[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) › 31 # Simhasanadvatrimshika 31 English (machine translation) 31 - **Language:** English ### [31.p1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p1) Again, just as the king was about to sit upon the throne, another statuette spoke: “O King, he alone is able to sit upon this throne who possesses the virtues of Vikrama, such as generosity.” The king said: “O statuette, tell the account of his generosity.” She said: “Listen, O King. While Vikramārka was ruling the kingdom, one day a naked Jain ascetic arrived and, saying: ### [31.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.1) May the blessed lord, consort of Śrī, fulfill the desire of you, his devotees, / devotion to whom serves as the bride-price for taking the hand of the maiden Liberation. || 1 ### [31.p2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p2) ‘Under the pretext of meditation, whom are you thinking of? Opening your eyes for a moment, / look upon these people tormented by the arrows of the Bodiless One! Though a protector, you do not protect them! / You are falsely compassionate; what man could be more ruthless than you?’ ### [31.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.2) Addressed thus with jealousy by the wives of Māra, may the divine Jina protect you! || 2 ### [31.p3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p3) having uttered this blessing, gave a fruit into the king's hand. Then, sitting down, he said: “O King, in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, I shall perform a burnt offering in the great cremation ground. You are benevolent towards others and preeminent in great courage; therefore, you must be my ritual assistant there.” The king said: “What must I do?” The naked Jain ascetic said: “Not far from that cremation ground there is a śamī tree. A certain vetāla stays there. He must be brought by you in silence.” The king gave his promise, saying: “I shall do so.” On the day of the dark fourteenth, the mendicant stood in the great cremation ground, having gathered the materials for the offering. The king too went to the cremation ground in the dead of night. He showed the path to the śamī tree; having reached the śamī tree by that path and taken the vetāla upon his shoulder, as he was returning along the path to the cremation ground, the vetāla said: “O King, to relieve the fatigue of the journey, let some story be told.” The king remained silent out of fear of breaking his silence. Again the vetāla said: “O King, you will not tell a story for fear of breaking your silence; therefore, I shall tell a story. At the end of the story, if you do not answer my question even though you know it, out of fear of breaking your silence, your head will shatter into a thousand pieces!” Having said this, he tells a story: ### [31.p4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p4) “O King, listen! On the southern side of the Himavat mountains is a city named Vindhyavatī. A king named Suvicāra lives there. His son is Jayasena. Once, he went to the forest to hunt. Seeing an elephant in the forest, he followed it and entered a great wilderness. When he had somehow or other reached the road to the city, as he was coming along alone, he saw a river in the midst of the forest. There on the riverbank, a certain brahmin was performing his religious rites. The prince went near him and said: ‘O brahmin, hold this horse while I take a drink of water.’ The brahmin said: ‘Am I your servant that I should hold your horse?’ Then he struck him with a whip. Weeping, the brahmin went to the king and reported it. The king, his eyes red with fury, banished his son from his realm. At that moment, his minister said: ‘O King, why is the prince, who is capable of bearing the burden of royalty, being banished from the country? This is not fitting.’ The king replied: ‘O minister, this is fitting; because he inflicted whip-blows on the body of a brahmin, he is no longer fit \[to rule\]. A wise man should never hate a brahmin. And it is said: ### [31.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.3) A wise man should not swallow poison; he should not play with serpents; he should not revile assemblies of yogins; he should not cause enmity toward brahmins. || 3 ### [31.p5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p5) "O minister, have you not heard the Purāṇas? Formerly, through the curse of a brahmin, the fall of Īśvara's liṅga occurred. And likewise: ### [31.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.4) One who has attained a very exalted rank should never dishonour those worthy of worship; Nahuṣa, having attained the status of Indra, fell on account of his contempt for Agastya. || 4 ### [31.p6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p6) Therefore, all these brahmins are truly worthy of worship. And it is said: ### [31.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.5) Twice-born \[brahmins\] must not be disrespected, for they are honoured with the sovereignty over the three worlds; they should be honoured like gods by gifts, marks of respect, veneration, and the like. || 5 ### [31.p7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p7) And likewise: ### [31.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.6) By whom fire was made all-devouring, and that great ocean undrinkable, and the moon afflicted with wane—who would not perish from their rage? || 6 ### [31.p8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p8) Moreover: ### [31.