Simhasanadvatrimshika 14.p8

14.p8

yogino 'ktam: kathaṃ cai 'tat? rājā 'bravīt: asty uttaradeśe nandivardhanaṃ nāma nagaram. tatra rājaśekharo nāma rājā rājyaṃ karoti sma. sa devadvijabhaktiparāyaṇo 'tīvadhārmikaḥ. ekadā tasya dāyādāḥ sarve samāgatya tena saha niyudhya rājyaṃ gṛhītvā sapatnīkaṃ taṃ nirāsiṣuḥ. sa rājā patnyā putreṇa ca saha deśāntaraṃ gataḥ, kasyacin nagarasyo 'pavanaṃ gataḥ. tataḥ sūryo 'staṃgataḥ. svaputreṇa patnyā ca samanvito vaṭavṛkṣamūlaṃ gata upaviṣṭaḥ. tasmin vṛkṣe pañca pakṣiṇa āsan. te parasparaṃ vadanti; tata ekeno 'ktam: asmin nagare rājā mṛtaḥ, tasya saṃtatir nā 'sti. ko vā rājā bhaviṣyati? dvitīyeno 'ktam: asya vaṭavṛkṣasya mūle yo rājā tiṣṭhati, tasya rājyaṃ bhaviṣyati. anyair uktam: tathā 'stu. rājā 'pi paksiṇāṃ vākyaṃ śṛṇoti. tataḥ sūryodayo jātaḥ, sarvo 'pi janaḥ svasvavihitaṃ karma kartuṃ pravṛttaḥ. rājā 'pi saṃdhyākarma kṛtvā sūryārghyaṃ dattvā:

In the north-country there was a city named Nandivardhana, in which a king named Rājaçekhara held sway. He was devoted to the service of the gods and brahmans, and was very pious. One time his heirs all banded together and made war on him, and took away his kingdom, and drove him and his consort into exile. So this king together with his wife and son went into a far country, and came to a grove near a certain city. And when the sun set he went and sat under a banyan tree, with his wife and son. In this tree there were five birds [see our Composite Outline, 14, note 6, page lxxxvi]. And as they were talking to one another, one of them said: “In this city the king has died, leaving no offspring. Now who shall become king?” Another said: “The kingship shall go to this king who is under the banyan tree.” The others said: “So be it.” Now the king heard what the birds had said. Then the sun arose, and all people set about their various daily tasks. And the king too, when he had performed the morning ceremonies, made an offering to the sun and paid homage to the sun with this verse: 7. “Homage to the youthful Sun, the eye of the world, who causes the lotuses to bud; the granter of fortune, the destroyer of darkness, the giver of all desires to his devotees.” And as he was then going towards the town, a garland-crowned she-elephant, which the ministers had set loose to find a king, saw the king, and placed the garland on his neck, and set him on her back, and took him to the royal palace. So all the ministers assembled and performed the coronation, and Rājaçekhara was establisht as king in the country. One time all his rival kings banded together and came to the city to destroy Rājaçekhara. Now at this time the king was playing at dice with his queen. And the queen said: “My lord, why do you sit silent? The city is invested by hostile kings, and in the morning they are like to take the city and us too. This is the way the matter appears. So take some active steps.” To this the king replied: “Fair one, why exert myself? If fate is favorable, everything will be done of itself; and if fate is unfavorable, of itself it will be lost. Haven’t you learned by experience? Fate alone is the ultimate cause of success or failure; there is no other. And it is said: 8. A snake lay squeezed tight in a box; its senses were numb from hunger, and it had lost all hope, when a mouse ate a hole thru the box by night and fell of itself into the snake’s mouth. Refresht by the flesh of the mouse, the snake quickly made its way out by the same road, and was saved. For fate alone is the final cause of success or destruction. And again: 9. That which is defenseless shall stand if fate defend it; that which is well defended shall be destroyed if fate smites it. A helpless man turned loose in the forest shall live, while another after taking the greatest precautions shall die in his own house. He who gave me the kingdom as I stood under the tree has shouldered the responsibility.” Then this (deity) reflected: “Behold, this king, putting trust in me thus, has left the care of his kingdom in my hands. Now then it will be a great wrong if I do not bestir myself for him.” With this in mind the deity assumed a terrible form and overthrew all the hostile kings. After this King Rājaçekhara ruled his kingdom without annoyance.