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Simhasanadvatrimshika 2

English (machine translation) 2

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English

2.p1

Once again, as King Bhoja approached to sit upon the throne, another statuette says: "O king, if the generosity of Vikrama exists in you, then sit upon this throne." King Bhoja said: "O statuette, tell the story of that Vikrama's generosity." She says: "O king, listen. While ruling the kingdom, Vikramāditya once summoned his spies and said: 'O envoys, as you wander the earth, wherever within the earth you observe a marvel or an extraordinary sacred site, report that to me; I shall go there.' When time had thus passed, an envoy once returned from wandering through other lands and said to the king: 'O king, near Mount Citrakūṭa, in the midst of a penance-grove, there is a most captivating temple. There, from a high place on the mountain, falls a clear stream of water. If one bathes there, then all evils, even the great sins, are destroyed. Moreover, when a great sinner bathes, very black water pours from his body. Whoever bathes there is a man of merit. Furthermore, a certain brahmin performs oblations there in a huge sacrificial pit; it is not known how many years have passed. The ash deposited outside the pit every day is the size of a mountain. That brahmin speaks to no one.

2.p2

Thus I have seen a most wondrous place.' Hearing that, the king went alone with him to that place, and experiencing supreme joy, says: 'Ah, this place is exceedingly holy! The Mother of the Universe resides here in bodily form. Seeing this place, my mind becomes exceedingly pure.' Saying this, he bathed there in the waters falling from the sky, bowed to the deity, went to where the brahmin was offering oblations, and said to the brahmin: 'O brahmin, how many years have passed since you began your sacrifice?' The brahmin said: 'When the circle of the Seven Sages stood in the first quarter of the lunar mansion Revatī, I then began the sacrifice. Now it stands in the lunar mansion Aśvinī; a hundred years have passed for me as I perform oblations. Even so, the deity has not become pleased.' Hearing that, the king remembered the deity and himself cast an offering into the sacrificial pit. Even so, the deity did not become pleased. Thereupon the king, thinking, 'I will offer the lotus of my head as an oblation,' was just placing his sword upon his neck when the deity, staying the sword in mid-air, said: 'O king, I am pleased; choose a boon.' The king said:

2.p3

'This brahmin has been performing sacrifices for a long time; why are you not pleased with him? Why are you quickly pleased with me?' The deity said: 'O king, he performs sacrifice, but there is no tranquillity in his mind. Therefore I am not pleased. And it is said:

2.1

What is recited with the tips of the fingers, what is recited crossing over the meru-bead,
What is recited with a distracted mind—these three kinds become fruitless. || 1

2.p4

And likewise:

2.2

God is not in wood, nor in stone, nor in clay;
God is found in sincere devotion alone; therefore sincere devotion is the cause. || 2

2.p5

Moreover:

2.3

In a mantra, a sacred site, a brahmin, a deity, an astrologer, medicine, and a guru—
Whatever one's disposition is toward them, such is the spiritual accomplishment that arises. || 3

2.p6

The king said: 'O goddess, if you are pleased with me, then fulfill this brahmin's desire.' The deity said: 'O king, you are benevolent towards others, like a great tree; bearing bodily suffering yourself, you remove the toil of others. And it is said:

2.4

Great trees provide shade for another while they themselves stand in the heat;
And they bear fruit for the sake of others, not for their own. || 4

2.p7

And likewise:

2.5

For the benevolence towards others do rivers flow,
For the benevolence towards others do cows give milk;
For the benevolence towards others do trees bear fruit,
For the benevolence towards others are the riches of the virtuous. || 5

2.p8

Thus praising the king, she fulfilled the brahmin's desire; then the king went to his own city. Having told this story, the statuette said to King Bhoja: "O king, if such generosity exists in you, then sit upon this throne." Thus ends the second tale.

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