Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c12.52

v2.c12.52

Nārada, the great seeker after new things in heaven and on earth, once goes forth together with his nephew on a very diverting ramble through the lands of the earth. They make the agreement that “whatever wish the one may have, he must let the other know of it, be it good or evil; otherwise the curse will light on him for an untruth”. They invite themselves as guests of King Śrīñjaya for an indefinite time. The king one day says : “I have a daughter with a fair face. She is my only girl. She shall wait on you. She is lovely to look on, with a faultless body, wholly given to virtuous ways, a tender maid, bright-shining as a filament of the lotus-flower.” “That is a friendliness without compare,” said the two. The king gave her his bidding : “Girl, wait on the two Brahmans, as though they were gods or thine own fathers.” The maiden, she that lived after the law, said “Yes” to her father, and did honour and service to the two according to the king’s bidding. Because of her service and her peerless beauty love came swift and sudden on Nārada. And passion waxed in the heart of the high-souled one, as the moon waxes step by step, when the bright half of the month has come. But for shame the knower of the law did not tell his nephew of this violent love of his, did not tell the high-souled Parvata.” But Parvata noticed all, and on the close one put the curse of becoming an ape. Nārada got his beloved one as wife, but the curse was also fulfilled, and, indeed, directly after the wedding. But she loved him even thus, and kept strict faith with him (xii, 30 ; cp. vii, 55).