The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
from a lofty peak of the Himálayas and healed his wound. And then
he became obstinately persistent, and said to the Bráhman, who was
delighted at being healed, "Give me a second wound to cure, but if
you will not, I will do you an injury or destroy your body." When
the Bráhman heard that, he was terrified, and immediately said
to him to get rid of him--"I will give you another wound within
seven days." Whereupon the Pisácha left him, but the Bráhman felt
hopeless about his life. But eventually he baffled the Pisácha by
the help of his daughter, and having got over the disease, he lived
in happiness. [463]
"Such are Pisáchas, and some young princes are just like them,
and, though conciliated, produce misfortune, my friend, but they
can be guarded against by counsel. But princesses of good family
have never been heard to be such. So you must not expect any injury
from associating with me." When Somaprabhá heard from the mouth of
Kalingasená in due course this sweet, entertaining, and amusing tale,
she was delighted. And she said to her--"My house is sixty yojanas
distant hence, and the day is passing away; I have remained long,
so now I must depart, fair one." Then, as the lord of day was slowly
sinking to the eastern mountain, she took leave of her friend who was
eager for a second interview, and in a moment flew up into the air,
exciting the wonder of the spectators, and rapidly returned to her own
house. And, after beholding that wonderful sight, Kalingasená entered
into her house with much perplexity, and reflected, "I do not know,
indeed, whether my friend is a Siddha female, or an Apsaras, or a
Vidyádharí. She is certainly a heavenly female that travels through
the upper air. And heavenly females associate with mortal ones led
by excessive love. Did not Arundhatí live in friendship with the
daughter of king Prithu? Did not Prithu by means of her friendship
bring Surabhi from heaven to earth. And did not he by consuming its
milk return to heaven though he had fallen from it. And were not
thenceforth perfect cows born upon earth? So I am fortunate; it is by
good luck that I have obtained this heavenly creature as a friend;
and when she comes to-morrow I will dexterously as her her descent
and name." Thinking such thoughts in her heart, Kalingasená spent
that night there, and Somaprabhá spent the night in her own house
being eager to behold her again.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Then in the morning Somaprabhá took with her a basket, in which
she had placed many excellent mechanical dolls of wood with magic
properties in order to amuse her friend, and travelling through the
air she came again to Kalingasená. And when Kalingasená saw her,
she was full of tears of joy, and rising up she threw her arms
round her neck, and said to her, as she sat by her side--"The dark
night of three watches has this time seemed to me to be of a hundred
watches without the sight of the full moon of your countenance. So,
if you know, my friend, tell me of what kind may have been my union
with you in a former birth, of which this present friendship is
the result." When Somaprabhá heard this, she said to that princess:
"Such knowledge I do not possess, for I do not remember my former
birth; and hermits are not acquainted with this, but if any know,
they are perfectly acquainted with the highest truth, and they are the
original founders of the science by which it is attained." When she had
spoken thus, Kalingasená, being full of curiosity, again asked her in
private in a voice tender from love and confidence, "Tell me, friend,
of what divine father you have adorned the race by your birth, since
you are completely virtuous like a beautifully-rounded pearl. [464]
And what, auspicious one, is your name, that is nectar to the ears
of the world. What is the object of this basket? And what thing is
there in it?" On hearing this affectionate speech from Kalingasená,
Somaprabhá began to tell the whole story in due course.
"There is a mighty Asura of the name of Maya, famous in the three
worlds. And he, abandoning the condition of an Asura, fled to Siva
as his protector. And Siva having promised him security, he built
the palace of Indra. But the Daityas were angry with him, affirming
that he had become a partizan of the gods. Through fear of them he
made in the Vindhya mountains a very wonderful magic subterranean
palace, which the Asuras could not reach. My sister and I are the two
daughters of that Maya. My elder sister named Svayamprabhá follows a
vow of virginity, and lives as a maiden in my father's house. But I,
the younger daughter, named Somaprabhá, have been bestowed in marriage
on a son of Kuvera named Nadakúvara, and my father has taught me
innumerable magic artifices, and as for this basket, I have brought it
here to please you." Having said this, Somaprabhá opened the basket
and shewed to her some very interesting mechanical dolls constructed
by her magic, made of wood. One of them, on a pin in it being touched,
[465] went through the air at her orders and fetched a garland of
flowers and quickly returned. Another in the same way brought water
at will; [466] another danced, and another then conversed. With such
very wonderful contrivances Somaprabhá amused Kalingasená for some
time, and then she put that magic basket in a place of security,
and taking leave of her regretful friend, she went, being obedient to
her husband, through the air to her own palace. But Kalingasená was
so delighted that the sight of these wonders took away her appetite,
and she remained averse to all food. And when her mother perceived
that, she feared she was ill; however a physician named Ánanda having
examined the child, told her mother that there was nothing the matter
with her. He said, "She has lost her appetite through delight at
something, not from disease; for her countenance, which appears to
be laughing, with eyes wide open, indicates this." When she heard
this report from the physician, the girl's mother asked her the real
cause of her joy; and the girl told her. Then her mother believed
that she was delighted with the society of an eligible friend, and
congratulated her, and made her take her proper food.
