Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c28.s1.t2.164

v2.c28.s1.t2.164

⁴ The young chieftain of Salumbar, the first of the nobles of Mewar, was sitting with me, attentively listening as I was translating the war against Sarbuland, read by my old tutor. His family possess an hereditary aversion to ‘the cup,’ which is under solemn prohibition from some cause which I forget, and so far did his grandfather carry his antipathy, that a drop falling upon him at an entertainment, he cut out the contaminated part with his dagger. Aware of this, I turned round to the young chief and said: “Well, Rawatji, would you accept the cup from the hand of the Apsaras or would you refuse the *munawwar* (pledge)?” “Certainly I would take it; these are very different cups from ours,” was his reply. “Then you believe that the heavenly fair carry the souls of those who fall in battle to the Mandal of Surya?” “Who dare doubt it? When my time comes, I will take that cup!” a glorious creed for a soldier! He sat for hours listening to my old tutor and friend; for none of their bards expounded like him the *bhujanga* (serpentine verse) of the poet. I have rated the Rawat for being unable to repeat the genealogy of his house from Chonda to himself; but the family bard was dead and left no progeny to inherit his mantle. This young chief is yet (A.D. 1820) but twenty-two, and promises to be better prepared.