Simhasanadvatrimshika 31.p4

31.p4

bho rājan, śrūyatām. himavato dakṣinapārśve vindhyavatī nāma nagarī. tatra, suvicāro nāma rājā prativasati. tasya putro jayasenaḥ. sa ekadā 'kheṭanār thaṃ vanaṃ gataḥ. vane karinam ekaṃ dṛṣṭvā tadanugato mahāvanaṃ praviṣṭaḥ. yathā kathaṃcin nagaramārgaṃ gata āsīt, tata ekākī yāvad āgacchati, tāvad vanamadhya ekā nadī dṛṣṭā. tatra nadītaṭe kaśid brāhmaṇo 'nuṣṭhānaṃ karoti. rājaputras tatsamīpaṃ gatvā 'vadat: bho brāhmaṇa, yāvad ahaṃ jalapānaṃ vidhāsyāmi, tāvad amum aśvaṃ gṛhāṇa. brāhmaṇeno 'ktam: ahaṃ kiṃ tava preṣyo 'śvaṃ dhārayiṣāmi? tatas tena kaśayā tāḍitaḥ. brāhmaṇo rudan rājasamīpaṃ āgatya nivedayām āsa. rājā 'pi krodhāruṇalocanaḥ san putraṃ svadeśān nirghāṭayām āsa. tasminn avasare mantriṇā bhaṇitam: he deva, rājyabhārodvahanayogyaḥ kumāraḥ kim iti deśān nirghāṭyate? etad ucitaṃ na bhavati. rājño 'ktam. bho mantrin, etad ucitam; yad brāhmaṇaśarīre kaśāpātanaṃ kṛtam, tasmād ayaṃ samīcīno na bhavati. buddhimatā brāhmaṇadveṣo na kartavyaḥ. uktaṃ ca.

On the south slope of the Himālaya there is a city named Vindhyavatī. Here dwelt a king named Suvicāra, who had a son Jayasena. One time the prince went into the forest to hunt. And in the forest, seeing a certain elephant, he pursued after it, and entered the jungle. And when by some means or other he arrived at the road to the city, and was coming back upon it alone, he perceived a certain river in the middle of the forest; and there on the bank of the river a certain brahman was performing a religious ceremony. The king’s son went up to him and said: “Brahman, hold my horse there while I take a drink of water.” The brahman replied: “Am I then your servant, that I should hold your horse?” Then the prince struck him with his whip; and the brahman ran howling into the king’s presence and told the king. And the king’s eyes were inflamed with anger, and he commanded to expel his son from his dominions. At this juncture a minister said: “Sire, why do you cause your son, who is well fitted to assume the responsibilities of kingship, to be expelled from your dominions? This is not seemly.” The king said: “Minister, this is seemly; since he struck with his whip the person of a brahman, therefore he is not a fit person (to rule). A prudent man should not incur the enmity of brahmans. And it is said: