Hindoo Tales Part 16

"The women, who had been listening with delight to all that was said, seeing his hesitation, a.s.sembled round him, and, with sweet words and caresses, easily persuaded him to follow his own inclination and theirs.

"From that time the young king, given up entirely to pleasures and amus.e.m.e.nts, left the affairs of the kingdom to his ministers; and, while allowing them to manage as they pleased, provided they did not trouble him, openly treated them with insolence and neglect, and even took pleasure in hearing them ridiculed by the worthless parasites who surrounded him, so that even the wisest of his ministers, while lamenting the sad state of affairs, could only acknowledge their inability to remedy it, and wait till some great public calamity, or the invasion of the country by a neighbouring sovereign, who was gradually extending his dominions by force or cunning, should bring the young king to his senses.

"Ere long, what they had expected came to pa.s.s; for the King of Asmaka, who had for some time coveted the country, but did not dare openly to invade it while it was strong and prosperous, took measures in secret to weaken the authority of Anantavarma, and diminish his resources; and, lest he should perchance see the error of his ways and abandon his vicious courses, he secretly gave a commission to the son of one of his ministers, a young man of great abilities and agreeable manners, an eloquent flatterer and amusing companion, who arrived at the court of Anantavarma, attended by a numerous retinue, as if travelling about for his own pleasure.

"This man soon became intimate with the king, and took care to fall in with all his tastes, and to justify and praise every pursuit which he engaged in.

"Thus, if he saw the king fond of hunting, he would say: 'What a fine manly sport this is! How it strengthens the body, braces the spirits, and quickens the intelligence! While roaming over hill and dale, you become acquainted with the country; by destroying the deer and wild buffaloes, you benefit the husbandmen; by killing the tigers and other wild beasts, you make travelling safer.' And he would go on in this way, without any allusion to the damage and destruction caused by the king's hunting expeditions.

"If gambling was the favourite amus.e.m.e.nt, or there was excessive devotion to women, or to drinking, he would very ingeniously bring forward everything that could be said in favour of them, pa.s.sing over their disadvantages in silence. If the king was lavish to his dependants, he would praise his generosity; if cruel, he would say: 'Such severity is good; you maintain your own dignity by it; a king ought not to be like a patient devotee, submitting to insults, and ready to forgive.

"In this manner that wicked wretch obtained great influence over the king, and employed it to lead him into all sorts of excesses.

"With such an example before them, all cla.s.ses gradually became corrupted. The magistrates neglected their duties, and thought only how they might enrich themselves; great criminals, who could bribe, escaped with impunity; the weak were oppressed by the strong; violence and robbery were rampant; disturbances broke out on all sides; and severe and indiscriminating punishments only stirred up indignation, without repressing crime. The revenue diminished, while expenditure was increasing; everywhere loud complaints were heard, and great distress prevailed.

"As if all this were not sufficient, the cruel King of Asmaka sent emissaries in all directions to mix unsuspectedly with the inhabitants of Vidarba, and do as much mischief as possible.

"Some would distribute subtle poisons in various ways; some would stir up quarrels between neighbouring villages, and so cause party fights; some contrived to let loose a furious elephant into a crowd, or get up an alarm by other means, and so cause a sudden panic, in which the people trampled down each other, and many lives were lost; others, disguised as hunters, promising abundance of game, would tempt men into some narrow valley, between high mountains, where they were devoured by tigers, or, unable to find their way out again, perished of hunger and thirst.

"By these and many other devices, they succeeded in destroying life and weakening the country, so that less resistance might be offered to the invader.

"Then, thinking the time to be arrived, the King of Asmaka prepared for war. Meanwhile, his emissary was leading on the foolish young king to destruction; and at this very time, as if in perfect security, he was amusing himself with the performances of a celebrated actress and dancer, having, at the instigation of his treacherous friend, persuaded her, by large donations, to leave the King of Kuntala, with whom she was a great favourite.

"Indignant at such an insult, that king was easily persuaded to join the King of Asmaka, who had already obtained several other allies eager to have a share in the expected conquest and plunder.

"Thus, when the country was actually invaded, no effectual resistance was made; Anantavarma was easily defeated, and fell into the power of his cruel enemy.

"The cunning King of Asmaka, who had gained his allies by many liberal promises, had no intention of sharing the conquered country with any one; he professed, however, great disinterestedness; declared that he should be contented with a very small part; and, having desired his allies to arrange between themselves what each should take, contrived, by his intrigues, to make them quarrel over the division. The result was that they fought with, and so weakened each other, that he was able to disregard their claims, and to annex the whole of the conquered country to his own dominions.

"After the defeat and death of Anantavarma, an old and faithful minister escaped with the queen and her two children, this boy and his elder sister Manjuvadini, together with a few faithful followers, including myself; and though the old minister was taken ill and died on the road, the rest arrived safely at Mahishmati, where the queen was well received by the king Amittravarma, a half-brother of her husband, and where she devoted herself to the education of her son, hoping that he might one day recover his father's kingdom.

"After a time, however, that king sought to marry his brother's widow; and, having been rejected by her, determined to take revenge by killing her son.

"The queen, having discovered his intentions, sent for me, and said: 'My life is wrapped up in this boy; I can endure any thing, so long as he is safe; take him and make your escape at once; I know not where to send you, but if you can find a safe refuge, let me know, and I will come to you, if possible.'

"In obedience to her commands, I took the boy, succeeded in escaping with him, and reached a shepherd's hut on the borders of this forest.

There we stayed a few days till I saw a man whom I suspected to be searching for us. Fearing discovery, I left the cottage, and entered the forest. Here, while trying to get water to quench the poor child's burning thirst, I slipped into the well, where I should have perished but for your timely a.s.sistance; and now, having done us this kindness, will you add to it by protecting the boy, and helping us to reach a place of safety?"

"Who was his mother," I asked. "Of what family was she?"

"She is the daughter of the King of Oude," he answered, "and her mother was Sagaradatta, daughter of Vaisravana, a merchant of Pataliputra."

"If so," I replied, "she and my father are cousins by the mother's side; this boy is therefore my relation, and has a right to my protection."

The old man was much pleased at hearing this, and I promised not only to protect the boy, but to contrive some means for reinstating him in his proper position, and overcoming that wicked King of Asmaka with cunning equal to his own.

For the present, however, the most needful thing was to procure food.

While I was considering how to obtain this, two deer pa.s.sed, pursued by a forester, who shot three arrows and missed them, and, in despair, let fall his bow and two remaining arrows. Hastily s.n.a.t.c.hing up these, I discharged the arrows in rapid succession, and killed both the deer; one of them I gave to the hunter, the other I prepared, and roasted a part of it for ourselves.

The forester was astonished by my skill, and delighted at the acquisition of so much food; and it occurred to me that I might get some information from him. I asked him therefore: "Do you know anything of what is going on at Mahishmati?"

"I was there early this morning," he answered, "for I had a tiger skin and other skins to sell, and great festivities were in preparation; the Prince Prachandavarma, the king's younger brother, is about to marry the Princess Manjuvadini, and the rejoicings are on this account."

After the forester was gone, I said to the old man (whose name was Nalijangha): "That wretch Amittravarma is trying to make it up with his sister-in-law by promoting a good marriage for her daughter; no doubt he thinks to persuade her to recall her son, that he may have him in his power. Do you therefore leave the boy with me, and go back at once to his mother. Tell her how you have met with me, and that the child is quite safe under my protection; but give out in public that he has been carried off and devoured by a tiger. I shall come to the city disguised as a beggar; do you wait for me near the cemetery."

All this he promised to do, and set off immediately, having first received further directions for the guidance of the queen.

After some days, it was generally understood at Mahishmati that the boy who had escaped into the forest had been killed by a tiger; and the king, secretly rejoicing, went to condole with the mother. She appeared as if greatly distressed by the news, and said to him: "I look upon the death of my son as a judgment upon me for not complying with your wishes, and am therefore now ready to become your wife."

The old wretch was delighted at her compliance, and preparations were made for the marriage.

On the appointed day, in the presence of a numerous a.s.sembly, she took a small leafy branch, and dipping it in what appeared to be water, but which really contained a deadly poison, struck him gently with it on the face, saying: "If you are acting right, this will not injure you; if you are sinning in taking me, your brother's wife, and I am faithful to my husband, may this be like the blow of a sword to you."

Such was the strength of the poison that he fell dead almost instantaneously. Then dipping the same branch into other water containing an antidote, she struck her daughter in a similar manner; and, as no injury followed, the spectators were fully convinced that the death of Amittravarma was a punishment from heaven.

Soon after this (by my directions, and in order to throw him off his guard), she said to Prachandavarma: "The throne is now vacant; you should occupy it at once, and make my daughter your queen."

He listened to the suggestion; and, as the young boy, the nephew of the late king, was supposed to be dead, no opposition was made by the people.

