THE LIBRARY 
 OF • 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 GIFT OF 
 HORACE W. CARPENTIER 
 
GLEANINGS FROM INDIAN CLASSICS. 
 
Printed and Published 
 
 BY 
 
 (itRtSH Chandra Chackravarti, 
 Deva Press, 
 
 6jl2 Beadon Streety 
 CALCUTTA, 
 
" What mortal now can harnif 
 Or foemen vex us more 
 Through thee, beyond alarm 
 Immortal God, we soar J' 
 
^7/ 
 
 GLEANINGS 
 
 FROM 
 
 INDIAN CLASSICS. 
 
 y^v^ EDITED BY 
 
 MANMATHA NATH ^UTT, M, A., 
 
 Rector i Keshub Academy, 
 
 Editor of the English Translation of the Ramayana, 
 
 Srimadbhagabatam and Vishniipuranain, 
 
 CALCUTTA : 
 
 AT THE DEVA PRESS. 
 1893. 
 
 A II rights Reserved. 
 
OABP&KTifii^ 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Hindus and their Religion are the m©st 
 misunderstood thing in the modern world. The 
 civilized people of the Western World labour under 
 the notion that the Hindus are a people a little 
 better than the aborigines of Africa and their Religion 
 is no better than the grossest sort of idolatry. 
 The fault does not lie with them. The Hindus are 
 by nature very retiring and modest ; they never 
 thrust themselves upon others, — especially to nations 
 who are in every way different from them. A foreigner, 
 if he passes all his life in India, will never know 
 the autonomy of a Hindu-home ; he will never 
 know their domestic arrana-ements, — he will never 
 understand what sort of being a Hindu really is ; 
 for a Hindu is too bashful and too modest to defend 
 himself by explaining his religion and morals or 
 manners and customs. They cannot be easily known 
 from their books, for they are written in a language 
 very difficult to master. Thus the popular notion of 
 the Western World is, that the Hindus are semi- 
 aborigines, who worship woods and stones. 
 
 But a few of the great scholars of Europe and 
 America have a different notion of the Hindus. This 
 has been done by their study of the Sanskrit 
 
 ivi80878; 
 
 QO 
 
language. They have found in it a mine of wealth, 
 ■ — they have found a literature, adorned with the best 
 grace and diction, with the highest poetry and rhetoric, 
 — a philosophy with thoughts too high and too com- 
 prehensive to grasp, — a religion beautiful in concep- 
 tion, grand in perception and sublime in its execution. 
 But alas, they are too few to remove the notion that 
 is held by Eufope from the day when two branches 
 of the same Aryan stock met after years of separation 
 in the plains of India ! They have spoken on public 
 ■platforms, they have lectured in class-rooms, they 
 have written in the papers, they have published 
 books and translated Sanskrit works, but their works 
 are too high for the popular mind ; the learned and 
 the scholars only have found that Hindus and their 
 Religion are not what they were led to believe. 
 
 This book is an attempt to popularize the noble 
 work begun by Sir William Jones and Colebrooke, 
 and is being carried on by Monier Williams, Max- 
 muller and a host of other great men. The Hindus 
 live in their religion ; there is nothing in his every 
 day life which is not co-mixed with his religion ; one 
 cannot study them without studying his literature, 
 philosophy and religion. But all these are locked up 
 n a language difficult to master and hence the works 
 published by the great orientalists have failed to 
 influence the popular mind. 
 
 The Hindu Philosophy is too high a subject for 
 an ordinary intellect to get at ; the Hindu religioa 
 
is based on a Theology too complicated to be easily 
 grasped ; but still the religion has a great hold over 
 the popular mind, and has extended its influence to 
 every stratum of the societ}, which we do not hnd any 
 where else. 
 
 The only means, by which the present false 
 notion regarding the Hindus and their Religion can be 
 removed, is to popularize their Literature, Philosophy 
 and Religion amongst the Western nations. The 
 great Hindu Rishis adopted this very means to 
 extend the influence of their religion ; they popu- 
 larized their Religion and Philosophy in such a 
 way as to send it to the innermost recess of a Hindu 
 home. They did it by writing innumerable Purdnas. 
 Now these Purdnas are religious books, in which 
 Philosophy and Theology have been told in interesting 
 tales, in which religion has been preached through 
 popular annals, legends and histories, in which the 
 the crudest metaphysical points have been explained 
 in plain, sweet and popular verses. These tales, 
 these annals, legends and histories, these sweet and 
 and popular verses were read by thousands, were 
 heard by millions when sung by village ministrels, 
 and were told by every old matron and heard by 
 all children. Thus they became, and with them the 
 Hindu Philosophy and Religion, the householel 
 property and heritage of every Hindu, man, 
 woman or child. They raised them to a very high 
 standard of civilization — a civilization which two 
 
IV 
 
 thousand years' continual foreign struggles of every 
 sort, — physical, moral, social, political and religious, 
 — could not destroy. They instilled into their society 
 moral virtues which nowhere are to be found ; they 
 made the Hindu homes the sweetest and the happiest 
 in all the world. 
 
 We do not exaggerate ; so long we cannot remove 
 the notion that is predominant all over the Western 
 World, we know we shall find none to agree with us 
 in saying what we have just now said. This work 
 is an attempt in that direction. This is an attempt 
 to popularize the Hindu Literature, Philosophy and 
 religion amongst the Western nations. We are 
 treading the footsteps of the great Rishts. We are 
 following the examples and adopting the means of 
 those srreat men, who made India what it is. We shall 
 give their tales, their annals, legends and histories, 
 their sweet verses and sweeter poems in popular and 
 easy English, suiting modern tastes and Western 
 methods. Hindu Literature, History, Philosophy and 
 Religion are so extensive that it is not expected to 
 be mastered in a day or explained in a book. This 
 little work is the first step to give an idea of them, — 
 it will be followed by a series of works, in each and 
 every one of which attempts will be made to popu- 
 larize Hindu Literature, History Philosophy and 
 Religion. 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
fo 
 
 §ir ^ccracarala ^urma 
 
 /inic^^l §omman6cr of tl^ most gmincnf 
 
 (^rbev of ti)c ^xxbian gmpirc, 
 
 "Jsila^araja of §oc^in. 
 
 5ll)is Xittk 5<^ok is "JlcspcctfuUp Pc6icatc5 
 
 as a gi;okctt of ^i*atitu6c bp t^e 
 
 §6itor. 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Battle of Gods and Demons ..... i. 
 
 Shiva and Sati ig. 
 
 Srlkrishna 30. 
 
 The Monkey War 57. 
 
 The Battle of Kurukshetra 79. 
 
 Nala and DamayantI 105 
 
 Sribatsa and Chinta 115 
 
 Prahlada 126 
 
 The Lost Ring 135 
 
 The Boy Devotee 150 
 
 Sabitrl and Satyavan 156 
 
 Debjani 165 
 
 Bilwamangala 176 
 
 Harlshchandra 183 
 
 Parasurama 196 
 
 Bishaya 201 
 
 The Danava King 209 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. 
 
 [1] 
 
 fHE great Trinity manifested itself in three forms, 
 namely, Brahni^^ the Creator, Vishnu, the 
 Preserver, and Shiva, the Destroyer. The universe 
 was created by the first and was filled with innumerable 
 forces ; but they were of two classes,-^positive and 
 negative, — the preserving and the destroying forces. 
 One class was engaged in preserving the universe, 
 the other was always for its destruction. The preserv- 
 ing forces, such as the air, fire, water, were the 
 embodiments of all that was good, — the others were 
 quite the reverse. The former were called the Devas. 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 or the Gods, the latter were called the Danavas or the 
 Demons. Vishnu was the Great Protector of the gods, 
 and Shiva was that of the demons. The former had 
 his seat in Baikunthdy and his almighty power (omni-^ 
 potence) was his wife, and she was called Lakshmi. 
 Shiva lived in Kaildsh, and his wife was Durgdf^ 
 
 * Readers are to understand that the names Vishnu and Shiva 
 are the mere names of the two great Spirits of God. Lakshmi and 
 Durgd are also the mere names of His preserving and destroying 
 forces, and are not distinct beings. The gods and the demons are the 
 created elements. The tale of the battle of gods and demons is aa 
 allegorical account of the ever-lasting struggle of the elements, the 
 struggle of Life and Death, the struggle of the forces of pre- 
 servation and destruction, the battle of the good and the evil,, 
 that is continuing from the beginning of time. The tale is to- 
 be found in the books of every religion, but told in various 
 ways. The Christians have Satan, a quite distinct being from 
 God ;. but the Hindus say that He as Vishmc \s All-good diud He 
 as Shiva is All-evil. He has created the gods as well as the demons, 
 and they are both protected, loved and preserved by Him ; — 
 and they stand as brothers in relation. In this tale all these forces 
 have been personified and made to live and act as human beings, 
 as required in an allegory. The readers should know that the 
 Hindu Rishis had said that the good elements,, both material 
 and spiritual, are immortal and none of them could ever be destroyed - 
 whereas the demons, i.e. the evil elements,, are both material and 
 spiritual ; but though they are never exterminated,, yet some of them, 
 are always destroyed. They should also mark that the demons were 
 the greatest favourites of God as Shiva ; but He Himself des- 
 troyed them by His destructive and omnipotetit force, which had 
 been named Durgd, His wife, when required to keep equillibrium iD 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. 
 
 Vishnu wanted to make his favourItes,namely the 
 gods, immortal and powerful. Vishnu, being the 
 Preserver, naturally wants to preserve the gods ; — to 
 preserve means to bestow immortality. He asked the 
 gods to churn^ the great ocean, f so that ambrosia might 
 be produced. The demons offered their services to the 
 gods, which they could not decline. Thus both the gods 
 and the demons laboured incessantly for years, till the 
 ocean gave forth the wonderful liquid. J Then there arose 
 a great disagreement between the gods and the demons ; 
 — both parties wanting to take possession of it. Vishnu 
 appeared before them as a most beautiful damsel§ and 
 offered to divide and distribute it amongst the gods 
 and the demons. They were all charmed with her 
 exquisite beauty and they agreed to submit to her will. 
 
 the universe. But both the gods and the demons exist and fight for 
 supremacy till the end of time. Thus Brahitid is the infinite base 
 from which elements have evolved ; Vishnu preserves them, Shiva 
 destroys them ; out of this grand struggle Nature with her beauty, 
 sublimity and laws has been formed. This tale tries to explain 
 this grand philosophy of the Hindus. 
 
 * The churning of the ocean means the actions of the contrary 
 forces, the effect of which is this beautiful universe. Readers are 
 well aware that the effects of the so many contrary forces of gravi- 
 tation are the orders and regularities in the starry universe. 
 
 t Evidently the ocean means the original chaotic state of the 
 universe. — Milton's sea of Chaos. 
 
 X This ambrosia is the immortality of Nature. 
 
 § This damsel is Nature ; she always rules over the elements. 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 She told them that as the gods were the elder 
 brothers of the demons, they should be served first. 
 The demons acquiesced ; and she began to distribute 
 the immortalising liquid amongst the gods. Soon she 
 gave away almost the whole of the quantity, and her- 
 self drank the rest. The demons were exasperated J 
 they rushed upon her in all fury, but the gods soon 
 cam.e to her help. There were great fightings, — but 
 as the gods had become immortal and powerful by 
 drinking the ambrosial wine, the demons were soon 
 defeated and routed. 
 
 Their Protector and God, the terrible Sktva, came 
 to their assistance. He asked them to churn the ocean 
 again. But alas, instead of ambrosia the ocean 
 vomltted forth deadly poison."^ 
 
 The quarrel that was bred on the shores of the 
 churned ocean continued for thousands of years; the 
 battle that began between gods and demons conti- 
 nued to eternity. 
 
 The demons were very powerful and some of 
 them became invincible and unconquerable by the 
 grace of their god Shiva. Though they could not 
 exterminate the gods, yet often they defeated them, 
 drove them from heaven and took possession of the 
 celestial regions. 
 
 ♦ This poison means Death ; i. e. the force of destruction. 
 Bhivsi the God can give only destruction and death. 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. 
 
 There were great wars and terrible battles 
 between the gods and the demons. Sometimes the 
 former were defeated, sometimes the latter. We shall 
 narrate only the greatest of these wars and battles."^ 
 
 [2] 
 
 There were supposed to be thirty three mJUions 
 of gods and goddesses, — but Indra was their King 
 and Lord. After the defeat of the Danavas on the 
 shore of the churned ocean, the gods lived in peace 
 and happiness for many long years, till a great 
 Danava was born, who was known by the name 
 of Bitrcisura. Under him the demons gradually 
 gained strength, for he was a great warrior and 
 a great general. He collected round him all the 
 demons who had been scattered over the universe 
 after their defeat at the battle for ambrosia ; he formed 
 them into a great army, filled them with hopes of 
 success and promised them victory with the possession 
 of heaven and its happiness. 
 
 * There are a good many tales, in which we find the demons 
 born as human beings; they bred sin and vice and oppressed 
 humanity. The gods had to come down and assume human 
 shapes to check and destroy them. The Rdmdyana is an instance. 
 Rdvana and his Rdkshasas were the demons, and Rdma was Vishmc 
 and the monkeys were the gods. But in this tale we shall narrate 
 only three wars, in which they fought in their own shapes and not 
 as human beings. 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 Under him they rose in rebelHon and declared 
 war with the gods ; under him they marched and 
 encamped at the gates of heaven. They could never 
 forgive the gods — their eternal enemies ; they deter- 
 mined to gain heaven or to die in the field of battle. 
 
 The war went on for years ; there were many 
 sanguinary battles and hot skirmishes ; innumerable 
 demons were killed and wounded, but the gods 
 could not drive them from heaven. They grew 
 weakened and crippled by continual wars. They 
 lost heart and thought of frying from their happy 
 heaven. Indra became anxious and went to Brahma 
 for advice and help. "My dear son/' said the Creator, 
 *'Go to the great Dadhichif^ Ask for his bones ; make 
 a thunder out of them ; for without thunder ye 
 would not be able to kill Bih-a and to drive away his 
 demonaic hordes from the sfates of heaven." 
 
 The king of the gods hastened to the great Rishi 
 Dadhichi, and narrated to him all the evil deeds of 
 the wicked demons, their attacks on heaven and their 
 oppressions all over the universe. ''Venerable father," 
 prayed the heavenly king, ''If thou dost not save us and 
 with us the universe, we have no other hope of safety." 
 *'My dear son," said Dadhichi, "Tell me what I can do 
 for thee." Indra told him all that had been said to him 
 by the great Creator. He told him that he had come to 
 
 * He was a great Ridii. 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. 
 
 him to pray for his bones. ''Is this all ?'' said Dadhichi, 
 "I shall gladly give my life for the good of the world." 
 
 He then renounced his life and Indra hastened 
 back to heaven with his bones. There was great joy 
 amongst the gods and they cheered again and again, 
 when their king appeared amongst them with the much- 
 desired bones. 
 
 Soon the dreadful thunder was created and every 
 arrangement was made to attack the demons. A 
 great battle was fought in the fields of heaven ; there 
 was hard fighting on both sides, till the terrible thunder 
 was let loose. It soon crushed the demon-king into 
 atoms and hurled his vast army down from the ethereal 
 height. They fell from the height of heaven to the very 
 depths of the infernal regions, there to lie insensible 
 for many a long year."^ 
 
 [3] 
 
 After the fall of the demons from the heaven's 
 height, the gods lived for many years very happily and 
 in peace, the ilemtns never venturing to attack them. 
 Their power had been thoroughly broken down and 
 they had neither the heart nor the courage to venture 
 out of the infernal regions and to call the g«ds to battle. 
 
 * Readers should notice the similarity of this battle with that 
 of Satan with the gods in the fields of heaven. Evidently either 
 of the two must have been borrowed from the other. 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 But they were not at rest ; many of them issued' 
 forth in disguise and tried to disturb the gods in 
 various ways. Sometimes they would come stealthily 
 near the gates of heaven and look wistfully on 
 its beauty and happiness ; the boldest of them only 
 would pass into the celestial kingdom. He would 
 steal the wealth of heaven ; he would disturb the peace 
 of heavenly homes and return to tell his less bold 
 compeers of his wonderful deeds of courage and 
 adventure. These wicked and bold demons would 
 often steal the celestial damsels and carry them 
 down to the infernal regions ; they would often steal 
 heavenly children and make them their eternal 
 slaves. 
 
 Thus many years rolled on ; — the gods, though 
 disturbedjdid not think it proper to declare another war 
 with the demons ; but at last a Ddnava, named Shoma, 
 stole the beautiful wife of Brihashpatiy the great 
 Preceptor of the gods. The wicked Ddnava tempted 
 her to the path of sin ; she fell ; and she was enticed 
 away to the kingdom of darkness. 
 
 The old Preceptor grew wild with grief and 
 anger ; he hastened to Indra and appealed to him 
 to rescue his beloved wife from the clutches of the 
 demons. His words were mandates to the gods ; they 
 all felt injured and insulted by the gross injury done 
 to their great leader. 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. 
 
 So the order was passed ; king Indra called his 
 generals to arms and his gods to rally round him, for 
 another mortal struggle with their eternal enemies. 
 Every arrangement was made and they marched out 
 from heaven to chastise the demons and rescue the 
 stolen goddess. 
 
 The demons resolved to stand firm ; they determined 
 to have another great struggle with the gods, whatever 
 might be the final result. They elected a great 
 Ddnava, named Tdrakd, as their king and leader ; 
 they made every preparation to give their enemies a 
 hot reception. 
 
 Their choice of a leader was the best possible. The 
 great Ddnava, Tdrakdsura, was really invincible in 
 arms and unequalled in statecraft. For many a long 
 year he had been praying to the God, Shiva, and had at 
 last got his blessings, thereby becoming invincible to 
 thunder and to all heavenly weapons. 
 
 The gods and the demons met, — met after a long 
 period, — like two wild whirlpools in a great storm. The 
 war continued for years, both parties fighting, as only 
 the gods and the demons could fight. Again and again 
 the thunder was let loose, but to no purpose ; the demons 
 gradually gained ground. The celestial army was daily 
 broken down and the crods were at last defeated and 
 routed. They fled in hot haste towards heaven, 
 pursued by the successful and elated demons. 
 
lO TALES OF IND. 
 
 They fled precipitously Into their kingdom and 
 shut up its gates ; but alas, fortune was against them ! 
 The demons stormed their heavenly citadel, drove 
 them out of their celestial homes, and took possession 
 of the much-desired kingdom. The gods fled in all 
 directions and were scattered over the universe. At 
 last heaven was lost. 
 
 Indra, king of the gods, having been defeated 
 and driven out of his kingdom, went to the Creator for 
 advice and help. "My son," said he, ''Do not be 
 disheartened ; such is the will of Providence. Shiva 
 is immersed in great Yoga^ on the death of his wife ;t 
 and this is the reason of the demons becoming uncon- 
 querable. Go to Vishnu and he will advise thee 
 as to what to do In order to regain thy Paradise." 
 
 Indra went to Baikiintha and prayed to Its Lord 
 for help. He narrated all that had happened and told 
 him the miserable plight into which the gods and the 
 goddesses had fallen. ''My beloved son," said the 
 great God, "I have no power to destroy ; I can 
 preserve and I have preserved you from death by 
 bestowing upon you immortality. None can destroy 
 the demons except Shiva. His wife is born as a 
 daughter of king Himalaya. Go and try to get her 
 married with the Great Destroyer. The son that 
 
 * Read the particulars of Yoga in the Appendix. 
 
 t Read the particulars of the death in the Tale Shiva and Sati. 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. II 
 
 would be born of this marriage, would regain heaven 
 for you." 
 
 The king of the gods returned to his hiding-place. 
 There held he a confidential council with his ministers 
 and generals ; it was settled to despatch Ndrada"^ to 
 king Himalaya with the proposal of the marriage. 
 But the difficulty was not there ; — the gods knew not 
 what to do to rouse up Shiva from his y^^^-sleep. "Oh, 
 king," suggested one, "Take Madan\ with you. There 
 is none in the universe who can withstand the arrows 
 of Love. Surely Shiva's Yoga would be broken and 
 Ndrada would be able to propose to him the marriage." 
 
 The suggestion was adopted and every arrange- 
 ment was made. The chief gods went towards Kaildsa, 
 and Ndrada promised to join them there, after secur- 
 ing the consent of king Himdlaya. 
 
 On the heights of the hoary Kaildsa sat Shiva in 
 his great y^^^^-sleep. Calmness reigned all over the 
 place, the sway of solitude having extended far 
 and wide. Not a sound, not the least noise, could 
 venture to disturb the peace of the awful place ; the 
 wind had ceased to breathe where the great Destroyer 
 sat in his majesty. 
 
 The gods silently and slowly assembled at the foot 
 of the snowy heights. Madan was put forward. He 
 
 * This was also a very celebrated Rishi. 
 t Madan is the god of Love. 
 
12 TALES OF IND. 
 
 advanced trembling from head to foot. But he gathered 
 courage, took up his bow and sent up an arrow. It 
 did its action ; the Great Unknown was moved ; he 
 slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He saw 
 the god of love, slinking away from his sight. 
 Uncontrolable anger rose up in his bosom, and his 
 forehead emitted forth destructive fire. Soon the poor 
 god of love was overwhelmed with its deadly flames. 
 Oh, how piteously he cried for help ! how he appealed 
 to the gods to save him from Shiva's anger ! But 
 the K<?^^-sleep of the great God was destroyed. He 
 rose from his seat and moved towards his home. 
 At this opportune moment, when the wound made 
 by Love was fresh in his heart, Ndrada greeted him 
 and proposed the marriage. He told the great God 
 how badly the universe was faring by his inactivity 
 and his Yoga ; how it had become urgently necessary 
 for him to marry and settle down ; how his wife had 
 again taken birth as a daughter of king Himalaya. 
 
 Shiva gave his consent and Ndrada hastened to 
 the gods to impart to them the welcome news. There 
 was great joy amongst the gods and the goddesses ; 
 they all hastened from all quarters to be present at the 
 wedding. It was solemnized in due form, the Creator 
 himself acting as the high priest. 
 
 A son was born of this marriage and he was 
 named Kartikeya. When he grew up, he was elected 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. 
 
 as the general of the heavenly hosts. Under him the 
 gods received back their old courage and energy ; and 
 under his flag they rallied round, and hoped to regain 
 their lost heaVen. 
 
 Kdrttkeya led the gods to the gates of heaven and 
 challenged the demons to battle. Another great war 
 broke out and lasted for years, till at last the great 
 T^raka was killed and the demons were hopelessly 
 defeated. They were driven out of the celestial 
 kingdom and heaven was regained."^ 
 
 [4] 
 
 Time went on and there was no disturbance in 
 heaven. But the struororle of elements could never 
 cease ; the deadly feud between the gods and the 
 demons could never end in peace and amity. A decade 
 passed when two very powerful demon were born, 
 who gathered round them all the demon chiefs and 
 began to disturb the peace of heaven. King Sanibhu 
 and his brother Nisa?7ibhu gradually grew very 
 powerful and extended their sway far and wide over 
 
 * Again there is a great similarity of this tale with the tale of 
 the Bible. Shotna's enticement of the heavenly goddess and the con- 
 sequent loss of heaven looks almost like Satan's enticement of Eve 
 and the loss of Paradise. Again here in this tale the heaven v/as 
 regained by the birth of a son of God Shiva, just as in the Bible, 
 by the birth of Christ. 
 
14 TALES OF IND. 
 
 the universe. They attacked more than once the 
 gods, defeated and routed them In battle and made 
 their position most uncomfortable and untenable in 
 heaven. They were far more powerful than Bitra or 
 Tdrakd ; in fact the great Destroyer honoured them by 
 bestowing upon them his great Spirit, which neces- 
 sarily made them, on the one hand thoroughly invincible 
 and irresistible ; and on the other the very incarnation 
 of destruction and evil. They possessed a General as 
 great as themselves ; the Ddnava Raktabija^ having 
 secured from Shiva the boon of having a Raktabija 
 at each drop of his blood. Thus he was more than an 
 immortal ; the gods are not killed, but the General of 
 king Shambhuy if wounded, would produce a host of 
 RaktabijaSy as powerful as the original one."^ The 
 gods lost heart and gradually began to fly from 
 heaven. Indra hastened to Brahma^ but he said that 
 he really did not know what to advise. He hastened 
 to Vishnu and asked permission to resign his throne 
 and sceptre of heaven, if He did not protect him and 
 the gods from the oppressions of Shambhu and 
 Nishambhu. ^^Indra^^ said the Preserver, "Twice 
 have I pointed to you the way to defeat the Ddnavas. 
 
 * The Hindu Rishis wanted to show that the negative forces 
 and elements grew more and more powerful as they are beaten 
 down by the positive forces and elements. Shambhu and Nishambhu 
 were greater heroes than Biira and Tdrakd. 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. I5 
 
 But really I do not know what to say now. As far as I 
 see, Sambhu and Nisambhu cannot be killed, unless 
 the great Destroyer does it himself. None can help 
 you at this crisis except the Lord or the Lady of 
 Kail as h.''"^ 
 
 Who could dare go to the God of Destruction ? 
 Indra appeared suppliant before Durga, the Lady of 
 Kaildsh. She was moved by the piteous appeals of 
 the gods and the goddesses. Finding no other way to 
 check the oppressing and destroying power of the 
 demon kins^s she asrreed to otq and fisfht with them, 
 "My dear children," said she, ''Go back to your 
 heaven ; remain at ease ; for the good of the world I 
 shall go and kill these two demon kings." 
 
 She appeared as a most beautiful damsel in the 
 pleasure-garden of the demon king. Her exceptional 
 beauty was more than what could be described; 
 her voluptuous grace and her youthful loveliness filled 
 the place with a sort of majesty and grandeur. 
 
 The report of her arrival soon reached the demon- 
 king. Great Shambhu grew mad to possess her ; he 
 immediately sent messengers to her, offering the 
 throne and kingdom. But she was not what they took 
 her to be, 
 
 * The tale shows that the negative forces were always very 
 powerful and often they grew supreme over all others ; God had 
 to interfere to check tbenfi to keep up the equillibriuna in Nature, 
 
l6 TALES OF IND. 
 
 ^'Oh, beautiful lady," said the messenger, "Who 
 art thou that hast graced our royal gardens ?" The 
 great goddess smiled and replied, "I am his who 
 admires and adores me." "Then, Oh Lady," said the 
 messenger, "Come to our king. I have been sent by 
 him. He asks you to be his queen." "Go and tell 
 him," said she, "I am only to be had by force. Who- 
 ever defeats me in battle, possesses me in peace. ""^ 
 
 When her bold words were reported to the king 
 he smiled and took it for a joke. But in order to 
 humour her, he ordered one of his great generals to go 
 to her and escort her to the royal palace. But she 
 challenged him to battle ; the poor general was forced 
 to fight and was killed. 
 
 King S/iambku was really astonished to learn that 
 his general had been killed by a woman. He was not 
 to be trifled with ; he immediately ordered another of 
 his generals to go with his army and bring the damsel 
 to the royal court. But there was a great battle, and 
 the general perished with all his army. 
 
 The king was really alarmed ; he sent for his 
 Commander-in-Chief, Raktabija and asked him to see 
 what the matter was. The great Danava went out 
 with all his soldiers and found the Goddess quietly 
 sitting) after destroying the demon army. He tried to 
 
 * We would ask our readers to mark the words that fell from 
 the lips of the Goddess. What could be truer and grander? 
 
BATTLE OF GODS AND DEMONS. 1 7 
 
 induce her to come with him without further ado ; 
 but she declined and challenged him to battle. "Shame 
 on me," said Raktabija, "If I fight with a woman." 
 "But" replied she, "Try the game. I am more than a 
 woman." 
 
 At last Raktabija was forced to fight and a terri- 
 ble battle raged from morning to night. The Great 
 Goddess fought as the great Spirit of Destruction could 
 possibly fight. But, alas, all her efforts were fruitless, 
 for she could not kill Raktabija ; — in her efforts to kill 
 him, she created innumerable Rahtabijas to fight with 
 her. 
 
 She at last appeared in her great Kdli-iorm,^ 
 she divided herself into innumerable Kalis ; and all 
 those Kalis began to fight in the greatest fury, some 
 killing the demons and some drinking up their blood. 
 Thus no more blood was dropped and no more Rakta- 
 bija was created. By the evening the whole demon 
 army with their great General had perished ; and the 
 Goddess having withdrawn her forces,had herself turned 
 again into a beautiful damsel. 
 
 We need not say, the demon king was much al- 
 armed and much grieved by the sad fate of his great 
 General. He gathered round him the rest of his great 
 army and sallied forth to fight with the fell woman, who 
 
 * Kali is the form of tht Great Spiiit of Destruction. 
 2 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 had suddenly appeared in his kingdom. We need 
 not try to describe this battle, — a battle the equal of 
 which had never occurred and which the greatest poet 
 had failed to adequately describe. Suffice it to say that 
 when the great Shambhu saw his beloved brother fall^ 
 he became ten times more furious and caught hold of 
 the flowing black hair of the Great Goddess in the heat 
 of the action ; he raised her up and whirled her round 
 by the head. She was defeated, she was mercilessly 
 whirled and she hardly had time to breathe or to cry 
 for help. Then she silently prayed for protection and 
 help of his great husband Shiva, who soon came to 
 her rescue. He immediately withdrew from the demon 
 king the Spirit with which he blessed him. The great 
 demon suddenly found him as weak as a child and 
 was soon killed. 
 
 There was great joy amongst the gods and they 
 lived happily in. heaven."^ 
 
 * There are many more wars and battles, but the three 
 marrated above are sufficient to give an idea of the whole thing. 
 

 
 SHIVA AND SATI. 
 [1] 
 
 qTORTH of the Hijnalayas^ in the land of beauty 
 ^'X and sublimity, there was a charming hill, oalled 
 the Kaildsh. It was the land of Apsaris and Kin- 
 nan's ;^ it was the land of many colored flowers and 
 folliage ; — it was a lovely bower of Nature's own 
 makino-, where she had consfres^ated all that was 
 beautiful and all that was lovely and charming in the 
 animal or in the botanic kingdom. 
 
 In this land of love, beauty and pleasure Shiva 
 and his beloved wife Sati had their happy home.t 
 
 ♦ Apsaris and Kinnaris are beautiful races of songstresses 
 and dancing- girls. 
 
 t There is apparently some difference between Shiva the 
 Destroyer as described in the preceding tale and the one that will 
 be described in the following. Readers should know that the 
 
20 TALES OF IND. 
 
 It was but a cottage on the top of a snowy range ; It 
 was a hut, a poor hut covered with twining creepers. 
 There was not to be seen the least artificial effort to 
 secure any of the worldly comforts ; but Nature was 
 an obedient maid, in this poor but the most happy 
 home. She gathered round the hut for their frugal 
 meals all the sweet fruits of the world ; she came 
 with all her flowers to decorate their nuptial bed, — 
 she placed in their lovely bower all the singing birds 
 of the sky to pour into their ears the sweetest music 
 of the world. 
 
 But Shiva had Intentionally given up all that was 
 worldly. Well, he was the richest man of the world ; 
 — he was the wisest of all the wise and the mightiest 
 of all the mighty ; he had no wants to complain of. 
 But he had left all this far behind him and had made 
 
 Hindu Rishis have left behind them two very grand ideals 
 of hun:ian life. They have painted two great figures, which they 
 intended to place before the world aa the best models which man 
 can imitate and adopt, inorder to be fully happy in this life and 
 to get eternal salvation in the life next. Shiva and Sati and their 
 Kailash-home is one of these two. Here Shiva is not the ter- 
 rible Destroyer, but a great Yogee, a man with the highest perfection 
 of asceticism and intellect in him. By the highest developement of 
 asceticism he is fully happy and beyond all misery in this vrorld ; 
 and by the highest developement of his mind he has become one 
 with the Supreme Being in the next. In the next tale, readers will 
 find quite a different sort of an ideal in the life of Srikrishna j — there 
 a man is happy and saved by perfect worldliness and love. 
 
SHIVA AND SATI. 21 
 
 his abode In the solitude of Kaildsh, away from all 
 worldly wealth and cares. 
 
 He wore a piece of tiger's skin ; — he sat on 
 that of a lovely deer ; round his neck hung the gar- 
 lands of bones ; — he was entwined with deadly snakes 
 and serpents. He rode an old bull and begged from 
 door to door.^ He took strong narcotics and looked 
 like a maniac. To him all the horrors of the world 
 were welcome. 
 
 But he was a mighty man ; — he ruled over the 
 Matter and controlled the Spirit. He was the perfect 
 developement of Intellect ; — always deeply engaged 
 In his own thoughts, he cared nought for the world 
 around. He forgot that there existed a universe ; — he 
 was intoxicated with the wine of his own thoughts ; — 
 and that thought consisted of meditating upon his own 
 dear wife Sati. He forgot that he or any other being 
 did exist, — he felt that only ONE existed and that 
 One was his lovely wife SATl.f 
 
 * This is but an imperfect description of the form of Shiva. 
 In fact the Hindu Rishis tried to paint great Nature and the 
 greater Source of that Nature in the forms of Bhiva and Sati. 
 
 t This is but a faint description of one of the grandest philo- 
 sophical truths of the Hindus. This is what the Yoga philosophy- 
 aims at. The Veddnta philosophy says the same. We should ask our 
 readers, who might be curious to learn more of it, to read Yoga and 
 Veddnta philosophic*. . . 
 
22 TALES OF IND. 
 
 He had two faithful attendants, named Nandi and 
 Bhringi ; — he was sorrounded with innumerble ghosts 
 and spirits ; he was feared and respected all over the 
 world. But look to the side of this horrible and 
 fearful figure ; there you will find seated smiling and 
 happily a goddess, quite the reverse of this terrible 
 one. 
 
 It was Sati, the daughter of king Daksha, one 
 of the mightiest rulers of the earth. There is no 
 language which can adequately describe her most 
 wonderful beauty. But no jewellery adorned her hair ; 
 no ornaments her body. Her black long hair flowed 
 down her back and breast in beautiful ringlets ; — 
 round her neck there were some garlands of beads 
 and round her loins and body was a piece of rag. 
 
 She had given up all her paternal royal luxuries, 
 — she had become a poor beggar and a great ascetic 
 like her husband dear. She lived with him happy and 
 her home in Kailash was the happiest in the world. 
 
 They had risen above the broils of the world ; — 
 they had gone beyond the all-grasping hand of 
 Mysery. They soared high in a place where nothing 
 worldly, material or gross could reach them. They 
 were necessarily the happiest and their home was 
 pervaded through with perfect bliss. 
 
 They had no wants, for they had destroyed all 
 wants ; they lived in the world, but had destroyed 
 
SHIVA AND SATI. 23 
 
 the idea of its existence in their minds. They 
 achieved that grand knowledge which told them that 
 this perceptible universe was only a mental dream 
 of the Supreme Being, having had no real existence 
 of its own. They felt the grand truth which told 
 them that they were not separate beings ; but they 
 were that Great One who only is real and who only 
 does exist. 
 
 Necessarily all worldly matters fled from their 
 lovely home ; necessarily nothing savouring of the 
 material world could dare approach their grand 
 Katldsh. They lived very happy in the Land of intellect 
 and in the happy valley of salvation and bliss. 
 
 Thus lived Shiva and Sati for many years 
 on the snowy heights of their happy Kaildsh^ till an 
 unhappy incident occurred. Once on a time Shiva 
 happened to attend a great Yagma^ where his father- 
 in-law, king Daksha, was present. He was a 
 man having his mind somewhere engaged. He did 
 not observe the approach of his father-in-law and 
 forgot to show him the proper respect. The proud 
 
 * Yagma was a great religious ceremony ; in which a great 
 fire which was called Homa was kindled and Vedic hymns were 
 chanted to propitiate and to praise some particular god or 
 all the gods. There were various sorts of Yagmas, in the course 
 of which animals were sacrificed. Those Yagmas were very 
 expensive affairs and only great kings could solemnise them. 
 Amongst the modern Hindus Yagmas have almost died out. 
 
24 TALES OF IND. 
 
 king took offence ; he was never pleased with his mad 
 son-in-law. Learning that the horrible man, whom 
 he took to be a great Yo^ee and to whom he gave his 
 most beloved daughter in marriage, had made his Sati 
 worse than a beggar, he gave up all communication 
 with him. He was not with him even on speak- 
 ing terms ; he studiously used to avoid him and told 
 people that his daughter was dead. But when he saw 
 his mad sOn-in-law openly insulting him by not accord- 
 ing to him the ordinary courtesy of the society, he 
 resolved to teach him a lesson. 
 
 He held a Yagma, in which he invited all the 
 world except Shiva, and necessarily his wife poor 
 Sati. There were great preparations and grand amuse- 
 'ments ; it was one of the greatest festivities ever held 
 in this world ; it was a festivity in which all the 
 people of the world were specially invited to join, 
 except the mad man of the Kailash. All the relatives 
 and friends of the great king came ; all the princesses 
 of the royal household arrived from their husbands* 
 homes, except poor Sati, who was not even informed 
 of the great festivity that her beloved father was 
 holding. 
 
 But Narada went to Kailash and informed her 
 what was going on at her father's palace. Sati grew 
 eager to go, — she had not seen her mother and sisters 
 for many years past ; she felt that her absence in this 
 
SHIVA AND SATI. 2$ 
 
 great festivity would be deeply felt by her dear mother, 
 — If not by any one else. 
 
 She went to her husband and told him all that she 
 had heard from NCxrada. She entreated him to allow 
 her to go and see her parents. "My poor darling/' 
 said Shiva, "Your father has purposely forgotten to in- 
 vite us. He wants to heap insults over Shiva, to whom 
 insults are honours. But Sati, why should you go 
 and be insulted before all your relatives and friends ?" 
 "My dear husband/' replied she "Should a daughter 
 very much mind, whether her father invites her or 
 not ? Is there any necessity for a daughter to seek 
 for an invitation when she goes to see her parents ?" 
 
 Shiva smiled and said, "I shall not prevent you 
 from going to your parents. But Sati, remember that 
 you are going to a great trial. Be very careful and try 
 to come back as soon as possible." Then he turned to 
 Nandi and ordered him to go with her. ^^Nandi,^^ said 
 he, "Take care to control your temper. There you will 
 find all that wealth and worldly vanity can produce- 
 You and your Sati will appear in that grandeur and 
 pomp like two of the poorest beggars of the world. 
 People may naturally redicule you, — nay they 
 may slight you or perhaps insult you. Do not mind 
 all this ; come back with Sati as soon as possible." 
 They left Kailash, — Sati on the back of the old 
 Bull, A^^«fl^/ leading him to the palace of king Daksha. 
 
26 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Beyond and above the world this asceticism is 
 very grand ; but in a place where the wealth and riches 
 of the world had come to vie with one another, where 
 the great chiefs and potentates had come together 
 with all their showy costumes and invaluable jewellery, 
 Sati's appearance looked like something very hateful. 
 Especially to king Daksha^ it was really painful, — nay 
 insulting to find his own daughter present in that 
 grand assembly in a plight worse than that of a beggar. 
 
 They entered the great palace, now alive with men 
 and women. They passed through the crowd in silence, 
 alas, none welcoming them ! Their slight and neglect 
 were apparent on all sides; — many whispered amongst 
 themselves and many began to abuse Shiva, who had 
 made a royal princess a beggar. 
 
 She went to her mother, — who came running to 
 welcome her, she being the most beloved of all her 
 children. But she was horrified to see the beggarly 
 state of her daughter ; — she stood a few seconds wildly 
 staring at her and then she fainted. Then arose wild 
 weepings all over the palace ; Satt had come unasked 
 and uninvited, but she had come as a beggar. 
 
 [3] 
 
 Queen Pr^^z/// asked her daughter to give up her 
 beggarly costume. She brought for her beautiful jewel- 
 lery and gold-embroidered clothes, — she brought for 
 
SHIVA AND SATI. 27 
 
 her various delicacies, those that were her favourites 
 when she was a child. But Sati declined all. "Dear 
 mother," said she, "I must first see my father and ask 
 him why he has not invited us ?" 
 
 She heard no refusal ; she went to the grand 
 assembly where king Daksha was engaged In the 
 great Yagma. 
 
 Oh, What a contrast ? Asceticism and worldllness 
 stood side by side. The worldly pomp and grandeur 
 stood face to face with solitude and calmness of Retire- 
 ment. Poverty was placed by the side o'f Wealth. 
 
 Sati appeared In that grand assembly and all rose 
 in respect. But king Daksha lost his temper. "Oh, 
 shame, shame to me !" Cried he, ''Why did I not die 
 before seeing my own daughter reduced to such an 
 ignoble state ! Who asked you to come here, — Oh 
 you wicked girl, to me you are dead." Then he 
 turned towards the assembly and roared. "Look at 
 the doings of that ruffian who calls himself a Yogee. 
 Mad wicked scoundrel, — always beastly drunk and 
 piteously dirty, look^ gentlemen, how he has reduced 
 a Princess of the royal house of great Daksha to the 
 lowest stratum of poverty !" "Father, dear father," 
 appealed Sati, "Abuse me if you like ; but do not 
 abuse my husband. You yourself taught me In my 
 early days that to a wife her husband, however bad 
 he might be, Is her God and Preceptor." 
 
28 TALES OF IND. 
 
 But king Daksha fired on ; he did not care for ' 
 the feelings of his poor daughter. She again and again j 
 tried to stop him, — but finally seeing that it was | 
 impossible to stop her enraged father from showering ■ 
 abuses over his dear husband's head, — she determined 
 to give up her life. Death she preferred to hearing 
 such abuses of one who was her husband. 
 
 She stood in that great assembly as only a goddess 
 could stand ; she mentally meditated upon her ; 
 husband ; she bade him farewell ; she then turned j 
 towards the assembly and fell dead. 
 
 There were loud lamentations all over the palace ; 
 — people ran to see Sati from all directions, queen 
 Prasuti came weeping with all her daughters. The | 
 joy and merriments were soon turned into sorrow and I 
 grief. i 
 
 In the meanwhile Nandi hastened to Kailash. ' 
 Shiva heard in silence of the death of his most beloved 
 wife. He rose and madly rushed towards the kingdom '. 
 of king Daksha followed by all his Ghosts and Spirits. ^ 
 
 Soon the mad hordes appeared before the 
 assembly ; in a minute the Yagma was destroyed, and | 
 the assembled guests were mercilessly beaten. King i 
 Daksha was attacked ; — he was soon beheaded and ; 
 the head of a goat was placed upon his shoulder.^ I 
 
 * It is said that when king Daksha was killed, queen Prasuti 
 fell ?-t the feet of her son-in-law and wept piteously. Shiva was | 
 
SHIVA AND SATI, 2g 
 
 Shiva took up the corpse of his dear wife, placed it 
 on his shoulder and began to dance like a maniac. 
 
 He left the palace of king Daksha with the dead 
 body and roamed over the world for many long years 
 till it gradually fell piece by piece from his shoulder."^ 
 
 He then silently retired to his mountain home ; — 
 and there sat he in his great Yoga. He entered into 
 that grand sleep of eternal peace which lasted for 
 hundreds of years. t 
 
 We have already told in another tale how Satt 
 was born as UmO^.^ the daughter of king Hrmcilaya and 
 how she was again married to her mad husband. J 
 
 They lived happily for years and in the strictest 
 asceticism ; but that asceticism was mixed with the best 
 possible domestic love and happiness. 
 
 moved ; he ordered Nandi to put life into l<in^ Daksha's body. 
 But Nandi did not give him his original head, which was severed 
 from his body,-=for he did not like to see the face again which 
 uttered abuses of g:reat Shiua. This is the origin of the king's 
 head becoming that of a goat. 
 
 * It was said that Vishnu cut off the body from his shoulder. 
 
 t Read the preceding tale. 
 
 X Read the tale, named the Battle of Gods and Demons. 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 
 
 [ 1 ] 
 
 fUTTRA Is one of the most important cities in 
 the North Western Provinces. It was the 
 capital of the kingdom of the celebrated Yadu 
 Dynasty at the time when the Kurus and the Pandus 
 were reigning in Hastin^pur."^ It is situated on 
 the bank of the beautiful river Yamuna which rolls 
 down by its side, giving beauty and health, plenty 
 and prosperity all through the kingdom. A few miles 
 up the river there was a splendid Tamdla forest, where 
 beautiful deer roamed in green pastures and rainbow- 
 
 * See the Battle of Kurukshetra. 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 31 
 
 coloured peacocks danced under the shade o? flowery 
 trees. It was the pleasant haunt of the people of 
 Muttra ; it was the place for holding picnics for the 
 young and the Pujahs and Yagmas for the old. It 
 was the place where the beautiful Yadu maids came 
 to dance and play ; it was the place where the Muttra 
 matrons came to while away their spare moments. 
 In fact, this beautiful Brindahana^ situated as it was 
 on the bank of the rippling Yammia^ gardened by 
 Tamala, Bakiil and Kadamba trees, and interpersed 
 with green pastures and shady streamlets, was the 
 pleasure ground of the rich and the poor of the great 
 city of Muttra. 
 
 On the opposite side of the river a few miles 
 down the city there stood a very prosperous village; 
 called Gakula. It was inhabited by milkmen, — a class 
 of people always famous for their physical strength 
 and worldly wealth. They possessed innumerable 
 cows, bullocks and buffaloes, and lands covering 
 many miles on the bank of the Yainuyia were in 
 their possession and were used as pasture-grounds for 
 their cattle. The Gakula milkmen were simple, virtu- 
 ous and honest ; none of them was poor, but none 
 was very rich. They had their own society, in which 
 they lived independent and happy. Their women 
 were beautiful and lovely, honest and simple, but 
 bold and forward in demeanour. Health, plenty and 
 
32 TALES OF IND. 
 
 beauty reigned in Gakula ; surely it was a place where 
 gods might fancy to come and live. 
 
 At the time of which we are speaking, Nanda 
 was the head of this Dairy clan. None was so good 
 and none was so fit to be the patriarch of this wild 
 but simple people as he ; and he was truly matched in 
 all his good qualities by his wife Yasoda> They were 
 loved and respected, nay feared and obeyed, by all 
 the people of Gakula. And his influence was so great 
 that he commanded respect even from the members of 
 the royal family, who ruled in Muttra. King Kansa 
 was then the reigning sovereign, a ruler hated of his 
 subjects and feared by his enemies. He was a base 
 and heartless tyrant ; he was a monster of iniquity 
 and demon of cruelty. The people groaned under 
 his tyranny and oppression ; but he was very powerful, 
 and none there was in the kingdom who dared breathe 
 a word against him. 
 
 [2] 
 
 As in the case of every tyrant, king Kansa was 
 always afraid and suspicious of all the people amongst 
 whom he had to live and move. He always feared, 
 lest he might be killed by his enemies ; he took 
 special care to know from every possible quarter 
 whether he had any fear from any man and if so, 
 whom to fear ; so that he might take previous precau- 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 33 
 
 tion to ward them off. He was told by astrologers that 
 his sister Debaki^s eighth son would kill him ; and he 
 had none else to fear.^ As soon as he learnt it, he 
 imprisoned his sister and her husband, Baszideva, 
 intending to kill them, so that no son might be born to 
 them. But they fell at his feet and craved for mercy ; 
 they promised on solemn oath that they would deliver 
 to him all the children born to them, and they would 
 not complain, if he would kill them as soon as they 
 were born. The cruel king was moved and he agreed 
 to the stipulation, t but kept them prisoners in his own 
 palace, well guarded, so that they might not secretly 
 remove their children. 
 
 One after another seven children were born and 
 duly delivered to the cruel tyrant, who to make his 
 safety doubly sure killed them all. But the poor 
 parents determined to save the eighth ; whatever be 
 the consequence they determined to make an effort 
 
 * There are some other versions of this foretelling ; — but from 
 whatever source it might be, king Kayisa came to know his fate 
 many years before it did occur. 
 
 t The eighth son of Basudeva and Debaki is Srikrishna, a 
 personage worshipped and adored by the Hindus as an incarnation 
 of God. We need not say that there are various versions of his 
 birth and life. We need not also tell our readers that there are 
 more than one miracle mentioned all through the narrative of his 
 life. We shall avoid mentioning for obvious reasons the miracles 
 in the body of this tale, but would mention them in short notes. 
 
34 TALES OF IND. 
 
 to save at least one of their beloved children from 
 the wrath of their cruel relative and king. When at 
 the dead of night their eighth child, v^hich was a very- 
 beautiful boy, was born, Vasudeva wrapped it up in 
 clothes, took it under his arms and stealthily came 
 out of the prison-house.^ It was an awful night ; — 
 the blue sky was full of black clouds ; the lightning 
 was flashing and the thunder was roaring ; the rain 
 was falling like torrents, and the wind was blowing 
 in mad fury. It was the eighth day of the full moon 
 in the month of Bhadra,-\ the very middle of the rainy 
 season. The Yamuna had risen, and she had almost 
 flooded her banks. In this fearful night when Nature 
 was dancing in her wild fury, Vasudeva with his child 
 under his arms hastened towards the village of 
 Gakula, and came to the bank of the rushing, 
 roaring and foaming river.f Somehow he managed 
 
 * It is said that both Vasudeva and Debaki heard the voice 
 of God who asked them to save the child and told them how to 
 do it. It is further said that He made the guards fall into a deep 
 sleep and opened the door Himself. There are some more 
 miracles narrated in connection with this birth, which we need not 
 mention. 
 
 t Corresponding to August. 
 
 X It is said that when Vasudeva was meditating how to cross 
 the river he saw a jackal walking across it. He followed the 
 animal's example and found to his joy that the water of the river 
 was very shallow. It was also said that a big snake walked all the 
 way with him protecting the child from rain by its big fangs. 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 35 
 
 to cross It ; he ran towards the house of Nanda^ whose 
 wife Yashoda had given birth to a daughter that very 
 night. None was astir, — none could possibly be astir 
 in that dreadful night ; Yashoda was in deep sleep 
 in her lying-in room, her new-born child lying by her 
 side. Vasudeva stealthily entered into that room 
 and placed his own boy by her side ; he took up the 
 daughter of the milkman and hastened back home.* 
 None knew what was done at the dead of night. The 
 child that would kill the cruel king was thus saved. 
 Kansa found in the morning that a daughter was born 
 to his sister. He brought it out and ordered it to be 
 killed.t 
 
 [3.] 
 
 The son of Vasudeva and Devaki was tenderly 
 nursed by Yashoda. and carefully brought up by 
 Nanda. The prince of the royal house of Yadu grew 
 up as one of the milkman's boys of Gakula.X He 
 
 * It is mentioned that God made Yashoda and all the people 
 of Gakula fall into a deep sleep. We need not say that it is also 
 told that Vasudeva was previously directed by the voice of God to 
 make this exchange of children. 
 
 t It is said that when the people dashed the child on a piece 
 of stone to kill it, it flew from their hands and rose up into the sky. 
 
 X We must here remind our readers that the character of 
 Krishna is an ideal life placed before humanity. We shall refer 
 them to our notes in the tale, named Shiva and Sati. As they have 
 
36 TALES OF IND. 
 
 was the joy of all the village ; and the milkmen and the 
 milkmaids gave him various names, of which we shall 
 mention only two. He was called Kdnai by his 
 mother and he was known by the name of Krishna all 
 through his clan. 
 
 What possible education the son of a milkman 
 could reasonably get ? Learning was not in their 
 line ; their children had no idea of entering into the 
 deep labyrinths of Science, Philosophy, or Literature. 
 Krishna was sent out to take care of the cattle in the 
 pasture, as soon as he grew up to the age of doing It ; 
 and he daily went out with all the other boys of the 
 village. But although he learnt nothing, he learnt at 
 least one thing ; it was to play on the flute ; — the flute 
 that maddened the maids of Gakula and which In after- 
 life turning into a conch^ sent inspiration Into the 
 hearts of heroes on bloody fields of battle. 
 
 Well, the beautiful Yamuna flowed by Gakula 
 giving It health and plenty ; but with the birth of 
 Krishna a streamlet of Love flowed through the 
 milkmen's village giving it untold pleasure and 
 
 found in that tale an ideal character of asceticism in perfection, they 
 will find in this a quite opposite character, namely an ideal 
 character of worldliness in perfection. There they have found _^rs^ 
 asceticism and then in that great asceticism great love ; here they 
 will find Jirst great love and then in that great love great 
 7vorldli7tess. 
 
 * Conch served the purpose of a bugle in ancient warfare. 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 37 
 
 eternal bliss. The baby Krishna was the darling 
 of his mother and the joy of all the villagers. 
 The child Krishyia was the caressing idol of 
 all the women and the boy Krishna was the 
 most beloved companion and play-mate of all the 
 boys. The men and women of Gakula knew 
 not why they began to love Krishna in a way 
 the reason of which they could not account for. They 
 loved their own children, but their love towards 
 Krishna was something more than usual, — nay It was 
 more than what could be found in Nature. And how 
 naughty he was ! He was not a good boy ; neither he 
 was gentle, nor mild. He would enter Into his 
 neighbours' houses, make havock on the eatables, — 
 specially on milk and butter, — break household utensils 
 and do a thousand other mischiefs. So great was 
 their love towards him that they suffered In 
 silence, never complaining for his misdeeds or 
 any of his wicked pranks."^ But his pranks 
 amongst his neighbours soon ceased. Though 
 
 * We must here narrate at least two of the miracles that 
 took place in his childhood. Once a sorceress, named Ptttana, was 
 sent by Kansa to kill him by allowing him to suck her poisonous 
 breasts, but the child Icilled her. On another occasion Yashoda 
 wanted to tie his hands with a rope, so that he might not do any 
 mischief in the neighbours' houses ; but all the ropes of the house 
 were brought, (and a milkman's supply of rope must be considerable) 
 but was found not enough to bind up his two hands. 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 Yashoda was not at all willing, — yet Krishna was 
 forced to go out Into the field to look after his father's 
 cattle. How unwillingly and with how much 
 reluctance she sent him out ! How many times she 
 imploringly asked him not to go very far, not to go 
 near the dangerous water of the Yamuna, not to go 
 across the river, — for she was afraid of king Kansa, — 
 not to roam under the hot sun and not to do a thousand 
 other things ! She gave him eatables, those that she 
 knew her darling Krishna was fond of ; how many 
 times she tenderly requested him to eat them when 
 he would feel hungry ! She would stand at the gate 
 and look at him, — as only a loving mother looks at her 
 departing boy, — as he sped along with his play-mates, 
 driving the cattle before him. 
 
 The boys grew mad for him ; they would not go 
 to the pasture without their beloved Kdnat ', no play 
 could be played without him, no game was managed 
 without his presence. He was their leader, he was 
 their friend, — nay he was their all. He led them to 
 many plays, he Invented many games ; he enchanted 
 them with his love, he amused them with his sweet 
 flute.-^ 
 
 * There are many anecdotes told regarding this period of his 
 life. Some of them are possible facts, but many of them are 
 miracles. He showed at this early period of his life superhuman 
 physical strength and sometimes mysterious powers. He killed 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 39 
 
 [4] 
 
 Thus Krishna slowly and gradually spread 
 around him a halo of love and created a new world 
 of bliss. Thus when he entered into his teens, he 
 drew all the maids of Gakula towards him. His 
 beauty, his grace, his amiability and love, over and 
 above all this, his sweet and enchanting music on his 
 magic flute, made them unconsciously love him. 
 
