Simhasanadvatrimshika 26.p4

26.p4

tadanantaram indreṇa surabhir bhaṇitā: tvaṃ martyalokaṃ gatvā vikramasya dayāparopakārādīn guṇān niścitya mama nivedaya. tataḥ surabhir atyantadurbalagorūpaṃ dhṛtvā martyalokaṃ gatā, yāvad vikramārko mārge samāyāti, tāvat svayaṃ tatrā 'tyantadustare paṅke nimagnā satī rājānaṃ dṛṣṭvā kātaraṃ śabdaṃ cakāra. rājā 'pi tatsamīpam āgatya yadā paśyati, tadā 'tisaṃkīrṇe dustara- pañke nimagnā 'sīt. tatsamīpe vyāghraḥ kaścit samupaviṣṭo 'sti. rājā tāṃ gām utthāpayati, sā no 'ttiṣṭhati. sūryo 'py astaṃgataḥ. rātrau vṛṣṭir lagnā. so 'pi tāṃ gām anāthāṃ rakṣaṃs tatrai 'va sthitaḥ. tataḥ sūryodayo jātaḥ. gaur api rājño dayādhairyādiguṇān nirīkṣya svayam evo 'tthitā rājānam avadat: bho rājan, ahaṃ surabhidhenus tava dayādiguṇān avalokayituṃ svargāt samāgatā. tarhi pratyayo dṛṣṭaḥ; tvatsadṛśo rājā dayāparo bhūtale nā 'sti. ahaṃ prasannā 'smi; varaṃ vṛṇīṣva. rājñā bhaṇitam: tvatprasādān mayi nyūnatā nā 'sti; kiṃ mayā prārthyate? tayo 'ktam: mama vāk kathaṃ niṣphalā bhavati? tarhy ahaṃ tava samīpa eva tiṣṭhāmī 'ti rājñā saha nirgatā. tato rājā yāvat tayā saha rājamārgaṃ gacchati, tāvad brāhmaṇaḥ kaścid āgatya:

And when Vikramārka came along the road, she was sunk into an impassable swamp there; and seeing the king she cried out piteously. But the king went up to her and lookt, and saw that she was sunk in a very difficult and impassable swamp; and a tiger had come up near to her. The king strove to pull the cow out, but she did not come forth. And the sun set; and at night a rain fell. He however remained on the spot, guarding the helpless cow. Finally the sun arose, and the cow, having made proof of the king’s compassion, firmness, and other virtues, came forth (from the swamp) of her own accord, and said to the king: “O king, I am the Cow of Wishes, come from heaven to make trial of your compassion and other virtues. Now I have seen the proof of them; there is no king on earth so full of compassion as you. I am propitiated; choose a wish.” The king said: “By your grace I am in need of nothing; what is there for me to ask?” She said: “It is impossible that my words should bear no fruit. So I will remain in your very presence.” So she went along with the king. Now when the king came to the highway with her, a certain brahman came up, and first recited a blessing: 5. “Frightened by the war-god’s peacock, who was summoned by the sounds of the tambourine joyously struck by Nandi at the dance of the Club-bearer [Çiva], the serpent-king [Vāsuki] contracted his coils and crept into the nostril of Gaṇeça;