Simhasanadvatrimshika 27.p1

27.p1

punar api rājā yāvat siṃhāsana upaveṣṭuṃ prayatate, tāvad anyā puttalikā bhaṇati. bho rājan, yasya vikramasyau 'dāryādayo guṇā bhavanti, so 'smin siṃhāsana upaveṣṭuṃ kṣamaḥ. bhojeno 'ktam. bhoḥ puttalike, kathaya tasyau 'dāryādiguṇavṛttāntam. sā 'bravīt: śrūyatāṃ rājan. vikramārko rājā prthivīparyaṭanārthaṃ nagarān nagaram ekam agamat. tatratye rājāno 'tīvadhārmikāḥ śrutismṛtivihitānuṣṭhānatatparās tatrasthitān brāhmaṇādicaturvarṇān samyak paripālayanti; sarvo 'pi lokaḥ sadācārarato 'tithipriyo dayāparaś ca. rājā vikramas tatra pañca dināni sthāsyāmī 'ti kaṃcid atimanoharaṃ devālayaṃ gatvā devaṃ namaskṛtya raṅgamaṇḍapa upaviṣṭaḥ. tatrāntare kaścid rājakumāra ivā 'timanohararūpo dukūlavastradharo nānālaṃkaraṇālaṃkṛtaḥ karpūrakuṅkumāgarumṛgamadādisugandhamilitacandanaliptatanur veśyābhiḥ saha tatrā 'gatas tābhiḥ saha nānāvidhakāmakathāprastāvavinodādikaṃ vidhāya punas tābhiḥ saha nirgataḥ. rājā 'pi taṃ dṛṣṭvā ko 'yam iti vicārayan sthitaḥ. tato dvitīyadivase sa ekākī dīnavadano vastrādirahitaḥ kaupīnamātraśeṣaḥ samāgatya devālayaraṅgamaṇḍape papāta. rājā taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhaṇati: bho devadatta, pūrvedyus tvaṃ vastrālaṃkaraṇādyalaṃkṛtaśarīro 'si rājakumāra iva veśyābhiḥ sevyamāno 'tra samāgataḥ; adya katham īdṛśakaṣṭadaśāṃ prāpto 'si? teno 'ktam: bhoḥ svāmin, kim etad ucyate? ahaṃ pūrvedyus tathai 'va sthitaḥ; idānīṃ daivayogād evaṃ tiṣṭhāmi. tathā hi:

When the king once more attempted to mount the throne, another statue said: “O king, he who has the magnanimity and other virtues of Vikrama may mount upon this throne.” Bhoja said: “O statue, tell me a tale of his magnanimity and other virtues.” And she said: “Hear, O king.

King Vikramārka went forth from his city to travel about the earth, and came to a certain city. The princes of this place were very righteous, and devoted to performing the prescriptions of the sacred word and learned tradition; and they gave complete protection to the brahmans and the others, the four castes of the place. And all the people were righteous in conduct, hospitable, and full of compassion. King Vikrama thought: “I will stay here five days.” And he went into a certain very beautiful temple, where he paid his respects to the god and sat in the assembly pavilion. At that time a certain man came in there, in appearance as handsome as a king’s son, clad in garments of dukūla [a very fine cloth], adorned with many ornaments, his body anointed with sandalwood mixt with various perfumes such as camphor, saffron, aloe, musk, and the like, and attended by harlots. And after amusing himself in company with them with various love-tales, eulogistic odes, and such pastimes, he went out again in their company. And the king, when he had seen him, sat wondering who he might be. Then on the next day the same man came in alone, with dejected countenance, stript of his garments and so forth and clad only in a loin-cloth, and threw himself upon the ground of the assembly-pavilion of the temple. And seeing him the king said: “Sir, whoever you are [‘Devadatta’; cf. page 156, line 17], yesterday you came in here with your body adorned with garments and ornaments and so on, like a king’s son, and attended by harlots; how is it that today you have come into such a wretched plight?” He replied: “My lord, why do you speak thus? Yesterday I was even as you say, and now by the power of fate I am become as I am. For thus it is said: