[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Epic, Poetry, Drama & Narrative](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit) › [Story collections and fables](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories) › [Siṃhāsanadvātriṃśikā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt) › 14 # Simhasanadvatrimshika 14 English (machine translation) 14 - **Language:** English ### [14.p1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p1) Once again, as the king tried to ascend the throne, another statuette said: "O king, only a king who possesses qualities such as generosity like Vikrama is capable of sitting upon this throne, no other." The king said: "Tell the account of his generosity." She said: "Once, King Vikrama, wandering in the disguise of a yogi to see what marvel there was anywhere on earth, or who were the virtuous men, what sacred bathing place there was, or what dwelling of a deity, came to a certain city. Near that city was a penance grove. In that penance grove was a great temple of the Mother of the Universe. Near it flowed a river. The king, having bathed there in the river water and bowed to the deity, was coming out when a certain yogi named Avadhūtavāsa arrived there. Having given him greeting and being told "Be happy!", he sat down with him in that temple. The yogi said: "Where has your honour come from?" The king said: "I am a certain pilgrim on the road." The yogi said: "Are you not King Vikramārka? I saw you once in Ujjayinī, therefore I know. For what purpose have you come?" The king said: "O yogi, this is the desire in my mind: from wandering the earth some marvel is seen, and an audience with good and great men also takes place." Avadhūtavāsa said: ### [14.p2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p2) "O king, having abandoned such a kingdom, becoming careless, why have you come to another land? If some disorder should occur in the meantime, what will you do?" The king said: "I have come having placed the entire burden of the kingdom in the hands of my ministers." Avadhūtavāsa said: "O king, even so, an offense against the science of worldly wisdom has been committed. And it is said: ### [14.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.1) Those foolish kings who, having entrusted the burden of rule to the hands of their officials, / live absorbed in self-indulgence, / sleep like those who have left their vessels of milk in the care of a pack of cats. || 1 ### [14.p3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p3) And furthermore: one must not neglect \[rule\] thinking, 'The kingdom has come under my control'; even when under one's control, it must again be made very firm. And so it is said: ### [14.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.2) Agriculture, learning, a merchant, a wife, one's own wealth, and royal fortune / must be kept very firmly grasped, just like the mouth of a black cobra. || 2 ### [14.p4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p4) Hearing that, the king says: "O yogi, all this is pointless; here fate alone is powerful. Even when the kingdom has been made very firm and all resources are present, a man, though endowed with human effort, suffers defeat through the hostility of fate. And so it is said: ### [14.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.3) Whose leader was Bṛhaspati, whose weapon was the thunderbolt, whose soldiers were the gods, / whose fortress was heaven, whose favour was none other than Hari's, whose elephant was Airāvaṇa— / though endowed with such wondrous might, Indra was broken by enemies in battle; / is it not therefore right that destiny alone is the refuge? Shame, shame upon vain human effort! || 3 ### [14.p5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p5) And likewise: ### [14.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.4) Physical form bears no fruit, nor family, nor character, / nor learning, nor service even when rendered with effort; / fortunes accumulated indeed through penance in a former life / bear fruit for a man in their season, just like trees. || 4 ### [14.p6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p6) Furthermore: ### [14.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.5) That \[chest of mine\] by which the pestle-like tusks of Indra's elephant were bent in battle, / upon which the edge of the axe of the Pināka-wielder was blunted when struck, / that very chest of mine is now torn by Narasiṃha's claws; / when destiny grows weak, even a blade of grass usually turns to a thunderbolt. || 5 ### [14.p7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p7) And likewise: ### [14.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.6) That banyan tree, those five Yakṣas give and take away in this world; / roll the dice, my good lady: whatever is to be, that will be. || 6 ### [14.p8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p8) The yogi said: 'How is that?' The king said: 'In the northern region there is a city named Nandivardhana. There a king named Rājaśekhara ruled. He was devoted to the gods and brahmins, and exceedingly righteous. One day, all his kinsmen gathered together, fought with him, seized the kingdom, and expelled him along with his wife. The king, together with his wife and son, went to another land, and reached the outskirts of a certain city. Then the sun set. Accompanied by his son and wife, he went to the foot of a banyan tree and sat down. In that tree were five birds. They spoke to one another; then one said: "The king in this city has died, and he has no offspring. Who will become king?" A second said: "Whoever sits at the foot of this banyan tree, the kingdom will be his." The others said: "So be it." The king also heard the words of the birds. Then sunrise occurred, and every person set about doing his own appointed work. The king also performed his morning twilight rituals and offered libation to the sun, \[saying\]: ### [14.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.7) "O cause of the blossoming of lotuses, bestower of prosperity, slayer of darkness, / granter of the wishes of the devoted, young sun, obeisance to you, the eye of the world!" || 7 ### [14.p9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p9) Having thus bowed to the sun, as he was going towards the village, a she-elephant released by the ministers carrying a garland to determine the next king saw the king, placed the garland upon his neck, set him on her back, and led him to the royal palace. Then all the ministers assembled, performed the consecration, and established King Rājaśekhara on the throne. One day, all the rival kings joined together and came to the city to uproot Rājaśekhara. At that time, the king was playing dice with his queen. The queen said: "Lord, why do you sit silently? The city is surrounded by rival kings; at dawn they will seize the city and us too; so it appears. Let some other effort be made!" The king said: "My simple lady, what is the use of effort? When destiny is favourable, every task accomplishes itself; if it is hostile, it is destroyed of itself. Have you not experienced this? Therefore, in prosperity and in ruin, destiny alone is the supreme cause, nothing else. And it is said: ### [14.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.8) A mouse, having made a hole, fell by itself at night into the mouth of a serpent / whose hopes were dashed, whose body was compressed in a basket, and whose senses were languid with hunger; / satisfied with its flesh, the serpent quickly departed along that very path / and remains at ease; for destiny alone is the supreme cause in prosperity and in ruin. || 8 ### [14.p10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p10) And further: ### [14.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.9) Unprotected, it endures if protected by destiny; / well protected, it perishes if struck by destiny; / even a helpless child abandoned in the forest survives, / while one cared for with effort in the house does not live. || 9 ### [14.p11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p11) Care fell upon Him who gave the kingdom to me when I was sitting at the foot of the tree. And He thought: 'Ah, having placed such faith in Me, he has entrusted the burden of the kingdom \[to Me\]. Now, if I make no effort for him, there will be great fault.' Having reflected thus, that deity assumed a terrifying form and crushed all the enemy kings. Then King Rājaśekhara ruled a kingdom free of rivals.' This story was told by Vikrama. Then the yogi, hearing this story, was exceedingly pleased, and giving the king a saffron liṅga, said: 'O King, this saffron liṅga, like the wishing-jewel, grants whatever object is wished for; worship it properly.' The king too said, 'So be it,' and bowing to him, as he was going along the road to the city, a certain brahmin approached \[and said\]: ### [14.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.10) "May the mother born of the mountain protect you, and he who has twelve eyes, / and likewise the mother's father born of the mountain, and he who has three eyes!" || 10 ### [14.p12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14.p12) Having spoken this blessing, he said: 'O King, I have a vow to worship the Śivaliṅga; my liṅga was washed away on the road. A fast of three days has occurred; therefore, this Śivaliṅga should be given to me, and there will be release from the fast.' Having heard that, the king gave that saffron liṅga to the brahmin and went to his own city. Having told this story, the statuette said to the king: 'O King, if such qualities as generosity are found in you, then sit upon this throne.' Hearing this, the king remained silent. Thus ends the fourteenth tale. ## Translations (1) - [Vikrama's Adventures, or The Thirty-two Tales of the Throne](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-edgerton.14.p3) — Franklin Edgerton 1926, English ## Linked texts (1) - [Siṃhāsanadvātriṃśikā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana.14.p1) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.14) · Pramāṇa