.
[FN#118] A village Brahman on stated occasions receives feesfrom all the villagers.
[FN#119] The land of Greece.
[FN#120] Savans, professors. So in the old saying, "Hanta, PanditSansara "--Alas! the world is learned! This a little antedates thewell-known schoolmaster.
[FN#121] Children are commonly sent to school at the age of five.Girls are not taught to read, under the common idea that they willbecome widows if they do.
[FN#122] Meaning the place of reading the four Shastras.
[FN#123] A certain goddess who plays tricks with mankind. If ason when grown up act differently from what his parents did,people say that he has been changed in the womb.
[FN#124] Shani is the planet Saturn, which has an exceedinglybaleful influence in India as elsewhere.
[FN#125] The Eleatic or Materialistic school of Hinduphilosophy, which agrees to explode an intelligent soparate FirstCause.
[FN#126] The writings of this school give an excellent view of the"progressive system," which has popularly been asserted to be amodern idea. But Hindu philosophy seems to have exhausted everyfancy that can spring from the brain of man.
[FN#127] Tama is the natural state of matter, Raja is passionacting upon nature, and Satwa is excellence These are the threegunas or qualities of matter.
[FN#128] Spiritual preceptors and learned men.
[FN#129] Under certain limitations, gambling is allowed hy Hindulaw and the winner has power over the person and property of theloser. No "debts of honour" in Hindustan!
[FN#130] Quotations from standard works on Hindu criminal law,which in some points at least is almost as absurd as our civilizedcodes.
[FN#131] Hindus carry their money tied up in a kind of sheet. whichis wound round the waist and thrown over the shoulder.
[FN#132] A thieves' manual in the Sanskrit tongue; it aspires to thedignity of a "Scripture."
[FN#133] All sounds, say the Hindus, are of similar origin, and theydo not die; if they did, they could not be remembered.
[FN#134] Gold pieces.
[FN#135] These are the qualifications specified by Hindu classicalauthorities as necessary to make a distinguished thief.
[FN#136] Every Hindu is in a manner born to a certain line of life,virtuous or vicious, honest or dishonest and his Dharma, or religiousduty, consists in conforming to the practice and the worship of hisprofession. The "Thug," for instance, worships Bhawani, who enableshim to murder successfully; and his remorse would arise fromneglecting to murder.
[FN#137] Hindu law sensibly punishes, in theory at least, for thesame offence the priest more severely than the layman--a hint for himto practice what he preaches.
[FN#138] The Hindu Mercury, god of rascals.
[FN#139] A penal offence in India. How is it that we English haveomitted to codify it? The laws of Manu also punish severely alldisdainful expressions, such as "tush" or "pish," addressed duringargument to a priest.
[FN#140] Stanzas, generally speaking, on serious subjects.
[FN#141] Whitlows on the nails show that the sufferer, in the lastlife, stole gold from a Brahman.
[FN#142] A low caste Hindu, who catches and exhibits snakes andperforms other such mean offices.
[FN#143] Meaning, in spite of themselves.
[FN#144] When the moon is in a certain lunar mansion, at theconclusion of the wet season.
[FN#145] In Hindustan, it is the prevailing wind of the hot weather.
[FN#146] Vishnu, as a dwarf, sank down into and secured in thelower regions the Raja Bali, who by his piety and prayerfulness wassubverting the reign of the lesser gods; as Ramachandra he built abridge between Lanka (Ceylon) and the main land; and as Krishna hedefended, by holding up a hill as an umbrella for them, his friends theshepherds and shepherdesses from the thunders of Indra, whoseworship they had neglected.
[FN#147] The priestly caste sprang, as has been said, from thenoblest part of the Demiurgus; the three others from lower members.
[FN#148] A chew of betel leaf and spices is offered by the master ofthe house when dismissing a visitor.
[FN#149] Respectable Hindus say that receiving a fee for a daughteris like selling flesh.
[FN#150] A modern custom amongst the low caste is for the brideand bridegroom, in the presence of friends, to place a flower garlandon each other's necks, and thus declare themselves man and wife. Theold classical Gandharva-lagan has been before explained.
[FN#151] Meaning that the sight of each other will cause a smile,and that what one purposes the other will consent to.
[FN#152] This would be the verdict of a Hindu jury.
