Simhasanadvatrimshika f2.p1

f2.p1

There is a city named Ujjayinī, extensive with all kinds of riches, surpassing by its virtues the dwelling-place of Purandara. There lived a king named Bhartṛhari, whose pair of lotus feet was reddened by the vermilion of the hair-partings of all the wives of his feudatories, skilled in all arts and versed in all learned treatises. He had a younger brother named Vikrama, who stripped the valour of his enemies by his own valour. That Bhartṛhari had a wife named Anaṅgasenā, who surpassed celestial maidens in beauty, charm, and other virtues. In that city a certain brahmin, versed in all learned treatises and especially knowing the science of mantras, yet extremely poor, pleased Bhuvaneśvarī by the practice of mantras. Pleased, she said to the brahmin: ‘Brahmin, choose a boon!’ The brahmin said: ‘O goddess, if you are pleased with me, make me free from old age and death.’ Then the goddess gave him a divine fruit and said: ‘Son, eat this fruit; you will become free from old age and death.’ Then the brahmin took that fruit, returned to his house, bathed, performed worship of the deity, and as he was about to eat the fruit, such a thought arose in his mind: ‘Why this? I am exceedingly poor; having become immortal, whom will I benefit? And even living for a long time, begging alone must be done. Therefore, even a short life of a benevolent man is for the better. Moreover, he who lives even for a moment endowed with qualities such as wisdom and power—his life alone is fruitful. And so it is said: