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النشر الإلكتروني

THE BOOK SPAKE.

386. "On Tuesday will he sew his wallet and his quilt. On Wednesday will he shave his head. 387. On Thursday will he besmear himself with ashes. On Friday the king shall pierce his two ears. 388. On Friday the king shall pierce his ears, and on Saturday shall he put on a languți. 389. On Sunday the king shall take in his hand a beggar's platter; on that day the king shall set out for a far country. 390. He will take thee from thy home and will give thee advice and hope. For some days he will distress thee in the midst of the forest. Other sorrow will he give thee in the sandy waste. 391. Other sorrow will he give thee in the city of S'ríkalá. He will pawn thee for food in the house of Hírá the Harlot. 392. 392. The Harlot's dress will be a linen sárí bright as fire. Thy dress, O king, will be a knotted rope. 393. Unsifted rice will she give thee and brinjals full of seeds. She will give thee brinjals full of seed, and thou wilt burn them and eat them. A pitiless harlot is she; thou wilt be forbidden oil and salt. 394. The harlot will seek the privy, and it wilt be thou who wilt cleanse it. Thou shalt close thy eyes, and proffer her the water of her sin.* 395. Early in the morning shalt thou rise, and she will beat thee with a broom. Thou shalt lift up the bed of her sins, of countless, countless sins. 396. Bhángí ropes will she give thee and a bhángí stick and two water jars. Twelve loads shalt thou measure out every day."

THE KING SPAKE.

397. "Hear, Reverend Sir. Happiness and misery are written in our destiny. Methinks, I see death written by the Creator in my fate. 'Tis not in two syllables and a half that it can be cancelled." 398. Brother Khetu, where art thou gone? First would I eat pán. Then would I give the Bráhman a present and bid him good speed." 399. He gave him a present and bade him speed. "Make present the barber of my father's time." 400. He went to the nápit and called him to the king, saying "Brother, fetch thy razors and come." 401. The hall was full. The crowd gave forth a confused noise. At this time did the barber, the son of a barber, present himself. 402. Even as the pious king saw the barber, he descended from his throne; and as he did, the theatrum of the temple, and other walled buildings fell to the ground. 403. The forest trees, and the shrubs, the very leaves of the trees began to weep. The forest deer bent their heads

*Not a literal translation.

+ The word used is "pát". A pát in Rangpur is the term used for one of those solid blocks of masonry found here and there in the district. Kings of the olden days are said to have sat upon them, and there to have dispensed justice. One of them, however, (Harís' Chandra Rújár Pát, see fig. 3), is almost certainly a tomb.

and wept. 404. At the ghát of the Gháṭwál there were twenty-two káhans* of ships, and they all wept. Twenty-two káhans of ships wept and twenty-three káhans of boatmen, and amongst them Vis'ves'var the boatman also wept. 405. 405. The deer-park wept and the children's summerhouse. Even the school of harlots wept. 406. The Titiyá Manjar wept within its cage. And nine budist of dogs wept as they were hunting. 407. The hospital and the toshá-khána wept at intervals. Water-houses, summer-houses and cow-houses‡ (?) wept in countless number. 408. In the elephant stalls, the elephants wept. In the stables, the horses wept. In the throne-room, all the dresses were wet with tears. 409. A hundred cows wept, throwing their tails round the king's neck §; and nine buḍis of dogs wept at his feet. 410. A hundred queens rolled upon the earth and wept. Aduná and Paduná clasped his feet and wept.

ADUNA AND PADUNA SPAKE.

411. "Alas, alas, my husband, my wealth. Thou art deserting me. Who now will protect me, and bring me ghí and rice to eat?" 412. The king's mother wept with tears falling from her eyes, and they brought a jar of Gangá water. 413. They brought a leaf of a Newáij tree, and they poured water on him from a golden cup. 414. As they poured water on the head of the king, the royal throne quaked. 415. The barber grasped his razor and gazed around. But he received no order to shave the king.

MAYANA SPAKE.

