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Simhasanadvatrimshika 11

English (machine translation) 11

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English

11.p1

Again, at an auspicious moment, as the king was about to sit upon the throne, another statuette spoke: "O king, let him who possesses the generosity of Vikrama sit upon this throne." The king said: "O statuette, tell the story of that Vikrama's generosity." She said: "O king, listen! While Vikrama was ruling the kingdom, there was no wicked man, slanderer, thief, or evildoer upon the earth. Moreover, whichever king constantly reflects upon statecraft and counsel, and contemplates the means of overcoming enemies more powerful than his own forces, does not sleep day or night because of distress from worry. And it is said:

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Those afflicted by [greed for] wealth have neither elder nor kin; / those afflicted by passion have neither fear nor shame; / those afflicted by anxiety have neither comfort nor sleep; / those afflicted by hunger have neither taste nor care for cooked food. || 1

11.p2

This King Vikrama was not like that; having brought all rival kings to seek refuge at his lotus feet, he ruled the kingdom without anyone transgressing his command. And it is said:

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Sovereignty has command alone as its fruit; austerity has celibacy as its fruit; / knowledge has discernment alone as its fruit; wealth has giving and enjoying as its fruit. || 2

11.p3

Once, the king placed the burden of his kingdom upon his ministers and set out for foreign lands disguised as a yogi. Wherever his heart found delight, he would stay for a few days; wherever he saw a marvel, there too he would spend time. While he was wandering in this manner, on one day the sun set in a vast forest; the king took shelter and sat down at the foot of a tree. Atop that tree lived an aged king of birds named Ciraṃjīvin. In the morning, his sons and grandsons would go to different regions, fill their bellies, and in the evening each would bring a single fruit and give it every day to that aged Ciraṃjīvin. And well is it said:

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Aged parents, a virtuous wife, and an infant son / must be maintained even by committing a hundred misdeeds; so Manu declared. || 3

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Then, at night, Ciraṃjīvin sat comfortably and asked those birds—the king, too, sitting at the foot of the tree, heard his words—"O sons, as you wander through various lands, what wonders have you seen?" Thereupon one bird said: "I have not seen any wonder, but today there is great sorrow in my heart." Ciraṃjīvin said: "Tell me, what is the cause of your sorrow?" He replied: "What will come of merely telling it?" The elder bird said: "O son, he who is afflicted with sorrow becomes happy after confiding his sorrow to a friend. For it is said:

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After confiding one's sorrow to a close-hearted friend, a virtuous servant, an obedient wife, / or a master of benevolent disposition, one becomes happy. || 4 ||"

11.p5

Hearing his words, the bird related his sorrow: "O father, listen. In the northern country there is a mountain named Śaivālaghoṣa; near that mountain is the city of Palāśanagara. A demon dwelling on that mountain comes every day to the city, seizes by force whoever crosses his path, carries him off to the mountain, and devours him. Once, the people living in that city said: 'O demon Baka, do not devour at will whichever man crosses your path; we will give you one man every day for food.' Thereupon he agreed. After that, the people give him one man each day, house by house in turn. In this manner a long time has passed. Today the turn has come for a brahmin, who was my friend in a previous birth. He has only one son. If he gives that son, his lineage will be broken; if he gives himself, his wife will become a widow, and widowhood is a great sorrow. Thus, by their sorrow, I too have become sorrowful; this is the cause of my sorrow." Hearing his words, the other birds there said: "Ah, he alone is a true friend who himself becomes sorrowful through the sorrow of a friend! This alone is true friendship. And it is said:

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A friend is happy when his friend is happy, and is himself sorrowful when he is sorrowful; / the ocean is joyful and full when the moon rises, and wanes when it sets. || 5

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And likewise: / Milk formerly gave all its own qualities to the water mixed with it;

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seeing the heating of the milk, that water offered itself into the fire; / seeing its friend's distress, the milk became eager to plunge into the fire; / reunited with that water, it is appeased; such indeed is the friendship of the virtuous. || 6 ||"

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Hearing these words of the birds, the king went to where that city lay. Then, finding the sacrificial rock, he bathed in the lake near it and sat down upon the sacrificial rock. At that time, the demon arrived, saw his smiling face, and, astonished, said to him: "O noble soul, whence have you come? Whoever sits on this rock every day dies of fear even before my arrival. But you appear endowed with great courage and wear a smiling face. Moreover, when the hour of death comes upon a man, his senses grow feeble; you, however, possess even greater radiance and are smiling. Tell me then: who are you?" The king replied: "O demon, what concern is this inquiry to you? I am giving this body solely for the sake of another; do what you desire." The demon reflected in his mind: "Ah, how virtuous he is, since he abandons the desire for his own enjoyment and becomes sorrowful through the sorrow of others! And it is said:

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Abandoning the desire for their own pleasures, seeking the welfare of all beings, / the virtuous become exceedingly sorrowful through the sorrow of others. || 7 ||"

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He said to the king: "O great man, praiseworthy indeed is the life of you who offer your body for the sake of another. Why so?

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Even beasts live merely filling their own bellies; / praiseworthy indeed is the life of him alone who lives for the sake of another. || 8

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This is no wonder for benevolent persons like you. And it is said: / What wonder is there that the virtuous are devoted to benefiting others?

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For sandalwood trees are not born for the cooling of their own wood. || 9

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Moreover: O noble soul, by this very benevolence towards others you will obtain all fortunes. And so it is said:

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The man on earth who is devoted to the work of benevolence towards others / attains fortune that is supreme even beyond the supreme. || 10

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And likewise:

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Those devoted to benevolence towards others, indifferent to the pleasures of heaven, / are virtuous beings born on earth for the welfare of the world. || 11 ||"

11.p12

Having spoken thus, he said again to the king: "O noble soul, I am pleased with you; choose a boon." The king said: "O demon, if you too are pleased with me, then from this day forward give up devouring human beings. Furthermore, listen to the instruction I am about to utter. Namely:

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Just as one's own life is dear to oneself, so it is to all living beings; / therefore those living beings too should be rescued from fear of death by the wise. || 12

11.p13

And likewise:

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Living beings constantly suffer in the dreadful ocean of worldly existence through the pains of birth, death, and old age; / from this it follows that they dread death. || 13

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From the inference of the suffering that arises in a man when he thinks, 'I am going to die,' / he is able to protect another as well. || 14

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And moreover:

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Just as your own life is dear to you, / so too is life dear to others; / just as your own life is protected, / so too protect the life of others. || 15

11.p15

Instructed thus by the king, from that day forward the demon abandoned the killing of living beings; King Vikrama also went to his own city. Having related this tale, the statuette said to King Bhoja: 'O King, if such qualities as generosity and benevolence towards others are present in you, then sit upon this throne.' Hearing this, the king remained silent. Thus ends the eleventh tale.

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