Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c11.68

v2.c11.68

After a truly Indian adventure with his half-brother, Hanumant, he went on his way again to search “with Draupadī’s word as food for his way”, and at length beheld a mighty river, and in it a grove of those particular lotus-flowers that his wife yearned after, shining like the newly risen sun. “When he had seen it, he felt in his heart that he was at the goal of his wishes, and in his thoughts he hastened to his beloved, sore worn as she was by her life in the forest.” Near here, too, was the wondrous-fair lotus-pond of Kubera the god of wealth, whence that flower had come; and this pond was covered by those rare golden lotus-flowers, resting on stalks of cat’s-eye stones. They sent forth the sweetest scent, and, whirled up by the waterfowl, their pollen flew through the air. The bold hero now at once drank of the water, and wanted to take the flowers; the watching spirits, however, angrily stopped him, and demanded that he should first ask the owner, Kubera, as did even gods and holy men. But he told them proudly that he was the Pāṇḍava Bhīmasena, and had come at the sweet bidding of his wife. “Kings do not beg, that is the everlasting law. And I can in no wise set the custom of the Kshattriyas behind me. And this lovely lotus-clump grew up by the waterfall in the mountain; it belongs to all beings as much as to Kubera.” They came to blows, but Bhīma with his huge club overcame his attackers, and put them to flight; he drank his fill of the nectar-like water, and plucked of the wonderful lotus-blooms to his heart’s desire. Kubera, who was at once told of the matter, laughed and was content withal (iii, 146 ff.).