The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
middle of the ocean, as if it were held by something. And when it did
not move, though the sea was propitiated with jewels, that merchant
Skandhadása being grieved, said this: "Whosoever releases this ship
of mine which is detained, to him I will give half of my own wealth
and my daughter." The resolute-souled Vidúshaka, when he heard that,
said, "I will descend into the water of the sea and search it, and
I will set free in a moment this ship of yours which is stopped: but
you must support me by ropes fastened round my body. And the moment
the ship is set free, you must draw me up out of the midst of the
sea by the supporting ropes." The merchant welcomed his speech with
a promise to do what he asked, and the steersmen bound ropes under
his armpits. Supported in that way Vidúshaka descended in the sea;
a brave man never desponds when the moment for action has arrived. So
taking in his hand the sword of the Fire-god, that came to him with
a thought, the hero descended into the midst of the sea under the
ship. And there he saw a giant asleep, and he saw that the ship was
stopped by his leg. So he immediately cut off his leg with his sword,
and at once the ship moved on freed from its impediment. [266] When
the wicked merchant saw that, he cut the ropes, by which Vidúshaka was
supported, through desire to save the wealth he had promised him; and
went swiftly to the other shore of the ocean vast as his own avarice,
in the ship which had thus been set free. Vidúshaka for his part,
being in the midst of the sea with the supporting ropes cut, rose to
the surface, and seeing how matters stood he calmly reflected for
a moment; "Why did the merchant do this? Surely in this case the
proverb is applicable; 'Ungrateful men blinded by desire of gain
cannot see a benefit.' Well, it is now high time for me to display
intrepidity, for if courage fails, even a small calamity cannot be
overcome." Thus he reflected on that occasion, and then he got astride
on the leg which he had cut off from the giant sleeping in the water,
and by its help he crossed the sea, as if with a boat, paddling with
his hands, for even destiny takes the part of men of distinguished
valour. Then a voice from heaven addressed that mighty hero, who had
come across the ocean, as Hanumán did for the sake of Ráma [267];
"Bravo, Vidúshaka! Bravo! who except thee is a man of valour? I am
pleased with this courage of thine: therefore hear this. Thou hast
reached a desolate coast here, but from this thou shalt arrive in
seven days at the city of Kárkotaka; then thou shalt pluck up fresh
spirits, and journeying quickly from that place, thou shalt obtain
thy desire. But I am the Fire, the consumer of the oblations to
gods and the spirits of deceased ancestors, whom thou didst before
propitiate: and owing to my favour thou shalt feel neither hunger
nor thirst,--therefore go prosperously and confidently;" having thus
spoken, the voice ceased. And Vidúshaka, when he heard that, bowed,
adoring the Fire-god, and set forth in high spirits, and on the
seventh day he reached the city of Kárkotaka. And there he entered a
monastery, inhabited by many noble Bráhmans from various lands, who
were noted for hospitality. It was a wealthy foundation of the king
of that place Áryavarman, and had annexed to it beautiful temples
all made of gold. There all of the Bráhmans welcomed him, and one
Bráhman took the guest to his chamber, and provided him with a bath,
with food and with clothing. And while he was living in the monastery,
he heard this proclamation being made by beat of drum in the evening;
"Whatever Bráhman or Kshatriya wishes to-morrow morning to marry
the king's daughter, let him spend a night in her chamber." When he
heard that, he suspected the real reason, and being always fond of
daring adventures, he desired immediately to go to the apartment
of the princess. Thereupon the Bráhmans of the monastery said to
him,--"Bráhman, do not be guilty of rashness. The apartment of the
princess is not rightly so called, rather is it the open mouth of
death, [268] for whoever enters it at night does not escape alive,
and many daring men have thus met their death there." In spite of
what these Bráhmans told him, Vidúshaka would not take their advice,
[269] but went to the palace of the king with his servants. There
the king Áryavarman, when he saw him, welcomed him in person, and
at night he entered the apartment of the king's daughter, looking
like the sun entering the fire. And he beheld that princess who
seemed by her appearance to be attached to him, for she looked at him
with tearful eye, and a sad look expressive of the grief produced by
utter despair. And he remained awake there all night gazing intently,
holding in his hand the sword of the Fire-god that came to him with
a thought. And suddenly he beheld at the entrance a very terrible
Rákshasa, extending his left hand because his right had been cut
off. And when he saw him, he said to himself; "Here is that very
Rákshasa, whose arm I cut off in the city of Paundravardhana. So
I will not strike at his arm again, lest he should escape me and
depart as before, and for this reason it is better for me to kill
him." Thus reflecting, Vidúshaka ran forward and seized his hair,
and was preparing to cut off his head, when suddenly the Rákshasa in
extreme terror said to him; "Do not slay me, you are brave, therefore
shew mercy." Vidúshaka let him go and said, "Who are you, and what are
you about here?" Then the Rákshasa, being thus questioned by the hero,
continued--"My name is Yamadanshtra, and I had two daughters, this is
one, and she who lives in Paundravardhana is another. And Siva favoured
me by laying on me this command; 'Thou must save the two princesses
from marrying any one who is not a hero.' While thus engaged I first
had an arm cut off at Paundravardhana, and now I have been conquered