 They met him on their way to the river, — in the 
 morning when they went to bathe and in the evening 
 when they went to fetch water In their pitchers. 
 They began to converse with him, they began to 
 loiter with him, — nay they sometimes passed some 
 hours with him in merry-making. One after another 
 they all fell in love with him, and Krishna loved them 
 all. Krishna and the lovely maids of Gakula were 
 slowly carried away into the blissful whirlpool of love."^ 
 
 many demons, specially the demonaic snake Kalia who used to live 
 under the water in a certain place in the Yamuna. Many of the 
 cattle of Gakula died by drinking the poisonous water of this place. 
 Krishna one day jumped into this poisonous pool, dived down and 
 killed the fearful snake-demon. 
 
 * This love affair has been variously described, sometimes 
 with questionable taste and purity ; but readers should know that 
 Srimat Bhdgabata, one of the best Sanskrit Works, is the chief 
 authority on the life of Srikrishna. We find nothing objectionable, — 
 in fact there was not the least trace of carnality — in this grand love 
 as described in this book, — a love in which not one but all the 
 
40 TALES OF IND. 
 
 In the day Krishna was surrounded by his play- 
 mates, and the maids had also their household 
 duties to perform. They could only see him on their 
 way to the Yaniuncb and pass a few minutes with 
 him, which did not satisfy their cravings for his 
 sweet company. They began to meet him at 
 night, and specially at moon-lit night, in the 
 surrounding gardens and orchards, — and sometimes 
 on the green pasture. There they played and 
 amused themselves with their lover in various ways. 
 His flute was the signal for a general rush towards 
 the beautiful groves, where there was nothing but 
 love and pleasure. Krishna organised plays, games 
 and picnics in the gardens and groves for the 
 amusements of the maids, as he did for the boys on 
 the pasture grounds. Of these various games and 
 merry-makings, only two we shall mention. In the 
 rainy season he organised a grand swing-play, and 
 in the spring a great red powder contest, in both 
 of which all the boys and maids of Gakula heartily 
 joined."^ 
 
 women living on both the banks of the Yamuna pereipitated. 
 In fact Srikrishna was almost a boy at the time when this love 
 affair is said to have taken place. 
 
 * Both of these two occasions are observed by the Hindus as 
 great religious festivals ; one is called JhiUana and the other Hori 
 or Dola. 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 41 
 
 His plays and games, his sweet music, his 
 universal love, drew round him hundreds of maids, not 
 only of Gakula, not only of his own clan, but from far 
 and wide. From the villages on both the banks of 
 the river, nay from the Muttra city itself, boys and 
 girls came flocking to him, — to love him, to adore him, 
 to enjoy the heavenly bliss which he was freely 
 distributing to all. 
 
 Then he organised a grand moon-light ball,"^ 
 not in the orchards and gardens of Gakula, but in 
 the magnificent parks of Brindabana itself, the place of 
 recreation and amusements, — the pleasure gardens, — 
 of the great city. The day fixed was the full moon of 
 autumn, t when the moon shines in all her glory; — the 
 time the moon-lit night, — the place the Brindabana, 
 watered by the silvery Ya?nund, and beautified by 
 flowery plants and many-coloured folllage. In this 
 ever charming place the grand RashaX was held; all 
 the lovely maidens of the neighbourhood, in their 
 best attire and bedecked with all the flowers and 
 
 * This occasion is also observed as a great religious festival 
 every year. Brindabana is held to be a celebrated place of 
 pilgrimage on account of Krishna's holding his celebrated dance at 
 this place. 
 
 t It is the full moon day of Agrahdun and generally falls in 
 the month of October. 
 
 X Rdsha leterally means a dance. 
 
42 TALES OF IND. 
 
 perfumes, came and joined In this grand dance. Great 
 Poets have failed adequately to describe this magni- 
 ficent affair, — it is better for us not to attempt a thing, 
 left undone by greater personages.^ 
 
 [5] 
 
 Krishna's kingdom of love did not consist of 
 only boys and girls, child and woman. All the 
 milkmen of his own clan, — nay the people of all castes 
 and creeds, — sacrificed themselves at the altar of his 
 great love. In fact they made an unconditional 
 surrender to him in all matters; — love rose above 
 the ties of relation, above the rules of social etiquette, 
 and above every other worldly consideration. The old 
 and the young, nay even the venerable Patriarchs, 
 bowed at his feet ; they honoured and respected him 
 as thier leader and chief. It would suffice if we 
 
 * We must mention here that in many Purdnas, except 
 Bhdgabata, it is mentioned that out of all the maidens one named 
 Rddhd loved him most and Krishna too loved her the best. But 
 in Bhdgabata no mention of Rddhd is made ; in fact there we find 
 Krishna's love spreading to all equally and impartially, he having 
 not the least preference for any special girl or woman. It is said 
 that Rddhd was his maternal aunt and the wife of one Aydna. 
 There are many anecdotes in connection with Rddhd's love for 
 Krishna. At the present time Krishna is worshipped along with 
 Rddhdy and she is to be found by his side in every temple. 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 43 
 
 mention only one event ; it will prove the extent of 
 his influence over the people amongst whom he lived. 
 
 He preached thoroughly a new religion, — a 
 religion thoroughly novel and thoroughly subversive 
 of all their cherished beliefs and faiths. He preached 
 against the time-honoured ancient religion and 
 advocated Nature-worship. But so great was their 
 love for him,that they submitted to him, though a mere 
 boy, even for the future welfare of their souls; — they 
 trampled down their old religion and followed him 
 to do things, novel and new. They accompanied 
 him to the hill Gobardhana, there to worship Nature."^ 
 
 We need not say that such doings do not remain 
 hidden. The name of Krishna passed from house to 
 house ; his great deeds became the general topics of 
 conversation; his fame spread all over the kingdom 
 of Muttra. King Kansa was alarmed ; though he 
 attempted to kill Krishna more than once, and sent 
 emissaries for the purpose yet he did not take him 
 to be a very dangerous personage. But now he grew 
 
 * It is said that when Krishna with his clan and his followers 
 both male and female went to worship Gobardhana, God Indra 
 took offence; for the Gakula people openly gave up the worship of 
 gods and godesses. He ordered raining, and it rained in torrents 
 for seven nights and seven days. Krishna saved his people from 
 this deluge by raising up the hill which he kept on his little 
 finger. All the people rested under it and were thus saved. 
 Hill Gobardhana stands about 30 miles from Muttra. 
 
44 TALES OF IND. 
 
 really alarmed; and his alarm was hundred-fold 
 increased when he heard that Krishna was not the 
 son of Nanda, but that of Vasudeva, — the very boy 
 to kill whom he had killed innumerable children. His 
 anger knew no bounds ; but he controlled himself, for 
 he knew that Krish^ia had become an idol of worship 
 to all the people of Muttra. An open attempt to 
 kill him now meant a general revolt of all his subjects. 
 He also feared that his soldiers would not fight with 
 Krishna, but would go over to his side. So he 
 determined to kill him treacherously. Any how this 
 great enemy he thought of removing. 
 
 There was a man named Akrur in Muttra 
 who loved Krishna and whom Krishna loved. 
 King Kansa called him to his court ; he received 
 him with all honour and bestowed upon him 
 many presents. ''Good and virtuous Akrur^^ said he, 
 '' I have been informed that Krishna is the son of 
 my sister. I should no longer allow him to remain 
 as a milkman's boy. He should at once come and live 
 in Muttra, as a prince of my great house should 
 live. I am told that Krishna loves you much ; and 
 therefore I have resolved to send you to him to bring 
 him with all honour to my royal court, so that he 
 might henceforth assume his own exalted position." 
 
 Akrur went to Gakula with the royal message ; 
 there was joy and lamentation all over the beautiful 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 45 
 
 village,— joy for Krishna's elevation and lamentation 
 for his departure. But he consoled them all, gave 
 them hopes that he would soon return and went to 
 Muttra in Akrur's chariot."^ 
 
 The king received him most graciously ; he 
 welcomed him in all pomp and grandeur ; he made 
 arrangements for various amusements for his recep- 
 tion. One of these was a pugilistic fight, in which 
 Krishna was asked to join. The king privately gave 
 instruction to kill him on the spot, but Krishna soon 
 learnt his nefarious intention, — the assembled people 
 also understood the king's evil intention and rose in 
 a body. 
 
 Krishna easily killed the murderous pugilists and 
 then he attacked the wicked king and killed him on 
 the spot. There were great uproars and confusions ; 
 and amidst the general acclamation he was placed 
 on the throne of Muttra with the unanimous consent 
 of the people. 
 
 [6] 
 
 We now come to the second period of his life.f 
 He has forgotten all his early boyish pranks and has 
 turned a grave statesman ; he has become a powerful 
 
 * This occasion is also observed as a religious festival, 
 t The first period of Krishna's life is full of love, the second 
 full of worldliness. 
 
46 TALES OF IND. 
 
 and able ruler. He has forgotten his loving play- 
 mates, his lovely maidens, his obedient adorers, 
 nay even his mother Yashoda and father Nanda. 
 When they all came to his royal palace to take him 
 back to his old haunts, he told them as prince Harrv 
 told his boon companions. 
 
 •' Presume not that I am the thing I was, 
 — I have turned away my former-self." 
 
 The days of love-making were gone ; the days 
 of playing, merry-making and amusing were over ; 
 Krishna had much to do in the field of politics. The 
 whole of India had been torn by internal dissen- 
 sions ; tyrants had become all powerful and merciful 
 rulers had disappeared. The people had fled into the 
 deepest forest to save themselvs from the oppressions 
 of wicked men. When Krishna found himself on 
 the throne of Muttra he saw all this in a glance ; 
 he thought he could do much to protect the 
 oppressed and bestow peace and happiness all over 
 India. He had become a ruler of a province, — why, 
 he could be the ruler of all India too ! He could bring 
 under his standard all the contending factions ; he 
 could chastise the tyrants and help the good. Indeed 
 he found he had enough works to do, if he wanted to 
 extend and spread a kingdom of love and happiness 
 all over the country. The vast continent of India 
 was not a Gakula ; to do in this vast empire what he 
 
SRIKRISHNA, 47 
 
 did in his own country village, required unknowable 
 state-craft, and unsurpassing Intelligence ; in short he 
 required a great head and a broad heart. 
 
 Both those things he possessed. His change of 
 character was so sudden that all the people were taken 
 aback. When his play-mates came to his royal court, 
 he told them gravely that his life at Gakula had ended, 
 that he was no longer their loving play-mate and 
 leader, but their king and sovereign. He asked them 
 to go back and try to amuse the Gakula maidens by 
 doing what he used to do. When weeping the broken- 
 hearted maidens came to his door, he most seriously 
 told them to go back ; he requested them to forget 
 him and try to be happy without him. When his 
 bereaved mother Yashoda with Nanda and his clan 
 appeared at his court, he asked them to consider him 
 no longer their son, but as a prince of the great 
 Yadu dynasty and as their present king, sovereign 
 and chief. 
 
 There were lamentations all over Gakula^ — but 
 there was joy all over the kingdom of Muttra. Both 
 the lamentation and the joy arose out of the great 
 love that the people bore for him. The people of 
 Gakula could not bear his absence ; would they be 
 able to live without seeing him often ! The people of 
 Muttra rejoiced, because their beloved Krishna 
 had at last become their ruler and king. The 
 
48 TALES OF IND. 
 
 cruel and hard-hearted tyrant Kansa was killed and 
 the great and the good Krishna had become their 
 sovereign ; — what could be there in the wide world 
 more welcome than this ! 
 
 We now find him consolidating his kingdom. In 
 order to secure powerful allies, he had married more 
 than one royal princess. First he married Kubjd, then 
 Rukmini^ then Shatyahhamd and others, — all born of 
 royal parents. He had increased his army and raised 
 up a great and most powerful contingent out of the 
 strong and brave milkmen of Cakula. He had made 
 his subjects happy, without which no ruler could be 
 invincibh- and secure. In order to make himself more 
 qualified to interfere and meddle w^ith foreign politics, 
 in order to extend his power and influence beyond 
 the limit of his own kingdom, without being anxious 
 for its own safety and security, he removed his capital 
 to Divdrakd, a city in Gujrat, situated on the shore 
 of the blue ocean. 
 
 [7. ] 
 
 A FEW years after we find his figure tow^ering 
 above the heads of all. We need not mention how he 
 managed to raise himself up to this lofty height. We 
 find him at this period a man, whose friendship was 
 to be desired, whose favours were to be prayed for ; 
 whose smiles were to be looked after and whose 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 49 
 
 frowns were to be feared. Great potentates and 
 powerful chiefs vied with one another to do him 
 honour. Unquestionably he had become the first man 
 of India. Why should we speak of other chiefs and 
 potentates ? Even the great Kurus and Pdndus, who 
 were the most powerful, nay the de facto Imperial 
 Dynasty of India, had fully submitted to his leader- 
 ship. They considered themselves honoured to get 
 his friendship and favour. Bhtshma, the Patriarch 
 of this great dynasty, the acknowledged first warrior 
 and statesman of the period, had acknowledged him 
 to be an incarnation of God and adored and 
 worshipped him as such."^ From the hoary Himalaya 
 to the island city ;t from Dwdrakd to KdmdkshaX he 
 had become the Ruler of all rulers. He held in his 
 hand both the keys of Indian politics and religion. 
 His great intelligence was admired and submitted to ; 
 his great love was adored and worshipped. 
 
 The internal dissensions, that were rending the 
 country from one corner to the other, had been all 
 settled up by him ; the tyrants had been chastised and 
 forced to be merciful ; peace and prosperity had 
 appeared where there were bloodshed and misery 
 
 * Read the Battle of Kurukshetra. 
 
 t It refers to Lanka, the ancient capital of Ceylon. Read 
 Monkey War. 
 
 X This city still exists ; it is near Gowhatti in Assana. 
 
50 TALES OF IND. 
 
 And all this he did, — not by any physical force, — 
 not by issuing forth with arms and ammunitions, with 
 infantry and cavalry, with horses and elephants, but 
 by simple statesmanship. Hardly ever he himself 
 fought a battle ; he managed all this through his 
 great intelligence and magnificent state-craft. 
 
 The people of India had become very wicked and 
 vicious ; they had been spoiled without any hope of 
 redemption or reformation. The virtuous and the 
 good had retired into the jungle or had been living 
 in misery and woe. Krishna resolved to exterminate 
 these men from the face of the earth and thus to save 
 India from future miseries and oppressions. 
 
 Amongst these, there were two, equal to whom 
 there was none so bad or wicked. These were the 
 kings Jarasandha and Shishupala. He himself killed 
 the latter and the former was killed by the Pandu 
 Princes. Thus one after another all wicked 
 tyrants with their bad followers and subjects were 
 exterminated from the face of the earth. But still 
 the works of Krishna had not been finished. There 
 were two most wicked and vicious clans still left to 
 be exterminated. But both of them were very dear 
 and near to him. One was the great Kuru Dynasty 
 with its most powerful and extensive retinue, and 
 the other was his own Yadu dynasty with his own 
 children and grand children. 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 51 
 
 The powerful Kurus were exterminated In the 
 great battle of Kurukshetra."^ If Krishna were not 
 present with his great state-craft, In the battle to 
 help the poor Pandus^ It would have been impossible 
 for them to gain the victory. He not only made his 
 friend Arjuna victorious by helping him with his 
 advice and maklnor him do thinors which he would 
 
 o o 
 
 never have done, but he preached to him a religion 
 in support of those most unscrupulous advices, based 
 on very peculiar morals.t In fact Krishna asked the 
 Pdndus to trample down every sort of moral virtues; 
 he asked them to kill parents, preceptors, brahmins 
 brothers, cousins, males, females and children. To do 
 this he advised them to adopt every sort of treachery 
 and to take recourse to every sort of subterfuges and 
 falsehood. His life, from the day he ascended the 
 throne of Muttra, was a moral mystery. It was evident 
 that his sole aim and only aim was to exterminate 
 from the earth all the vicious and the wicked. It 
 
 * As we have written the history of this battle in another tale, 
 we shall not repeat it here. We refer our readers for the particulars 
 to that tale. 
 
 t We should ask our readers to read Gita,. When Arjuna 
 seeing the battle field, declined to fight — as he thought he would 
 have to kill his uncle, who was more than a father to him, his 
 preceptor, who was a Brahynin and his dear and near relative and 
 friend Krishna gave him some instructions and preached to him 
 some moral doctrines. The Gitd contains these instructions. 
 
.52 TALES OF IfND. 
 
 was clearly apparent from every work of his life 
 that his sole aim was to create a new world, — a 
 world of love, happiness and bliss. But he himself 
 appeared to be a man without a heart and without any 
 feelings ; — a man who was an incarnation of worldlt- 
 ness ; — a man who, to serve his purpose, could do 
 any and every sort of diabolical thing. He was a 
 contradiction of moral faculties, — nay, he was a 
 great mystery. 
 
 If he had disappeared from the world without 
 explaining his religion and morals, he would have been 
 taken for one of the worst men ever born. But in 
 the field of the great battle of Kurukshetra, when 
 his friend Arjuna absolutely declined to follow his 
 peculiar morals, he was forced to explain and support 
 his novel doctrines with arguments. And they were 
 so convincing, they were so true and grand, that 
 thenceforth he was universally adored and worshipped 
 as the great incarnation of the Supreme Being."^ His 
 religion became the religion of the humanity. 
 
 * Krishna's philosophy and doctrines were, as we said, explained 
 in the great book Gita, now translated into almost all European 
 languages. Scholars and philosophers have unanimously said that 
 it was the grandest book of the world. We should earnestly ask 
 our readers to read this book. We can give only a brief summary 
 of it in the Appendix. 
 
SRIKRISHN'A. 53 
 
 [ 8 ] 
 
 In the range of history or fiction we have never 
 come across such a grand and great character. 
 He was a lover, a thorough w^orldly man, a great 
 politician and statesman, a philosopher and a prophet. 
 Being a milkman's boy he rose to be the greatest 
 man of India, — he became the Ruler of all rulers, 
 the Prophet of all prophets and the Philosopher of 
 all philosophers. But if he became all this for 
 self-agrandisement, if these were the results of his 
 supernatural ambition, — then of course he would 
 have commanded very little respect from good and 
 sensible men. 
 
 But, no, — self was not in him ; there was not the 
 least selfishness in his actions. As we have said, 
 his sole aim was to create a new world of love 
 peace, happiness and bliss. To accomplish this he 
 had to do many things and had to assume many 
 characters — to create a world of happiness and bliss 
 meant the extermination of the wicked and the vicious. 
 If he spared his relatives, — his own children and 
 grand-children, we would have questioned his honesty 
 of purpose. But, no, — he did spare none, — not even 
 himself. He exterminated the Kurus, his very near 
 relatives and friends ; he then exterminated his own 
 great clan with his own dear sons and grandsons. 
 
54 TALES OF IND. 
 
 He took them all to the great pilgrimage of 
 Pravdsha. There was great joy and mirth in Dwdrakd. 
 The Pravdsha was a place most holy, most beautiful 
 and most enjoyable. Every one of the clan, every 
 son and grand-son of Krishna, every prince of the 
 royal Yadu house, made himself ready to go to the 
 Pravdsha. Many eatables were taken, innumerable 
 casks of liquor followed ; — nothing was there wanting 
 to make the pilgrimage most enjoyable and pleasant. 
 
 They all came and encamped in the holy place ; 
 they performed the religious ceremonies, they 
 distributed alms and fed the Brahmins. Then they 
 began to percipitate in merry-making ; — they ate, 
 they drank, they played, they danced. They got 
 themselves so very drunk that soon they quarrelled 
 amongst themselves. One abused another, the other 
 retorted ; they fought and one was killed. His friends 
 rose in a body and attacked the murderer, — his 
 friends rushed to his rescue. There were great 
 confusions, — there was bloodshed all around ; the 
 Yadii princes fell on all sides as so many leaves of 
 trees. Krishna was appealed to, — he was asked 
 to stop the family fued and the bloody carnage. 
 But he too joined in the fray and began to kill his 
 own sons and grandsons. Soon the whole clan was 
 exterminated ; there was none left alive except 
 Krishna. When there was none to kill, Krishna, 
 
SRIKRISHNA. 55 
 
 coolly took a view of the bloody field and moved 
 away."^ 
 
 Then he asked his charioteer to go to 
 Hastindpura and inform his friend Arjuna what 
 had happened. 'Tell him," said he, "that all the 
 Yadus are dead. Ask him in my name to hasten to 
 Dwdraka, where the widowed Yadu princesses are 
 left unprotected. Tell him to take them to 
 Hastindpura and give them protection." 
 
 It was evident that he had no mind to return 
 to his capital. Perhaps he thought his occupation 
 was gone ; perhaps he thought his work was done. 
 He slowly moved away and left the place where all 
 that was dear and near to him fell. 
 
 * There is an anecdote in connection with this extermination 
 of Yadu Dynasty. The Yadus grew so very wicked and vicious, that 
 once when they saw a great Rishi^ they determined to cut jokes at 
 him. One of them assumed the garb of a female ; and the wicked 
 Yadu boys took the disguised prince to the Rishi. They asked 
 him to say what child the girl would give birth. The Rishi 
 took offence for their irreligious behaviour and said, "Oh 
 wicked boys, there will be born out of this one an iron rod, 
 which would be the death of your vicious clan." The Yadus were 
 alarmed, they went to Krishna and asked his advice. He told 
 them to take the iron rod to Pravdsha, rub it on a stone and thus 
 gradually annihilate it. They did as they were asked to 
 do. But out of the broken pieces of this rod grew long grasses in 
 Pravdsha. When the Yadus were fighting amongst themselves,— 
 
56 TALES OF IND. 
 
 He came to a tree, sat under It and fell 
 asleep ;^ — soon there appeared a hunter, who saw 
 his reclining figure from a distance through the thick 
 leaves of the tree. He mistook him for a game, took 
 aim and shot. 
 
 There in the deep forest under the green leaves 
 of the tree the greatest man of the age was mortally 
 wounded ; there he breathed his last unknown and 
 uncared for. The man, whose smile was sun-shine 
 to all the good and whose frowns were the death- 
 signal for all the wicked, not of Dwdraka, not of 
 Mathurd, not of Hastindpura, but of all India from 
 one corner to the other, — died in the same obscurity 
 from which he rose. 
 
 Krishna suggested to them to use this grass as weapons. They 
 became thunder in their hands and destroyed the whole clan. 
 
 * It is said that this sleep of Krishna was Fo^a-sleep — a 
 state in which a man, or rather his soul, joins and mixes with the 
 Great Sotd. It is impossible for a man to fall asleep just after the 
 total annihilation of all his sons and grandsons ; but Krishna is 
 said to have fallen asleep. Every part of his wonderful life is a 
 mystery. 
 
THE MONKEY ¥iR. 
 [1] 
 
 YN the modern province of Oudh there was in 
 Jt ancient time a powerful kingdom, called ^jj'^^^/a. 
 It was beautiful and fertile, watered by many rivers 
 and rivulets ; Its people were happy and rich, ruled 
 by the benign Solar Princes. 
 
 Of all the kings of the great Solar Dynasty, Raja 
 Dagaratha was the mightiest and the best. He was 
 Invincible in arms and unequalled in alms. The 
 people of Ayodhya wxre very happy to live under his 
 kind sw-ay ; but the king himself was not happy. He 
 had three good wives, named Kaugalyd, Kaikeyi and 
 Sumitrdj but none of them gave birth to a prince, 
 
58 TALES OF IND. 
 
 who could ascend the throne of the great kingdom 
 and rule the people, as only the Solar princes knew 
 how to do. The people prayed and the king offered 
 sacrifices to the gods, but time wore on and no prince 
 was born 
 
 Once on a time king Dagaratha went out a- 
 hunting ; he saw a stag, put spurs to his horse and 
 pursued him. Soon his escorts were left behind and 
 he disappeared into the deep forest. He at last 
 found himself unattended and alone, the stao; havins: 
 disappeared from his view. He advanced and found 
 a beautiful rivulet gliding fast ; he thought he saw 
 the stag ; he aimed and shot. 
 
 ''Oh, I am killed !" was uttered by the faltering 
 voice of a boy ; the king was surprised and bewilder- 
 ed ; he ran to the place from which the piteous cry 
 arose. What was his horror when he found that his 
 deadly arrow had pierced the heart of a beautiful 
 boy ! He took up the boy on his lap ; he tried to 
 bind up the wound, from which hot blood was flowing 
 like water ; he tried a hundred means to save the 
 boy, but all was to no effect. 
 
 The boy slowly raised up his head and said, "My 
 parents are blind and old. They are fasting from 
 yesterday and they are thirsty. Oh Sir, kindly take 
 this pitcher of water to them and tell them that their 
 beloved Sindhu is no more." 
 
THE MONKEY WAR. 59 
 
 The king took up the corpse of the poor boy ; 
 he took the pitcher of water and went to the old 
 Rishis hut. His heart was palpitating and his steps 
 were faltering, — but what was his agony when he 
 heard the blind parents talking of their absent boy ! 
 
 'Where is my Sindhu ?" said the poor mother, 
 "He never loiters anywhere." The old and blind 
 father raised up his feeble voice and said, ^^SindJm, 
 my darling boy, come quick ; I am very thirsty." 
 
 The king gathered strength and approached the 
 bereaved parents. He broke the sad news and tried 
 to explain that it was all an accident. ''Oh, wicked 
 man," cried the old Rishi, "Die, — die for the 
 bereavement of your son and know what it Is." 
 They both died and went to the place where their 
 beloved Sindhu had preceded them. 
 
 The king returned home, not very much worse 
 for the sad occurrence, for he had no son to lose or 
 mourn. A few months after, he went out to fight an 
 enemy and was mortally wounded in the battle. He 
 was carried to his palace and was most tenderly 
 nursed by his second wife Kaikeyt. He was so 
 pleased with her that he pressed her to ask for two 
 favours, which he promised to grant her. "No, my 
 lord," said she, "I have no wants now. If I want 
 anything in future, I shall remind you of your kind 
 promise." 
 
6o TALES OF IND, 
 
 None gave any importance to these two little 
 incidents when they occured, but they produced great 
 and memorable events many years after, 
 
 [2 ] 
 
 Soon after the king's recovery it was rumoured 
 all over the kingdom that all the three queens were in 
 the family-way. Some months passed and Kaugalya 
 gave birth to a boy who was named Rama. Then 
 Kaikeyi gave birth to a son who was named Bharata. 
 The youngest queen gave birth to a twin and the boys 
 were named Lakshmana and Satriighna. 
 
 As the boys grew up, Lakshmana was greatly 
 attached to Rama, and Satrughna to Bharata. 
 They were brought up in all the accomplishments 
 befitting their rank and station in life. 
 
 When Rama was about sixteen years of age, 
 great Rishi Vigwamitra came to Ayodhya and asked 
 the king to allow him to take Rama to fight with the 
 Rakshasas. Now Rdkshasas were a wild race ; 
 Ravana was their great king. His seat was at Lanka 
 in Ceylon, but he was a most powerful king with 
 immense wealth and innumerable soldiers. In fact 
 he subdued all the kings and potentates of India as 
 far as the Himalayas. His power was irresistible 
 and his oppressions were unbearable ; he placed his 
 
THE MONKEY WAR. 6l 
 
 relatives all over the country with instructions to rob 
 the people and kill the Brahmins. 
 
 The uncle of king Rava7ia named Ka'nemi, 
 with his wild Sister Tdrakd, was placed near the holy 
 place where Rishi Vi^waniitra had his seat. Their 
 oppressions becoming unbearable, the venerable Rishi 
 repaired to Ayodhyd and asked for protection. 
 Rama was only sixteen years of age, but he entreated 
 his father to allow him to go with the Rishi, so that 
 he might protect the Brahmins from trouble. King 
 Dagaratha gave permission with reluctance and 
 Rama left Ayodhyd accompanied by his beloved 
 brother Lakshfnana. 
 