416. "O barber, towards whom art thou looking? Scorn not thou to shave the head of my darling. Diamonds will I give thee and mounted work; pearls will I give thee as a token. 417. Shave off all his hair, leave only one crown-lock. If thou shavest it off, thereby wilt thou lose thy quilt and wallet." 418. He took his razor in his hand and for a hundred days the king's hair fell upon earth. It became a hairy Gangá and began to flow away. 419. Mayaná uttered "Tuḍu, Tuḍu" with a terrible cry, and sixteen hundred Munis came down on hearing it. 420. In his chariot of flowers descended Gorakh the Vidyadhara. On a flail came riding Nárada, best of munis. 421. On the back of Vásoyár descended the mighty Bholánáth. On bow and arrow came down Ráma and Lakshmaņa. 422. In different directions descended the five Páṇḍava brothers. There 16 pans of 20 gandas or 1280.

* A káhan

=

† A buḍi 5 gandas or twenty.

†The meaning of gokula here is unknown to every one whom I have consulted. § I know of no other flight of poetry equal to this in the whole poem. I have tried hard to persuade myself that the translation is incorrect; but in vain. The words are too plain to admit of any other meaning.

is no counting the number of Háḍi Siddhas, with their ears cut. 423. A Háḍi hid his face with the dust of cow-dung fuel; and seeing danger at hand, Mayaná began to weep.

424.

own away

THE BURDEN OF HER SONG.

"The apple of his mother's eyes. Alas, my child! Who took my ?" 425. They snatched the razor from the hands of the nápit, and gave it into the hand of the ear-cutter. 426. 426. Even as the ear-cutter took the razor in his hand, he cried " Rám, Rám” and cut both the ears of the king. 427. They fastened to the king's ear an ear-ring of crystal. They clothed him in a cloth covered with holy symbols. 428. 428. Five Vaishṇavas came and dressed the king in a languți. A languți with a string did they put upon him. 429. They placed round his neck a Ráma rosary. They put into his hand a gourd-platter. 430. A torn quilt, a torn languți, a torn (heart at) departure. All the followers of Chaitanya were collected near the door. 431. Holy Chaitanya and Nityánanda, also Rádhá, Sítá, and the High Priest of the Vaishnavas sang the Holy Lay. 432. The king's son began to weep, and cried for alms. His servant Khetu gave him alms: elephants, horses, his royal staff and umbrella. Those alms he placed with reverence at the feet of his guru.

THE GURU SPAKE.

433. "Depart, depart, O king, I give to thee a boon. Thou shalt go to the three corners of the earth, but shalt not go to Yama's dwellingplace." 434. As the king turned his head to one side, all the heavenly Munis returned to heaven. 435. Mayaná bathed herself in five loṭas of water, and glad in heart she entered into her own home. 436. In a moment,* she cooked a dish of rice and fifty curries. She touched it, and placed it in a golden dish. 437. She filled a golden vessel with water. "Eat, eat my darling. Happy and light of heart, go thou on thy pilgrimage." 438. When he saw the rice in a (golden) plate, he struck his forehead with his hand, and wept.

THE KING SPAKE.

439. "When I was lord of my kingdom, O my mother, then did I eat rice in many a golden dish. 440. 440. Now I am a beggar, not worth a single káoṛí. I cannot eat from a golden plate." 441. He took a plantain leaf and cut it. Thereon he placed a little rice. 442. He took the shell of a broken gourd and from it he drank a little water. 443. He washed his face and hands with water. Then what did he do? He uttered the words "S'rí Krishna" and ate the food. 444. One mouthful, two

*Lit. at a stroke.

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mouthfuls, five mouthfuls he ate. Then he looked towards the water, which was trickling out of the broken gourd. 445. He put his face to the earth and sipped up the water, and as he did so Deví's brother S'ani* came over his destiny. 446. S'ani and Ketu took up their abode in the king's heart. And all his body became defiled. 447. Then Mayaná wept in pitiful accents.

