Simhasanadvatrimshika f8
English (machine translation) f8
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f8.p1
Having thus told the story to King Bhoja, the minister said again: 'O King, that king who listens to the word of a minister becomes long-lived and happy.' Then King Bhoja, having praised the minister and honoured him with garments, ornaments, and the like, brought that throne into the city, had a pavilion with a thousand pillars erected there, installed the throne in that pavilion at an auspicious hour and auspicious planetary conjunction, was then consecrated with holy pilgrimage waters mixed with divine herbs preceded by mantras by the twice-born, was cheered with waved lights by married women, revered by many brahmins, praised by bards, honoured the four castes with gifts and marks of respect, gave various gifts to the poor, blind, deaf, lame, hunchbacked, and others, and marked with umbrella and fly-whisk, as he was about to place his lotus foot upon the head of the statuette, the statuette said to the king in a human voice: 'O King, if you possess such heroism, generosity, daring, courage, and the like as his, then sit upon this throne.' The king said: 'O statuette, I too possess all the generosity and the like spoken of by you; what is lacking? I too have given what is appropriate for the time to all supplicants.' The statuette says: 'O King, this alone is improper for you, that you yourself recount with your own mouth what has been given by you. He who recounts his own virtues or others' faults is merely a wicked man; but a virtuous man does not speak thus. And it is said:
f8.1
A wicked man in the world is able to speak of others' faults like his own virtues; / a virtuous man, in truth, is unable to speak of others' faults or his own virtues. || 1
f8.p2
And furthermore:
f8.2
Lifespan, wealth, a defect in the household, a mantra, the use of medicine, / giving, honour, and dishonour: these nine are always to be kept secret. || 2
f8.p3
"Therefore one should not praise one's own virtues oneself, nor should one blame others." Hearing what was said by the statuette, King Bhoja, filled with wonder, said to the statuette: "What you have said is true; he who recounts his own virtues is indeed a fool. That I recounted my virtues was entirely improper. Tell [me] of the generosity of him to whom this throne belongs."
Linked texts (1)
- Siṃhāsanadvātriṃśikā — Sanskrit