Then the next day Somaprabhá arrived, and having found out what had
taken place, she proceeded to say to Kalingasená in secret, "I told
my husband, who possesses supernatural knowledge, that I had formed
a friendship with you, and obtained from him, when he knew the facts,
permission to visit you every day. So you must now obtain permission
from your parents, in order that you may amuse yourself with me at
will without fear." When she had said this, Kalingasená took her by
the hand, and immediately went to her father and mother, and there
introduced her friend to her father, king Kalingadatta, proclaiming
her descent and name, and in the same way she introduced her to her
mother Tárádattá, and they, on beholding her, received her politely
in accordance with their daughter's account of her. And both those
two, pleased with her appearance, hospitably received that beautiful
wife of the distinguished Asura out of love for their daughter, and
said to her--"Dear girl, we entrust this Kalingasená to your care,
so amuse yourselves together as much as you please." And Kalingasená
and Somaprabhá having gladly welcomed this speech of theirs, went
out together. And they went, in order to amuse themselves, to a
temple of Buddha built by the king. And they took there that basket
of magic toys. Then Somaprabhá took a magic Yaksha, and sent it on
a commission from herself to bring the requisites for the worship of
Buddha. That Yaksha went a long distance through the sky, and brought
a multitude of pearls, beautiful gems, and golden lotuses. Having
performed worship with these, Somaprabhá exhibiting all kinds of
wonders, displayed the various Buddhas with their abodes. When the
king Kalingadatta heard of that, he came with the queen and beheld it,
and then asked Somaprabhá about the magic performance. Then Somaprabhá
said, "King, these contrivances of magic machines, and so on, were
created in various ways by my father in old time. And even as this
vast machine, called the world, consists of five elements, so do all
these machines: I will describe them one by one. That machine, in
which earth predominates, shuts doors and things of the kind. Not even
Indra would be able to open what had been shut with it. The shapes
produced by the water-machine appear to be alive. But the machine
in which fire predominates, pours forth flames. And the wind-machine
performs actions, such as going and coming. And the machine produced
from ether utters distinct language. All these I obtained from my
father, but the wheel-machine, which guards the water of immortality,
my father knows and no one else." While she was saying this, there
arose the sound of conchs being blown in the middle of the day, that
seemed to confirm her words. Then she entreated the king to give her
the food that suited her, and taking Kalingasená as a companion, by
permission of the king she set out through the air for her father's
house in a magic chariot, to return to her elder sister. And quickly
reaching that palace, which was situated in the Vindhya mountains,
she conducted her to her sister Svayamprabhá. There Kalingasená saw
that Svayamprabhá with her head encircled with matted locks, with a
long rosary, a nun clothed in a white garment, smiling like Párvatí,
in whom love, the highest joy of earth, had undertaken a severe vow
of mortification. And Svayamprabhá, when the princess, introduced by
Somaprabhá, kneeled before her, received her hospitably and entertained
her with a meal of fruits. And Somaprabhá said to the princess: 'My
friend, by eating these fruits, you will escape old age which otherwise
would destroy this beauty, as the nipping cold does the lotus: and it
was with this object that I brought you here out of affection.' Then
that Kalingasená ate those fruits, and immediately her limbs seemed
to be bathed in the water of life. And roaming about there to amuse
herself, she saw the garden of the city, with tanks filled with golden
lotuses, and trees bearing fruit as sweet as nectar: the garden was
full of birds of golden and variegated plumage, and seemed to have
pillars of bright gems; it conveyed the idea of walls where there
was no partition, and where there were partitions, of unobstructed
space. Where there was water, it presented the appearance of dry land,
and where there was dry land, it bore the semblance of water. It
resembled another and a wonderful world, created by the delusive
power of the Asura Maya. It had been entered formerly by the monkeys
searching for Sítá, which, after a long time, were allowed to come
out by the favour of Svayamprabhá. So Svayamprabhá bade her adieu,
after she had been astonished with a full sight of her wonderful
city, and had obtained immunity from old age; and Somaprabhá making
Kalingasená ascend the chariot again, took her through the air to
her own palace in Takshasilá. There Kalingasená told the whole story
faithfully to her parents, and they were exceedingly pleased.
And while those two friends spent their days in this way, Somaprabhá
once upon a time said to Kalingasená: "As long as you are not married,
I can continue to be your friend, but after your marriage, how could
I enter the house of your husband? For a friend's husband ought never
to be seen or recognised [467]; * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As for a mother-in-law she eats the flesh of a daughter-in-law as
a she-wolf does of a sheep. And à propos of this, hear the story of
Kírtisená which I am about to tell you."
Story of Kírtisená and her cruel mother-in-law. [468]
Long ago there lived in the city of Pátaliputra a merchant named,