 They came to a great forest, where the most 
 furious and terrible Tdrakd used to live. As soon 
 as the Prince challenged the Rdkshashee to fight, she 
 rushed forward to kill him ; but Rama soon killed the 
 fell demoness ; and her brother fled away for his life. 
 The Rishis gathered round the scions of the Solar 
 Dynasty and blessed them for their great deeds. 
 
 Thence they repaired to a place called Mithild, 
 the kingdom of king Janalza. He had made a vow 
 that whoever would be able to break the bow, left 
 by ParasiD'dma,^ would marry his beautiful daughter, 
 
 * Parasiirama was the great Brahmin who became a very 
 powerful warrior. When the Kshatryas became very vicious, 
 Brahmin Parasurdma took arms to chastise them. It is said that 
 
62 TALES OF IND. 
 
 named Sitd. Many princes came to secure the 
 damsel, but none could raise the bow, — what of 
 breaking it. Rishi Vigwdmitra was proud of his young 
 hero ; he took him to the palace of the king and 
 asked him to secure the Princess. Rama broke the 
 bow amidst the acclamations of all the people of 
 Mithild. 
 
 King Janaka received the princes in all honour ; 
 he sent ambassadors to Ayodhyd to apprize the old 
 king of his son's glorious feat and to invite him to 
 come to Mithild to celebrate the nuptials. King 
 Dagaratha came with all his generals and ministers. 
 There were great festivities and Rdma married Sitd, 
 his three brothers marrying the three sisters of the 
 young Princess. 
 
 [3] 
 
 As Rdma grew up the king allowed him to 
 govern the people, so that he might gradually learn 
 the art of Government. His rule was so benign that 
 all the people grew enamoured of him ; they could 
 give their lives for him, if he so willed. King 
 
 he exterminated the Kshatryas twenty-one times from the face of 
 the earth. He was a terror to all Kshatryas and was supposed to 
 be an incarnation of Shiva. 
 
THE MONKEY WAR, 63 
 
 Dagaratha was much pleased to see the fame his 
 son had thus acquired ; he ordered it to be declared 
 all over the kingdom that Rama would be made 
 Jubardj^ and the king would retire, — leaving the 
 Government in his hand. Oh, the joy of Ayodhyd ! 
 There were festivities in every town, — illuminations 
 in every village and bonfires on every house top. 
 There were music and songs ; there were distributions 
 of alms and celebrations of pujdhs. In thousand 
 and one ways the people expressed their joy for the 
 happy news. 
 
 But alas ! there was a very wicked maid-servant, 
 named hunch-back Manthard, attached to the house 
 hold of queen Kaikeyi. She went to her mistress and 
 plied her with evil advices. ''Oh queen," said she, **If 
 Rama becomes king, what will be your and your 
 Bharata^s fate ? No better than that of beggars I 
 Who could ever love the son of a step-mother ? Rama 
 will imprison him, banish him or perhaps kill him ! 
 If you now lose the opportunity, you shall have to 
 weep till death." Kaikeyi was moved, she began to 
 be convinced of the truth of her words ; she finally 
 agreed to accept her evil advices. 'What can I do," 
 asked the queen, "to avert this great evil ?" "Do 
 you not remember," replied the wicked woman, "the 
 
 * yw^crdy is the heir- apparent. 
 
64 . TALES OF IND. 
 
 king promised to grant you two favours ? Ask by 
 one to place Bharata on the throne and by another 
 to banish Rama for fourteen years." 
 
 When the old king came to see his queen, he 
 found her weeping and lying on the floor. He raised 
 her up ; he consoled her and tried to know the cause 
 of her grief. Being repeatedly pressed by the king, 
 she at last gave vent to her pent-up feelings. The 
 poor old king heard in silence the cold and piercing 
 words of the queen ; his head reeled and his eyes 
 swam. ''Oh Rdma^^ he cried and fell flat on the 
 ground. 
 
 Soon the sad news got wind ; it spread from 
 house to house till it reached the cottage of the 
 poorest peasant. All festivities were stopped ; the 
 people silently and eagerly tried to know the final 
 orders of the king. As soon as Rama came to learn 
 the cause of his father's grief and his step-mother's 
 demand, he went to him and asked his permission to 
 lea.ve Ayodhya. "Father," said the Prince, "if a son 
 cannot fulfill his father's promise, what is his life 
 worth for ? Let Bharata have the throne, he deserves 
 it as much as I. I shall pass fourteen years in 
 asceticism at the expiration of which I shall return 
 and bow at your feet." The poor old king could not 
 utter a word. "My dear boy," said Kaikeyiy "Don't 
 make your father false to his words. Go, leave 
 
THE MONKEY WAR. 65 
 
 AyodhydP ''My mother," replied Rama^ *'I must go. 
 Bless me, so that I might have strength enough to 
 fulfill my father's promise." 
 
 He came out and told his beloved brother and 
 companion, Lakshmana^ all that had happened. ''My 
 dear Lakshmana^^ said the prince, "Remain in 
 Ayodhya and be a son to my poor mother." But the 
 young prince could not suppress his feelings ; tears 
 rushed out of his eyes, — anger displayed Itself on his 
 countenance. "Brother," cried he, "Why should we 
 allow a step-mother to do such an Injustice ? If 
 brother Bharata take his wicked mother's part, I 
 shall fight with him and make you sit on the throne." 
 Rama smiled and said, ^^Lakshmana, Bharata's 
 mother is our mother. Bharata Is as beloved to me 
 as you. I must leave Ayodhya to fulfill our father's 
 promise. Remain here, be obedient to mother 
 Kaikeyi and brother Bharata ; love them as you 
 love me." Lakshmana fell at his brother's feet, wept 
 and entreated him to take him as his companion. 
 "Dear brother," said he, "Do not leave me behind." 
 Rdmd was moved, he agreed to allow the young 
 prince to accompany him. 
 
 We need not describe the meeting of Rama with 
 his poor mother. Oh, how happy had she been a 
 minute before and how miserable now ! He bade 
 her adieu In tears amidst the loud lamentations 
 
66 TALES OF IND. 
 
 of all the women of the palace.. He then proceeded 
 to bid farewell to his dear wife. There were no tears 
 in her eyes, no shadow of sorrow floating over her 
 beautiful countenance'. "My Lord," said she, "Your 
 wife is ready to go wherever you would go." 
 "My darling," replied Rama, "You are bred and 
 born in comforts and luxuries ; you cannot,, stand 
 the fatigues and difficulties of an ascetic. Remain 
 in Ayodhya!^ Sita stopped him' and said', "You 
 taught me that a wife's paramouTit duty is to 
 follow her husband in weal or in woe. How could 
 you say otherwise now ? I wo'nt hear any refusal." 
 She was determined to follow her husband and 
 would not mind any obstruction. So Mama had to 
 yield and to promise to allow her to follow him. 
 
 They took off their royal costumes, and put on 
 the garb of ascetics. Thousands and thousands of 
 people had assembled at the palace-gate to see 
 them, to weep for them and to prevent them from 
 going, if possible. Rama comforted them, assuaged 
 them, bade them all loving and endearing farewells. 
 He came out with his beloved brother and dear wife 
 and the city of Ayodhya wept aloud to see them in 
 ascetic garb. They passed through the weeping mass 
 and entered into the nearest jungle. 
 
THE MONKEY WAR, 67 
 
 [4] 
 
 The poor king Dagaratha could not survive the 
 shock ; he died as he fainted, never again uttering a 
 word. Bharata was not at Ayodhya when all these 
 sad occurrences happened. As soon as he learnt of 
 the sad news, — the news of his father's death and 
 of his brother's banishment, — he hastened to the 
 capital. 
 
 He did not speak to his mother ; he did not 
 hesitate to express his strong displeasure for her 
 wicked behaviour. He performed his father's funeral 
 ceremony and repaired to the jungle in search of 
 his brothers. 
 
 They met ; they met in tears. Bharata fell at 
 his brother's feet and entreated him to come back to 
 Ayodhya. ''Dear brother,'^ said he, ''If you do not 
 go, — send Lakshmana or send Satrughita^ — allow 
 me to accompany you." "My beloved brother," 
 replied Rama, "If I go back, our father's promise 
 will not be fulfilled ; — could we do this ? Go back 
 and govern Ayodhya in my name. I shall return 
 after fourteen years and assume the Government. 
 I entreat you to follow my advice. You know, 
 you are bound to obey your elder brother." "I am 
 bound to obey you," said Bharata, "but I won't sit 
 on the throne. Give me your shoes ; I shall place 
 
68 TALES OF IND. 
 
 them there and they would be your emblem and I 
 shall be your representative." 
 
 So this was done. Bharata and Satriighna 
 returned to Ayodhya ; — Ra?ita with his brother and 
 wife left the forest and proceeded southward visiting 
 many holy places. They came to the seats of many 
 great Rishts and by their request drove away the 
 Rdkshasas from various places. 
 
 They at last came to a forest, called Panchabati, 
 a beautiful place watered by the river Goddvan\ 
 St'td was enchanted with its silvan scenery ; it was 
 arranged to pass sometime in this Nature's 
 panorama of rivers and trees, foliage and flowers. 
 Huts were made on the bank of the river by the side 
 of a flowery grove. They lived very happily for 
 months amongst singing birds and loving beasts. 
 
 Here In this forest Surpanakhd, the sister of 
 king Rdvana used to live with two great Rdkshasas, 
 named Khara and Dushana. She one day happened 
 to see Rdnia ; she at once fell in love with him and 
 offered to marry him. She gradually grew very 
 insolent, when at his brother's order Lakshmana cut 
 off her nose and sent her reeling and bleeding to her 
 wild abode. Her piteous cries filled the forest with 
 melancholy echo ; then came Khara and Dushana 
 in wild fury to punish the princes for the great 
 indignity done to the sister of the Rdkshasa king. 
 
THE MONKEY WAR. 69 
 
 Edma went out and gare them battle. Soon they 
 were killed and Surpanakhd fled to the island 
 city. 
 
 There she narrated before her great brother all 
 that had happened. She wept and prayed for 
 vengeance. Rdvana had heard from various sources 
 the deeds of Rd?na and the defeats and retreats of the 
 Rdkshasas ; but he did not think the matter so 
 important as to require his personal interference. He 
 heard much of Sitd's beauty ; he was tempted, — he 
 thought, he should see what sort of beings these 
 princes of Ayodhyd were. He held a private council 
 and finally decided to bring Sitd to his golden city. 
 He took with him his uncle Mdricha and started for 
 the beautiful forest of Panchabati. 
 
 The Rdkshasas were great adepts in magic ; they 
 could do many wonderful things and assume every 
 possible shape at their will. Mdricha took the shape of 
 a golden deer and went frolicking before the cottage 
 of the Royal ascetics. Sitd asked her husband to 
 catch it and Rdnia took up his bow and arrows. 
 He came to the deer, but he could not catch it, — it 
 frolicked and played and then fled from him. He 
 pursued it from place to place, till he came very 
 far off his cottage. He got tired in pursuing it ; 
 he aimed and shot at it, when the disguised 
 Rdkshasa fell dead crying, ^'Oh Laksh7nana, come 
 
yo TALES OF IND. 
 
 and help me." The piercing cry echoed and 
 re-echoed till it filled the whole forest. 
 
 The plaintive cry reached Sild's ear ; she started 
 and asked Lakshmana to go immedltately to the help 
 of her dear husband. But the young prince refused 
 to move. ''My Lady," said he, "Do not be anxious 
 for him ; he is invincible. This forest is full of 
 Rdkshasas. It is all their doing. I cannot leave you 
 alone." 
 
 Sitd lost her good sense in the apprehension for 
 lier dear husband ; she got angry and began to abuse 
 poor Lakshmana. "Oh you wicked youngman," cried 
 she, "You intend to rob your brother of his kingdom 
 and wife !" "Mother," replied the prince, "You force 
 me to leave you alone. I am not to blame. God 
 protect you." He then drew a circle round the hut 
 and requested her not to come out of it, but to 
 remain quietly in the hut till they would return. 
 He took up his bow and arrows and hastened away. 
 
 No sooner he was gone, than Rdva?ta in the 
 disguise of an ascetic came to the door of the hut 
 and asked for alms. Si'td requested him to wait a 
 little, saying that her husband was out. But the 
 false Rishi appeared to be angry for the slight and 
 threatened to go away. There was no greater sin 
 to a Hindu than to allow an ascetic to go away from 
 his door disappointed and displeased. Sitd came 
 
THE MONKEY WAR. 7 1 
 
 out and went to the jR is ki to give him alms. But she 
 •was immediately seized and dragged away. 
 
 Oh ! how she wept ■; how she struggled ; how 
 much she blamed herself for driving away Lakshmana 
 from the cottage. Oh ! how much she entreated the 
 cruel king to let her go "; how many times she fell at 
 iiis feet and asked for mercy, but all in vain. 
 
 [ 5 ] 
 
 Here in the deep depth of the forest Rdma 
 grew very anxious when he heard the dying cry of 
 the disguised Rdkshasa. His heart told him that it 
 foreboded some great evil to his dear wife. He 
 apprehended that his young brother might come to 
 his help, leaving Sitd all alone. He lost no time, but 
 hastened towards the cottage. But as he feared, he 
 met his brother in the way. ''Oh, dear brother," 
 cried Ramay ''You have left Siid alone ?" ''What 
 can I do," replied he, '^She forced me to come to your 
 help." 
 
 They then ran towards the cottage, as fast 
 as they could. Rama came panting to the door 
 and cried, "Siid, dear Slid, come out and relieve 
 me from my anxiety." None answered, — all was 
 quiet and still. They rushed into the hut, but there 
 was no Sitd to be found. They hastened to the 
 
72 TALES OF IND. 
 
 bank of the river ; they ran to the flowery grove ; 
 they searched every creek and corner, — but there 
 was no Sita to be found. All the forest was filled 
 with the heart-rending lamentations of the bereaved 
 husband. 
 
 Sitd threw her ornaments all the way, hoping 
 they would tell her husband the direction she had 
 been carried away. They saw these ornaments 
 and went in search of her ; but on and on they 
 went and no Sitd could be found. They at last 
 came to an old hero, — who had been mortally 
 wounded."^ They asked him if he could tell them 
 where their Sita had gone away. "My dear boys," 
 replied the dying hero, "You do not know me, 
 I am a friend of your father ; my name Is Jatdyu. 
 I saw the wicked Havana taking away your wife. 
 I fought with him, — but I am now old. He has 
 defeated me and gone away." He died, — the princes 
 placed him on the funeral pyre and proceeded 
 southward in search of the great city of the 
 Mdkskasas. 
 
 They at last came to a hill, where they saw five 
 big monkeyst of the species that inhabited the great 
 
 * Jatayu was a very big bird, — brother of Gamra, whom 
 Vishnu rides. 
 
 t In the Ramayana these monkeys are described as human 
 beings except that they were monkeys in shape. 
 
THE MONKEY WAR. 73 
 
 kingdom of Kishkindhd. They were all rational 
 human beings and perhaps more powerful than men. 
 Rama came to them and asked them "Can you tell me 
 who has taken away my wife ?" ''Yes/' said one of 
 them, "We have seen the wicked king of Lanka 
 taking away a beautiful girl ; she might be your wife. 
 But who are you ? From which place are you 
 coming ?" 
 
 Lakshmana told the monkey -hero all about their 
 sad fate. "We are as miserable and unhappy" 
 replied the monkey," as you are. There sits king 
 Sugrtva, the brother of Vdli, the great king of 
 Kishkindhd. My name is Hanumd^t, I am one of 
 his attendants. King Vdli has banished us all. If 
 you help us in regaining the kingdom, we can help 
 you in regaining the Princess." 
 
 There on the top of the hill the pledge of 
 friendship was taken. Rdma promised to kill Vdli 
 and place Sugriva on the throne of Kishkindhd- 
 Sugriva promised to march out with his monkey- 
 army and recover Sitd from the city of Lankd. 
 
 Poor Vdli was soon killed and Sugriva ascended 
 the throne. He sent his emissaries to the four 
 quarters of the globe to find out the place where 
 Sitd had been kept hidden. Hanurndn went to the 
 south, jumped across the sea and entered the golden 
 city of Lankd. He found the city unequalled in 
 
74 TALES OF IND. 
 
 beauty, in magnificence and in wealth. He saw the 
 great Rakshasa-dirmy and its wonderful array of 
 arms and ammunitions. He saw innumerable horses, 
 countless chariots, and hundreds of elephants. He 
 roamed in disguise all over the city and found the 
 weeping Sita kept as prisoner in the garden of Agoka. 
 He was at the point of returning back to Kishkindhd, 
 when it struck him, that he should inform the 
 Rdkshasas that he had honoured their city with his 
 august presence. He began to make himself rather 
 free with the properties of the Rakshasas ; — so he 
 was soon caucrht and brought before the kincr. 
 
 When he was asked who he was, he did not 
 hide the real facts. ^'Oh wicked king," said he, 
 ''I am an ambassador from the court of the great 
 king of Kishkindha. He is coming to Lanka in 
 order to help Rama^ who is the most powerful king 
 of Ayodhyci and whose wnfe you have stolen. I have 
 been sent to see what sort of a city you possess, so 
 that king Sugriva might teach you a lesson." 
 
 Rdvana got very angry ; he would have ordered 
 the execution of Hanui7idn, but his ministers 
 prevented him from doing it, for an ambassador was 
 never to be killed. But the king ordered the face of 
 the monkey to be burnt and thus disfigured he was to 
 be sent back to his impudent king. In the attempt, 
 Hanumdn managed to burn half of the golden city ; 
 
THE MONKEY WAR. 75 
 
 he then jumped back to the mainland ; thence he 
 repaired to Kishkindha and told the king the history 
 
 of his mission. 
 
 [6] 
 
 A FEW days after, king Sugn'va marched out 
 with his monkey-army and came as far as the sea. 
 They saw the golden city of Lanka floating on the 
 blue ocean like a magnificent piece of gem. They 
 encamped and king Sugriva ordered his army to 
 make a bridge over the mighty sea. 
 
 Thousands and thousands of monkeys went up 
 the hills and penetrated into the forest ; they brought 
 down stones and trees, and threw them into the sea. 
 By months' Incessant labour a bridge was made, the 
 remnant of which Is stili to be seen and is known as 
 the Adam's Bridge. 
 
 The whole monkey-army crossed the sea, 
 encam^ped before the city and beselzed It from all 
 sides. Every precaution was taken to prevent 
 the place from being surprized and stormed. 
 
 King Ravana had two brothers, named 
 Kuinbhakarna and Bibhishana, the former was a 
 giant and a monster, the latter was virtuous and 
 good. He had a son, named Indrajit, who was 
 unequalled In arms and invincible in wars. He had 
 Innumerable cousins, countless sons, powerful relatives 
 
j6 TALES OF IND. 
 
 and able generals ; but except Bibhishana there 
 was none in Lanka who was not an adept in wicked- 
 ness and sin. 
 
 Good and virtuous Bibhishana tried to induce 
 his brother Ravana to give up Sttd and make up the 
 difference ; but he was deaf to all reasons. In open 
 court when he entreated the king to give her up, — 
 Ravana lost all control over his wild temper ; he 
 kicked him and drove him out of the town. 
 Bibhishana went to the enemy's camp and we need 
 not say, he was received with open arms. 
 
 The great War began ; it lasted for ten long 
 years. One after another the sons and cousins, 
 generals and heroes of the great king came out to 
 give battle, but none returned alive. At last 
 Kumbhakarna came, but he too did not return from 
 the field of battle. Sad fatality had overtaken the 
 golden city of the sea ! 
 
 There was only one invincible and all-con- 
 quering hero, whom the monkey-army could not 
 defeat. Prince Indrajit came out more than once, 
 attacked Rama and his army, defeated him hope- 
 lessly and routed his monkey hordes. So long he 
 was alive, Lanka was safe and the recovery of 
 Sita was a hopeless task. Rama appealed to his 
 friend Bibhishana to save him and his army from 
 the deadly attacks of his invincible nephew. "Dear 
 
THE MONKEY WAR, 77 
 
 friend", said Bibhishana, '-None can kill Indrajit 
 if he be in arms, — especially if he comes out to battle, 
 performing his Pujd. However, I am at your service 
 and can do every thing for you. Allow Lakshmana 
 to accompany me; I shall take him to the place 
 where Lakshmana would be able to kill him." 
 
 Next day Lakshmana and Bibhishana entered 
 the city unrecognised. They passed by gate after 
 gate and finally went into the palace of the prince. 
 They passedjstealthily into the room where the hero was 
 engaged in prayer. He was soon attacked by the Prince 
 of Ayodhyd. He was armless, but he fought like an 
 enraged lion, till he was cut down. They came out 
 of the city in disguise, as they went in, and none 
 knew the foul deed they had committed. There were 
 great rejoicings in the monkey-camp, but soon there 
 were loud lamentations all over the beseized city. 
 
 The bereaved and enraged father, the great 
 king of the Rdkshasas, Rdvana came out to exter- 
 minate Rama and his monkeys from the face of 
 the earth or to die in the field of battle. He was 
 too proud to pray for mercy or to negotiate a treaty. 
 There was terrible carnage on both sides till the 
 evening, when the great king fell and the Rdkshasas 
 fled precepitously into their ruined city. 
 
 Bibhishana was placed on the throne and Sitd 
 was brought back in pomp. Sugriva went away to 
 
78 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Kishkindhd, but Hanuman went with Rama as far 
 
 as Ayodhyd. 
 
 •^ -^f « * 
 
 Poor Sitd was never happy. She lived some 
 years in Ayodhyd, when Rama banished her into a 
 jungle, because his subjects questioned her chastity ; 
 — they thought Sitd must have been leading a life of 
 infamy, when she was at Lankd^ Rama in order to 
 please his people asked Lakshmana to take her away 
 from the royal palace and to leave her into a forest. 
 This most unjust and cruel step was taken and Sitd 
 was banished for ever. 
 
 When Lakshmayta left her in the jungle, she 
 was some months with child and there at the holy 
 seat of Rishi Vdlmiki, she gave birth to a twin, 
 who were named Lava and Kusha. They were 
 brought up by the great Rishi and were given the 
 education befitting their royal rank. 
 
 A few years after, when Rdma with his brothers 
 came out to conquer all the chiefs and potentates, 
 the two young princes met them in battle ; they 
 defeated them and made them prisoners. The old 
 Rishi came and interfered ; there was a reconciliation 
 and Sitd with her sons returned home full of 
 happiness and bliss."^ 
 
 * This tale is the briefest »ar rative of the great Sanskrit epic 
 
 Ra7nayana, 
 
THE BATTLE OF KUKUKSHETRA,' 
 
 [11 
 
 YN the modem province of Delhi there was in 
 X ancient time a kingdom, called Hastinapiir. 
 The Lunar E>ynasty held sway over this vast 
 sovereignty. At the time of which we are speaking,, 
 king Sd?ita?tu was the ruling sovereign. He married 
 Ganga, and the fruit of this marriage was a son who 
 was named Vishma. 
 
 * One of the biggest sanakrit works is the Mahdbhirata. It 
 is one of the eighteen great Puranas ; it can be called an Epie 
 poem at the same time a great history. We can very well glean 
 from it a very clear history of tire people of that period. This tale 
 is the briefest narrativ^e of the great battle on which the poem is 
 based. 
 
8o TALES OF IND. 
 
 Once at a time king Santanu went out hunting 
 and in his excursions met a very beautiful daughter 
 of a fisherman, who was called Satyabatt. He fell 
 in love with her and offered to marry her, but the 
 fisherman did not agree to the Rajah's proposal, 
 till he could promise to bestow the kingdom upon 
 the son of his daughter. King Sdntanu had already 
 a son, whom he could by no means deprive of his 
 rights. He, therefore, returned home, but felt the 
 disappointment very keenly. 
 
 His son Vishma marked his father's melancholy 
 mood ; he enquired and learnt of the secret cause of 
 his father's mental sufferings. He determined to 
 make him happy and went to see the fisherman. He 
 promised to relinquish all his claims over the 
 kingdom and not to marry, so that no son could 
 be born to him. He secured Satyabati, brought her 
 home and offered her to his father. 
 
 Satyabatt had a son before her marriage, named 
 Byasa and now she gave birth to two more sons. 
 One died early, the other was married to the 
 daughter of Kashi. But he too died, leaving no heirs. 
 As Vishma had taken the vow of celibacy, the great 
 Lunar Dynasty was at the point of becoming extinct 
 Therefore according to the custom of the age, 
 Satyabatt's illegitimate son Bydsa^ was Invited to 
 
 * This Byasa was the celebrated Rishi who compiled the 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 
 
 live with the widowed Princess as her husband.^ 
 She gave birth to two sons. The elder became blind 
 and was named Dhritarashtra ; the other was called 
 Pandu. Another son was begot by Bydsa on a maid 
 of the Princess and he was called Vz'dura.f 
 
 Vtsh?na gave his brothers the highest possible 
 education. As Dhritarashtra was blind, Pandu was 
 declared to be the Heir-Apparent ; but Vishma 
 promised to take special care of the blind Prince and 
 never to desert him and his children. When they 
 grew up Dhritarashtra was married to Gandhari, 
 the Princess of Gandhar and Pandu was married 
 first to the adopted daughter of king Kunta of Bhoja 
 and then to Madri, the Princess of Madra. 
 
 four Vedas and wrote eighteen great Puranas. In fact all great 
 Works are supposed to have beeo written and compiled by him. He 
 is one of the most celebrated Rishis of ancient India. 
 
 * All through this tale readers would find laxity of the 
 marriage system and want of female chastity. — It is evident, in 
 those days the morals in India were quite different from those that 
 of the modern world. 
 
 t It is said that when the widowed princess went to Byasa 
 she found him so very fearful that she shut her eyes. Thus the 
 son that was born to her became blind. Next time she gathered 
 courage and kept her eyes open, but turned very pale, — so her 
 son that was born became Pandu which means pale. On the 
 third time when she was asked to go to Vyisa^ she did not go at 
 all, but sent one of her maids. 
 
82 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Princess Kunti before her marriage with Pandu 
 gave birth to a son,, who was named Kama. In 
 course of time another son was born to her and he 
 was named Yiidhisthira. Then Gandhari gave 
 birth to one hundred sons"^ successively and Kunti 
 two more. Madri gave birth to a twin and king 
 Pandu died. The other two sons of Kunti wgvq 
 named Bhima and Arjuna^ and the twins were called 
 Nakula and Sahadeva. The eldest son of Gandhari 
 was called Duryyodhana and another out of the rest 
 was named Duswashana. They were all placed 
 under the tuition of a very learned Brahmin, called 
 Drona,. who had a son named Aswathdma. 
 
 [21 
 
 Yudhisthira was very virtuous and gentle,, 
 
 Bhima was physically a giant ;, Arjuna grew up as 
 
 the best warrior, Duryyodhana was as strong as 
 
 Bhima, but he grew up very vicious and wicked, 
 
 * There is an anecdote in connection with the birth of the 
 hundred sons of Gandhcbri. It is said that when she was told that 
 Kunti had given birth to a son, she was mortally sorry^. because 
 her son would never be a king. She forced ani abortion and 
 tried to destroy the embryo and cut it into a hundred pieces. But 
 finally she repented and wept for her mad eonduct. A great 
 RishVs assistance was sought for and he put life into these hundred 
 pieces, making one a son. 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 8 
 
 o 
 
 All his brothers imitated him in his wicked ways 
 and grew up as bad as he was. Aswathama and 
 Kama were also brought up with these Princes, the 
 former became fond of luxuries, the latter however 
 became a great warrior. Kama and Duryyodliana 
 gradually became fast friends. 
 
