Part 10

No sooner had the youth set eyes on her than he was suddenly enchained by the bonds of passion—passion which, like the pure and spotless moon reflected in water, is, on account of its unstable nature, not easily to be grasped, and like a sea-monster in a billowy torrent, is not easily to be distinguished, which steps along like the Garuḍa or the flow of the wind, which flies about swiftly with a lightness resembling that of cotton, which, like a monkey, is always in motion, never resting in any place. When the arrow of passion, which is ever connected with woes and with longing to enjoy the bliss of love, without letting itself be warned off from the abyss of misfortune due to all those woes—when this arrow strikes the heart, shot from the careless bow with a scarcely audible sound arising from the longing after a meeting, then, completely befooled by senses which hang upon the fair one, a man falls, like a moth, into the flame. As in summer the lightning flashes from out of the rain-cloud, so did the dart of love strike Sudhana when he looked upon her whose countenance was like unto the moon. Then Prince Sudhana took Manoharā and brought her to the city of Hastināpura, and to the hunter he gave a splendid city. Ascending with Manoharā to the upper storey of the palace, the youth Sudhana spent his time with her in pleasure and sport; and by the hundredfold force of Manoharā’s youth, beauty, and respect for him, the youth Sudhana was immediately and irresistibly captivated.

After a time two Brahmans wandered that way, one of whom attached himself to the king, the other to Sudhana. The Brahman who attached himself to the king was appointed a Purohita [83] by the king, who also bestowed much property upon him. But only a little property was given to him who attached himself to Prince Sudhana. The prince’s Brahman said to him, “O youth, what will you do for me when, after your father’s death, you are made king?” The youth Sudhana replied, “As your companion has been appointed my father’s Purohita, I will appoint you also to be a Purohita.” As this conversation of theirs was passed on by one man to another, it came to the ears of the Brahman who was the Purohita. He said to himself, “If I can manage so that the youth does not acquire the sovereign power, there will no longer be any question as to the appointment to the Purohitaship.”

It came to pass afterwards that the mountaineers of the king’s realm rebelled. The king sent a general to subdue them, but he returned completely overcome and vanquished. Just the same happened to seven other generals whom the king sent out. The ministers said to the king, “Wherefore, your majesty, do you allow your forces to dwindle away and the power of the foe to increase? Be pleased to order out all who are capable of bearing arms within your realm.” The Brahman who was the Purohita thought that this was the time for bringing about Sudhana’s death, so he said to the king, “There can be no doubt that in that wise defeat will take place.” The king said, “What am I to do then? Ought I to march out myself?” The Purohita said, “Your majesty, why should you go yourself? As the youth Sudhana has come to man’s estate, and is proud of his strength and courage, you can send him out with the troops.” The king said, “I will do so.” Thereupon the king summoned the youth, and said to him, “O youth, march forth with the troops and subdue the mountaineers.” “Your majesty, I will act in accordance with your commands.”

Having thus spoken, Sudhana prepared to obey his father. On betaking himself to the zenana, he saw Manoharā there, and not only forgot all his other wives, but also, as soon as he saw her, forgot the commands laid upon him by the king. Thereupon the Purohita said to the king, “Your majesty, as there can be no doubt that the youth Sudhana is deeply in love with Manoharā, let the troops be drawn up, and order the youth, when he comes forth from the zenana, to set out on the march without going to see Manoharā again.” The king said to the ministers, “Honoured sirs, equip the host.” The ministers obeyed the orders of the king, and equipped the hosts, elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, well provided with many kinds of weapons and appurtenances. Then they summoned the youth, saying to him, “O youth, as the troops are ready, come forth from thence.” He said, “Your majesty, I will go forth when I have seen Manoharā.”

The king said, “O youth, do not go to see her, for that would give rise to delay.”

“If that be so, I will set out when I have seen my mother.”

“O youth, your mother you may see.”

