Shukasaptati 9

9.1

START Suk 9:

Next morning the king, who was still quite unable to find the answer, sent for the Brâman's daughter and said: " You promised to tell me the meaning of those verses; for I cannot make out what they mean myself." The girl replied: " If you cannot find out the meaning, then listen to me. You have among your soothsayers and wise men, one called Pushpakâra. He is their head. I believe he is a very prudent discreet person. Tell me — why is he called Pushpakâra." The king replied: "He is rightly called Pushpakâra, because when he smiles it seems as if a shower of blossoms fell from his countenance. This was reported to be his characteristic, and so messengers were sent to fetch him to prove the truth of this report about him. When he came he neither laughed nor was there any shower of blossoms that fell from him, and for that reason they call him ' The bond of secrecy.' " The Brâhman's daughter said: " And why did not Pushpakâra laugh? Do you know the reason? " " I haven't the least idea," replied the king. " Then you should make him tell you," rejoined the Brâhman's daughter, " for, it has been said —

9.2

athāparedyuḥ savismayā prabhāvatī śukaṃ pṛcchati sma-śuka! kiṃ vijñātaṃ vikramārkeṇa matsyahasanakāraṇam? śukaḥ prāha-devi! na kimapi rājñā svayaṃ jñātam /
tato rājā prātardvijasutāmāhuya bālapaṇḍitāṃ prāha-tvayā ityuktaṃ yattvaṃ svayameva jñāsyasi /
mayā tu kimapi na jñātam /
bālapaṇḍitā prāha-yadi rājannevamapi mayā kathyamānaṃ na vetsi, tataḥ śṛṇu /
puṣpahāso nāma mantrī sarvamantriṇāmagraṇīrnirdeṣo guptaḥ /
kimiti niyantrito 'sti /
rājā prāha-anvartho 'yaṃ puṣpahāsaḥ /
yataḥ yadāso madīyāyāṃ saṃsadi hasati tadāsyāsyātpuṣpaprakaro nipatati /
iyañca kathāpararājyamaṇḍaleṣu khyātābhūt /
tatastaiḥ preṣitāḥ svīyapumāṃsaḥ kutūhalānveṣaṇāya /
teṣu samāyāteṣu tena na hasitaṃ puṣpaprakaro 'pi nābhūt /
iti kāraṇātguptibandhaḥ /
bālapaṇḍitā prāha-kenāpi kāraṇena mantriṇā na hasitam, rājan! tatkāraṇaṃ tvayā jñātaṃ na vā? rājā prāha-mayā kimapi na jñātam /
bālapaṇḍitā prāha-tarhi kathamidaṃ daṇḍaṃ kurvanpāpabhāk na bhavasi? uktañca-

9.3

dharmeṇa rāṣṭraṃ vindena dharmeṇaivānupālayet /
dharmāccharaṇyatāṃ yāti rājā sarvabhayāpahaḥ //

" ' A king should gain a kingdom by righteousness; In righteousness he should rule it;

By righteousness the king guards his subjects from harm and becomes their refuge.'

9.4

yathā āgrahānmāṃ matsyahāsyakāraṇaṃ pṛcchasi tathā tamapi pṛccha hāsyakāraṇam /
sa evātmīyahāsyasya matsyahāsyasya ca kāraṇaṃ vaktā /
rājāpi tadvacanātpuṣpahāsaṃ mantriṇaṃ vastradānapūrvaṃ mantripade pratiṣṭhāpya matsyahāsyakāraṇaṃ papraccha /
mantryāha-yadyapi gṛhaduścaritamakathyam /
yataḥ-

" You have asked me what the fish meant by laughing. You ask him the same question. Perhaps he will answer it and tell you at the same time why he did not laugh himself."