 Yudhisthira was the eldest son of the late king 
 Pandu ; he was also the eldest of all the brothers ; 
 therefore in course of time he was declared to be 
 the Heir-apparent. The sons of Dhritarashtra were 
 known as Kurus and those of Pandu as Pandavas. 
 The Pandavas were good and gentle and they were 
 very much liked by the people. The Kurus were 
 bad and wicked and the people were afraid of them. 
 The people of Hastindpura were happy to learn 
 that good and virtuous Yudhisthira would be their 
 future king. But wicked Duryyodhana could not 
 bear the sight of his brother's glory. He began to 
 device plans to humiliate the Pandavas ; he was 
 backed by all his brothers and his maternal uncle 
 Sakuni plied him with evil advices. It was finally 
 arranged to murder the five Pandavas. 
 
 They were tempted to go to a place called 
 Varanabata, where Duryyodhana caused a house to 
 be built. It was made of materials which could 
 easily ignite. It was secretly arranged to burn the 
 Pandavas in this infernal house. They knew 
 
84 TALES OF IND. 
 
 nothing of the evil intentions of their cousins ; they 
 came to live in this house with their mother. But 
 Vidura loved them more than his own children ; he 
 privately informed them of the nature of their danger. 
 
 The Pdndavas then held a consultation. "Dear 
 brothers/' said Yudhisthira, "if we go back to 
 Hastinapura, Duryyodhana will know that we have 
 learnt his evil designs. The army and the treasury 
 are in his hands, — the chief men of the Durbar are 
 all on his side. If we go back, surely he will attack 
 us. We shall be easily defeated and perhaps killed. 
 My advice is to fly from this house. Let us travel 
 all over the country incognito and try to make 
 friends with other kings and princes. When we 
 shall feel ourselves strong to fight with the Kurus^ we 
 shall come back and demand our kingdom." To 
 other brothers the words of the eldest were 
 commands ; they agreed to go wherever he went. 
 
 One day at the dead of night they set fire to the 
 house and fled from the place. People thought that 
 they must have been burnt to death. 
 
 [3.] 
 
 The Pdndavas assumed the garb of ascetics and 
 roamed about for months. Bhima met with an 
 aboriginal girl in the jungle and married her. A son 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 85 
 
 was born to this marriage and was named 
 Ghatotkacha. 
 
 They at last left the jungle and came to a 
 country called PanchaL There they learnt that the 
 king Drupada had taken a vow of giving away his 
 daughter to the warrior who would be able to shoot 
 the target which he had constructed. It was a 
 wonderful piece of mechanism. The target was 
 placed on a very high pole and a golden fish was 
 placed behind it. There was only a very small bore 
 in the target, through which one of the eyes of the 
 golden fish could be seen. The warrior would have 
 to hit the fish seeing its reflection In water, which had 
 been kept underneath the target. 
 
 Many princes from many places had come to 
 secure the beautiful damsel and to show their feats 
 of arms. Vishma, Drona, Kama, Diiryyodhana 
 and all the other princes and warriors of 
 Hastinapura had also come to this great tournament. 
 One after another the princes tried to win the 
 damsel, but none could hit the eye of the fish. Then 
 rose Vishma. ''I have taken," said he, "A vow of 
 celibacy and therefore cannot marry the Princess. 
 If however I be successful, my nephew Diiryyodhana 
 will have the girl." He took up the bow, but saw 
 before him Shikhandi, the son of king Drupada, 
 who was an eunuch. To see an eunuch was an evil 
 
86 TALES OF IND. 
 
 omen and Vishma never used to take arms on seeing 
 an evil omen. He silently left the bow and came 
 back to his seat. 
 
 Then king Drupada cried, ''Of whatever caste 
 or creed one might be, — whoever would be able to 
 hit the fish I shall give away my daughter to him." 
 Then rose Drona. "If I win the Princess," said he, 
 *'I shall give her to my pupil, Duryyodhana!' He 
 took up the bow, aimed and sent up the arrow, but 
 failed to hit the golden fish. Then rose Kama 
 amidst the cheerings of the Kurus. "If I can hit the 
 fish" said he, "The Princess would go to my friend 
 DiiryyodhanaP He tried but he too failed.^ 
 
 The Princes of Pdndu went to the assembly in 
 the garb of Brahmins ; they were sitting amongst the 
 mendicants who had come for alms. But Arjuna 
 grew impatient to rise and shoot, — he was eagerly 
 looking at his brother to get his permission. 
 
 Again and again cried king Drupada, "Kings or 
 beggars. Brahmins or Sudras^ whoever he might be, 
 
 * It is said that when Kama and Drona shot at the fish 
 Krishna who was present and who knew that the Pdndu Princess 
 were present in disguise put his Sudarsana Chakra over the target 
 and thus prevented their arrows from going up to the fish, Sudarsana 
 Chakra is the weapon of Vishnu. All through the Mahdbhdrata 
 Krishna had been represented as the incarnation of the great 
 Preserver. Krishna wanted the princess to be won by his friend 
 Arjuna. 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 87 
 
 let him come and try to shoot at the fish. My 
 Draupadi viould surely go to the successful man." 
 
 Finding that every one had failed and Arjuna 
 was eager to accomplish this wonderful feat of arms, 
 Yudhisthira at last gave him permission to go and 
 try his chance. He rose amidst the titterings of 
 the Brahmins and hisses of the Princes. He appeared 
 to be the poorest of the poor, but he slowly and 
 silently went to the target and looked towards the 
 great assembly. He bowed first to Drona, his tutor 
 and then to Vishnta, his grandfather. Both of them 
 were astonished to find a beggarly Brahmin bowing 
 to them, for they knew Arjiuia to be dead. Then 
 he took up the bow, saw the reflection of the 
 fish on the water and sent up the arrow. It went 
 up like a flash of lighting and hit the fish amidst the 
 loud cheerings of the Brahmins. The Princes could 
 not believe that such wonderful feat was possible 
 of a poor Brahmin and they made a great noise. 
 However it was finally decided that he had really 
 won the Princess. 
 
 [4] 
 
 The Pdndavas with beautiful Draupadi returned 
 home in the evening. ''Mother," cried Bhima from 
 the door, ''We have got something grand to-day." 
 "My sons," replied she, "Partake of it all 
 
88 TALES OF IND. 
 
 brothers." To obey their mother's command they all 
 married the Princess and it was arranged, — to avoid 
 future disagreement, — that when one of the brothers 
 would be with her, no other brother would go to her 
 or to the room where she would be. If any of them 
 would violate this rule, he would be bound to go to 
 banishment for certain years. 
 
 King Drupada soon came to learn that the five 
 poor Brahmins were the five Princes of Pandu in 
 disguise. He brought them home in all honour and 
 pomp ; the news flew from place to place like wild- 
 fire and it soon reached Hastindpura. 
 
 King Dhritarashtra under advice from Vishma 
 sent Vidiira to bring them back to the capital. They 
 all came back and lived in a new city, called 
 Indraprastha, separate from Duryyodhana and his 
 brothers. There they lived happily for months. 
 
 One day a poor Brahmin came to Arjuna 
 and piteously appealed to him to rescue his property 
 from robbers. Unfortunately Arjuna' s arms were in 
 the room where Yudhisthira was with Draupadi. 
 To save the poor man's property he faced the dread 
 penalty of banishment. He went into the room, took 
 up his arms and hastened to help the poor man. 
 
 After chastising the robbers he returned to his 
 brothers and asked their permission to go to 
 banishment. With very sorrowful heart the brothers 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 89 
 
 bade him farewell and Arjuna left Indraprastha and 
 went out on pilgrimage. 
 
 He travelled all over the country and at last 
 came to Pravasha. His dearest friend K7'ishna, the 
 king of Mathurd and Dwdrakd, went to meet him. 
 He brought him to his capital and gave his sister 
 Subhadrd in marriage with him. Here he passed 
 many a happy day with his friend and wife. 
 
 We need not say that he met with many 
 adventures in his travels It is superfluous to 
 mention that he showed many wonderful feats of 
 arms in helping the needy and punishing the wicked. 
 
 After the completion of the specified time for 
 banishment, he came back to Indraprastha and 
 joined his brothers. They all lived very happily, 
 and they tried their best to please the Kurus by 
 every possible means. 
 
 Duryyodhana married Princess Bhdnumati and 
 several children were born to her. Their daughter 
 Lahshmand fell in love with the son of Krishna. 
 The young couple were married in great pomp, 
 both branches of the great Lunar House taking 
 prominent parts in celebrating the nuptials. 
 
 [5] 
 
 Bhima, Arjiina, Nakula and Sahadeva went 
 out according to the custom of the age to conquer 
 
90 TALES OF IND. 
 
 the adjacent kingdoms. They subjugated many- 
 kings and exacted tributes from various princIpaHties. 
 They returned home with hoard of wealth and Raja 
 Yudhisthira celebrated the victory by holding the 
 Rajsiiya Yagma. It was a grand and magnificent 
 Durbar, in which numerous kings and princes came 
 to pay homage to the great Pandavas. All was joy 
 and merriment ; everyone was happy, except 
 Duryyodhana and his brothers. They could not 
 bear the success of the Pandavas ; the glory and the 
 happiness of the Princes of Pandu were gall and 
 worm-wood to them. They returned to Hastiiiapura 
 resolving upon taking vengence. 
 
 They held a secret council, In which uncle 
 Sakuni advlced them to Invite Yudhisthira to play. 
 "A Kshatrya,^^ said he, ''Can never refuse to accept 
 a challenge when asked to fiorht or to oramble. I shall 
 play dice with him and win all his property and 
 wealth. Let us disgrace them before the whole 
 world." 
 
 The wicked advice was accepted ; king 
 Yudhisthira was Invited to play ; and the most 
 unfortunate game was begun. It was a great gambling 
 match, — the Pandavas were on one side and the 
 Kurus on the other. The place was the great 
 Durbar hall and the audience was the whole 
 Hastindpura. 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 
 
 Fortune was against the Prince of Pdndu ; he 
 began to lose. He gradually lost all his wealth, — 
 he lost all his possessions, his palaces, horses and 
 elephants. He was up in the play ; — finding that he 
 had nothing else to bet, he betted his younger 
 brother and lost. He then one after another lost 
 all his brothers. He then betted himself and lost too. 
 There was nothing more to lose ; he raised up 
 his head, looked round that great assembly and 
 wiped away the hot drops that had gathered over his 
 forehead. ^'Yudhtsthira,^^ sneered Sakuni, "Bet 
 this time Draupadi, your wife. You are sure to win, 
 for she is a lucky woman." He silently began to play 
 and betted his dear wife ; but fortune was terribly 
 against him, he lost again. 
 
 There was great glee on the side of the Kurus ; 
 they again and again cheered for their victory. 
 
 Wicked Duryyodhana was mad with joy. ''Oh 
 friends !" exclaimed he, "These Pandavas are now our 
 servants. Let them sit with the menials." Bhima could 
 hardly control his anger, — Arjuna was trying to calm 
 him. Young Nakula and Sahadeva were piteously look- 
 ing at their eldest brother, enquiring what they were 
 to do. But Yudhisthira calmly rose from his throne, 
 majestically walked towards the servants and sat with 
 them. His obedient and loving brothers all rose up 
 with him and went to sit with him amons^st the menials. 
 
92 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Duryyodhana was not satified with thus 
 humiliating his own cousins. He ordered his brother 
 Duswdshana to go and bring Draupadi and make 
 her a maid-servant. The daughter of a king and the 
 queen of the great Pdndavas was dragged out of her 
 appartments and brought before the Durbar. The 
 whole Hastindpura wept and the people cried 
 ""Shame. ^^ 
 
 Draupadi stood before the people and wept 
 aloud. She appealed to all present to save her from 
 this disgrace ; but none came to her rescue. At last 
 the youngest brother of Duryyodhana^ feeling pity 
 for her, rose and said, ^^ Draupadi cannot be made 
 a maid-servant, for cousin Yudhisthira lost him first 
 and then he betted her." "When Yudhisthira!^ 
 replied Duryyodhana, "Lost all his property, he must 
 have lost his wife with it. Let him say, that it is not 
 so and we shall give up our claim over DraupadiP 
 
 Bhima could not control himself any longer ; he 
 snatched himself away from the grasp of Arjuna and 
 rose. "You scoundrels," roared he, "I would have 
 thrashed you out of your existence,but I control myself 
 for the sake of our most beloved brother. Raja 
 Yudhisthira is the Lord of all the world. In his 
 victory the whole world is conquered and in his loss 
 the whole world is lost ; — what you speak of 
 Drqupadi or of a dozen of us !" 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA, 93 
 
 [6] 
 
 At this point good Vidura Interfered ; he went 
 first to Vishma and then to king Dhritarashtra, 
 He told the blind monarch what his wicked sons had 
 done. He entreated him to save the Kurus from the 
 wrath of the Pandavas and to protect the great Lunar 
 Dynasty from the self-dlssenslon and self-destruction. 
 The king brought the Pandavas to him and freed 
 them from their eternal slavery. They were allowed 
 to go and to begin life anew. 
 
 Duryyodhana was much disappointed. He 
 could not disobey his father's command and could 
 not prevent the Pandavas to go away. But he knew 
 that it would be very easy for them to conquer fresh 
 kingdoms and to secure wealth untold. He called 
 his uncle Sakuni to advice him what to do and how 
 to destroy these thorns in his path to glory. 
 
 "Invite them again/' said Sakimi, ''To play and 
 ask them to bet in this wise. If they lose, they will 
 have to go to the jungle for twelve years, the last 
 year of which they shall have to pass mcogmto. 
 If they are found out, they will have to go again for 
 12 years and so on. We are sure to find them out 
 and rest assured they will never be able to come 
 back." "Dear uncle," replied Duryyodhana, ^'svl^-\^osq 
 Yiidhisthira declines to play or to go to the jungle 
 
94 TALES OF IND. 
 
 at all !" Sakimt smiled and said, ''My dear nephew 
 you do not know Yudhisthira\ 
 
 Next morning Yudhisthira was again challenged 
 to play. His brothers entreatingly asked him not to 
 accept the challenge, but Yudhisthira replied, ''Dear 
 brothers, do you advice me to neglect the holy duties 
 of a Kshatriya ! God has destined us for misery ; 
 let us calmly submit to His will''. 
 
 The unfortunate play was again begun, and 
 again Yudhisthira lost the game. They sacrificed 
 themselves for virtue and truth and silently left 
 Hastinapura to pass 12 years in banishment. Their 
 faithful and dear wife Draupadi followed them to be 
 the partner of her husbands' miseries, and amidst the 
 wails of the people they entered into a deep forest. 
 
 There they lived like ascetics for eleven years ; 
 at last the time came when they had to live incognito. 
 It was a very difficult task to them, for they knew 
 that the Kurus would move heaven and earth to find 
 them out. 
 
 One night they left their jungle-abode and 
 went to the kingdom of Birat in disguise. There 
 Yudhisthira giving himself out as a dice-player, 
 became the Raja's companion. Bhima became his 
 cook ; yir;"?^;?^ assumed the garb of a female and 
 calling himself an eunuch^ became the dancing and 
 * It is said that ArjuVia when in banishment went to heaven 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 95 
 
 music master of the princess Uttard, the daughter of 
 the king. Nakula became the horse-keeper and 
 Shahadeb the shepherd. Poor Draupadi entered 
 the service of the queen as one of her n^aids. There 
 they Hved very quietly and happily for a year and 
 the Kurus, notwithstanding all efforts, failed to 
 know their whereabouts. 
 
 A year passed. Duryyodhana in his depredatory 
 excursions came into the Birat country. King Birat 
 went out to give him battle ; but the Kurus by a 
 manuoever eluded him and looted his kine. The 
 queen asked his son Uttara to go and save them, but 
 he was a boasting coward. ^^Mama!' said he, "If 
 I had a good charioteer, I would have gone and 
 taught a lesson to the thieving Kurus." The Pseudo- 
 maid of the queen said that the music master of the 
 princess was a very good charioteer and would 
 surely go with the prince, if asked by the queen. She 
 immediately ordered him to come to her and when he 
 came, she requested him to go with her son. 
 
 Arjuna took the prince in his chariot before the 
 Kuru army. The timid young man attempted to 
 
 to learn the art of arms. Indra in his honour sent the heavenly 
 songstress Tilotyama to him, but Arjuna declined to accept her. 
 She took offence and cursed him, saying that he would be an eunuch 
 for a year. Thus when Arjuna became the music master of the 
 young princess of Birata, be was really an eunuch. 
 
TALES OF IND. 
 
 fly from the chariot, when he found that to fight with 
 the Kurus was not a child's play. Arjuna prevented 
 him from leaving the field, gave him his real name 
 and promised to rescue his kine. He then went to 
 a tree where he had kept his arms hidden. He took 
 them down, armed himself and hastened to attack 
 the enemy. The Kurus were soon routed and they 
 fled in hot haste towards their own capital. 
 
 King Birat found out the disguise of Yudhisthira 
 and his brothers. He placed him on his throne and 
 gave the Pandavas all possible honour. His daughter 
 Uttara was married to Abhimanyu, the son of 
 Arjuna, his mother being Subhadrd. 
 
 [ 8] 
 
 The news very soon reached the capital of the 
 Kurus. The blind king Dhritardshtra, the Nestor 
 of the Lunar House, Vishma, the great preceptor, 
 Drona, the good and honest Vidura, all tried to 
 induce Duryyodhana to make an amicable settlement 
 with the Pandavas, but he at the advice of his 
 evil-making uncle Shakuni and his ambitious friend 
 Kama put a deaf ear to all their good advices. 
 Krishna, the friend and relative of both the parties 
 came to mediate. ^^ Duryyodhana^^ entreated he, 
 "Give the five brothers only five villages of your vast 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 97 
 
 domain. They would be satisfied with the smallest, 
 that you will offer them." ''No, not an inch of land", 
 replied he, ''Without a mortal struggle". 
 
 So battle was determined upon on both sides. 
 Both parties sent out invitations to the allied kings 
 and princes. Great preparations were made for the 
 coming struggle and soldiers were collected from 
 every part of the Empire. 
 
 Krishna was the greatest man of the age."^ 
 Both the contending parties were eager to secure him, 
 but to him both parties were equally dear and near. 
 When appealed to, he said that he could not take 
 arms against any of them, but he would be present 
 in the battle with him who would come to him first. 
 Duryyodhana hastened to Dwaraka and went to 
 meet him, but he found him asleep. There was a 
 golden throne near the head of Krishna ; he sat on 
 it and patiently waited till he would rise. A few 
 minutes after Arjujia came and sat at his feet. 
 Krishna opening his eyes saw Arjiina and asked 
 him what he could do for him. "I have come, 
 said he, "Oh friend, to pray for a gift." "What 
 can I give you my friend ?" replied Krishna. 
 "You know that I am always at your service." 
 "Give me," said Arjuna^ "Your goodself. I want 
 nothing else." Krishna smiled and replied, "My 
 
 * Read Srikrishna. 
 
gS TALES OF IND. 
 
 dear friend, you must have heard that I have 
 resolved not to take arms in this battle. What help 
 it would be to you to get me ?" ''Dear friend/' said 
 Ajy'una, '*I know I shall win the battle, but I shall 
 not be happy if my dearest friend be not a partner 
 of my glory and happiness." ''Very well," said he, 
 "I shall be your charioteer.""^ 
 
 He turned his head and saw Duryyodhana. 
 "Dear brother," said he, "You have heard what I had 
 told Arjuna. However, I am bound to serve you. 
 Would you like to have me or my invincible army ?'" 
 Duryyodliana thought it would be useless to take 
 Krishna who would not fight. As for council he 
 would get better from his dear uncle Shakufii. ft 
 was surely something to get Krish?ia's great army. 
 He said, "I shall thank you. Oh brother, if you will 
 kindly give me your army." Krishna agreed and 
 Duryyodhana returned to Hastinapura with the 
 invincible army. Then Arjuna left Dwdraka and 
 Krishna accompanied him. 
 
 When all preparations were complete Yudhis- 
 thira marched out with his army and encamped on 
 the field of Kurukshetra ,^ Duryyodhana with his 
 
 * We need not say that all this was pre-arranged by Sri- 
 krishna and was a ruse to king Duryyodhana. 
 
 t The field of Kurukshetra is considered to be one of Ihe 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 99 
 
 Stupendous army came out of Hastinapura to give 
 him battle. 
 
 [9.] 
 
 There were millions of soldiers^ on both sides ; 
 the greatest generals and the most powerful 
 potentates had come to meet in mortal struggle. It 
 was a battle between brothers and brothers and friends 
 and friends. On one side there were the greatest 
 of the great Vislnna, the ablest of the able Drona, 
 the bravest of the brave Kama. There were hundred 
 sons and numerous grandsons of the blind king, 
 backed by the most powerful chiefs of India. On the 
 other there were the five Princes of Pandu with 
 their sons AbJvhnanyu and Ghatotkacha. There 
 were king Drupada and king Birata and some other 
 kings and princes, connected with them either by 
 blood or by marriage. And to crown all there was 
 Krishna who was their guide, friend and leader. 
 
 Vishma had promised never to desert the 
 children of the blind king. With the greatest sorrow 
 and regret he consented to command the Kiiru-2ivmy 
 
 Hindu pilgrimages. It is situated in the Punjab, some miles off 
 from Dellii by Delhi-Kalka Railway. 
 
 t It is said that there were altogether 18 Akshauhinis of 
 soldiers on both sides. An Akshauhini is equal to ten millions. 
 
100 TALES OF IND. 
 
 for ten days. It was useless to try to describe his 
 feats of arms, for there was none so great, either in 
 war or in council. He killed almost the half of the 
 Pandava-2si^y . 
 
 The Pandavas held a council of war. '^Friends/' 
 said Krishna, ''None in the world can defeat 
 Vishma, so long he will be in arms. Accept my 
 advice, — there is nothing bad or nothing good in 
 this world, for this world is mere an erroneous 
 dream of the Soul."^ Do your duty ; — your duty is 
 to win the battle and don't mind the means. Arjuna, 
 do thou take Shikhandi with you to-morrow. Vishma 
 will surely leave off arms if he sees him. That is the 
 opportunity, — defeat him, overpower him, kill, if 
 necessary and save the Pandava army." 
 
 Next day Krishna's advice was adopted. Vishma 
 saw Shikhandi on Arjuna's chariot. He smiled and 
 left arms. Immediately Arjuna mortally wounded 
 him and great Vhisma fell frcm his chariot. The 
 leaders of both parties hastened to the wounded 
 Patriarch. Both the Kuru and Pandu princes wept 
 bitterly for him, for surely he was more than a father 
 to them all. 
 
 The next day the Kurus came out to give battle 
 under the command of Drona. He arranged his 
 
 * Read Gitd in the appendix. 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. loi 
 
 army in a most wonderful array. The Pandavas 
 found that it was impossible to break the enemy's 
 line, or to penetrate into the semi-circle formed. 
 But young Abhimanyu by his most daring charge 
 broke into the circle and killed many thousands of 
 the enemy. But he was soon hemmed in by the 
 Kurus. Seven great warriors such as Drona and 
 Kama rushed upon him in wild fury. The poor 
 boy was soon overpowered and killed. Bhima 
 rushed to his rescue, but before he could reach the 
 young hero, he fell mortally wounded from his 
 chariot. Bhima became ten times furious by grief 
 and vengeance. He killed thirty of his wicked cousins, 
 and felled a thousand of the enemy. 
 
 On the other part of the field Raja Driipada fell 
 and Kama killed Ghatotkacha. Every where the 
 Pandavas were defeated and routed. Arjuna when 
 fighting with Drona was mortally wounded and he 
 fainted on his chariot. Then Krishna cried ''Oh 
 Drona, your son is killed." Really an elephant 
 named Aswathama was killed by Bhima ; but 
 Krishna gave out that Aswathdmd, the son of 
 Drona, was killed. The old warrior was overwhelmed 
 with grief on hearing his beloved son's death. But 
 he did not and could not believe that Aswathama 
 could be killed. ''Oh Krishna,'' said he, "I cannot 
 believe that my most beloved son is dead. Let 
 
02 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Yudhisthira say that my son Is no more and I shall 
 believe It, for I know he cannot tell a He." 
 
 Krishna managed to bring Yudhisthira to the 
 great warrior; he asked him to say that Aszuathama 
 was dead, but Yudhisthira positively refused to tell 
 such a falsehood. But Krishna was up to anything ; 
 he finally Induced him to say ^^Aswathdma Is 
 dead, the elephant." When Yudhisthira said ''The 
 elephant," Krishna blew his great conch and the 
 Avords did not reach Drona's GdiVS. When he was told 
 that his son was dead, he fainted and immediately 
 one of the warriors on the Pdndava side jumped upon 
 his chariot and cut off his head. 
 
 [10] 
 
 The next day, Kurus came out under the 
 command of Kama. There was hand to hand 
 fight from morning to evening. Blood flowed like 
 water and reddened the field of Kurukshetra. Bhima 
 killed Duswdshana and the rest of his wicked 
 cousins, but he had to retreat having been defeated 
 by Kama. Many fell on both sides, and the 
 Pdndava army was gradually driven back and finally 
 routed. Arjuna soon came to rally round his army, 
 and stood face to face with Kama. Both were equally 
 great in arms ; they faught like lions for hours 
 
THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA. 103 
 
 together till Kama fell. The Pandavas cheered 
 lustily and the Kurus retired to their camp. 
 
 Early next morning the Pandavas attacked the 
 Kiirus with renewed vigour. Raja Birata fell fight- 
 ing, but the most wicked Sakuni was killed. The 
 whole Kiu^u army was disorganised and by evening 
 they w^ere hopelessly defeated and routed, and the 
 Pandavas were in hot pursuit. 
 
 It was soon rumoured that Raja Duryyodhana 
 had fled from the field. The Pandavas immediately 
 pursued and found him hidden in a place of safety. 
 When he saw that there w^as no escape, he came 
 out and challenged Bhima to single combat. They 
 f aught like two mad elephants,but king Duryyodhana 
 at last fell mortally wounded."^ 
 
 The Pandava-3xmy retired to their camp. They 
 were all tired and exhausted and knowing their 
 victory sure they fell asleep. At the dead of night 
 Aswathama came to the wounded king and promised 
 him to bring the heads of the Pandu Princes. 
 
 He stealthily entered the Pandava camp ; he 
 
 * Every part of king Duryyodhana' s body except the thigh 
 was as hard as iron. No weapon could have any effect on any 
 part of his body. Bhima in the heat of the fight forgot that he was 
 to hit Duryyodhana on his thigh ; but Krishna was there. As if 
 encouraging Bhima, he repeatedly clapped on his own thigh. The 
 hint was soon understood and king Duryyodhana was mortally 
 wounded. 
 
104 TALES OF IND. 
 
 went into the tent, in which Draupadi was asleep 
 with her five young sons. He gagged them, he 
 killed them one after another and hastened with their 
 heads to the dying king. But Duryyodhajia perceived 
 the mistake committed by the son of Dro7ia. "My 
 friend," faultered hC; "You have killed the last scions 
 of the Lunar House." With these words on his lips 
 the poor king breathed his last. 
 
 The Pandavas came to Hastinapura after the 
 victory. But it was a victory saturated with the 
 blood of all that was dear and near to them. There 
 was no joy ; there was no merriment. Their 
 entrance to the capital of their forefathers was not 
 ushered in by the sounds of drums or the boomings 
 of fire-works. Slowly and silently they entered 
 the palace, but there were heart-rending lamentations 
 all around. 
 
 •H- -sf -je- -se 
 
 The five Princes of Pdndu lived for some years 
 and at last they retired into the jungle to pass the 
 remainder of their lives in prayers and meditations. 
 
 Princess Uttard, the wife of poor Ahlmnanyu, 
 was with child, when her husband fell on the field of 
 battle. She gave birth to a son, who was named 
 Parikshit. 
 
 When Prince Parikshit grew up, he became 
 the king of Hastinapura. 
 