Sudhana took Manoharā’s head-jewel, went to his mother, touched her feet, and said, “O mother, as I am setting out to subdue the mountaineers, do you keep this jewel with the utmost secrecy, and do not give it to Manoharā except in a case of life and death.” After saying these words to his mother, and taking leave of her, he set forth with the army to the sound of music. After gradually advancing for some time, he halted under a tree at no great distance from the mountaineers. Just at that time the Mahārāja Vaiśravaṇa was going to a Yaksha meeting, together with many Yakshas, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of Yakshas. As he drove along, and was delayed upon the celestial road, he said to himself, “Often as I have driven along this road, yet has my chariot never once been delayed. What can be the cause of its being delayed now?”

Perceiving the youth Sudhana, he thought, “This is a Bodisat of the Bhadrakalpa, who has gone forth to war and will be in difficulty. I will assist him, and subdue the mountaineers without living creatures being exposed to danger.” So he summoned Pānchika, the commander-in-chief of the Yakshas, and said to him, “Pānchika, come here. Contrive so that the youth Sudhana may subdue the mountaineers without a battle being fought or injury being inflicted upon living creatures.” The Yaksha commander-in-chief Pānchika listened to the orders of Vaiśravaṇa, and said, “I will act in accordance with your commands.” Then he conjured up the four contingents of the divine host, men of the stature of palm trees, elephants of the size of mountains, horses as large as elephants, and chariots as bulky as the palace of the gods Vimāna. Together with his mighty host, spreading great alarm by means of all kinds of weapons, such as swords, mallets, javelins, lances, disks, maces, arrows, battle-axes, and so forth, and through the clang of all sorts of musical instruments, Pānchika moved onwards towards the mountaineers, whose walls gave way in consequence of the uproar made by the elephants, the horses, and the chariots, and of the clangings of all kinds, and of the power of the Yakshas. Seeing these hosts, and perceiving that their walls had given way, the mountaineers were greatly astonished, and asked the hosts whence they came. They replied, “Open the gates with all speed. The youth Sudhana is on the march behind us, and we are his army. If you do not open your gates with all speed, everything will be overthrown.” The mountaineers said, “We did not rebel against the king. Moreover, the youth is judicious; but we have been reduced to fear and anxiety by the king’s officials.” Then they opened the gates, and went forth to meet the youth Sudhana, with banners and standards displayed, with full urns, and to the sound of all manner of instruments. After he had taken rest, he called them to him, nominated chiefs, fixed taxes, and took hostages. Then, having subdued the mountaineers, the youth Sudhana returned home.

That same night King Dhana dreamt this dream. A vulture came flying up, tore open the king’s belly, seized his entrails, and wound them around the whole city. And the seven treasures came into the palace. Terrified by this dream, with creeping skin and unquiet mind, he rose swiftly from his couch, and sat down in his sleeping chamber, his head leaning on his hand, absorbed in meditation as to whether he was about to lose his sovereign power or whether he was about to die. In the morning he told his dream to the Purohita, who came to the conclusion that, as the king had dreamt such a dream, the youth must certainly have subdued the mountaineers, and that it was the Purohita’s business to devise some means for his destruction, so he said to the king, “What your majesty has seen in this dream is not good. There is no doubt that either you will lose your sovereignty, or your life will be placed in danger. There is, however, a means of averting this evil. I have found it in the mystic lore of the Brahmans.” “What is the means of averting it?” “Your majesty, let a tank be dug in the park, a man’s height in depth, and let it be lined with mortar, and when all is smooth, let it be filled with the blood of young roes. Then, when you go there to bathe, you will enter the tank as far as the first step, and when you have descended to the first step you will go down to the second step, and after you have descended to the second step you will go on to the third step, and when you have descended to the third step you will go down to the fourth step. Then must four Brahmans, perfectly versed in the Veda and Vedānga, lick your feet with their tongues, and anoint them with the fat of a non-human being (i.e., a demon). In this wise will all that is sinful in your nature become purified, and you will long retain your sovereignty.” The king said, “All this may possibly be carried out, but yet demon-fat is very rare.” The Purohita said, “Your majesty, is that a rarity which it is possible to find?” The king said, “What does that mean?” The Purohita said, “Your majesty, is Manoharā a human or a non-human being?” The king said, “O Purohita, speak not so; for the youth’s life depends upon her.” The Purohita said, “Your majesty, have you not heard that for the sake of the house should one of its inmates be given up, for the sake of the city should the house be given up, for the sake of the country should the city be given up, for the sake of one’s own self should the country be given up? [84] If you, O king, are firm, you can bestow another wife on the discerning youth, and cause Manoharā to be put to death.”

