The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
thy essence, as at the end of the day a flock of birds enters the
great tree in which they dwell. Thou flashest forth, and createst
these lords of the world, who are parts of thee, as the ocean,
disturbed with a continual flow, creates waves. Though the world
is thy form, thou art formless; though the world is thy handiwork,
thou art free from the bondage of works; though thou art the support
of the world, thou art thyself without support; who is he that knows
thy real nature? The gods have obtained various stages of prosperity
by being looked upon by thee with a favourable eye; so be propitious,
and look upon me, thy suppliant, with an eye melting with love."
When Naraváhanadatta had in these words praised Vishnu, the god
looked upon him with a favourable eye, and said to Nárada: "Go and
demand back from Indra in my name those lovely Apsarases of mine,
who long ago sprang from the sea of milk, and whom I deposited in his
hand, and make them mount the chariot of Indra, and quickly bring them
here." When Nárada received this command from Hari, he said "So be it,"
and with Mátali he brought the Apsarases from Indra in his chariot,
and then bowing he presented the Apsarases to Vishnu, and the Holy
one spake thus to the son of the king of Vatsa--"Naraváhanadatta,
I give these Apsarases to thee, the future emperor of the kings
of the Vidyádharas. Thou art a fitting husband for them, and they
are fitting wives for thee, for thou hast been created by Siva as
an incarnation of the god of Love." When Vishnu said that, the son
of the king of Vatsa fell at his feet, delighted at having obtained
favour, and Vishnu thus commanded Mátali,--"Let this Naraváhanadatta,
together with the Apsarases, be taken back by thee to his palace,
by whatever path he desires."
When the Holy one gave this command, Naraváhanadatta, with the
Apsarases and those sons of gods who invited him, mounted the chariot
which was driven by Mátali, and went to the island of Nárikela, being
envied even by gods. There the successful hero, honoured by those four
sons of gods, Rúpasiddhi and his brethren, and accompanied by Indra's
chariot, sported in succession on those four mountains on which they
dwelt, Maináka, Vrishabha, and the others, that vied with heaven,
in the company of those Apsarases. And he roamed, full of joy, in
the thickets of their pleasure-grounds, the various splendid trees
of which were in blossom on account of the arrival of the month of
spring. And those sons of gods said to him: "See! these clusters on
the trees seem to be regarding with the expanded eyes of their open
flowers their beloved spring that has arrived. See! the full-blown
lotuses shield the lake, as if to prevent their place of birth from
being afflicted by the warmth of the sun's rays. See! the bees,
after resorting to a Karnikára splendid with blossoms, leave it
again, finding it destitute of perfume, as good men leave a rich man
of mean character. See! a concert is being held in honour of spring,
the king of the seasons, with the songs of the Kinnarís, the notes of
the cuckoos, and the humming of bees." With such words those sons of
gods shewed Naraváhanadatta the range of their pleasure-grounds. And
the son of the king of Vatsa amused himself also in their cities,
beholding the merry-makings of the citizens, who danced without
restraint in honour of the spring-festival. And he enjoyed with the
Apsarases delights fitted for gods; wherever the virtuous go, their
good fortunes precede them.
After remaining there for four days thus occupied, Naraváhanadatta said
to those sons of gods his friends; "I now wish to go to my own city,
being anxious to behold my father; [748] so come you also to that
city and bless it with a visit." When they heard that, they said:
"We have seen you, the choicest jewel in that town; what more do we
require? But when you have obtained the sciences of the Vidyádharas,
you must not forget us." With these words they dismissed him, and
Naraváhanadatta said to Mátali, who brought him the splendid chariot
of Indra; "Take me to the city of Kausámbí by a course leading
past that lovely lake, on the bank of which I left Gomukha and the
others." Mátali consented, and the prince ascended the chariot with
the Apsarases, and reached that lake, and saw Gomukha and the others,
and said to them, "Come quickly by your own way, I will tell you
all when I get home." Having said this, he went to Kausámbí in the
chariot of Indra. There he descended from heaven, and dismissed Mátali
after honouring him, and entered his own palace accompanied by those
Apsarases. And leaving them there, he went and prostrated himself
before the feet of his father, who was delighted at his arrival,
and also of Vásavadattá and Padmávatí, and they welcomed him,
and their eyes were never satisfied with gazing on him. And in the
meanwhile Gomukha came, riding on the chariot, with the charioteer,
and that Bráhman Pralambabáhu. Then, being questioned by his father,
Naraváhanadatta related in the presence of all his ministers his very
wonderful adventures. And all said--"God grants to that virtuous man,
whom he wishes to favour, association with good friends." When all
said this, the king was pleased, and ordered a festival for his son on
account of the favour which Vishnu had shewed towards him. And he and
his wives saw those Apsarases his daughters-in-law, obtained by the
favour of Vishnu, whom Gomukha brought to fall at his feet, Devarupá,
and Devarati, and Devamálá, and the fourth Devapriyá, whose names
he enquired by the mouth of their maids. And the city of Kausámbí,
making festival, appeared as if scattering red paint with its waving
scarlet banners, as much as to say: "What am I that Apsarases should
dwell in me? Blessed am I that the prince Naraváhanadatta has made me a
heavenly city upon earth." And Naraváhanadatta, after he had rejoiced
the eyes of his father, visited his other wives, who were anxiously
awaiting him, and they, who had been emaciated by those four days,
as if they were four years, exulted, relating the various woes of
their separation. And Gomukha described the valour of Pralambabáhu,
while he was protecting the horses during their sojourn in the forest,
in killing lions and other noxious beasts. Thus listening to pleasing
unrestrained conversation, and contemplating the beauty of his beloved
ones, that was as nectar to his eyes, and making flattering speeches,
and drinking wine in the company of his ministers, Naraváhanadatta
passed that time there in happiness.