by you here, so this duty of mine is accomplished." When Vidúshaka
heard this, he laughed, and said to him in reply; "It was I that
cut off your arm there in Paundravardhana." The Rákshasa answered
"Then you must be a portion of some divinity, not a mere man, I
think it was for your sake that Siva did me the honour of laying
that command upon me. So henceforth I consider you my friend, and
when you call me to mind I will appear to you to ensure your success
even in difficulties." In these words the Rákshasa Yamadanshtra out of
friendship chose him as a sworn brother, and when Vidúshaka accepted
his proposal, disappeared. Vidúshaka, for his part, was commended for
his valour by the princess, and spent the night there in high spirits;
and in the morning the king hearing of the incident and highly pleased,
gave him his daughter as the conspicuous banner of his valour together
with much wealth. Vidúshaka lived there some nights with her, as if
with the goddess of prosperity, bound so firmly by his virtue [270]
that she could not move a step. But one night he went off of his
own accord from that place, longing for his beloved Bhadrá, for who
that has tasted heavenly joys, can take pleasure in any other? And
after he had left the town, he called to mind that Rákshasa, and
said to him, who appeared the moment he called him to mind, and made
him a bow,--"My friend, I must go to the land of the Siddhas on the
Eastern mountain for the sake of the Vidyádharí named Bhadrá, so do
you take me there." The Rákshasa said--"Very good"--so he ascended
his shoulder, and travelled in that night over sixty yojanas of
difficult country; and in the morning he crossed the Sítodá, a river
that cannot be crossed by mortals, and without effort reached the
border of the land of the Siddhas. [271] The Rákshasa said to him;
"Here is the blessed mountain, called the mountain of the rising sun,
in front of you, but I cannot set foot upon it as it is the home
of the Siddhas." Then the Rákshasa being dismissed by him departed,
and there Vidúshaka beheld a delightful lake, and he sat down on the
bank of that lake beautiful with the faces of full-blown lotuses,
which, as it were, uttered a welcome to him with the hum of roaming
bees. And there he saw unmistakeable footsteps as of women, seeming to
say to him, this is the path to the house of your beloved. While he
was thinking to himself--"Mortals cannot set foot on this mountain,
therefore I had better stop here a moment, and see whose footsteps
these are"--there came to the lake to draw water many beautiful
women with golden pitchers in their hands. So he asked the women,
after they had filled their pitchers with water, in a courteous
manner; "For whom are you taking this water?" And those women said to
him--"Excellent Sir, a Vidyádharí of the name of Bhadrá is dwelling
on this mountain, this water is for her to bathe in." Wonderful to
say! Providence seeming to be pleased with resolute men, who attempt
mighty enterprises, makes all things subserve their ends. For one
of these women suddenly said to Vidúshaka; "Noble sir, please lift
this pitcher on to my shoulder." He consented and when he lifted the
pitcher on to her shoulder, the discreet man put into it the jewelled
ring he had before received from Bhadrá, [272] and then he sat down
again on the bank of that lake, while those women went with the water
to the house of Bhadrá. And while they were pouring over Bhadrá the
water of ablution, her ring fell into her lap. When Bhadrá saw it,
she recognized it and asked those friends of hers whether they had
seen any stranger about. And they gave her this answer; "We saw a
young mortal on the banks of the lake, and he lifted this pitcher
for us." Then Bhadrá said "Go and make him bathe and adorn himself,
and quickly bring him here, for he is my husband who has arrived in
this country." When Bhadrá had said this, her companions went and told
Vidúshaka the state of the case, and after he had bathed brought him
into her presence. And when he arrived, he saw after long separation
Bhadrá who was eagerly expecting him, like the ripe blooming fruit
of the tree of his own valour in visible form: she for her part rose
up when she saw him, and offering him the argha, [273] so to speak,
by sprinkling him with her tears of joy, she fastened her twining
arms round his neck like a garland. When they embraced one another,
the long accumulated affection [274] seemed to ooze from their limbs
in the form of sweat, owing to excessive pressure. Then they sat down,
and never satisfied with gazing at one another, they both, as it were,
endured the agony of longing multiplied a hundred-fold. Bhadrá then
said to Vidúshaka; "How did you come to this land?" And he thereupon
gave her this answer; "Supported by affection for thee, I came here
enduring many risks to my life, what else can I say, fair one?" When
she heard that, seeing that his love was excessive, as it caused him
to disregard his own life, Bhadrá said to him who through affection
had endured the utmost, "My husband, I care not for my friends, nor
my magic powers; you are my life, and I am your slave, my lord, bought
by you with your virtues." Then Vidúshaka said, "Then come with me to
live in Ujjayiní, my beloved, leaving all this heavenly joy." Bhadrá
immediately accepted his proposal, and gave up all her magic gifts,
(which departed from her the moment she formed that resolution,)
with no more regret than if they had been straw. Then Vidúshaka
rested with her there during that night, being waited on by her
friend Yogesvarí, and in the morning the successful hero descended
with her from the mountain of the sun-rise, and again called to
mind the Rákshasa Yamadanshtra; the Rákshasa came the moment he was
thought of, and Vidúshaka told him the direction of the journey he
had to take, and then ascended his shoulder, having previously placed