As the king, out of self-love, did not wish any means to be neglected, he acquiesced and ordered the preparations to be made according to the Purohita’s directions, the tank to be dug, lined with mortar and glazed, and filled with the blood of roes and so forth. When Sudhana’s wives saw these preparations, cheerfulness and joy sprang up within them. “As we also,” they said, “shall acquire exquisite beauty if we avail ourselves of this, we shall be able to partake of great enjoyment with the youth Sudhana.” As they spoke joyfully to this effect, Manoharā saw them, and asked wherefore they were so delighted. One of them explained the whole matter to Manoharā. Thereupon pain and displeasure sprang up within her, and she betook herself to Sudhana’s mother, and touched her feet, and told her the whole story in words provocative of sympathy. The queen said, “As these things are so, ponder over them well, and I will ponder over them also.”

When Manoharā had reflected and spoken, and the queen also had considered the matter, and had decided that it was right so to do, she gave Manoharā the head-jewel and a garment, and said, “Child, I was to give you this jewel only if your life was in danger. In the present circumstances I shall be beyond reproach.”

After a time, all things having been prepared for the bath according to the command of the king, he entered the blood-filled tank and came forth from it again, and then the Brahmans licked his feet with their tongues. When, subsequently to this, all things had been set in order for the bath according to the commands of the king, and he had entered the blood-filled tank and emerged from it again, then the tongues of the Brahmans licked his feet. After that the supernatural being was brought forward. When Manoharā was ordered to draw nearer, she immediately rose heavenwards, saying, “After being seized and bound, after having laughed and played, like a cow freed from its bonds, will I flee away.” When the king saw her sweeping through the air, fear came upon him, and he said to the Purohita, “How comes it that the Kinnarī Manoharā has flown away before our preparations were carried into effect?” The Purohita said, “Your majesty, the end is now attained, and your nature is made free from sin.”