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448. "My son is all my fortune. Who will make us meet again. 449. Thou art going to a far country. Thou wilt dwell in the house of a strange woman. First the householder will eat and then he will think of thee. 450. When thou seest an Atíta or a Vaishnava do not thou despise him. With thy head touching the ground reverence thou him who weareth a rosary. 451. When thou shalt see the mustard plant scanty, and the dub grass thin; then wilt thou know that thou art in a far country."

THE KING SPAKE.

452. "If I see a flower, I will not pluck it. If I see a bird, I will not fling a stone at it. 453. If I see another's wife, I will not smile at her. First I will call her mother, then will I ask for alms.” 454. She put sixteen kahans of káorís in his wallet. "See that thou tellest not thy guru about these kάoris." 455. "In dust and ashes will I spend the money. Following the Háḍi will I go to Yama's abode."

4.56. The hundred queens went to Khetu. But Aduná and Paduná went to their own palace. 457. In that palace, there were guards in twelve places, and thirteen thánás. No Atíta or Vaishnava was allowed to enter that house. 458. And e'en as the two damsels entered their dwelling-place, the doors of virtue shut themselves without keys. 459. They set themselves to play at dice in silence.

460.

THE QUEEN SPAKE.

"What day the dice will fall from my hands in disorder, I shall know that that day my husband is dead.”

461. The burden of the kingdom remained in the lap of Mayaná, the king's mother. And the Háḍi and the king started for a city in a far country. 462. One kroś, two kroś, five kroś he went. And the king's feet were cut and covered with blood.

THE BURDEN OF HIS SONG.

463. "Alas! Fate, sitting in a lovely place, hath written misery on my destiny." 464. 464. One day, two days, seven days passed. Night and * S'ani and Ketu of course mean ill-luck. If, however, by "Deví" is meant Durgá, she is certainly not S'ani's sister.

day he journeyed on. 465. 465. So the king left his home and went to another country, and the Háḍi said, "Glory to fate. This is the fruit of destiny."

THE HA'DI SPAKE.

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466. "A proud word did the king speak concerning me. Verily, in a short space, I will bring him into trouble." 467.

Tuḍu, Tuḍu," cried he, with a terrible voice; and in the atmosphere that wondrous Háḍi created a forest. 468. They passed through a small forest, and came to a great one. The spittle in the king's mouth was dried up, nor could he speak. 469. In the vacant atmosphere the Háḍi went along. While the king toiled slowly along, thrusting the jangal aside with his hands. 470. Prickles pierced him and thorns pierced him. His blood poured forth in streams. He could not travel further, and (in despair) the king struck his forehead with his hand.

THE BURDEN OF HIS SONG.

471. "To whom shall I tell my woes. Even my guru hath become pitiless." 472. More pangs he gave the king. He took him through a sandy waste. At the king's tears the Háḍi's heart was touched, and he created a pleasant Kadamba tree upon the road. 473. The king went to a place deep (under the foliage) by the foot of the tree, and sleep came upon him in handfuls,

THE KING SPAKE.

474. "What with ploughing through water, and what with ploughing through sand, I have undergone great hardships. Place thy left thigh upon the ground, that I may rest awhile. 475. The Háḍi laid his left thigh upon the ground, and the king rested his head upon it and fell asleep. 476. The Háḍi cried "Tuḍu, Tuḍu" with a loud voice, and summoned an hundred Yamas.

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THE HA'DI SPAKE.

477. Hear, O ye Yamas, take heed unto my words. Build ye a road from hence to Daryápur, seven cubits broad and chest high." 478. The Yamas heard his words, nor did they delay. They departed to build the road. 479. From thence to Daryápur they built the road, seven cubits broad and chest high. 480. “Hanumán” he cried with a loud voice, and made them plant trees at intervals along the road. 481. He smote the king with a slap like a thunderbolt, and crying "Guru, Guru" the king arose, weeping.

482.

THE HA'DI SPAKE.

I have built a road with great labour. that I may buy happiness and enjoy myself. 483.

Give me twelve kaorís,
I would buy and eat

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