NALA AND DAMAYANTL 
 
 [1] 
 
 ^Jv, MONGST all the great and good monarchs that 
 ^'^ flourished in ancient India, none was equal 
 to king N'ala of Naisadha. In greatness, in piety and 
 in philanthrophy, he stood towering over all. He 
 treated his subjects as his own children, — the poor 
 of his kingdom were the members of his own royal 
 household. The gods were worshipped and the 
 Brahmins were honoured in every house all over his 
 vast dominion. Happiness, comfort and ease were 
 to be seen everywhere ; misery had fled from the 
 land over which benign king Nala had his kind 
 sovereignty. His wife Damayanti was equally good. 
 Her mind was full of human kindness ; in her mind 
 
Io6 TALES OF IND, 
 
 was all that was holy and celestial ; nay she was the 
 mother of the people of Naisadha, 
 
 But in this world where nothing is permanent, 
 but all is transitory and fleeting, — king Nala's and 
 queen Damayantis happiness did not last long. 
 Kali the God of sin"^ had an eye over them from a 
 long time, — but so virtuous were the king and the 
 queen that he did not get an opportunity to wreck his 
 vengeance upon the happy pair. 
 
 At last one day he found Nala engaged in 
 worship not with the prescribed ablution ; he forth- 
 with got possession of his mind and led him to evil 
 ways. 
 
 He became very much fond of dice ; he threw 
 himself madly into the whirlpool of gambling ; — he 
 began to neglect his royal duties, — he was slowly 
 drifted into the wide gulf of vice and sin. He 
 gambled with a cousin and gradually lost all his 
 possessions ; Kali made him a beggar and drove him 
 out of his happy home and his smiling capital. His 
 loving wife Damayanti followed him as a shadow 
 follows its substance ; uncomplainingly and ungrudg- 
 ingly the royal queen walked by the side of her 
 
 * Shani and Kali are supposed to be two very powerful 
 gods. We have given two tales in which it has been shown that 
 these gods of evils shower on the head of an unhappy man all sorts 
 of miseries. 
 
NALA AND DAMAYANTI. I07 
 
 husband and left behind her all that was dear and 
 near to her. They had no other possessions but the 
 two pieces of clothes that they had on their person ; 
 and they were shunned by all that used to love them 
 before. 
 
 Driven by the evil God they fied on and on, till 
 they entered into a deep forest. There they rested, 
 thoroughly exhausted and broken down. They had 
 not touched food since three days, — hunger was at 
 their back and starvation in front. Good kinor Nala 
 was not at all sorry for his change of fortune, — for he 
 was strong enough to endure it ; but alas ! how 
 could he bear the great sufferings that his most 
 beloved wife had to undergo ! Though she was 
 smiling, — though she was very happy by her 
 husband's side, — yet to king Nala it was gull and 
 wormwood. 
 
 They rested underneath a tree, till king Nala saw 
 a golden bird merrily dancing near at hand. The 
 bird might fetch some money, if sold In the market. 
 The money might keep them up for sometime. Nala 
 at once stood up and tried to catch it by throwing 
 over it his cloth, — but alas, the bird was the God of 
 evil in disguise. It took up the cloth and flew away- 
 living the poor king in a state of nudity. It had 
 not satisfied the wicked God by reducing a great king 
 to a state of most deplorable misery ; still he was at 
 
I0& TALES OF IND. 
 
 his back ; still his fearful vengeance had not been 
 fully wrecked upon the king ; still he wanted to make 
 them more and more miserable. 
 
 [2] 
 
 When night came, Nala and Damayanti, putting 
 round their loins only one cloth that they possessed 
 between them, tried to pass the night in the forest as 
 best as they could. Damayanti was tired and exhaust- 
 ed, — she soon fell into a deep sleep. 
 
 But the poor and the unhappy king could not 
 sleep ; — thought after thought, most painful, rushed 
 into his mind and made his wakeful nio-ht most 
 miserable. He was not sorry for himself ; — he could 
 bear no longer the sufferings of his beloved wife. 
 Kali entered into his mind and whispered into his 
 ear, ''Leave her, — why make her miserable ?" Indeed, 
 why should she be made miserable for his misfortune ? 
 She was the queen of a vast province, — she was the 
 daughter of a most powerful king. Why should she be 
 made a partner of his misery ? If she had not been 
 allowed to accompany him, — she would have gone to 
 her father's kingdom and there lived happily till he 
 could join her. 
 
 But how to part ? She loved him so much that 
 it would be impossible for him to snatch away from 
 
NALA AND DAMAYANTI. lOQ 
 
 her loving grasp. She was asleep ; — he could very 
 well fly from her, — but half of the cloth was round her 
 loins ; he could not go in a state of nudity. The 
 wicked God who took possession of his mind again 
 plied him with evil advices ; — he cut the cloth half 
 and half ; he silently rose from her side and left poor 
 Damayanti alone and unprotected there in that great 
 forest at the dead of night. He fled ; — he fled like 
 a mad man far far away from his most beloved wife. 
 
 Damayanti awoke and did not find her husband 
 by her side ; she found herself alone in the midst of 
 wild beasts, — as far as her eyes could see she found 
 nothing but deep forest of trees entwined with 
 fantastic creepers. She wept, — her loud lamentations 
 filled the place with sorrow, — she again and again 
 cried for her husband and appealed to him to come 
 and save her from danger, — but who would hear 
 her lamentations ? — Nala had fled, — fled many miles 
 from his loving wife. 
 
 We shall not attempt to describe the pain and 
 misery of unhappy Damayanti. She had to meet 
 insult, misery, starvation at every step till she came 
 to the kingdom of Chedi. The mother of the king 
 saw her pass by the street ; she took compassion 
 upon her ; seeing the most miserable plight in which 
 she was, she at once despatched a maid to bring her 
 into the palace. 
 
no TALES OF IND. 
 
 There Damayanti lived as a companion to the 
 royal princess ; — if she was not happy, — she could 
 not be on account of her husband's absence, — she 
 was beyond the insults of the vicious world. She 
 lived in Chedi for years, — but heard no news of her 
 absent husband. 
 
 [3] 
 
 When king of Bidharva, the father of queen 
 Damayanti, learnt of the state of affairs at his son- 
 in-law's kingdom he hastened to Naisadha. But 
 he found them not ; he was told that they had left 
 their kingdom and had entered into the jungle. He 
 made a searching enquiry all over the kingdom, — 
 but could get no trace of his unhappy daughter. He 
 returned to his capital and sent emissaries all over the 
 country to search for his daughter and for the good 
 and the great king Nala. His men journeyed some 
 in disguise and some in state ; they went to all the 
 surrounding kingdoms and searched every creek and 
 corner, — but almost all came back baffled in their 
 attempts. No news was received of the unhappy king 
 and the queen. 
 
 At last one of the emissaries named Siideva 
 came to Chedi and lived there in disguise. He met 
 Damayanti in the palace and although she was living 
 
NALA AND DAMAYANTI. Ill 
 
 like an ordinary maid he at once recognised her to be 
 their missing princess. He appeared in the royal court 
 and told the king that the maid was no other than 
 their beautiful Damayanti^ the queen of Naisadha 
 and the Princess of Bidharva. Now the queen of 
 Chedi was the sister of Damayanti's mother ; she 
 was beside herself with joy to learn that the maid, 
 whom she loved, was no other than her own sister's 
 daughter. 
 
 Damayanti passed some days with her royal 
 relatives in great joy ; then she asked them to allow 
 her to go to her father's kingdom where her children 
 whom she had sent to her mother, were living. 
 The king and the queen of Chedi sent Damayanti 
 with Sudeva in a way befitting her high rank. 
 
 We need not say that she was received with 
 open arms by her parents. There in Bidharva 
 she lived for years, wistfully looking for the return 
 of her beloved husband ; for she knew the evil 
 influences of Kali could not last for more than some 
 years. 
 
 But she did not rest quiet ; — she made her father 
 send again emissaries all over the country in search 
 of her husband. She told them to enquire for him at 
 every village and ask every man the following 
 question. "What justification was there for a man 
 to leave his wife behind clad in half of the cloth ?* 
 
112 TALES OF IND. 
 
 All returned without any information, — but one 
 came back with a reply. He had gone to the 
 kingdom of the king Rituparna and there met his 
 charioteer, named Bahuka. He put the question to 
 him as ordered by the princess and the following 
 was the answer given by the charioteer. "If one's 
 husband does an act most condemnable, the wife 
 should hide it instead of giving it out to the Avorld." 
 
 Dainayanti suspected this charioteer to be her 
 husband in disguise. He asked Siideva to go at once 
 to the capital of king Ritupaj'na and inform him that 
 she was again going to be married. Sudeva was to 
 bring the king and his charioteer by any means to 
 the capital of Bidharva. Clever and intelligent 
 Sudeva started for the court of king Rituparna and 
 soon reached his kingdom. 
 
 [4] 
 
 We must now say what happened to the 
 unhappy king after parting with his dear wife. 
 
 He hastened away from the forest, lest his wife 
 did come and follow him. He ran at his utmost speed 
 to quit her and to be at a great distance from her. 
 But on his way he met a snake and found it in 
 great distress. His kindness rose above all other 
 feelings ; he took it up and tried to save it, but 
 
NALA AND DAMAYANTI. II3 
 
 the ungrateful reptile bit him, and he was at once 
 disfigured. 
 
 To him the evil turned to be a good ; for now 
 none could recognise him as the king, — he was so 
 very much disfigured that perhaps his own dear 
 Damayanti would not have been able to recognize 
 him. 
 
 He passed through many countries, unknown and 
 uncared of ; he at last came to the kingdom of the 
 king Rituparna ; and learning that the king wanted 
 a charioteer he offered himself for the post. His 
 services were accepted, for none there was so efficient 
 in driving as he. Here in the service of king Rituparna 
 he lived for some years till Sudeva appeared in the 
 court of the king and announced the marriage of 
 Princess Damayanti. 
 
 King Rituparna, learning that there would be a 
 Sayambara,^ grew eager to go to the capital of 
 Bidharva, so that he might be present in the 
 assembly from which the beautiful princess would 
 make her choice. He ordered his charioteer Bdhuka 
 to get his royal chariot ready as soon as possible, for 
 he would at once start for the kingdom of Bidharva. 
 
 So he started for the Sayajnbara with his 
 charioteer who was no other than king Nala himself 
 
 Sayambara is an assembly in which a princess makes her own 
 choice of a bridegroom from the assembled people. 
 
 8 
 
114 TALES OF IND. 
 
 in disguise. They reached the kingdom of Bidharva 
 in due time and king B.itiiparna was received by the 
 king in all honour. But there was no Sayambara, — 
 for it was mere a trick of Damayanti to bring her 
 husband to her father's capital. 
 
 As soon as the king arrived, Damayanti sent one 
 of her maids to the king in disguise. We need not 
 say that very soon the mystery was divulged ; king 
 Nala was recognized. He was taken to the royal 
 court and a most cordial reception was accorded to 
 him by the king and his subjects. 
 
 The wicked god of evil, Kali, finding that his 
 time had expired, fled from the body of the king. 
 Damayanti and her husband came to their own 
 kingdom ; the king of Bidharva came to place them 
 on the throne with a powerful army at his back. 
 The usurper fled in dismay and king Nala and queen 
 Damayanti were again very happy ."^ 
 
 * Kali is in fact the period of Time that is supposed to be 
 full of vice and sin. The entire Space of Time is divided into four 
 parts namely &atya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. Here in this tale 
 Kali is the god of Sin and vice. The moral of the tale is apparent ; 
 the virtuous and the good, as soon as they are touched by Kali, i. e. 
 by vice and sin, lose all and become most miserable like king 
 Nala. 
 
SRIBATSA AND CHINTA. 
 
 [1] 
 
 j^K^HERE once arose a great dispute between the 
 X goddess Lakshmi and the god Shani. Lakshini 
 is the goddess of wealth ; he, on whom she casts her 
 benign eyes, becomes the richest of the rich ; his 
 treasury is filled with all the wealth of the world ; — 
 luxury and plenty rolls over his vast mansion. But 
 Shani is the god of poverty and misery ; — he, on 
 whom this fearful god throws the fiery glare of his 
 scorching eyeS)— -becomes the poorest of the poor ; 
 his home turns to be a desert where misery and want 
 take pleasure to dance and play. 
 
 Both were powerful in their own way, — but 
 proud 5^«?«/ sneered at the beautiful goddess and 
 
Il6 TALES OF IND. 
 
 vaunted that he was the greatest of all the gods ; — 
 his power was far greater than that of the goddess of 
 wealth ; nay he could ruin a man on whom Lakshini 
 would shower her favours. "Brother Shani, replied 
 the goddess, ''What is the good of mere vaunting. 
 We both rule over the destiny of men. Let us go and 
 ask one of them whether you or I am considered to 
 be the greatest of the gods." Shani consented ; and 
 Sn'batsa, the most powerful, the richest and the 
 noblest of the kings then living, was selected by 
 them as the fittest man to whom to go and put the 
 question. 
 
 They both appeared in his royal court and were 
 received by the king in all honour. "Oh king" said 
 the fearful god, "Tell us whether — Lakshmi or I am 
 the greater of the two." Good king Sribatsa knew 
 not what to say ; — surely who is there in this world 
 who does not know Lakshmi to be the greatest and 
 the best of all the goddesses ? Who does not know 
 that Shani is the most hated ? But king S7'ibatsa 
 was afraid to offend the angry god. He most humbly 
 prayed to them to allow him time to answer their 
 question. He most respectfully asked them to come 
 again next day, when he would reply to their query. 
 
 He placed a golden throne on his right and a 
 silver one on his left. When the god and the goddess 
 appeared in his court he stood up and requested 
 
SRIBATSA AND CHINTA. II7 
 
 them to take their seats. Shani walked up and sat 
 on the silver throne, — Laksh7ni in her own majesty 
 sat on the golden one. Then the king sat upon his 
 throne and addressing the fearful god thus said, ''Oh 
 god, you can now judge yourself who is the greater 
 of the two. You have sat on the silver throne which 
 is placed on my left. You know that a golden throne 
 placed on the right is more honourable than the throne 
 on which you have thought fit to take your seat." 
 
 The fearful god's anger knew no bounds ; he 
 left the court of king Sribatsa resolving upon taking 
 vengeance. He vowed to show something of his great 
 power ; — he determined to see how the goddess of 
 wealth could save him from his terrible anger. 
 
 [2] 
 
 Poor king Sribatsa fell, and the benign goddess 
 Lakshmi could not save him from the fearful 
 vengeance of the god of evil. Shani took possession 
 of his destiny and drove away the goddess of wealth 
 from his door. "My dear son," said she when parting 
 with king Sribatsa, "I have been forced to leave 
 you, — but I shall be always by you. Shani will not 
 be able to rule over your destiny very long. I shall 
 soon come back again and make you happy and 
 prosperous." "Mother," replied the king, "let the evil 
 
Il8 TALES OF IND. 
 
 god ruin me, — but still I consider you the greatest 
 and the best of all the gods." 
 
 By the evil influences of Sha?ii the prosperous 
 and happy kingdom of king Sribatsa was run over 
 with plague, famine and internal strifes. Fields 
 were left untilled and jungle grew up all around ; — 
 the houses crumbled down for want of repairs, 
 villages were taken possession of by the wild beasts ; 
 rivers and wells were dried up, and towns became 
 high mounds of ruins. What had been once a happy 
 a.nd prosperous kingdom, became a barren and 
 depopulated desert. 
 
 King Sribatsa asked his wife Chintd to fly from 
 the palace and to go to her father's kingdom^ — but 
 she refused to leave her husband. She resolved to 
 follow him in weal or in woe. Finding her resolute, 
 king Sribatsa asked her to take all her jewels In a 
 bundle and to follow him, for he had determined to 
 leave his plague-stricken kingdom. At the dead of 
 night they left their capital and fled from the land 
 which had been taken for his own by the fearful 
 Sliaiii, the god of all evils. They fled and ran as 
 fast as they could, to leave a place where death and 
 misery were dancing in their demonaic merriments. 
 
 They came to the side of a great river and 
 found an old man sitting on a broken boat. There was 
 no other boat to take them across the river so 
 
SRIBATSA AND CHINTA. II9 
 
 they determined to cross in that dilapidated 
 boat and to utilize the services of the old man* 
 *'Yes," said he, ^'I can take you on the other 
 side of the river, — but my boat will not stand more 
 than the v^eight of one man. You better wait, give me 
 the bundle I shall reach It first, — then I shall one by 
 one take you two on the other bank of the river." 
 The king consented and put the bundle which 
 contained all the earthly wealth of theirs on the broken 
 boat of the old man ; but as soon as it was placed on 
 the boat, — the old man, the boat, the river, all 
 vanished from their sight. The king and the queen 
 came to know, that it was the work of Shani, — so they 
 soon left the place hoping to get rid of the evil 
 influences of the god. 
 
 They had not any food for two days, — so the 
 great king, who used to distribute alms freely, had to 
 beg for his food and ask for alms of some fishermen, 
 who were fishing in a small streamlet. They gave 
 him a fish and as they had nothing else to dress and 
 cook it, queen Chintd collected some woods, made a 
 fire and burnt the fish. But it grew so blackened 
 that the queen knew not how to place it before her 
 husband. She thought to clean it and went to the 
 streamlet to have it washed. But alas, as soon as 
 she placed it into the water, — It flew away from her 
 hand, dived down and disappeared into the water. 
 
120 TALES OF IND. 
 
 The poor queen could not control her feelings and 
 burst out into tears. The king hastened to his beloved 
 wife and when he learnt of what had happened, he 
 asked the queen to leave the place at once, — for the 
 evil god was there. 
 
 [3] 
 
 They came at last to a village, inhabited by 
 wood-cutters ; the king and the queen found the 
 place very quiet and comfortable, — just the place 
 where they could live happily, if not in luxury and 
 affluence. The king made friends with the poor men, 
 the queen by her loving conduct drew all the women 
 towards her. Thus they became the objects of love 
 of the simple but honest wood-cutters, — and the 
 king with his beloved queen, lived in that village as 
 one of them. 
 
 Thus they passed many days ; — at last one day, 
 a rich merchant passed in a boat along the river 
 that rolled by the side of the village of the wood- 
 cutters. The boat struck the ground and notwith- 
 standing all efforts of the merchant and his men 
 it did not move. It was all the doing of the god 
 of evil ; he appeared before the merchant as a 
 Brahmin astrologer. ''Oh good Sir," said the dis- 
 guised god, 'There is a woman called Chinta 
 
SRIBATSA AND CHINTA. 121 
 
 in this village, — if she touches your boat, it will 
 move. Nothing else will be able to move it." 
 The merchant hastened to the hut in w^hich the 
 unhappy queen used to live. He appealed to her 
 to come to her rescue. He prayed for her kindness. 
 The men were out in wood-cutting, — the king 
 was also absent, — Chinta was unwilling to go 
 without the permision of her husband. But the 
 women were much moved by the piteous appeal 
 of the merchant ; they pressed her to go and help 
 the man in his difficulty if that was possible 
 by her. On account of the importunities of her 
 neighbours, she at last agreed to go and accompanied 
 the merchant to his boat. As soon as she got on 
 board the boat, it moved and floated down the 
 river. The ungrateful merchant determined to force 
 the queen to accompany him ; for he thought if she 
 were in his boat, there would be no future danger. 
 Thus Chinta was not allowed to come down, but was 
 forcibly carried away. 
 
 When the king returned home, he learnt that 
 his wife was gone. ''Oh god of evil," cried he, "At 
 last you are victorious. You have stolen from my 
 side my goddess of happiness and bliss." He left 
 the village and went in search of his missing wife. 
 
 He travelled all over the country, but he found 
 nowhere any trace of his beloved queen. He was 
 
122 TALES OF IND. 
 
 told that a merchant in a boat had taken away his 
 wife, — he went down the river, — walking all along 
 the bank. He scrutinized every boat that passed, 
 but found not his darling wife. 
 
 At last he came to the kingdom of Bahuy a 
 chieftain of great power and wealth. He had a most 
 charming daughter named, Bhodra, — for whom the 
 king had declared a Shayambara and had sent invita- 
 tions to all the chiefs and potentates. King Sribatsa, 
 although he was living as a poor wood-cutter, thought 
 of attending the great assembly in which the beautiful 
 princess would make her choice of a husband. 
 
 He was not allowed a seat, — but he stood near 
 the assembly underneath a tree. The princess came 
 and stood before the great assembly, — she saw the 
 princes in their jewelled garb and in their royal 
 array ; — she scrutinized each and every one of 
 them, — but she passed them all and came straight 
 to the place where the disguised wood-cutter was 
 standing. She took the garland of flowers which was 
 round her neck and placed it round that of king 
 Sribatsa. 
 
 There were titterings and hissings all over 
 the assembly ; — king Baku felt himself terribly 
 humiliated ; but he could not prevent his daughter 
 from making her own choice of a husband. He 
 ordered his ministers to provide the princess and 
 
SRIBATSA AND CHINTA. 12[ 
 
 her husband with all the necessaries of life, — but they \ 
 would never be allowed to enter the palace again. 
 
 [4] 
 
 The princess left her father's palace and went 
 away with the wood-cutter, whom she had thought 
 fit to make her husband. They lived in a house in 
 the suburb of the city and were provided with all 
 that they w^anted to make them comfortable and 
 happy. 
 
 But king Sribatsa was not happy. He could not 
 be possibly happy without his beloved wife Chinta 
 by his side. He knew that the Goddess of wealth ; 
 was always taking care of him and providing him 
 with happiness and comfort, — he knew that the fear- ! 
 ful God Shani would have to leave him soon; he i 
 knew, he would get back his loving wife and his \ 
 happy kingdom; — knowing full well all that would ; 
 happen, he could not be happy without his beloved 
 Chinta. He sent men to watch every river and to 
 search every boat; he sent emissaries all over the | 
 country with the promise of handsome rewards; he j 
 himself often rode out to see if he could find her out. \ 
 
 At last his men caught hold of a boat and | 
 prevented the merchant to proceed further. King 
 Sribatsa was informed and he hastened to the boat. | 
 
124 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Yes, it was the very merchant who forcibly carried 
 away the poor queen, — it was the very boat in which 
 she was kept a prisoner. The king confiscated all 
 the property of the wicked man and ordered his men 
 to search the boat in order to find his beloved 
 queen. The man ran to king Baku and prayed for 
 protection ; the king called for his son-in-law and 
 when he appeared in his royal court, he asked for an 
 explanation. 
 
 King Sribatsa then told him all about his sad 
 history; — he told him how the wicked man carried 
 away his queen and how he had kept her prisoner 
 in his boat. 
 
 King Bahuy with all his retinue accompanied by 
 king Sribatsa, went to the merchant's boat. There 
 they found the unhappy queen pale and haggard in 
 the hold of the boat, hand and foot bound in chains. 
 The queen was soon made free and was taken to 
 the palace in great pomp. There were joy and 
 merriment all over the city ; — king Baku made every 
 possible arrangement to give the king and the queen 
 a grand reception, befiitting their high rank. 
 
 King Sribatsa passed a few days in the capital 
 of king Bdhu and then he proceeded to his own 
 kingdom accompanied by his two loving wives. 
 
 The God of evil, Shaniy left them and their 
 kingdom; there were again prosperity and happiness 
 
SRIBATSA AND CHINTA. 125 
 
 in the vast domain over which the good king ruled. 
 Lakshini, the goddess of wealth, again smiled over 
 the land and graced the place where she used 
 to reign, till the fatal day, when she quarrelled with 
 the God of misery and was driven out of the land 
 by his fearful and vindictive temper^" 
 
 * The moral of jthis tale is apparent. Both happiness and 
 misery, wealth and poverty, with equal power rule over the 
 destiny of man. The preceding tale shows that vice and sin 
 bring a man to the lowest depth of misery, — but in this tale 
 it is shov/n that even very good and virtuous man often suffers the 
 pangs of misery and wants of poverty out of the unknowable laws 
 of Providence who has made the gods of prosperity and poverty 
 equally powerful and strong, with the full and equal authority on 
 both to rule over the destiny of man. 
 
PRAHLADA. 
 
 [1] 
 
 fHERE were in ancient time two great tyrants 
 named Hiranyakshya and Hiranyakashyap 
 
 who conquered almost whole of India. They trampled 
 down all the established institutions and sneered at 
 the name of religion. Vice and sin were their 
 favourites ; debauchery and carnality were their fond 
 pastimes ; men were the objects of their cruelty and 
 the gods were those of their hatred. 
 
 The bitterest hatred and the deadliest enmity 
 they bore for the great Preserver, Vishnu. They 
 would always wage war against him ; — they would 
 wreck their severest vengeance upon those who were 
 
PRAHLADA. I2J 
 
 his worshippers ; the temples of Vishnu were blown 
 off and his idols were desecrated by the Chandalas!^ 
 Religion and society, Yagma and pujah, — all were 
 destroyed under the regime of the two wicked 
 brothers. 
 
 But unknowable are the ways of Providence. 
 Hiranyahshya was killed when he went to fight with 
 the gods and the germ of the poison which would kill 
 Hiranyakashyapu grew in the birth of his own son. 
 This boy was named Prahlada, None was so good 
 as he. He was the incarnation of all that was good 
 in creation ; — kindness, benevolence, affection, love 
 were his ruling feelings ; he was a thorough contrast 
 of his great but wicked father. 
 
 He was placed under a tutor with instructions to 
 teach him hatred towards all that was virtuous and 
 good. He was to learn all sorts of wickedness ; he was 
 to be taught all the intricate ways of vice and sin. He 
 should bear the bitterest hatred towards the God of 
 Preservation and the deadliest enmity towards all his 
 worshippers. But alas, — the boy was made of a 
 different metal. He refused to learn anything else 
 but that which was good and virtuous ; he openly 
 declared his love for Vishnu and his worshippers. 
 He not only refused to be bad, but asked his tutor to 
 mend his evil ways and taught his play-mates to be 
 * Chandalas are the lowest and the most degraded caste. 
 
128 TALES OF IND. 
 
 good and kind and to love the great God who was the 
 fountain-spring of all good and who so kindly ruled 
 and preserved the great universe. 
 
 The tutor upbarided him, chastised him, bat 
 him, — but to no effect. The days of wickedness 
 were gone and the goodness flourished everywhere. 
 Vice and Sin fled, giving place to virtue and love. 
 The tutor was alarmed ; he knew not what to do ; the 
 king would be awfully offended and he was fully 
 aware that his head would be severed for the obstinacy 
 of the young prince. Finding no other means of 
 saving himself from the wrath of the great king, the 
 poor tutor went to the king, fell upon his knees and 
 told him all that had happened. The king frowned, — 
 all the court trembled ; the tutor fainted out of fear. 
 But the king pardoned him and ordered a man to 
 bring the prince to his royal presence. 
 
 [2] 
 
 Prahlada came ; and does ever goodness fear the 
 frowns of evil ? He stood calm and majestic, proud 
 and great ; his sublime countenance and lovely 
 appearance drew reverence from all those that were 
 present. The great king's heart shook as the 
 prince majestically walked up and stood before his 
 royal throne. 
 
PRAHLADA. I29 
 
 ''Prahldda/' heg3.n the king, "I am told that 
 you disobey your tutor ; you mind not his lessons. 
 You love Vishnu and worship him who Is my greatest 
 enemy. Perhaps you do not know that I and my 
 people hate Vishnu with all their heart. Go, boy, 
 behave properly and never utter the name of 
 Vishnu.'^ "Father," said the young prince, '' Vishnu 
 is the source of all good ; Hari"^ is all love. How 
 can I forget him ?" The king was terribly provoked ; 
 none ever dared utter the name of Vishnu before 
 him. His own son not only utters but praises his 
 greatest enemy before his very face ! His face 
 became like a burning furnace ; his eyes rolled like 
 fire-balls, his hairs stood on their end. "Ungrateful 
 boy," roared he, "I pardon you for your impudence, 
 because you are my son, but beware of my anger. 
 Be careful to mend your ways. If I again hear that 
 you have uttered the name of that god for whom 
 I bear the bitterest hatred, you will not escape, — no, 
 your life will not be worth a feather." 
 
 The Prince retired, the court dissolved and the 
 king went In great anger to complain to his queen 
 against the outrageous conduct of his wicked son. 
 She brought the prince before him, kissed him, 
 carressed him and then entreated him to give up 
 F/^/z;z«-worship. "My darling boy," said the queen, 
 
 * Hari is another name of Vishnu. 
 
Ija TALES OF IND. 
 
 "Do not offend your father. He is very choleric. 
 He can do everything, if he loses his temper.'' 
 "Dear mother," replied the boy, "how can you ask 
 me to do it ? Should I be wicked and vicious ? Is- 
 not Hari the god of love ? Is he not the source of 
 all good,, all happiness, all bliss ?" The young prince 
 threw his tiny hands round his mother's neck and 
 said, "Mother, mother dear, do not mdnd the wicked 
 words of my father. He has gone astray ; — he has 
 sold his soul to the god of evil. Mother, hear me,, 
 love my loving Hari, he will give you eternal bliss." 
 The mother again and again kissed her dear son,, 
 and said, "Dear Prahlada, you do not know your 
 father ; he is a fearful man. Be careful not to utter 
 these words before him." 
 
 But the Prince had tasted the ambrosia that 
 makes man imortal ; he had tasted the unknowable 
 bliss of heavenly love that is the living source of the 
 universe ; he had tasted that which is heavenly. 
 How could he control himself ? His heart was full, — 
 his feelings were uncontrollable, — he not only drank 
 deep the spring of eternal love, but he began to 
 distribute heavenly bliss to all that came to him. He 
 sang the sweet name of Hari and he danced at the 
 name of his God of love. Soon the city was filled 
 with the song of Hari ; — every house became the 
 seat of his worship ; — every man and woman threw 
 
PRAHLADA. 131 
 
 himself at the feet of the great God Vishnu for 
 salvation and for eternal bliss. 
 
 The great king's anger knew no bounds ; he 
 ordered the guards to hasten and to bring the prince 
 before him in irons. He held a council of his 
 ministers and told them that the boy must be 
 killed, for if he be allowed to grow up, it would be 
 impossible to stop him from spreading mischief through 
 out the kingdom. They agreed and the executioners 
 were called in. 
 
 The Prince was brought and placed before the 
 royal throne. "Foolish and arrogant boy," roared the 
 king, "Did I not order you to desist from uttering the 
 pernicious name of Vishnu .^" The young prince fell 
 on his knees and said, "Father, Hari is the God of 
 love. Pray for his eternal love and you will be 
 blessed." The king rose up in an indomitable 
 rage," Take away the boy," roared he, "Kill him this 
 instant." The prince was dragged away. 
 
 [3] 
 
 A GREAT fire was made and the virtuous and 
 the good prince was thrown into that all-devouring 
 element. Prahlada clasped his tiny hands and 
 prayed, "Oh my loving Hari^ — save me." He stood 
 into the blazing fire, but not a hair of his head was 
 scorched. 
 
32 TALES OF IND. 
 
 The executioners took him on the top of the 
 nearest mountain and threw him hand and foot 
 bound Into the deepest abyss. The young prince 
 uttered the name of Hari and leaped Into the yawning 
 gulf below. He came down upon the earth, but not a 
 scratch was made upon his body. 
 
 He was then dragged away to a place where 
 there were many wild and mad elephants. He was 
 thrown before these fearful beasts to be trodden under 
 their huge feet. But, lo ! they came fawning at 
 him, played and danced round him and at last one 
 of them raised him up with its trunk and placed him 
 on its back. 
 
 The executioners took him away and threw him 
 into the cage where snakes of the deadliest type were 
 kept, but even they, — ^the servilest of the poisonous 
 kingdom, — did not touch him. 
 
 They despaired of his death, — but they were 
 afraid of the king. They did not dare inform him 
 that they had failed In executing the condemned 
 prince. They sharpened their swords and tried to 
 behead him, — they adopted a thousand and one 
 means to kill the young prince, but all in vain. The 
 Prince had been saved by Him who preserves the 
 smallest thing of the universe. Who could destroy 
 him whom the God of love takes on His loving 
 breast ? 
 
PRAHLADA. 133 
 
 The king was at last informed. He was as- 
 tonished ; he was bewildered ; he knew not what to 
 do. He finally ordered the prince to be brought 
 before him. 
 
 Prahlada came and stood before his father. The 
 king stared at him, — but the prince shivered not before 
 his fiery eyes. He stood, as only good and virtuous 
 men could stand before the god of evil. The king 
 staggered at his majesty of demeanour ; for the first 
 time in his life he felt in his mind the shiverings of 
 fear. He asked the prince to come near him and to 
 tell him who had protected him from death. ''Dear 
 father,^' said the prince, ''the God of all gods, — the 
 Preserver of all preserved, — the fountain Spring of 
 all Life, the good and the loving Vishnu, whom I love 
 and worship,has protected me." "Is he so powerful," 
 asked the king, "that he can protect you from my 
 fearful wrath ?" "Oh father," replied Prahlada, 
 ^'Why do you ask me of his power ? He, who rules 
 over the universe, who is the Cause of all that we see 
 and perceive, is Almighty and Omnipotent." 
 
 "Where does he live ?" 
 
 "He is every where ; He is Omniscient and 
 Omnipresent." 
 
 The king could not control himself any longer ; 
 he stood up in wild rage, and striking the pillar that 
 stood by his throne roared. "Tell me, Oh arrogant 
 
134 TALES OF IND. 
 
 boy, does your Hari exist in this pillar ?" The boy 
 knelt down, raised up his loving eyes towards the 
 heaven and said, ''Yes father, when He is every where, 
 he must be here in this pillar too." 
 
 The king immediately took up a heavy club 
 and struck the pillar with all the strength of a giant. 
 The pillar trembled from top to bottom and then fell 
 down in a heap. There issued from the pillar a fearful 
 monster, — his body being that of a man and his head 
 that of a llon.-^ It advanced towards the king and 
 took him up on his lap, as if he were a child. The 
 king struggled, he roard, he foamed, — he rolled in 
 mortal pain, but all in vain. The monster thrust its 
 fearful claws into the stomach of the wicked tyrant 
 and rent it into parts. He was torn into pieces and 
 flung off the throne, from which he spread vice and 
 sin all over the land. 
 
 Prahlada prayed on his knees; — he knew that 
 his loving God had at last appeared to rid the world 
 of the wicked and vicious. The God smiled and 
 disappeared. 
 
 * This appearance of Vishnu is considered to be one of his 
 incarnations. Vishnu is said to have ten incarnations, namely Fish, 
 Turttle, Boar, Human, Lion — (the one in this tale). Dwarf, 
 ParasurAm, (who exterminated the vicious Khastryas 24 times), 
 Rama, Sreekrishna, Budha and Kalki. The last has not as yet 
 taken birth. He will come as a warrior on the back of a fiery steed 
 and clear the world of all the wicked and vicious. 
 
THE LOST RIN&. 
 
 [1] 
 
 MING Dushmanta was one of the celebrated 
 rulers of ancient India. His victorious 
 standard was honoured in every part of the country ; 
 under his benign sway the people were very happy 
 and prosperous. 
 
 Once on a time he went out hunting and lost 
 himself in the deep forest. He left his retinue far 
 behind and came alone and unattended to the holy 
 seat of Rishi Kama. It was an oasis in a desert, — • 
 it was a most charming garden in that great forest. 
 Beautiful flowers were spreading their sweet fragrance 
 all over the place and gliding creepers with their 
 
136 TALES OF IND. 
 
 many coloured flowers were shedding their lusture on 
 this Nature's Panorama. All was beauty and sublimity. 
 The king was charmed to see the place and he 
 advanced to enjoy it. But what did he see, — was it 
 real or visionary ? Were they angels of heaven or 
 creatures of the earth ? 
 
 He saw three beautiful damsels watering the 
 flowery plants ; — one of them was exquisitely 
 beautiful ; her beauty was not of this world ; the 
 imagination of the greatest poet and the finest 
 painter could not reach her charms. Her companions 
 were addressing her by the name of Shakuntaldf^ 
 
 She was the adopted daughter of Rishi Kama ;t 
 she was a wild flower budded and blossomed in 
 the solitude of forest and asceticism. She had not 
 seen this world of care and struggle ; — she had not 
 seen the field where vice and sin fight with virtue 
 
 * Perhaps we need not say that the drama of the above 
 name is the best in the Sanskrit language ; it is supposed to be one 
 of the best dramas of the world. The original tale from which the 
 great poet Kalidcisa wrote his drama is in the Mahdbharata. This 
 drama has been now translated into all European Languages. 
 
 t It is said that Shakuntala is the daughter of the celebrated 
 Rishi Viswdmiira, — her mother being Manokd, a songstress of 
 heaven. When she was born, Manokd left her in the forest, for she 
 could not take a human being into the celestial region. But she 
 told Rishi Kama all about the history of the girl and asked him to 
 bring her up. 
 
THE LOST RING. 137 
 
 and goodness for supremacy ; — she was all simplicity 
 and innocence. 
 
 She was young and full of that beauty and 
 grace which was beyond the power of all description. 
 Her rising breasts, her flashing cheeks, her rosy lips, 
 her healthy look reflected the blossoming mind and 
 heart, that were incased in that charming temple of 
 Beauty. The flowery plants were her children, — the 
 birds and beasts were her companions ; she lived in 
 Nature and Nature lived in her."^ 
 
 The king found her watering the lovely plants ; 
 he never saw such beauty in all his life ; — her beauty 
 was imprinted on his loving heart and her charms 
 thrilled through his every nerve. He stood behind a 
 tree and continued to see her ; if he saw her till the 
 end of his life, his thirst for seeing her would not 
 have been satiated. 
 
 A buzzing beef came flying at her and tried to 
 sit upon her most charming face. Perhaps the poor 
 innocent thing took that face for a smiling lily. She 
 tried to drive it away, but it flew round and round 
 and attempted to sit again. She, having been much 
 troubled and bothered, entreated her friends to come 
 to her rescue. But they were enjoying at her embar- 
 
 * The readers should mark the similarity of Kalidasa^s 
 Shakuntala with Shakespear's Miranda (Tempest). 
 
 t The exact insect was Bhramara, which is not a bee. 
 
338 TALES OF IND. 
 
 rassment. "Dear Shakuntalciy^ said one/'How can we 
 help you out of your difficulty ? The ruler of all this 
 domain is king Dushmanta. Pray to him to come 
 and grant you protection." 
 
 The king found this to be a very good opportunity 
 and excuse to appear before the ladies. He came up 
 to Shakuntald and said, ''Who asked protection from 
 me ? I am here present." The ladles were joking 
 at their friend ; they never expected to see the real 
 king. They were taken aback, they were ashamed, 
 they knew not what to do and say. But the king 
 by his graclousness and courtesy revived into them 
 confidence and courage ; they were soon all talking, 
 as If they were old friends. 
 
 [2] 
 
 It was no wonder that Shakuntald would fall in 
 love with Dushmanta. She never saw such a 
 beautiful human shape, — so graceful, so majestic, 
 so bold and proud ; her lot was to see her old father 
 Kama with his wrinkled face, his cumbrous hair, his 
 hoarse voice and grave countenance.^ wtr mind 
 was just blossoming ; she was just at that period of 
 
 * Here again the similarity of Shakun tald and Miranda is 
 very much apparent. Miranda saw only her old father Prospero, — 
 so did Shakuntald her father Kama. 
 
THE LOST RING 139 
 
 life when all the feelings grow keen, — when the mind 
 hankers after enfolding some one into its loving 
 bossom. She fell in love with the king, — and knew 
 not why. 
 
 The king was already in love. Who could help 
 loving Shakuntala ? When two such loving hearts 
 eagerly desire to unite, who could prevent them from 
 doing it. They were married in the Gandharva"^ 
 way. Their love was the love of Nature and their 
 marriage was also the marriage of Nature. There 
 were no ceremonies, no rites, no formalities 
 observed ; — no relatives were present and no friends 
 invited. They met in a sylvan grove, — flowers 
 and folliage adorned their marriage altar and birds 
 sanof the bridal music ; Nature herself blessed their 
 nuptial couch. Oh, how happy were they ? King 
 Dushmanta lost himself in the whirlpool of love and 
 its concomitant bliss ; he forgot that he had a 
 kingdom with heavy responsibilities ; he forgot that 
 he had come to hunt and had left his friends and 
 relatives in the camp outside. What fault was there 
 
 * There are various sorts of marriage systems, chiefly eight, 
 amongst the Hindus. The marriage in which no formal ceremony 
 is held and in which two lovers privately or before only a few of 
 their selected friends exchange garlands of flowers and call them- 
 selves husband and wife, is called the Gandharva. Amongst the 
 modern Hindus such marriages are not recognised. Such conduct 
 is rather condemned as immoral. 
 
140 TALES OF IND. 
 
 then of poor Shakuntald ? She was the Impersonation 
 of simplicity and Innocence ; she never tasted the 
 intoxicating liquor of love and romance ; surely she was 
 happy before, — but she never knew what pleasures 
 really meant. She was unconsciously carried away, — 
 where she did not know. Her father was absent 
 from home ; — her companions, Instead of putting 
 obstruction to her pleasures, helped her In the 
 matter. She drank deep the eternal spring of love. 
 
 They passed a few days in their own sweet 
 company ; — day and night they were both together 
 like two loving doves cooing in the deepest recess 
 of a bushy tree. Then king Dushmanta remembered 
 that he had to go back to his kingdom. But how 
 would he bid adieu to one who never knew what 
 parting meant. To Shakuntald there was no outside 
 world, — she never felt that there was an external 
 world except her dear lover and her sweet self. 
 She thought that the pleasures, in which she had been 
 deeply drowned, would last till the end of her life. 
 But alas, Dushmanta' s life was not a poetic romance, 
 it was not all Imagination ; — there were realities, — 
 hard and painful realities In his care-worn life. 
 
 So king Dushfnanta had to part with his 
 beloved Shakuntala ; he tried to make the moment 
 as less painful as lay In his power. He 
 removed one of his best rings form his finger and 
 
THE LOST RING. 14I 
 
 put it on that of Shakuntalcl. "My darling," said he 
 " as soon as I shall reach my capital, I shall send men 
 to take you there. You will be my chief queen ; — every 
 thing that I posses will be yours." Shakuntald did 
 not understand all that he said ; but this much she 
 understood that her lover would leave her for some 
 time and she must allow him to go, notwithstanding 
 the great pain that she felt in doing it. She never 
 knew that love produces so much pain. She fel^ 
 that her days of happiness were over and the days 
 of tears had come, 
 
 [3] 
 
 King Dushmanta was gone. What a change 
 had come over her ? Her birds were not taken care 
 of, her flowers were neglected; the creepers were not 
 cared for, the plants were not watered. Every thing 
 had been changed in that lovely bower; its life had 
 been snatched away. 
 
 Shakuntald was brooding over something ; 
 she was always absent. Her mind had flown 
 away to that distant city, whereto her lover had 
 repaired. Elasticity of her character was gone ; the 
 girlish sprightllness of her rising youth had dis- 
 appeared. She had lost her heart and her mind had 
 followed the path of the man who made her so happy. 
 
142 TALES OF IND. 
 
 One day she was sitting at the door of her father's 
 cottage, when the fearful Rishi Durbdsha^ came 
 to her and told her that he Intended to be 
 her guest. Again and again the Rishi called 
 her, but his words did not reach her ears. She was 
 so absent In mind that she could not hear what the 
 great Rishi was telling her. He took offence. 
 ''Arrogant girl," said he, ''You dare niglect Durbashci 
 in the thought of others ! He, whom you think and for 
 whom you pine, shall forget and neglect you." 
 
 The angry words of the fearful Rishi fell like 
 thunder ; they reached the ears of her companions. 
 They came and fell at his feet ; they wept, they 
 prayed,they entreated him to forgive poor Shakiintald. 
 She too had become fully conscious of her 
 position ; she fell on her knees and prayed for forgive- 
 ness. The ill-tempered Risht was at last moved. 
 "Well," said he, "My words cannot be retracted. 
 However, show him some token and he will be able 
 to recognise you." Shakuntald had the ring of the 
 king on her linger ; there was a token, so there was 
 no cause for anxelty. 
 
 But days passed, and none came from the king 
 to take her away. She pined and pined and like a 
 
 * Diirbasha was a great Rishi, notorious for his hot and 
 angry temper. 
 
THE LOST RING. 145 
 
 torn flower faded away. Her broken-heart knew 
 no consolation ; she was so miserable ! 
 
 Her father on returning from pilgrimage was 
 told what had happened in his absence. He was- 
 not sorry to learn that his beloved Shakuntald had 
 been married to the great king. He thought it 
 proper however to send her to her royal husband 
 without any further delay, for he knew the ways 
 of kings. He was afraid lest by long separation 
 the king might forget the poor girl of the forest. 
 
 He sent her to the king and two of his pupils 
 were despatched to escort her to the city of 
 H astinapura y^ What silent pleasure did she feel in 
 the deep depth of her loving heart,when she started to 
 meet her lover ? — but how sorry was she to part with 
 her beloved companions, with all that was dear and 
 near to her ! What a great struggle it was to her 
 to cut herself off from all her early associations. 
 She bade farewell to all and left the holy seat of her 
 most beloved father in tears. Her companions 
 kissed her and wept upon her breasts ; her favourite 
 birds and beasts looked wildly at her, not knowing 
 w^hat had happened. 
 
 Yes, she was gone. The beauty, the Majesty^ 
 the Life of the forest was gone. The wild forest- 
 
 * King Dushmanta belonged to the Solar Dynasty, whose 
 capital was Hastinapura. See the Battle of Kiirukshetra. 
 
144 TALES OF IND. 
 
 flower had been despatched to the city in order to be 
 transplanted in the royal garden. The simplicity and 
 the innocence of Nature had been sent to be mixed 
 up with the vice and sin of the world. 
 
 They all came to a river and Shakuntala went 
 to bathe. Fortune was against her ; as ill-luck would 
 have it, the ring, that had been presented to her by 
 her loving husband, slipped off her finger and was 
 lost in the water. How eagerly and with what 
 palpitating heart she searched for it, but alas, all 
 her efforts were in vain ! She did not tell the young 
 Rishis what had happened ; she fondly hoped that 
 he, who loved her with all his heart, could by no 
 means forget her. 
 
 They came to the city of Hastinapura. The 
 young Rishis took her to the royal court and 
 presented her to the great king. Poor Shakuntala 
 never saw such royal grandeur ; she never appeared 
 before so many noblemen and warriors ; she trembled 
 like an Aspen leaf. 
 
 ''Oh great king," said the young Rishis, 'We 
 have brought with us Shakuntala, whom you were so 
 kind to marry when you graced our holy seat. 
 She is the adopted daughter of our preceptor, the 
 celebrated Rishi Kama. Do kindly receive your 
 wife and permit us to go back to our forest-home." 
 The king was astonished, the courtiers looked at 
 
THE LOST RING. 145 
 
 one another, the assembled people eagerly tried to 
 see the daughter of the great Rishi. The king 
 knew not what to say ; he frowned, he felt himself 
 offended, — but by no means he could utter angry 
 words to those who wore the holy garb of asceticism. 
 ^'Reverend sir," replied he "I am really astonished 
 to hear what you have been pleased to say. I do not 
 remember that I ever married any body lately. I am 
 sorry to say that the lady, whom you have been pleased 
 to call my wife, was never addressed by me. This 
 is the first time I see her in my life. Perhaps some- 
 thing is wrong with her brains." The young Rishis 
 felt themselves very much insulted ; they prevented 
 the king from proceeding further and said, "King, 
 know that we never speak false-hood. You are no 
 better than a knave to entice a poor girl and to take 
 advantage of her inocence and simplicity." 
 
 Poor Shakuntald with superhuman effort kept her 
 feelings down. ''Brothers" said she to the young Rishis, 
 ''Let us leave this place and go back. You need not 
 reprove the king. I know it is all my destiny." "We 
 have suffered enough insult," said one in anger, "For 
 your foolishness and stupidty." "Come" said the other, 
 "to remain any longer in this place is sin." They left 
 the royal court and went back to their forest home."^ 
 
 * We need not say that the strange conduct oi the king was 
 the result of Eishi Durbasha's curse. 
 
 10 
 
146 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Shakuntala went back broken-hearted. All her 
 hopes disappeared^ — the days of her happiness were 
 over. 
 
 She gave birth to a lovely boy, — and he was 
 named Damanaka. The boy was her only joy in 
 her life of misery and despair. 
 
 None was so spirited and bold as young 
 Damanaka ; every inch of him indicated his royal 
 birth. When he was only six years of age he 
 would run after the cubs of tigers and lions and 
 bring them to play with. 
 
 He was the joy of all the Rishis ; he was the 
 beauty of all the forest. The Rishis gave him the 
 education befitting a great prince ; he grew up to 
 be a great scholar, a great statesman and a great 
 warrior. 
 
 But many years rolled away and king DusJunanta 
 never enquired of poor Shakuntala. She pined 
 away in the solitude of wilderness, — in brooding over 
 her own misery and disappointment. 
 
 At last the ring was found. A fish devoured the 
 ring when it fell from the finger of the unhappy 
 Shakuntala. But it was soon caught by a fisherman 
 who found it in its stomach. It was a very valuable 
 piece of jewellery ; — it was a ring which could adorn 
 only the fingers of royal potentates. Thus when the 
 poor fisherman went to a jeweller to sell it, he 
 
THE LOST RING. 147 
 
 Was handed over to officials and was arrested as a 
 thief. He was brought before the royal court ; 
 he was placed before the great king to receive 
 sentence ; he was asked to explain how he had got 
 the ring. 
 
 The king saw the ring. No sooner he had cast 
 his glance on that fatal ring, than he grew pale and 
 stunned. The sad tale of Shakuiztala flashed into 
 his mind ; he remembered everything, — he remember- 
 ed poor Shaku7ztald with all her great love, — he 
 remembered that he had married her, he remembered 
 that he had driven her away from his royal presence. 
 Hundreds of poisonous darts went piercing into his 
 heart ; — his great love for her returned with hundred- 
 fold vehemence ; — remorse stang him to the very 
 quick. 
 
 He ordered the fisherman to be at once released, 
 — he dissolved his royal court, — he ordered that 
 immediate preparation should be made for him to go 
 to the holy seat of Rtshi Kama. 
 
 He encamped just outside the forest and went 
 alone in search of his missing love. He came near 
 the holy-seat of the great Rishi ; — there had been 
 much change. The flowery plants had grown wild 
 for the want of loving care of Shakuntala ; the 
 beauty and grace, that he saw when he met her in 
 this lovely bower, were all gone. 
 
I4S TALES OF IND. 
 
 But he saw something strange. He found a 
 boy playing near the Rishi's cottage and dragging 
 mercilessly a young tiger from one corner to the other. 
 He never saw such a lovely and spirited boy ; his 
 heart longed to take him upon his lap and caress 
 him. 
 
 He advanced and came to him. The boy 
 finding a stranger near gave up the tiger and 
 looked at him. *'My lovely boy," said the king, 
 'What is your name ? Who Is the happy man whom 
 you call your father ?" *'My name is Ddmanaka!^ 
 replied the boy, *' I do not know my father's 
 name. He is a wicked man and does not love my 
 mother." 
 
 The king's heart palpitated ; his blood ran 
 quicker and his voice faltered when he asked, 'Who 
 is your mother, my child ?" 'There is my mother 
 coming," said the boy and ran towards the door of 
 the cottage from which issued a lady. 
 
 Shakuntala saw the king and stood like a statue. 
 She could not advance a step, — she could not utter a 
 word. He came near her and asked forgiveness 
 for his past conduct. He went on to explain the 
 reason of his strange conduct, — but poor Shakuntala 
 fainted. 
 
 We need not add that king Dushmanta took his 
 wife with him to his capital. There were joy and 
 
THE LOST RING. 
 
 149 
 
 merriment all over the kingdom. She was given a 
 reception befitting the queen of Hastinapura. 
 
 Her son was named Bharata, and was recog- 
 nized and honoured as the crown-prince"^ of the 
 royal house ; and Shakunfala was very very happy. 
 
 * It is said that from the name of this prince India derived 
 the name of Bhiratabarsha. 
 
THE BOY DEVOTEE. 
 [1] 
 
 MING Uttyanapada had two wives, namely 
 Suruchi and Suniti. The former was the 
 most favourite wife of the king and the latter 
 was consequently very much neglected by him. 
 Suruchi had a son, named Uttyama and Suniti 
 a son called Dhruvaf^ One day the king was 
 caressing the son of his favourite boy when 
 Dhi'uva was standing by. He was about five years 
 
 * In a previous tale named Prahldda, readers have found a 
 boy in whom devotion and love of God intuitively manifested 
 themselves ; but in this tale they would find a boy who gets them 
 by incessant meditation and fervent prayers. 
 
THE BOY DEVOTEE. 151 
 
 of age. He grew anxious to get on his father's 
 lap and to be caressed by him as he was doing his 
 brother Uttyama. But his step-mother was present ; 
 — the king, though willing, dared not caress the son 
 of his other wife. He asked him not to come to him, 
 but to go to his mother. ''Boy," said the favourite 
 queen, ''Do not aspire to sit on the royal throne or 
 to go to your royal father, because you are not born 
 of me. Know your position and behave accordingly. 
 Your mother is no better than a beggarly woman and 
 you are a beggar's brat." DhriLva, was mere a 
 boy, but he felt the insult keenly ; he went straight 
 to his mother, fell on her breast and wept. "My 
 darling dear," said SunitZy "Tell me w^ho has made 
 you weep. Who has become so hard-hearted as to 
 bring tears into your eyes ?" Dhruva in broken 
 voice and half-suppressed sobs told his mother what 
 had happened and what her step-mother had said. 
 "My poor boy," replied his mother, "Pray to God and 
 and he will give you a position higher than that of 
 all the kings of the world." "Mother," said the boy, 
 "I must get at this high position by my own exertion. 
 Tell me how to get it." "Well my boy," said Suniti, 
 "What can I advice you ? Pray to Hari^ — and He 
 can make you the Lord of the Creation." 
 
 * Hari is one of the names of God ; generally it means 
 Vishnu. 
 
152 TALES OF IND. 
 
 The boy left her mother and went out. He 
 became pensive and roamed about the town. He met 
 Narada on the way and asked him where he could 
 go and get Hari. The great Rishi was astonished 
 to find the most important question about the 
 Soul in the lips of a boy, five years old. He questioned 
 him and learnt all that had happened in the palace, 
 and the great determination that the boy had formed 
 in his mind. *'My dear boy," said the Rishiy ''If you 
 want to see Hari, go into the deepest forest and 
 there in fervent prayers ask him to come to you. He 
 is sure to come, for Hari cannot remain aloof from 
 His devotees and lovers.'' 
 
 Dhruva came back home and told his mother 
 that he had resolved to leave the palace and enter 
 into the forest, so that he might in solitude pray to 
 Hari\jo come to him. Suniti, finding the boy resolute, 
 accompanied him. One day at the dead of night they 
 left the city and went into a very deep foxest. There 
 the royal queen made a hut out of leaves and Dhruva 
 went out to pray. 
 
 [2] 
 
 It was a deep forest, abounding in trees., 
 plants, creepers and bushes. Branches had co- 
 mingled with branches ; creepers had been 
 entwining creepers ; hardly the rays of the sun 
 
THE BOY DEVOTEE. 153 
 
 could penetrate into that Nature's Botanical Pano- 
 rama. Beautiful birds were singing the music of 
 heaven and wild beasts were roaring like thunders 
 of the sky. Not a human soul was to be seen any 
 where, — not a trace of any habitation, where man 
 could get protection or shelter. 
 
 In this fearful forest, amongst wild beasts and 
 poisonous reptiles, boy Dhruva stood kneeling 
 underneath a tree. His hands were clasped, his eyes 
 were shut, his mind was bent on fervent prayers, — 
 prayers to great Hari to come to him and to bless 
 him with his loving grace. 
 
