Simhasanadvatrimshika 22.p1

22.p1

Once again, as the king tried to sit upon the throne, another statuette said: "O King, only he may sit on this throne who possesses the virtues of generosity and the like that belonged to Vikrama." The king said: "O statuette, tell the story of his generosity." She said: "Listen, O King. Once, while ruling the kingdom, Vikramāditya set out to wander the earth. Seeing diverse sacred bathing places, temples, cities, mountains, and the like, he eventually saw a city surrounded by a wall made of great jewels, adorned with sky-scraping palaces, and filled with various temples to Śiva and Viṣṇu. Going to a shrine of Viṣṇu situated outside that city, bathing in the lake located there, and bowing to the deity, he praised him with these and other verses: / 'I have realised, O Lord of the World, that silence alone is your praise; / for the supreme Brahman does not know Hari, who is beyond the reach of words. 1 / I speak of none other, I hear of none other, I think of none other, / I remember none other, I worship none other, and I resort to none other, / except for your lotus feet; / with devotion, O Puruṣottama, abode of Śrī, grant me your servitude. 2 / Whatever sin was committed by hands or feet, or born of action, speech, or body, / or born of hearing or sight, or in the mind, / whether enjoined or forbidden, forgive all this; / victory, victory, O ocean of mercy, Lord of Śrī, glorious Mukunda!' 3 / Having praised him with these and other verses, he sat down in the assembly hall. At that time, a certain brahmin came and sat near the king. The king said: