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Simhasanadvatrimshika 28

English (machine translation) 28

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English

28.p1

Again, just as the king was about to sit on the throne, another statuette said: “O king, only Vikrama, endowed with virtues such as generosity, is capable of sitting upon this throne, no other.” Bhoja said: “O statuette, tell the story of his virtues such as generosity.” She said: “Listen, O king. King Vikramāditya, having set out to roam the earth, reached a certain city. There, near the city, flowed a river of clear water. On the riverbank was a forest adorned with various flowers and fruits. In its midst was a very charming temple. The king bathed there in the river water, bowed to the god, and sat down in the temple. Meanwhile, four foreigners arrived and sat near the king. Then the king asked them: ‘Sirs, where have you come from?’ There one said: ‘We have come from the eastern country.’ The king said: ‘What wondrous thing was seen in that country?’ He said: ‘Master, a great wondrous thing was seen, such that we have come with our lives in our hands.’ The king said: ‘What was it?’ He said: ‘In that country lies Vetālapurī. There resides a goddess who is fond of blood. The leading citizens there and the king offer a human sacrifice to that goddess every year to fulfill their desires. If any foreigner arrives on that day, they kill him alone and offer him before the deity like a sacrificial beast. We too, by chance of the road, reached that city on that very day; the people there came to seize us. Hearing that, we took our lives in our hands and fled here. This great wonder was seen by us.’ Hearing that, King Vikrama went there, and beholding the temple, which was very terrifying, bowed to the deity and praised her:

28.1

‘Brahmāṇī with a gentle face like a lotus and the moon, Māheśvarī playfully, / Kaumārī who destroys the pride of enemies, Vaiṣṇavī whose weapon is the discus, / Vārāhī with deep, terrible, growling roars, and Aindrī whose weapon is the thunderbolt, / Cāmuṇḍā together with the lord of Gaṇas and Rudra—may the Mothers protect me!’

28.p2

Having praised thus, he sat down in the assembly hall. At that moment, someone with a miserable face arrived accompanied by musical instruments, together with the leading citizens. The king too, seeing him, reflected in his mind: ‘This man indeed has been brought by the leading citizens as a victim for the deity. Therefore he appears with an extremely miserable face. At this juncture, I will give my own body and free him. Even if this body lasts for a hundred years, it will utterly perish; therefore, even at the cost of one's own body, righteousness and fame should be acquired. And it is said:

28.2

Fortune is unsteady, life-breaths are unsteady, the body is unsteady, and even youth; / transient is the cycle of existence: only fame and righteousness are firm.

28.p3

And furthermore:

28.3

Bodies are impermanent, wealth is not at all eternal, / death is ever at hand: an accumulation of righteousness must be made.

28.p4

And likewise:

28.4

Wealth is like the dust of the feet, youth is like the rushing torrent of a mountain river, / humanity is as wavering and fleeting as a water drop, life is like foam; / he who, with an unsteady mind, does not practice righteousness, which unbolts the gates of heaven, / stricken by remorse and worn down by old age, burns in the fire of grief.’

28.p5

Reflecting thus, the king said to those prominent citizens: "O prominent citizens, where is this wretched-faced person being taken?" They said: "We shall offer him to the goddess for sacrifice." The king said: "For what reason?" They said: "Pleased by this human offering, the deity will fulfill our desire." The king said: "O prominent citizens, this one has an exceedingly frail body and is utterly terrified. What satisfaction will the goddess derive from the offering of his body? Therefore release him; I will give my own body for that purpose. I am stout of limb; the goddess will be satisfied by the offering of my flesh. Therefore, kill me and let the sacrifice be offered to her." Having spoken thus and freed him, as the king himself went before the deity and was about to bring down his sword upon his neck, the goddess caught the sword and said: "O noble soul, I am pleased by your courage and your benevolence towards others; choose a boon." The king said: "O goddess, if you are pleased with me, then renounce the offering of human flesh from this day forth." The deity said: "Let it be so."

28.p6

The people said to the king: "O king, having no longing for pleasure, you bear sorrow solely for the sake of others, like a great tree. For indeed:

28.5

Devoid of longing for your own pleasure, you suffer daily for the sake of the world; / Or rather, such is your very nature: / For the tree experiences intense heat with its head, / Yet assuages the scorching heat of those who seek shelter under its shade. || 5

28.p7

The king too, taking leave of them, went to his own city. Having told this story, the statuette said to the king: "O king, if such courage and generosity exist in you, then sit upon this throne." Hearing that, the king fell silent. Thus ends the twenty-eighth tale.

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