Then the Queen Vasundhara (also by my directions) sent for some of the late king's ministers, and of the elders of the city, whom she knew to be ill-affected towards Prachandavarma, and said to them: "Last night the G.o.ddess Durga appeared to me in a vision, and said: 'Your child is safe; I myself, in the form of a tigress, carried him away, to save him from his enemies. In four days from this time Prachandavarma will suddenly die; on the fifth day let all the authorities a.s.semble round my temple on the bank of the river, and close the doors, after having ascertained that no one is concealed inside. After waiting one hour, the door will open and a young brahman will come forth, holding your son by the hand. That boy will become King of Vidarba, and that brahman is to marry your daughter.'"

After the divine manifestation in favour of the queen when Amittravarma was struck dead, this account of the vision was readily believed by her hearers, who promised to keep the secret and to be guided by her directions.

When the fourth day arrived I entered the city, disguised as a beggar, and brought the boy to his delighted mother, who introduced me to her daughter, whom I greatly admired, and she, though agitated, was evidently pleased with me, even under such a disguise.

I did not venture to stay long, and after receiving an alms and a.s.suring the queen that the imagined dream would prove true, I went away, taking the boy with me, and at parting, in order to deceive her attendants, she said aloud: "Your application shall not have been in vain; I will take care to protect your boy."

Nalijangha, the old servant whom I had rescued in the forest, met me on my arrival, and was waiting at the place which I had appointed. I went to him there and asked him for information as to the movements and occupations of the new king. "That doomed man," he answered, "thinking all obstacles removed, and rejoicing at his accession to power, is now amusing himself in the palace gardens, with a number of actors, tumblers, and dancing girls."

"I could not have a better opportunity," I replied; "do you therefore stay here with the boy, and wait for me in this old ruin. I shall not be long gone."

I then dressed myself in the clothes of a tumbler, which I had brought with me for the purpose, went boldly into the garden, presented myself to the king, and asked for permission to exhibit my skill before him.

This was readily granted; an opportunity was soon given me of showing what I could do, and I obtained much applause from the spectators.

After a time I begged some of those present to lend me their knives, and I caused much astonishment by the way in which I appeared to balance myself on the points. Then, still, holding one of the knives, I imitated the pouncing of a hawk and an eagle, and having by degrees got near the king, I threw the knife with such good aim, that it pierced him to the heart, and I shouted out at the same time, "Long live Vasantabhanu!" that it might be supposed I had been sent by him.

After this, das.h.i.+ng by the guards, who tried to stop me, I suddenly leaped over the wall, and before any of my pursuers could cross it, I had run a long way on the other side. Doubling back, I got behind a great heap of bricks, and from thence, concealed by the trees, succeeded in reaching the ruins un.o.bserved. Here I changed my clothes and went back to the city, as if nothing had happened.

In order to have everything ready for my intended concealment, I had gone secretly the day before to the Temple of Durga, and had there made an underground chamber, communicating with the interior through an opening in the wall, which was carefully closed with a large stone, and now, taking the boy with me, I entered the hiding place, having been furnished with suitable dresses and ornaments, sent by the queen, through Nalijangha.

The a.s.sa.s.sination of Prachandavarma was universally attributed to his enemy, the King of Asmaka, and the first part of the prophecy of Durga, as told by the queen, being thus accomplished, there was no doubt, on the part of those who were in the secret, as to the fulfilment of the remainder.

In the morning a great crowd was a.s.sembled round the temple; for although the secret of the queen's vision had been kept, it was generally understood that something wonderful was to take place there.

Presently the queen and her attendants arrived, entered the building, and paid their devotions to the G.o.ddess, after which the whole temple was carefully searched, to make sure that no one was concealed there, and all having withdrawn, the doors were closed, and the people stood without in silence, anxiously awaiting the pleasure of the G.o.ddess.

A band then began to play and the kettledrums were loudly struck, so that the sound reached me in the hiding-place. At this, which was the preconcerted signal, I made a great effort, moved the large stone, and came forth with the boy into the temple. Having changed our dresses, I placed the old ones in the hole, carefully refitted the stone, and throwing the temple door wide open, stood in front of the astonished mult.i.tude, holding the young prince by the hand.

While they were gazing in bewilderment, I thus addressed them: "The great G.o.ddess Durga, who lately showed herself in a vision to the queen, has been pleased to restore to his longing mother this child, whom she, in the form of a tigress, had carried away, and she commands you, by my mouth, to accept him as your sovereign."

Then turning to the queen, I said:--"Receive your child from the hands of Durga, who will henceforth protect him as her own son; and by her command accept me as the husband of your daughter."