Simhasanadvatrimshika 31.p14

31.p14

ahaṃ sārvabhaumaḥ; sarve 'pi rājāno mamai 'va praṇāmaṃ kurvanti, mayā kadāpi praṇāmo na kṛtaḥ. ato 'haṃ praṇāmaṃ kartuṃ na jānāmi. tvaṃ prathamaṃ praṇāmaṃ kṛtvā darśaya; taṃ dṛṣṭvā paścād ahaṃ kariṣyāmī 'ti. tataḥ sa yadā praṇāmaṃ kartuṃ namro bhaviṣyati, tadā tvaṃ tasya śiraś chindhi. ahaṃ tava havanaṃ kariṣyāmi; tavā 'ṣṭau siddhayo bhaviṣyanti 'ti vetālena nivedite rājā vikramas tathai 'vā 'kārṣīt. tato vetālena svayaṃ brahmabhūtena havanaṃ kāritam; tasya digambarasya śirasā pūrṇāhutīḥ kṛtā. rājño 'ṣṭau mahāsiddhayaḥ prāptāḥ. tato vetāleno 'ktam: bho rājan, tavā 'ham prasanno 'smi, varaṃ vṛṇīṣva. rājño 'ktam: yadi tvaṃ mama prasanno 'si, tarhy amuṃ digambaram samuddhara, yadā 'haṃ tvāṃ smariṣyāmi, tadā tvayā 'gantavyam. sa tathe 'ti pratijñāya yoginam uddhṛtya nijasthānaṃ gataḥ. rājā vikramo 'pi tasmai digambarāyā 'ṣṭamahasiddihr dattvā svanagaraṃ viveśa.

‘I am an emperor; all kings bow down to me alone, and I have never bowed down. Therefore, I do not know how to make a prostration. Show me first by making a prostration yourself; having seen it, I will do it afterwards.’ Then, when he bends down to bow, strike off his head. I will perform your sacrifice; you will obtain the eight supernormal powers.’ When the vetāla had thus instructed him, King Vikrama did just so. Then the vetāla himself, having assumed the form of the Hotṛ priest, performed the sacrifice; with the head of that naked ascetic, the final offering was made. The eight great supernormal powers were attained by the king. Then the vetāla said: ‘O King, I am pleased with you; choose a boon.’ The king said: ‘If you are pleased with me, then restore this naked ascetic to life, and whenever I remember you, you must come.’ He promised, ‘So be it,’ revived the ascetic, and went to his own abode. King Vikrama too, having given the eight great supernormal powers to that naked ascetic, entered his own city.