So the king sent for Pushpakâra, and as he was a wise man, and of some importance, he made him valuable presents and asked him why he did not laugh, and why the fish did. He replied: " Family scandals should not be talked about. Loss of money, sorrow of mind, difficulties at home, fraud, contempt — these are things which no wise man ever publishes. Still the command of the king must be obeyed; for the glory of a king, equal to that of Sudra, has surpassing power on the earth; the very name of a righteous, energetic king, surpasses the sun in magnificence. Therefore I will answer your majesty's question. I found out that my wife was in love with some one else, and therefore grief stopped my laughter."

9.5

arthanāśaṃ manastāpaṃ gṛhe duścaritāni ca /
vañcanaṃ cāpamānaṃ ca matimānna prakāśayet //

9.6

tathāpi tu rājājñā mahatī /
yataḥ-
prabhuḥ prītisnigdhāṃ dṛśamapi na pāpeṣu visṛjet kutaḥ ślāghyāmājñāṃ praṇayarasasāndreṇa manasā /
atītyādityāgniprabhṛti bhuvi dharmendriyamayaṃ nṛpākhyaṃ hi jyotiḥ prasabhamidamaindraṃ vijayate //

9.7

tato rājan! me kalatraṃ narāntararataṃ jātaṃ tacca mayā jñātam, tena ca duḥkhena na hasitam /
rājāpīdamākarṇya puṣpahastakai rājñīmāhṛtya sammukhamavalokayāmāsa /
sā ca tena prahāreṇa kapaṭamūrcchāṃ nāṭayati sma /
puṣpahāso 'pi tāmavalokya sahāso babhūva puṣpotkaraśca samajani /
rājāpi tāmāśvāsya kṛtakopo dvijātmajāsyaṃ vilokya mantriṇamavādīt kathamasmadduḥkhe sahāso 'si? mantryapi sabhayamañjaliṃ baddhvābhāṣata-rājan! poṭakajanaistvadīyā rājñī rātrau nāḍikābhirāhatāpi na mūrcchitā, adhunā mūrcchiteti hāsyakāraṇam /
rājāpi sakopo "mantrinnidaṃ tvayā dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ ve'ti papraccha /
mantryāha-svāmindṛṣṭamevedam /
yadi svāmī na pratyeti tadā kañcukamuttāryāvalokayatu /
evaṃ kṛte rājā sarvamajñāsīt /
mantriṇo dvijasutāyāśca mukhamavalokya kimidamityavādīt /
mantryāha-svāmin! yadidaṃ dvijaputryā gūḍhārthaṃ matsyahāsyakāraṇaṃ niveditaṃ tanmayā prakaṭīkṛtam /
ityevamukto rājā āsthānaṃ vyasarjayat /
atha dvijasutāpuṣpahāsāvapi bhītahṛṣṭau svaṃ svaṃ gṛhaṃ jagmatuḥ /
tena ca rājñā tasyā mañjūṣāsthito naro dṛṣṭo vināśitaḥ /
sā ca nijavāsādvisarjitā /
śukaḥ prabhāvatīmāha-

Then the king put his own difficulty before the wise man, and the latter gave no answer but struck the queen full in the face. The queen pretended to faint, and Pushpakslra burst into a fit of laughter. The king was extremely angry and looking at the magician and the Brâhman's daughter, said, "What is there to laugh at? What do you mean by this?" "Sir," replied the magician making a profound bow, "the queen did not faint the other night when she was struck by the young men in whose company she was. Now when I strike her she faints, or pretends to faint." The king grew still more angry and said, "What is this? do you know it of your own knowledge?" The magician answered, "I saw it with my own eyes, and if your majesty is not convinced I will prove it to you." The king went into the matter and found out everything. The magician said, "I suppose your majesty sees now why the Brâhman's daughter would not tell you the reason why the fish laughed." The end of it was that Pushpakâra and the Brâhman's daughter were sent home in a considerable state of trepidation, while the queen and her lovers were sewn up in a sack, and thrown into the river.

9.8

tathā tvamapi kalyāṇi mā kuruṣva vṛthāgraham /
yadāgrahaparo loke vilakṣo vikramārkavat //

9.9

iti kathā śrutvā prabhāvatī suptā /

9.10

iti śukasaptatau navamī kathā //