Hindoo Tales | Page 2

ADVENTURES OF APAHÂRAVARMA.
ADVENTURES OF UPAHÂRAVARMA.
ADVENTURES OF ARTHAPÂLA.
ADVENTURES OF PRAMATI.

ADVENTURES OF MITRAGUPTA.
ADVENTURES OF MANTRAGUPTA.
ADVENTURES OF VISRUTA.
LITERAL TRANSLATIONS.
PROPER NAMES OCCURRING IN THE TALES.

There was formerly, in the most fertile part of India, a city called
Pushpapuri, the capital of Magadha, magnificent as a mine of jewels,
abounding in every kind of wealth, surpassing all other cities in
splendour and prosperity.
The sovereign of this city and country was Râjahansa, whose armies
were formidable with countless elephants and horses, whose glory was
unsullied as the moon in a cloudless sky, or the plumage of the swan,
and whose fame was sung even by celestial minstrels. Though a terror
to his enemies, he was beloved by all his subjects, and especially by the
learned and pious brahmans, who were continually employed in prayers
and sacrifices to the gods, for the welfare of the king and his people.
The queen Vasumati was worthy of such a husband. She was of high
birth and of a sweet temper, and so great was her beauty that it seemed
as if the god of love had formed her for his own special delight, by
uniting in her single person everything that is most beautiful in the
world.
Among the king's counsellors were three appointed to the highest
offices of state, men of great probity and intelligence, who had been
long in his father's service and enjoyed his entire confidence. Their
names were, Dharmapâla, Padmodbhava, and Sitavarma.
The first of these had three sons, Sumantra, Sumittra, and Kâmapâla;
the second, two, Susruta and Ratnodbhava; and the last had also two,
Sumati and Satyavarma.

Of these sons the last-mentioned renounced worldly cares and
employments, devoted himself to religious meditation, and leaving
home as a pilgrim, travelled into many countries in order to visit the
holy places which they contained.
Kâmapâla was of an opposite character; he thought only of present
pleasure, frequented the company of gamblers and harlots, and roamed
about the world seeking amusement and dissipation.
Ratnodbhava became a merchant, and in the way of traffic made many
long journeys by land and sea. The other sons, after their fathers' death,
succeeded to their offices, according to the custom of the country.
When Râjahansa had reigned some years, war broke out between him
and the king of the adjoining country of Mâlwa, the haughty and
ambitious Mânasâra, whom he marched to encounter with a numerous
army, making the earth tremble with the tread of his elephants, and
disturbing even the dwellers in the sky with the clang of kettledrums
louder than the roar of the stormy ocean.
Both armies were animated by equal rage, and terrible was the battle;
the ground where they met was first turned to dust by the wheels of the
chariots and the trampling of men and beasts, and then into mud
through the streams of blood which flowed from the slain and
wounded.
At last Râjahansa was victorious, the enemy was completely defeated,
their king taken prisoner, and all Mâlwa lay open to the conqueror. He,
however, having no wish to enlarge his dominions, released his
prisoner on very easy terms, and returning to Pushpapuri, thought only
of governing his own kingdom in peace, not expecting after such
generous treatment any further trouble from his ambitious neighbour.
Though prosperous and happy in every other respect, the King of
Magadha had one great cause of sorrow and anxiety--he had no son to
succeed him. Therefore, at this time he made many prayers and
offerings to Nârâyana the Creator of the World, who, having been thus
propitiated, signified to the queen in a dream that she would bear a son;
and not long afterwards her husband was gratified by the news of her

pregnancy.
When the proper time arrived the king celebrated the ceremony called
Simanta[1] with great magnificence, and invited several of the
neighbouring kings to be present on the occasion; among them was the
King of Mithila, with his queen, a great friend of Vasumati--to
congratulate whom she had accompanied her husband.
One day after this, when the king was sitting in council with his
ministers, he was informed that a certain venerable Yati was desirous to
see him. On his admission the king perceived that he was one of his
secret emissaries; dismissing, therefore, the rest of the counsellors, he
withdrew to a private apartment, followed by one or two of his most
confidential ministers and the supposed Yati. He, bowing down to the
ground, said in answer to the king's inquiry, "In order the better to
perform your Majesty's commands, I have adopted this safe disguise,
and have resided for some time in the capital of Mâlwa, from whence I
now bring very important news. The haughty Mânasâra, brooding over
his defeat, unmindful of your