Simhasanadvatrimshika 3.p9

3.p9

tasmāt sarvathā mayā 'gantavyam eva. tarhi mamā 'pi prayojanam asti. tasmai rājñe 'mūlyāni catvāri ratnāni dāsyāmi. eteṣāṃ māhātmyam: ekaṃ ratnaṃ yad vastu smaryate tad vastu dadāti. dvitīyaratnena bhakṣyabhojyādikam amṛtakalpam utpādyate. tṛtīyaratnād dhastyaśvarathapadātiyuktaṃ caturaṅgabalāni prabhavati. caturthād ratnād divyavastrābharaṇāni jāyante. tad etāni ratnāni gṛhītvā rājño haste prayaccha; samudreṇā 'tipriyapūrvakaṃ dattāni. tadanantaraṃ brāhmaṇas tāni ratnāni gṛhītvo 'jjayinīm agamat. evaṃ sati bahukālo gataḥ; atrāntare yajñasamāptir jātā. rājā 'vabhṛthasnānaṃ kṛtvā sarvāṅl lokān paripūrṇamanorathān akarot. brāhmaṇo rājānaṃ dṛṣṭvā ratnāny arpayitvā pratyekaṃ tesāṃ guṇān akathayat. tato rājā 'vadat: bho brāhmaṇa, bhavān yajñadakṣiṇākālaṃ vyatikramya samāgataḥ. mayā sarvo 'pi brāhmaṇasamūho dakṣiṇayā toṣitaḥ. tarhi tvam evai 'teṣāṃ caturṇāṃ ratnānāṃ madhye yad ratnam ekaṃ tubhyaṃ rocate, tad gṛhāṇa. brāhmaṇeno 'ktam: bho rājan, ahaṃ gṛhaṃ gatvā gṛhiṇīṃ putraṃ snuṣāṃ ca pṛṣṭvā sarvebhyo yad rocate tad grahīṣyāmi. rājño 'ktam: tathā kuru. brāhmaṇo 'pi svabhavanam āgatya sarvaṃ vṛttāntaṃ teṣām agre samakathayat. tac chrutvā putreṇo 'ktam: yad ratnaṃ caturañgabalaṃ dadāti, tad grahīṣyāmaḥ; sukhena rājyaṃ kartum āyāti. pitro 'ktam: rājyaṃ buddhimatā na prārthanīyam. yataḥ:

Now I too have an errand for you. I will give this king four priceless jewels, whose powers are as follows. One jewel gives whatever object of wealth is desired. With the second food and victuals like nectar are produced. From the third can be derived a complete army with its four subdivisions of elephants, horse, chariots, and infantry. From the fourth are produced most beautiful clothing and ornaments. So take these jewels and give them into the king’s hands as a gift from the Ocean, with his deep affection.” Thereupon the brahman took those jewels and came to Ujjayinī. Now a long time had thus past, and in the meantime the sacrifice had all been completed, and the king had performed the purificatory bath and had satisfied the desires of all the people. When the brahman beheld the king he gave him the jewels and told him their several powers. Then the king said: “Brahman, the time of the giving of sacrificial fees was past when your worship arrived; I have already given satisfaction with fees to all the assembly of the brahmans. So do you take one jewel from among these four, whichever pleases you.” The brahman said: “O king, I will go home and ask my wife, my son, and my daughter-in-law, and will take the one which pleases all.” The king said: “Do so.” So the brahman came to his own house and told them all that had happened. Hearing this the son said: “We will take the gem which gives a complete army;

it will then be easy to win a kingdom.” The father said: “A wise man should not seek for a kingdom. For: 12. Let a man think of the exile of Rāma, the humiliation of Bali, the forest(-wandering) of the sons of Pāṇḍu, the destruction of the Vṛṣṇi-clan, Nala’s disaster, Bhīṣma’s (slow death while) lying on (a bed of) arrows, the incarnation of Viṣṇu as a dwarf, then the slaying of Arjuna; and let him consider how the Prince of Ceylon [Rāvaṇa] came to grief because of kingship; so let him not desire that! So we will take the one from which wealth is obtained. Thru wealth everything is acquired. And it is said: 13. In this world there is nothing that may not be attained thru wealth; therefore the wise man who perceives this should strive only for money.” His wife said: “Let the jewel be chosen from which food seasoned with all the six flavors may be obtained. Food alone is the support of the life of all living beings. And it is said: 14. Food is ordained by the Creator to sustain the life of mortals. A wise man should not disregard that ordinance and seek for anything (else).” The daughter-in-law said: “Let the jewel be chosen which produces garments and ornaments and so on. 15. One should adorn the body with ornaments according to the full extent of one’s resources, in order to perfect one’s beauty and loveliness, that one’s life and fortunes may prosper. 16. Gems and the like constantly increase one’s attractiveness among friends, and are an ornament on occasions of festivity;