Once on a time, as he was in the apartments of Alankáravatí with his
ministers, he heard a loud sound of drums outside. Then he said to his
general Harisikha: "What may be the cause of this sudden great noise of
drums outside?" When Harisikha heard this, he went out, and entering
again immediately said to the prince, the son of the king of Vatsa;
"There is in this town a merchant of the name of Rudra, and he went
to the island of Suvarnadvípa on a mercantile expedition. As he was
returning, the hoard of wealth, that he had managed to acquire, was
lost, being sunk in the sea by his ship foundering. And he himself
happened to escape from the sea alive. And to-day is the sixth day
since he arrived in misery at his own house. After he had been living
here for some days in distress, it happened that he found a great
treasure in his garden. And the king of Vatsa heard of it from his
relations, so the merchant came to-day and represented the matter to
the king; saying--'I have obtained four crores of gold pieces with
a multitude of valuable jewels, so, if the king commands me, I will
hand them over.' The king of Vatsa thereupon gave this command to the
merchant--'Who that had any sense, [749] after seeing you in distress,
plundered by the sea, would plunder you again, now that you have been
supplied with wealth by the mercy of Providence. Go and enjoy at will
the wealth obtained from your own ground.' The merchant fell at the
king's feet full of joy, and it is this very man that is now returning
to his house, with his attendants beating drums." When Harisikha said
this, Naraváhanadatta praised the justice of his father, and said in
astonishment to his ministers--"If Destiny sometimes takes away wealth,
does she not sometimes afterwards give it. She sports in a strange
way with the raising and depressing of men." When Gomukha heard that,
he said--"Such is the course of Destiny! And in proof of this, hear
the story of Samudrasúra."
Story of the merchant Samudrasúra.
In old times there was a splendid city, belonging to the king
Harshavarman, called Harshapura, the citizens of which were made
happy by good government. In this city there was a great merchant,
named Samudrasúra; he was of good family, just, of resolute courage,
a lord of much wealth. He was once compelled by his business to go
to Suvarnadvípa, and reaching the shore of the sea, he embarked on
a ship. As he was travelling over the sea, when his journey was very
nearly at an end, a terrible cloud arose and a wind that agitated the
deep. The wind tossed the ship about with the violence of the waves,
and it was struck by a sea-monster and split asunder; and then the
merchant, girding up his loins, plunged into the sea. And after the
brave man had made some way by swimming, he found the corpse of a man
long dead, driven hither and thither by the wind. And he climbed up
on the corpse, and skilfully paddling himself along with his arms,
he was carried to Suvarnadvípa by a favourable wind. There he got
off that corpse on to the sand, and he perceived that it had a cloth
tied round its loins, with a knot in it. When he unfastened the cloth
from its loins, and examined it, he found inside it a necklace richly
studded with jewels. He saw that it was of inestimable value, and he
bathed and remained in a state of great felicity, thinking that the
wealth he had lost in the sea was but straw in comparison with it. Then
he went on to a city called Kalasapura, and with the bracelet in his
hand, entered the enclosure of a great temple. There he sat in the
shade, and being exceedingly tired with his exertions in the water,
he slowly dropped off to sleep, bewildered by Destiny. And while
he was asleep, the policemen came and saw that necklace in his hand
exposed to view. They said--"Here is the necklace stolen from the neck
of the princess Chakrasená; without doubt this is the thief." And so
they woke the merchant up and took him to the palace. There the king
himself questioned him, and he told him what had taken place. The king
held out the necklace, and said to the people present in court,--"This
man is speaking falsely; he is a thief, look at this necklace." And
at that very moment a kite saw it glittering, and quickly swooping
down from heaven, carried off the necklace, and disappeared where he
could not be traced. Then the king, in his anger, commanded that the
merchant should be put to death, and he, in great grief, invoked the
protection of Siva. Then a voice was heard from heaven--"Do not put
this man to death: he is a respectable merchant named Samudrasúra
from the city of Harshapura, that has landed on your territory. The
thief, who stole the necklace, fled, beside himself with fear of the
police, and falling into the sea at night, perished. But this merchant
here, when his ship foundered, came upon the body of that thief,
and climbing up on it, he crossed the sea and came here. And then he
found the necklace in the knot of the cloth fastened round his loins;
he did not take it from your house. So let go, king, this virtuous
merchant, who is not a thief; dismiss him with honour." Having said
this, the voice ceased. When the king heard this, he was satisfied,
and revoking the capital sentence passed on the merchant, he honoured