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.7) Through whose hand the gods always eat the sacrificial oblations, and the ancestors indeed the ancestral offerings—what living being is greater than them? || 7 ### [31.p9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p9) And likewise: ### [31.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.8) They who are honoured by all the gods and men as well, O Bhārata, and who keep vows of austerity—who in the world would not honour them? || 8 ### [31.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.9) By whom formerly the ocean was drunk, and the Vindhya mountain restrained, and by whom even deities were created—what living being is greater than them? || 9 ### [31.p10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p10) And likewise: ### [31.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.10) Whoever wishes to worship the imperishable God, let him satisfy the twice-born with every effort by all means. || 10 ### [31.p11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p11) And so it was also spoken by Kṛṣṇa himself in Dvārakā: ### [31.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.11) Striking, cursing, or speaking harsh words, whoever does not honour a brahmin as I do, that sinner, amidst the forest fire of brahmins, is to be slain and punished, and is no devotee of mine. || 11 ### [31.p12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p12) Moreover: ### [31.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.12) And whoever wishes to worship me with supreme devotion, by him the learned brahmins must always be honoured; thus do I become pleased. || 12 ||" ### [31.p13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p13) "O minister, the hand with which the brahmin was struck—the cutting off of that hand must be carried out." Just as he was having his hand cut off, right then that brahmin arrived and said: "O king, it was done by your son through ignorance; from this day forth he will not do such an improper deed. For my sake, this prince ought to be spared. I am well pleased." Having heard his words, the king released his son. The brahmin also went to his own place. Having told this story, the vetāla said: "O king, between these two, who possesses greater virtue?" King Vikrama replied: "The king possesses greater virtue." Hearing this, the vow of silence having been broken, the vetāla went to the śamī tree. The king also, having gone there again, placed him on his shoulder, and as he was returning, \[the vetāla\] told another story again. In this manner, twenty-five tales were told by the vetāla. Then the vetāla, observing \[Vikrama's\] qualities such as subtle intellect, skill in arts, compassion, courage, and generosity, became pleased. Then the vetāla said to Vikramāditya: "O king, this naked ascetic is making an effort to kill you." The king said: "How so?" The vetāla said: "When you bring me there, then he will say this: 'O king, you are exceedingly weary. Now, make a circumambulation of the fire pit, prostrate yourself like a staff, and go to your own place.' When you bow down making prostration, then that naked ascetic will strike you down with a sword, and then he will make a burnt offering with your flesh. In that burnt offering he will make me the brahmin; when this is done, the eight supernatural powers beginning with miniaturisation will be his." Vikrama said: "What should be done by me?" The vetāla said: "Do this. When the naked ascetic says to you, 'Having bowed, depart,' this alone should be spoken by you: ### [31.p14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p14) ‘I am an emperor; all kings bow down to me alone, and I have never bowed down. Therefore, I do not know how to make a prostration. Show me first by making a prostration yourself; having seen it, I will do it afterwards.’ Then, when he bends down to bow, strike off his head. I will perform your sacrifice; you will obtain the eight supernormal powers.’ When the vetāla had thus instructed him, King Vikrama did just so. Then the vetāla himself, having assumed the form of the Hotṛ priest, performed the sacrifice; with the head of that naked ascetic, the final offering was made. The eight great supernormal powers were attained by the king. Then the vetāla said: ‘O King, I am pleased with you; choose a boon.’ The king said: ‘If you are pleased with me, then restore this naked ascetic to life, and whenever I remember you, you must come.’ He promised, ‘So be it,’ revived the ascetic, and went to his own abode. King Vikrama too, having given the eight great supernormal powers to that naked ascetic, entered his own city. ### [31.p15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31.p15) Having told this story, the statuette said to King Bhoja: ‘O King, if such qualities as generosity and daring are present in you, then sit upon this throne.’ The king fell silent. Thus ends the thirty-first story. ## Translations (1) - [Vikrama's Adventures, or The Thirty-two Tales of the Throne](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-edgerton.31.p3) — Franklin Edgerton 1926, English ## Linked texts (1) - [Siṃhāsanadvātriṃśikā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana.31.p1) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.31) · Pramāṇa