While Manoharā was wending her way through the air she said to herself, “The directions of the Rishi were the cause of my passing into this condition. Had he not given these directions I should not have been captured. So I will go to him for awhile.” On reaching the Rishi’s hermitage she touched his feet and said, “Great Rishi, in consequence of your directions, I have been captured and exposed to the touch of man, and have nearly lost my life. Now then, if the youth Sudhana should happen to come here in search of me, give him my ring, and say to him these words: ‘O youth, turn back again, for the way is full of woe and hard to tread. But if you cannot turn back, it is right to show you the way. Thus, O youth, does Manoharā point it out. In the north there are three black mountains. When these are surmounted, there rise three more. When these three have been surmounted, there rise three more again. And when these three also have been surmounted, there remains the prince of mountains, Himavant. On its north side are the mountains Utkīlaka, Jalapatha, Khadiraka, Ekadāraka, Vajraka, Kāmarūpin, Kīlaka, Airāvata, Adhovāna, and Pramuchapa. Over these mountains you must make your way. Traverse Khadiraka, Ekadāraka, and Utkīlaka by the cavern. The king of the birds will carry you over Vajraka. In such a way will you traverse these mountains. You will overcome magic creatures, ram-like and goat-faced, and also a man having the form of the Rākshasa Pingalā. In the cavern is a huge snake, which rolls with the force of a foaming stream. This snake you must tame by force. When you see the black snake half coiling in the cavern, you must slay it, bending the bow and shooting the arrow. When you see two rams butting one another, break a horn off each of them, and you will find the way. If you see two iron men with fear-inspiring weapons, and you slay one of them, you will find the way. If you see an iron-lipped Rākshasī opening and shutting her mouth, you must fling a wedge at her forehead. Likewise must you spring across the fount with the wild whirlpool, which measures sixty fathoms. Bending your bow, you must slay Yakshas and Rākshasas with lion-yellow hair and eyes, difficult to resist and hard to approach. Many rivers, also, full of tens of thousands of alligators, must you cross. You will see the Crocodile, the Butterfly, the Sad, the Gay, the Weeper, the Laugher, a river full of snakes, and another full of reeds. In the Crocodile is Rākshasī-anger, in the Butterfly a demon, in the Sad are many water-monsters, in the Gay is a Vidyādhara, in the Weeper is a Kinnarī serving-maid, in the Laugher is a Kinnarī, in the snake-filled river are many snakes, in the river rich in reeds is Śālmali [the Seemul or silk-cotton tree]. In the presence of the Crocodile [river] you must stand firm, and be bold in that of the Butterfly. On reaching the Sad, you must bind the jaws of the water-monsters. With the Gay you will succeed by the help of some Nāgas, with the Weeper by means of courage, with the Laugher by means of silence. The snake-filled river you must pass by means of snake-charms, and the reed-producing river by means of the charm of sharp weapons beaten together. [85] Having crossed all the rivers, you will come to a wild country wherein five hundred Yakshas dwell. Opposing these, overcome them. Then will appear the capital of the Kinnarī king. To him address yourself.’” Having spoken these words to the Rishi, Manoharā touched his feet with her head and went away.

Great was the joy when the king heard that the youth Sudhana had returned to Hastināpura with the army after subduing the mountaineers. As soon as the youth had rested, he went to his father, made obeisance, and took his place before him. The king began to speak with great joy, and said, “O youth, have you been successful?”

“Your majesty, through your grace have the mountaineers been overcome, hostages have been taken, and chiefs appointed. Tribute and taxes have also been levied. Be pleased to have all this taken into the treasury.”

The king said, “O son, as you have done well, I will receive these things.” Then the son made obeisance to his father, and was about to depart when the king said, “Stay, O youth, in order to take food with your father.”

“Your majesty, as it is a long time since I saw Manoharā, I wish to go to her.”

“O youth, put off going to her for to-day and go to-morrow.”

“Father, I will certainly go to-day,” said the youth, moving restlessly this way and that. Whereupon the king made no reply.

When the youth entered his house, and did not see the fair one at the door of the women’s chamber, he was utterly cast down. As he did not see Manoharā, his mind became disordered, and he ran hither and thither, calling out, “Manoharā! Manoharā!” When the women had repeated these words to the winds, and he in his grief of heart had many times questioned them, they told him the whole story. Clouded over was his mind with grief. The women said, “Why should you be so cast down? In the band of women are those who are much more beautiful than she was.”

When he had learnt how cruelly his father had acted, he went to his mother, touched her feet, and said, “O mother, as Manoharā is not here, Manoharā who was endowed with every virtue that could be wished for, and endowed with admirable beauty, where then has she gone? Thinking ever so rapidly, I am all confused in mind. On account of being separated from her my mind is exceedingly sad. As Manoharā dwells within my mind, pleasing to my mind and my mind’s joy, as through separation from Manoharā my body is saddened, what is there that will make my pain diminish?” His mother said, “O son, as intolerable fear came upon Manoharā, I let her go away.” “Mother, how did that come to pass?” His mother gave him a complete account of the matter. He said, “That was a cruel misdeed on my father’s part.” He said, moreover, “Mother, whither has she gone? which way lies the road?” His mother replied, “The road which Manoharā has taken is that of the mountains where Rishis and lions ever dwell, and which are the abode of the Dharma-rāja.” [86] In his intolerable grief at being separated from Manoharā, the prince renewed his sad wailings, crying, “As Manoharā is not here, Manoharā who was endowed with every virtue that could be desired,” and so on down to the words, “What is there that will make my pain diminish?” Then his mother said, “My son, as there are women in this band of wives who are more beautiful than she is, wherefore are you sad?” The youth replied, “Mother, how can I be happy if I find her not?”

Although his mother tried to console him, he still remained sad; but as he wandered hither and thither, looking for Manoharā and seeking for information as to her abode, a bright idea occurred to him. “Where I obtained her,” he thought, “there will I go again and make inquiries.” So he went to the hunter Phalaka, and asked him where it was that he had got possession of Manoharā. The hunter replied, “On the slope of such and such a mountain dwells a Rishi, in whose hermitage there is a pool, Brahmasabhā by name. Going there to bathe, I captured her according to the Rishi’s directions.” Sudhana said to himself, “I will go to the Rishi’s abode, and there obtain information.” Hearing that the youth was greatly depressed by his separation from Manoharā, the king said, “O youth, wherefore are you so depressed? I will now give you a much more beautiful wife.” The prince replied, “Father, as she is not here, I shall certainly betake me to her tarrying-place.” The king could not dissuade him from this, though he repeatedly attempted to do so. Then the king ordered watchers to be set at the gates and outlets from the walls, in order to prevent the youth from going forth. Thereupon the youth could not sleep the whole night long. Five are there who on their nightly couch are sleepless all night long, namely, the man whose mind is enchained by love for his wife, the wife who loves her husband, the red duck, the robber chieftain, the Bhikshu who studies zealously. The youth said to himself, “If I go to the gate, the king’s gatekeepers are harsh. As they would punish me, or even deprive me of life, I would rather depart by a road which has no watchers.” So he went forth by night to a spot where no watcher was, having attached to a standard such blue lotus garlands as men bind around their heads. Just then the moon rose. When he saw the moon, he uttered this lament for his separation from Manoharā, “O full moon, king of the stars and illuminer of the night, thou who art dear to the eye of Rohiṇī, [87] excellent caravan-leader, hast thou seen the abiding-place of my loved one, the lotus-eyed Manoharā?”

Remembering the joys he had formerly experienced, he walked on, and when he saw a gazelle, he addressed it also, saying, “O gazelle, thou who enjoyest grass, water, and foliage, wander in peace and quiet, for I am no hunter. Hast not thou seen my deer-like, long-eyed, beautifully formed Manoharā?” Going on farther, and reaching another spot, he saw bees at work in the interior of a wood adorned with flowers and fruits, and to one of the bees he said, “O bee, thou who art blue, like unto the mountains, thou who abidest within hollow canes and upon lotuses, hast thou seen my Manoharā, her of the long hair, dark of hue, like unto bees?” Going still farther he saw a snake, and when he saw it he said, “O snake, thou who movest thy tongue as a forest tree its leaves, thou who emittest from thy mouth and eyes masses of smoke, hast thou seen her who is unlike thy poison-fire and the fire of passion? hast thou seen my Manoharā?” He went on still farther, and he heard a Kokila calling in the forest, and seeing it, he said, “O Kokila, thou who abidest on the magnificent trees of the forest, king of the troops of birds, hast not thou seen her who is endowed with the lovely, spotless eyes, like unto blue lotuses? hast not thou seen my Manoharā?” Going still farther on, he saw an Aśoka tree widely spreading forth its leaves, and when he saw it he said, “Thou who art called after happiness, [88] and who art the great king of the trees, troubled by grief for Manoharā, I clasp my hands. Do thou dispel my grief.”