[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) › 7 # Simhasanadvatrimshika 7 English (machine translation) 7 - **Language:** English ### [7.p1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p1) Once again, as the king was proceeding to sit on the throne at an auspicious hour, another statuette said: “O king, he who possesses the generosity and courage of Vikrama is worthy to sit on this throne.” King Bhoja said: “Relate the account of his generosity.” She said: “O king, listen. While Vikramāditya was ruling the kingdom, all the people lived in happiness; there was no thorn of wicked men in the world. All people possessed good conduct; the brahmins were devoted to the study of the Vedas and learned treatises, the practice of their own duty, and were engaged in the six duties. All castes had fear of sin and delight in fame, an inclination toward benevolence towards others, love for truth, hatred for greed, indifference to slandering others, affection for kindness to living beings, devotion to the Supreme Lord, purity of body, reflection on eternal and non-eternal things, intellect fixed on the other world, truth in speech, steadfastness in keeping one's word, and the virtue of generosity in the heart. Thus all the people, perfumed with noble inclinations, their inner faculties purified, lived happily through the king's favor. In that city there was a certain merchant named Dhanada. There was no limit to his wealth. Whatever object anyone sought, that very object could be obtained right there. Thus, in the mind of him who was the refuge of all prosperity, an understanding of the impermanence of all things arose: ### [7.p2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p2) namely: “This worldly existence is essenceless; the entire realm of objects is impermanent. ### [7.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.1) Know that union with loved ones is like a city in the sky, youth or wealth is like a mass of clouds, kinsmen, sons, bodies, and the like are fleeting as lightning, and the entire course of worldly existence is momentary. || 1 ### [7.p3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p3) And likewise: ### [7.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.2) A refuge or no refuge, \[home\] is the root of bondage for men; / a wife enjoyed for an instant is the gateway to a host of misfortunes; / reflect: sons are enemies; abandon all this, / and, desiring happiness, devote yourselves to spotless righteousness. || 2 ### [7.p4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p4) Therefore, righteousness alone is the refuge of worldly beings. And thus it is said: ### [7.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.3) Righteousness protects when protected; surely destroyed, it destroys living beings; / therefore it must not be violated, as it is the refuge of worldly beings in every way; / righteousness leads here to that very abode upon which yogins meditate; / there is no friend like righteousness, nor are any happy or wise except the righteous man. || 3 ### [7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.4) Righteousness is capable of granting the bliss that is the essence of the serpent-king's city; / righteousness grants extensive joy in the mortal world to those who hope for it; / righteousness is the source of the continuous taste of bliss in the city of the gods; / what inner state, fit for union with the maiden of liberation, does righteousness not bring about? || 4 ### [7.p5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p5) Therefore, wealth acquired for the sake of accumulating righteousness must be given to a worthy recipient by a wise man. What is offered to such a one multiplies manifold. For: ### [7.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.5) Wealth bestowed upon an exceptional recipient attains a different quality for the donor, / just as water from a raincloud, falling into an ocean oyster, becomes a pearl. || 5 ### [7.p6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p6) And likewise: ### [7.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.6) Just as a tiny seed of a banyan tree, fallen into fertile ground, / attains great extent, so does a gift bestowed upon a worthy recipient. || 6 ### [7.p7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p7) Having reflected in this manner at length, he summoned Vedic brahmins, heard from them of the gifts of cows, land, brides, knowledge, food, water, and so forth set forth in the Dānakhaṇḍa taught by Hemādri, and, having presented those gifts to worthy recipients, with a purified heart he thought again: 'This practice of vows of gift-giving and the like undertaken by me will bear fruit only when I go to Dvāravatī and see Kṛṣṇa.' Having so reflected, he set out for Dvāravatī. Going to the seashore, he summoned a boatman, gave him abundant wealth, took beggars, ascetics, foreigners, the destitute, and others aboard the ship, and as he was travelling with them, exchanging pleasant words and holding discourses on righteousness, a small mountain was seen in the midst of the sea. On that mountain stood a great temple. Then, entering the temple, worshiping the goddess Bhuvaneśvarī with the sixteen modes of worship including incense and flowers, and bowing down, just as he cast his gaze upon her left side, he saw a couple, a man and a woman, whose heads had been severed, and he noticed letters inscribed on the face of the wall standing before him: 'Whichever benevolent person, endowed with great fortitude, worships Bhuvaneśvarī with the blood of his own neck, then this pair of man and woman will come to life.' Having read what was thus inscribed, full of wonder, Dhanada boarded the ship once more, went to Dvāravatī, saw Kṛṣṇa, bowed down, and praised him: ### [7.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.7) Even a single salutation to Kṛṣṇa / is equal to the concluding bath of ten horse-sacrifices; / one who performs ten horse-sacrifices is born again, / but one who bows to Kṛṣṇa is not subject to rebirth. || 7 ### [7.p8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p8) Having praised him thus, he performed worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa with the sixteen modes of worship, presented to Kṛṣṇa every wondrous object he had brought, spent three days there, and returned to his own city. After honouring all his relatives with the grace of Kṛṣṇa, in the morning he took a certain wondrous object and went to see the king. And it is said: ### [7.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.8) One should not visit empty-handed a king, a deity, a guru, / or especially an astrologer; one should indicate the fruit by a fruit. || 8 ### [7.p9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p9) And likewise: ### [7.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.9) A beloved wife, a dear friend, a younger son, / an astrologer, and a master: these one should not visit empty-handed. || 9 ### [7.p10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7.p10) Then, having placed the prasāda of Kṛṣṇa into the king's hand, he sat down. The king then inquired about the safety of his journey and asked for any wondrous news. He, too, recounted the story of the temple of Bhuvaneśvarī standing in the ocean. Hearing this, the king, filled with wonder, went to that place along with Dhanada; in the temple, to the left side of the deity, he saw the headless pair. Then, keeping the goddess in mind, no sooner did he put his sword to his throat than the two headless bodies were restored with their heads and came to life; and the goddess, drawing the sword away from the king's hand, said: 'O King, I am pleased; choose a boon!' The king said: 'O Goddess, if you are pleased, grant a kingdom to this couple.' Then the goddess granted a kingdom to that couple. The king also returned to his own city along with Dhanada. Having told this story, the statuette said: 'O King, if such valour exists in you, then sit upon this throne.' Hearing that, the king remained silent. Thus ends the seventh 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.7.p3) — Franklin Edgerton 1926, English ## Linked texts (1) - [Siṃhāsanadvātriṃśikā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana.7.p1) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.short_stories.simhasana~en-mt.7) · Pramāṇa