[FN#153] Because stained with the powder of Mhendi, or theLawsonia inermis shrub.
[FN#154] Kansa's son: so called because the god Shiva, when struckby his shafts, destroyed him with a fiery glance.
[FN#155] "Great Brahman"; used contemptuously to priests whoofficiate for servile men. Brahmans lose their honour by thefollowing things: By becoming servants to the king; by pursuing anysecular business; by acting priests to Shudras (serviles); by officiatingas priests for a whole village; and by neglecting any part of the threedaily services. Many violate these rules; yet to kill a Brahman is stillone of the five great Hindu sins. In the present age of the world, theBrahman may not accept a gift of cows or of gold; of course hedespises the law. As regards monkey worship, a certain Rajah ofNadiya is said to have expended o10,000 in marrying two monkeyswith all the parade and splendour of the Hindu rite.
[FN#156] The celebrated Gayatri, the Moslem Kalmah.
[FN#157] Kama again.
[FN#158] From "Man," to think; primarily meaning, what makesman think.
[FN#159] The Cirrhadae of classical writers.
[FN#160] The Hindu Pluto; also called the Just King.
[FN#161] Yama judges the dead. whose souls go to him in fourhours and forty minutes; therefore a corpse cannot be burned till afterthat time. His residence is Yamalaya. and it is on the south side of theearth; down South, as we say. (I, Sam. xxv. 1, and xxx. 15). TheHebrews, like the Hindus, held the northern parts of the world to behigher than the southern. Hindus often joke a man who is seenwalking in that direction, and ask him where he is going.
[FN#162] The "Ganges," in heaven called Mandakini. I have no ideawhy we still adhere to our venerable corruption of the word.
[FN#163] The fabulous mountain supposed by Hindu geographersto occupy the centre of the universe.
[FN#164] The all-bestowing tree in Indra's Paradise which grantseverything asked of it. It is the Tuba of Al-Islam and is not unknownto the Apocryphal New Testament.
[FN#165] "Vikramaditya, Lord of the Saka." This is prevoyance onthe part of the Vampire; the king had not acquired the title.
[FN#166] On the sixth day after the child's birth, the god Vidhatawrites all its fate upon its forehead. The Moslems have a similar idea,and probably it passed to the Hindus.
[FN#167] Goddess of eloquence. "The waters of the Saraswati " isthe classical Hindu phrase for the mirage.
[FN#168] This story is perhaps the least interesting in the collection.I have translated it literally, in order to give an idea of the original.The reader will remark in it the source of our own nursery tale aboutthe princess who was so high born and delicately bred, that she coulddiscover the three peas laid beneath a straw mattress and four featherbeds. The Hindus, however, believe that Sybaritism can be carried sofar; I remember my Pandit asserting the truth of the story.
[FN#169] A minister. The word, as is the case with many in thiscollection, is quite modern Moslem, and anachronistic.
[FN#170] The cow is called the mother of the gods, and is declaredby Brahma, the first person of the triad, Vishnu and Shiva being thesecond and the third, to be a proper object of worship. "If a Europeanspeak to the Hindu about eating the flesh of cows," says an oldmissionary, "they immediately raise their hands to their ears; yetmilkmen, carmen, and farmers beat the cow as unmercifully as acarrier of coals beats his ass in England."The Jains or Jainas (from ji,to conquer; as subduing the passions) are one of the atheistical sectswith whom the Brahmans have of old carried on the fiercest religiouscontroversies, ending in many a sanguinary fight. Their tenets areconsequently exaggerated and ridiculed, as in the text. They believethat there is no such God as the common notions on the subject pointout, and they hold that the highest act of virtue is to abstain frominjuring sentient creatures. Man does not possess an immortal spirit:death is the same to Brahma and to a fly. Therefore there is noheaven or hell separate from present pleasure or pain. HinduEpicureans!--"Epicuri de grege porci."
[FN#171] Narak is one of the multitudinous places of Hindupunishment, said to adjoin the residence of Ajarna. The lesscultivated Jains believe in a region of torment. The illuminati,however, have a sovereign contempt for the Creator, for a futurestate, and for all religious ceremonies. As Hindus, however, theybelieve in future births of mankind, somewhat influenced by presentactions. The "next birth" in the mouth of a Hindu, we are told, is thesame as "to-morrow" in the mouth of a Christian. Themetempsychosis is on an extensive scale: according to some, a personwho loses human birth must pass through eight millions of successiveincarnationsŽfish, insects, worms, birds, and beastsŽbefore he canreappear as a man.
