The Early History of India, from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest, including the Invasion of Alexander the Great c28.111

c28.111

‘The king’, so runs the story, ‘had a minister named Māthara, of unusual intelligence. He addressed Kanishka in these words: “Sire, if you wish to follow the advice of your servant, your power will assuredly bring the whole world into subjection. All will submit to you, and the eight regions will take refuge in your merit. Think over what your servant has said, but do not divulge it.” The king replied: “Very well, it shall be as you say.” Then the minister called together the able generals and equipped a force of the four arms. Wherever the king turned, all men bowed before him like herbage under hail. The peoples of three regions came in to make their submission; under the hoofs of the horse ridden by king Kanishka everything either bent or broke. The king said: “I have subjugated three regions; all men have taken refuge with me; the region of the north alone has not come in to make its submission. If I subjugate it, I shall never again take advantage of an opportunity against any one, be he who he may, but I do not yet know the best way to succeed in this undertaking.” The king’s people, having heard these words, took counsel together, and said: “The king is greedy, cruel, and unreasonable; his campaigns and continued conquests have wearied the mass of his servants. He knows not how to be content, but wants to reign over the four quarters. The garrisons are stationed on distant frontiers, and our relatives are far from us. Such being the situation, we must agree among ourselves, and get rid of him. After that we may be happy." As he was ill, they covered him with a quilt, a man sat on top of him, and the king died on the spot.'¹