[FN#172] Jogi, or Yogi, properly applies to followers of the Yoga orPatanjala school, who by ascetic practices acquire power over theelements. Vulgarly, it is a general term for mountebank vagrants,worshippers of Shiva. The Janganis adore the same deity, and carryabout a Linga. The Sevras are Jain beggars, who regard their chiefsas superior to the gods of other sects. The Sannyasis are mendicantfollowers of Shiva; they never touch metals or fire, and. in religiousparlance, they take up the staff They are opposed to the Viragis,worshippers of Vishnu, who contend as strongly against theworshippers of gods who receive bloody offerings. as a Christiancould do against idolatry.
[FN#173] The Brahman, or priest, is supposed to proceed from themouth of Brahma, the creating person of the Triad; the Khshatriyas(soldiers) from his arms; the Vaishyas (enterers into business) fromhis thighs; and the Shudras, "who take refuge in the Brahmans," fromhis feet. Only high caste men should assume the thread at the age ofpuberty.
[FN#174] Soma. the moon, I have said, is masculine in India.
[FN#175] Pluto.
[FN#176] Nothing astonishes Hindus so much as the apparent wantof affection between the European parent and child.
[FN#177] A third marriage is held improper and baneful to a Hinduwoman. Hence. before the nuptials they betroth the man to a tree,upon which the evil expends itself, and the tree dies.
[FN#178] Kama
[FN#179] An oath. meaning, "From such a falsehood preserve me,Ganges!"
[FN#180] The Indian Neptune.
[FN#181] A highly insulting form of adjuration.
[FN#182] The British Islands--according to Wilford.
[FN#183] Literally the science (veda) of the bow (dhanush). Thisweapon, as everything amongst the Hindus, had a divine origin: itwas of three kinds--the common bow, the pellet or stone bow, and thecrossbow or catapult.
[FN#184] It is a disputed point whether the ancient Hindus did or didnot know the use of gunpowder.
[FN#185] It is said to have discharged balls, each 6,400 pounds inweight.
[FN#186] A kind of Mercury, a god with the head and wings of abird, who is the Vahan or vehicle of the second person of the Triad,Vishnu.
[FN#187] The celebrated burning springs of Baku, near the Caspian,are so called. There are many other "fire mouths."
[FN#188] The Hindu Styx.
[FN#189] From Yaksha, to eat; as Rakshasas are from Raksha, topreserve.--See Hardy's Manual of Buddhism, p. 57.
[FN#190] Shiva is always painted white, no one knows why. Hiswife Gauri has also a European complexion. Hence it is generallysaid that the sect popularly called "Thugs," who were worshippers ofthese murderous gods. spared Englishmen, the latter being supposedto have some rapport with their deities.
[FN#191] The Hindu shrine is mostly a small building, with twoinner compartments. the vestibule and the Garbagriha, or adytum, inwhich stands the image.
[FN#192] Meaning Kali of the cemetery (Smashana); another formof Durga.
[FN#193] Not being able to find victims, this pleasant deity, tosatisfy her thirst for the curious juice, cut her own throat that theblood might spout up into her mouth. She once found herself dancingon her husband, and was so shocked that in surprise she put out hertongue to a great length, and remained motionless. She is oftenrepresented in this form.
[FN#194] This ashtanga, the most ceremonious of the five forms ofHindu salutation, consists of prostrating and of making the eight partsof the body--namely, the temples, nose and chin, knees and hands--touch the ground.
[FN#195] "Sidhis," the personified Powers of Nature. At least, so weexplain them: but people do not worship abstract powers.
[FN#196] The residence of Indra, king of heaven, built by Wishwa-Karma, the architect of the gods.
[FN#197] In other words, to the present day, whenever a Hindunovelist, romancer, or tale writer seeks a peg upon which to suspendthe texture of his story, he invariably pitches upon the glorious, pious,and immortal memory of that Eastern King Arthur, Vikramaditya,shortly called Vikram.