 Days passed and he prayed and prayed, clasping 
 his tiny hands and raising up his tearful eyes towards 
 the blue expanse over his head. Day and night, — 
 continually for days together he prayed and prayed, 
 but alas, none came to respond to his heart-felt 
 prayers. Lions walked round and round him, wagging 
 their tales and licking their tongues ; tigers crouched 
 and stared at him, but dared not come near him, 
 deadly snakes slided past ; fearful reptiles rolled 
 round him, — but there the boy stood, unmoved and 
 unconscious of all that lay around him. ^^Hari,''^ 
 cried the boy, "Oh my lotus-eyed beautiful Hart, 
 come and let me see you." 
 
 How long could the great God of Love withstand 
 the call of such a loving boy ? How long He could 
 
154 TALES OF IND. 
 
 remain in Heaven without coming to such a devotee? 
 He came and manifested himself before Dhruva.'^ 
 
 He blessed him and asked him why he was 
 praying to him and what he wanted. *'0h my Hart'' 
 replied the boy, ''Make me something which is far 
 higher than the kings and sovereigns of this world." 
 "Well, my darling boy," said the Heavenly Voice. 
 'Is that all you want ? Your prayer is granted." 
 
 Rishi Narada came to king Uttyanapada and 
 told him all that his son Dhruva had done. He told 
 the king that God had appeared to him for his 
 exemplary devotion and love ; He had blessed 
 him with his celestial grace ; — He had made him a 
 being far more higher than any man living." "Oh 
 king," said the Rishi, "Your house has been honoured 
 and glorified by the birth of Dhruva. Go, hasten to 
 the forest and honour him. The world is blessed by 
 the birth of such a devotee." 
 
 The king and the queen with all the court 
 came to the forest where Suniti was livino- in her 
 poor hut. They embraced the boy, they repeatedly 
 begged his pardon for their previous ill-treatment to 
 him ; they kissed him and fell at his feet and cried, 
 "Do thou bless us, thy blessings are the same as 
 those of loving Hari, for thou art his most beloved." 
 
 * It is mentioned that God appeared before Dhruva in his 
 Vishnu form. 
 
THE BOY DEVOTEE. 
 
 155 
 
 They all came to the capital. The king placed 
 Dhriiva on the throne and retired into a jungle 
 with his two dear wives. Dliruva ruled for many 
 years and made his kingdom a land of happiness and 
 bliss. 
 
SABITRI AND SATYAVAN. 
 [1] 
 
 X SWAPATI was the king of Abani \ He was a 
 v^X ruler beloved of all his people. None was so 
 good, just and generous as he. 
 
 He had a most beautiful and charming daughter, 
 named Sdbitri. Poets say that she was as beautiful 
 as Lakshmi and as accomplished as Saraswati.^ Her 
 heart and mind were as grand as her external appear- 
 ance. She was the gem that adorned the royal court 
 oi Abani. 
 
 * Lakshmi is the Goddess of Wealth and supposed to be the 
 impersonation of Beauty, Saraswati is the Goddess of Fine Arts 
 and supposed to be the embodinnent of all accomplishments. 
 
SABITRI AND SATVAVAN. 157 
 
 She often went out with her maid, and travelled 
 over many parts of her father's kingdom. Once, she 
 came to the holy-seat of Rishis and there she met 
 with a young man, named Satyavdn. She was 
 much impressed with his beauty, grace and amiability. 
 She talked with him and she soon fell in love with 
 him. She despatched one of her maids to enquire 
 who the youngman was ; she returned home leaving 
 her heart behind which was too beautiful to be 
 lost. 
 
 The maid came and told her that the name of 
 the youngman was Satyavdn ; he was the son of 
 king Dumetsena of Abanti^ who had been driven out 
 of his kingdom and who had been living in this 
 holy-seat as an anchorite with his wife and son 
 some years past. Sdbitri was very much pleased to 
 learn that her lover was of royal parentage ; as for 
 his present poverty it did not matter much, for she 
 was the heir-apparent of her father's kingdom. 
 
 She went to her mother and told her that she 
 had made a choice of a husband ; it was Satyaz'dn 
 living in the hermitage."^ The queen told her royal 
 husband what she had heard from her daughter. 
 The king wanted to consult with his ministers and 
 
 * Readers must have marked that ift ancient India there was 
 no seclusion of women-. They were not married early and they had 
 a free hand in making choice of their husbands. 
 
15^ TALES OF IND. 
 
 especially with the Rishi Narada ;^' for personally he 
 was not willing to give away his charming daughter 
 to an anchorite boy. 
 
 Fortunately one day Narada appeared in his 
 court and the king was spared the trouble of hunting 
 him out, — for the great Rishi used to be always on 
 the move. King Aswapati told him all that had 
 happened and the resolve that his daughter had 
 made to marry the boy of the forest. ''Oh king/' said 
 Narada^ ''Give up the idea of this marriage. You 
 cannot marry your daughter to SatyavanP The 
 king grew anxious and asked the reason. 
 ''Satyavdn,^^ said the Rishi, "is as w^ell-born as 
 you, — he is as well-educated as any other prince in 
 India. Surely he is the fittest match for your 
 beautiful and accomplished daughter, but alas, 
 fatality, — a sad fatality, — hangs over his head. He 
 will die just a year after from this date." 
 
 Who could possibly marry his beloved daughter 
 to a man who is destined to die within a year ? Both 
 the king and the queen tried their utmost to induce 
 Sdbitri to give up the idea of this marriage, — ^but she 
 was resolute. Love rose above all other considerations. 
 She determined to marry Satyavan, knowing full 
 well that she was running a great risk by doing it. 
 
 * In fact Narada was a match-making Rishi. It is said that 
 he was also a quarrel-breeding Rishi, 
 
SABITRI AND SATYAVAN. 159 
 
 Her parents had to yield. Her marriage was 
 solemnized and she left the capital and went to live 
 with her husband in his forest-abode. The royal 
 Princess went away to become a holy Sanyasini."^ 
 
 [2] 
 
 There in that miserable hut she lived the most 
 happy life. She nursed her old and broken down 
 father and mother-in-law ; she cooked their meals, she 
 did all the works of that happy household. Thus a 
 year past and at last the fatal day came. Safyavan 
 knew nothing of it, — but Sdbitri never forgot the 
 dreadful words that fell from the great Rishi. She 
 calculated the day to a minute and resolved to be by 
 her dear husband's side at the fatal moment. 
 
 Satyavan was hastening out into the forest to 
 collect fire-woods and fruits ; Sdbztri glided past her 
 father-in-law and came to his side. "My Lord," 
 entreated she, "Allow me to accompany you to the 
 forest." "Well," replied Satyavan smiling "What a 
 whim ? Could you walk into a forest full of thorns 
 and weeds ! I shall be back in no time." But, no,— 
 she would have no refusal. She most entreatingly 
 asked him to allow her to go. Satyavan smiled 
 and said, "Come then ; you will never again wish to 
 go, I am sure." 
 
 * It means a female anchorite. 
 
l6o TALES OF IND. 
 
 They clasped each other's hands, and merrily 
 they went and disappeared into the wilderness of the 
 great forest. They gathered various sorts of fruits 
 and Sabitri's basket grew more than full. They then 
 plucked various sorts of wild flowers ; and the wife 
 decorated the husband and the husband the wife. 
 Oh how happy were they ! Time flew they knew not 
 how and the sun rolled down the western horizon. 
 ^'My sweet darling," said Satyavaii, ''it has already 
 become evening, — let us hasten home. But look, — 
 I have fors^otten to collect the fire-woods altos^ether." 
 
 He at once got upon a tree and began to gather 
 dried twigs. But he soon cried, ^^Sdbitri^ my wife 
 dear, suddenly I have got severe head-ache. I do 
 not know what it is ; — Oh, I am dying !" "Come 
 down," replied Sabitri with difficulty, ''A little rest 
 will make you all right." 
 
 He came down and lay on the grass resting 
 his head on her lap, — but he soon became very 
 restless ; — he rose up and kissed his beloved wife and 
 fell dead. In the deep forest, amongst all sorts of wild 
 beasts, Sabitri sat with the corpse of her husband ; — 
 Night slowly and silently began to envelope the world 
 with her sable cloth ; — all was darkness. 
 
 The messengers of Yama"^ came to take away the 
 soul of the dead Satayvan, but they found the body 
 
 * Yama is the Hindu Pluto. 
 
SABITRI AND SATYAVAN. l6l 
 
 enveloped in celestial fire. A lady was sitting on 
 whose laps the head of the dead man rested. The 
 fire was issuing forth from the wonderful being, — 
 and none could dare approach her."^ The messengers 
 of Death fled in dismay and reported to their king all 
 that they had seen in the forest. 
 
 Yama himself went to see what the matter was. 
 He saw Sdbitri sitting with the head of her dead 
 husband on her lap. The terrible king of Death found 
 it difficult to go near her. He stood aloof and 
 addressed her. "Good and great Sdbitrt,^^ said he, 
 "Your husband is dead. None lives for ever in this 
 world. Give up your husband, so that I might take 
 him to the other world. What is the good of remain- 
 ing with one who is no more ?" Sdbitri silently 
 rose and left the corpse. 
 
 Yama Instantly took the soul out of the body of 
 the dead Satyavdn and hastened' away. But when he 
 had gone some distance, he heard foot-steps behind ; 
 he looked back and found Sdbitri following hlm.f 
 "My good girl," said the Black King,t "Where are you 
 going with me ? No living man goes there." "But 
 Oh God," said Sdbitri, "A wife is bound to follow her 
 
 * Evidently all this means that a chaste, faithful and loving 
 wife is a goddess whom even Pluto dares not touch. 
 
 t The latter portion of this tale appears to be allegorical. 
 % Yama is supposed to be very dark. 
 
 II 
 
[62 TALES OF IND. 
 
 husband wherever he goes/'' "But/' said Yama, 
 ''This is quite a different case. Your husband is dead 
 and you are living ; you cannot follow him. No, 
 my good girl, — go back home. I shall grant you any 
 thing you ask, — but allow me to go with the Life of 
 your husband.'' "Oh kind God," replied she, "If you 
 are so pleased, — grant a son to my father, who had 
 no sons." "Yes, it is granted," cried Yama and 
 hastened away. 
 
 But he soon found that Sabitri was following 
 him as before. "Again are you coming ?" said he, 
 "Ask from me any thing you like, except the life of 
 SatyavcM, and allow me to go away." "If you are 
 so pleaseed" said she, "Grant sight to my father-in- 
 law who is blind." "Granted" cried Yama and 
 walked hastily away. 
 
 But still Sabitri was at his back. The king of 
 darkness became really bewildered and confused. 
 "My good girl," said he, "You cannot follow your 
 husband any further. I entreat you to allow me to 
 go. Ask from me any thing you like except the 
 life of your husband." "If you so please," replied 
 she, "Grant my father-in-law his lost kingdom." "Go 
 home, — it is granted," said Yama and he began to run 
 to get rid of the tenacious girl that was following him 
 like a shadow. But Sabitri ran too ; — she soon came 
 up to him and followed him as a shadow follows a man. 
 
SABITRl AND SATYAVAN. 163 
 
 The king was really bewildered. ''I am ready 
 to give you/' said he "Whatever you ask, — but allow 
 me to go to my own city. Ask anything you like 
 except your husband's life." "If you so please," replied 
 she, "Grant me one hundred sons from Satyavan!^ 
 "Granted," bawled out the king and ran. But Sabitri 
 was still at his back. Yama at last halted, turned 
 back and addressed Sabitri thus, "My dear girl, you 
 are trying to do what is impossible. I say, your 
 husband is dead and there is not the least chance of 
 your getting him back or following him where he is 
 going." "Oh great God," replied she, "I have no 
 mind to go with you ; — but you have granted my 
 prayer that I shall get one hundred sons from 
 Satyavcin. I know your words would never be 
 false ; — but I do not understand how I shall get sons 
 from Satyavan whom you are taking away with you." 
 
 The king of darkness stared in dismay ; but he 
 was much pleased with the intelligence and fidelity 
 of Sabitri. "Most excellent sfirl," said he, "You are 
 really a goddess. Your love and faith towards your 
 husband is more than exemplary. As a reward to your 
 great character, I shall for once do an act which was 
 never done before. Go back, — your husband is saved." 
 
 ■5f -K- ^ ^ 
 
 Sabitri hastened back to the forest ; she took up 
 the head of her husband and placed it on her lap. 
 
164 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Satyavan soon opened his eyes and saw darkness 
 all around. ''Sabitri;' said he, ''How is it that I 
 fell asleep ? Is it night ?" ''Yes," replied she, "You 
 were tired and I did not think it proper to disturb 
 you." 
 
 They soon started for home, where their parents 
 were very much anxious for them. What was their 
 joy when they saw their son with his wife safe at 
 home ! 
 
 We need not mention that all that was granted 
 by king Yama was duly received. King Aswapati 
 got a son, the old king of ^3<2;2^/ got back his sight 
 and his lost kingdom, and Sabitrz her one hundred 
 sons. 
 
DEBJANI. 
 
 [ 1 ] 
 
 )0|f^HE great Rishi Sukra was the Preceptor of the 
 X Danavas. He had a most charming daughter, 
 named Debjani. She was as fair as the fairest of 
 the fairies ; as learned as her great father and as 
 accomplished as the beautiful Goddess of Learning. 
 She lived in the forest-home of her father as a lily, 
 blossomed in the wilderness of Nature ; she cast a 
 halo of joy wherever she went. 
 
 She loved Kacha, one of her father's pupils ; but 
 he did not love her in the way she did. He had the 
 highest admiration, the greatest respect and a brother's 
 affection for her, — but nothing more. Now Kacha 
 
l66 TALES OF IND. 
 
 was the son of Binhaspati, the great Preceptor of 
 the gods. He was sent in disguise to learn from 
 the Preceptor of the Danavas what he had to teach 
 and what he taught the demons. He went and 
 became a pupil of great Siikra and learnt from him 
 all that he had to teach. Thus years passed on, till 
 the Danavas came to learn that the boy was no other 
 than the son of Bj'ihaspati. They at once resolved 
 to murder him. ' 
 
 When one day Kacha went to the pasture with his 
 tutor's cows, the Danauas set upon him and killed 
 him. Night drew on, — and Kacha did not return 
 home. One by one all the cows came back to the 
 Asrama^"^ — but there was no Kacha with them. 
 Debjani grew very much anxious for him, — more 
 than ten thousand times, she eagerly went out of her 
 father's cottage to see if Kacha was returning ; but 
 ni2:ht rolled on, — soon it became mid-nis^ht, — still 
 Kacha did not return home. She went to her father 
 and burst into tears. ''My dear girl," asked the 
 jRishiy "Has any body offended you ? Why are 
 you weeping ?" She told him what had happened. 
 'Well," said Sukra^ "You need not be anxious for 
 him. If he is dead, still I can give him life again." 
 He immersed himself for a while in Yoga and then 
 
 * An Asrama means the holy seat of a Rishi. 
 
DEBJANL 167 
 
 called out thrice the name of Kacha ; instantly the 
 boy appeared at the gate of the Asrama. 
 
 The Danavas were disappointed ; they dared 
 not openly kill Kacha, for they knew he was the 
 most favourite pupil of the great Rishi. They knew 
 also that Debj(\>7ii madly loved the boy, and the old 
 Rishis love for his daughter, knew no bounds. They 
 resolved to murder the boy secretely and to do 
 something which would prevent the Rishi from 
 giving him life again. When Kacha went out to 
 gather flowers for Debjdni, he was again set upon 
 by the Danavas and killed. They dressed his flesh 
 and cooked it ; they invited the Preceptor to the 
 feast and gave him drink. The Rishi, being drunk 
 and not knowing what he was eating, made the best 
 possible dinner on the flesh of his most favourite 
 pupil. 
 
 Kacha did not return home ; Debjani went to 
 her father when he returned from the demon-feast 
 and told him that Kacha had not come back. 
 ''Father," said she sobbing, "The wicked Danavas 
 must have again killed him. If you do not bring him 
 back, I shall kill myself, — for without Kacha I cannot 
 live." 
 
 The great Rishi was horrified to learn through 
 his Fic^o-^ -insight^ that he himself had eaten up his 
 
 * Read a brief account of Yoga in the Appendix. 
 
l68 TALES OF IND. 
 
 favourite boy."^ However, he gave life to Kacha in 
 his stomach and taught him the great Mantrap of 
 reviving life. ^^Kacha,'' said the Rtshi, ''I have 
 taught you the great secret ; I shall now render open 
 my stomach. Come out and give me life by the 
 help of the MantraP So it was done. Kacha came 
 out of his tutor's stomach and gave life to him by 
 uttering the Mantra. 
 
 Kacha thought that it was high time for him to 
 return to heaven. He got permission from his 
 Preceptor to go and went to Debjani to bid her 
 farewell. She would not allow him to go. She 
 offered her hand to him, she gave vent to all 
 her pent up feelings, she expressed the great love 
 that she bore for him. ^^Debjani^^ said Kacha, ''You 
 are the daughter of my Preceptor and therefore you 
 are a sister to me. I cannot marry you. You are 
 a sensible and learned girl, J you must excuse me." 
 
 * It is said that after this sad occurrence Sukra issued an 
 edict prohibiting drinking and calling it a great sin. Since then 
 drinking has become a religious sin and a moral vice in India. 
 
 t Mantras are some peculiar letters and words uttered, in a 
 peculiar way. It is said there are various sorts of Mantras to 
 produce various wonderful and miraculous results. 
 
 X Readers must have marked that the women of ancient India 
 used to get education of a very high order. Khand and Lildhati 
 were great mathemeticians and astronomers. When Sankardchdrya, 
 the greatest of the Hindu Reformers went to the great 
 
DEBJANI. 169 
 
 Debjani took offence. When a woman's pride and 
 vanity are wounded, she becomes furious as ten 
 furies ; she cursed her lover and left him in great 
 
 [2] 
 
 Brishaparba was the name of the Ddnava king 
 who ruled over the demon-sovereignty when great 
 Sukra was stopping in their kingdom. The king 
 had a most beautiful daughter, named Sharmistha ;^ 
 She was beautiful, but proud ; accomplished, but 
 way-ward ; but she was very dutiful and religious. 
 Debjani and Sharmistha were friends ; — outwardly 
 they expressed the greatest friendship for each 
 
 Philosopher Manduk Missra to defeat him in Philosophy, he 
 found it easy to defeat him, — but not his wife. She was so learned 
 that Shankardcharya took six month's time to prepare himself to 
 debate with her. 
 
 * We think we should mention here that in this tale the 
 readers will find some difference in the demon-character from that 
 which they have found in the first tale in this Book, Originally the 
 bad Elements were allegorically called the Dinavas.or the demons ; 
 but it is evident that the later writers forgot its original use 
 and began to use it with regard to aboriginal tribes, i. e. non-aryan 
 people, whom they christened as Ddnavas. It would be apparent 
 ■from this tale that king Brishaparba and Princess Sharmistha are 
 not allegorical characters, but a king and a princess of the non 
 ar^an tribe. 
 
1 70 TALES OF IND. 
 
 other ; but Inwardly they never agreed. Debjdni 
 was jealous of Sharmistha for her wealth and 
 position. The Princess was jealous of the ascetic's 
 daughter for her great learning and high social 
 honour. However, they were too sensible to quarrel 
 and passed the time In amity and friendship. 
 
 Once they all went to bathe In a beautiful lake. 
 Sliarmistha went with her innumerable maids and she 
 invited her Preceptor's daughter to accompany her. 
 They all went and amused themselves in the crystal 
 water of the beautiful Sarobara."^ But they were 
 disturbed in their merry pastime ;t — they hastened 
 to the bank where they left their clothes and hurriedly 
 dressed themselves. In the confusion that followed, 
 the Princess put on the cloth of Dehjani, for which 
 she took terrible offence. Sliarmistha was a Sudra 
 and Dehjani was a Brahmin ;J a lady of her caste 
 could reasonably take offence for the act done by 
 the Ddnava princess. ''Oh proud and arrogant girl," 
 
 * Barobara means a beautiful lake. 
 
 t It is said that the cause of the ladies' hastening towards 
 their clothes was the approach of Shiva, who was passing by the 
 lake. 
 
 X We believe readers are aware that the Hindus are divided 
 into four principal castes, namely, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Baishya 
 and Sudra. The last is the servant caste and was originally 
 recruited from the non-aryan ttibes. We need not say that they 
 were the most hated, specially by the Brahmins, 
 
DEBJANI. 171 
 
 cried Debjcuii, "How dare you wear my cloth ? Do 
 you not know whose daughter I am." The Princess 
 retorted and there was a great quarrel between the 
 two. At last the Princess with the help of her maids 
 threw Debjani into an well and there they left her to 
 die a most painful death. 
 
 ^vX Debjani \\'2lS not to die then. The great 
 king Yayati"^ came to hunt and went to the well for 
 water, in which poor Debjani was lying. He saw 
 her and immediately tried to lift her up from her 
 painful situation. She caught hold of his out-streached 
 hand and came out of the well. ''My Lord," said 
 she, "You have accepted my hands, — you have 
 therefore become my husband. I cannot take any 
 other husband." The king was much pleased with 
 her exquisite beauty and great learning ; he agreed 
 to marry her, and married her then and there in 
 the Gandharva way. "My sweet darling," said the 
 king; "As soon as I shall return to my capital, I shall 
 send men to fetch you." 
 
 Debjani returned home and told her father all 
 that had happened and all that wicked and proud 
 Shar^nistlia had done. She wept and would not be 
 consoled. When her fond father pressed her very 
 much to say what she wanted, she sobbed and said, 
 "Father, nothing but Sharmistha's becoming my 
 
 * He was a king of the Lunar Dynasty. 
 
172 TALES OF IND. 
 
 maid-servant, would satisfy me for the gross insult 
 she had done me." 
 
 The Preceptor of the Ddnavas called for the 
 king. He told him in great anger what his daughter 
 had done. He threatened to curse the king with all 
 his people and then to leave the kingdom for good. 
 Brishaparba apologised for the misconduct of his 
 daughter ; he fell on his knees and entreated him to 
 pardon him. He humbly prayed to be inflicted with 
 any punishment except his leaving him and his 
 kingdom. "King," said the Rishi, "Give me your 
 daughter ; I shall make her my Debjanis maid." 
 "I shall make her do It," said the king and hastened 
 to the palace to bring her to the Rishi' s cottage. 
 
 When the king told his daughter what the great 
 Rishi wanted of her, she gently said, "Father, for 
 you and for the sake of my race, I shall glady become 
 the maid-servant of Dehjani. I know she wants to 
 satisfy her old grudge, — let her do it. I am prepared 
 to suffer every indignity for the good of my parents." 
 She went to the Rishi' s cottage and thenceforth 
 remained as the obedient and humble servant of the 
 daughter of great Sukra. 
 
 A few days after, king Yaydti sent his men to 
 the Rishi s Asrama to take away his bride. Debjani 
 left her forest-home for the royal palace at 
 Hastinapura, and Sharmisthd accompanied her. 
 
DEBJANI. 173 
 
 [3] 
 
 Both king Vayah' and princess $)harmistha- 
 when they met, fell in love with each other ; but the 
 king was afraid of his wife ; Debjani ruled him with 
 an iron hand. However, they secretely met and 
 passed their time most happily for years, till three 
 sons were born to Sharniistha. Debjani gave birth 
 to two princes and they all lived happily for many 
 years. 
 
 One day Debjani went to see her maid 
 Shar?7tisthd in her own quarters ; she saw the 
 youngest of her sons, who was named Piirit playing 
 w^ith some boys. Debjani never knew that Sharmisthd 
 had a son, — how could she get a son when she had 
 no husband ? But she was struck with the appearance 
 of the boy ; she wxnt to him and asked him the 
 name of his father. "My father !" said the child, 
 "You know him not ! He is king YaydtiJ' Debjani s 
 countenance flashed fire, but she suppressed her 
 indignant feelings and said, "My sweet child, w^ho is 
 the happy woman whom you call your mother ?" 
 "Why," cried the child, "Queen Sharmisthd is my 
 mother !" We need not say, Debjdni's anger knew 
 no bounds ; she at once left the palace and went 
 weeping to her great father. Soon the news reached 
 
174 TALES OF IND. 
 
 the king ; he hastened in pursuit of her, so that he 
 might appease her great anger. He was terribly 
 afraid of the great Sukra and his curses ; he was 
 perfectly aware that as soon as the great Rishi would 
 hear the complaints of his daughter he would be sure 
 to shower upon him the bitterest curses. 
 
 As he apprehended, when the great Rishi 
 heard from his weeping daughter that the king had 
 behaved most faithlessly and had neglected her — 
 his eyes rolled and his hairs stood upon their end 
 out of anger. "You have become faithless to my 
 daughter," said the Rishi *^on account of the cravings 
 of your youth of which you perhaps take pride. Let 
 dotage of the old age overtake you and teach you 
 there is nothing to be proud of.""^ 
 
 What could be severer punishment than this ? 
 Is it not more than death to one who is in his prime 
 of life to suddenly find himself in old age ? The 
 king fell en his knees and prayed for mercy ; he 
 most humbly craved for pardon ; he expressed 
 his great regret and repented for what he had 
 done. Dehjdni was moved to see the humiliation 
 of her husband ; she felt the greatest possible 
 pain when she saw his beautiful figure and graceful 
 
 * Even now the Hindus are terribly afraid of the curses of 
 Brahmins. Perhaps in times gone by the Rishis by their Yoga 
 faculties could defacto perform what they said. 
 
DEBJAXi. 175 
 
 youth turn into the decrepit old age. Really she 
 loved him, — she repented for her rashness and 
 entreated her father to save her dear husband. ''My 
 dear daughter/' said the Rishi, "It is now too late. 
 However, if any of his children wilfully take upon 
 himself the old age that has overtaken him, he can 
 get back his youth and enjoy it as long as he wishes." 
 
 The king returned to his capital, and called his 
 five sons to him, — two of Dehjdni and three of 
 Sharmistha. He asked them one after another, — if 
 any of them was willing to take upon himself the old 
 age that had suddenly overtaken him. Each and every 
 one of them refused to suffer for their father, except 
 Puru, the youngest son of Shars?nistha. "Father," 
 said he, "I am bound to obey you. I have got my life 
 from you and what is more glorious than to give that 
 life for your benefit. Give me your old age and I shall 
 be very happy to see you again as you were before." 
 
 So it was done. Puru became a decrepit old 
 man in his worst dotage and the king enjoyed his 
 youth in luxury and pleasure. 
 
 But soon Yajati repented for his love of pleasure. 
 It pained him to see his dear son suffer the worst 
 possible pains for his cupidity. He took back the 
 old age from Puru ; he placed him on the throne as 
 his successor and then he finally retired into the 
 forest with his two wives to meditate and to pray. 
 
BILWAMANGALA. 
 
 [1] 
 
 )(^HERE was in ancient time a very rich young- 
 X man, whose name was Bilwaman^ala. He 
 was brought up in luxury and afluence, in flattery 
 and indulgence. He was surrounded by low 
 companions and bad women ; — his life was a 
 continual stream of debauchery and carnality. 
 
 At last he fell in love with a woman, named 
 Chintamani. She was beautiful, accomplished and 
 young ; she was intelligent, clever and sharp ; she 
 understood human nature thoroughly well and knew 
 how to mould and control it. She gradually spread 
 a wonderful influence over the youngman and ruled 
 him with an iron hand. He lost himself in her magic 
 enticements ; he forgot himself with her satanic 
 
BILVVAMANGALA. 177 
 
 Wiles ; he put himself In her hand to be played like 
 a doll. 
 
 Money went away like water ; costly things and 
 valuable jewellery were heaped at her feet ; — finally 
 Bilwantangala left his home and remained day and 
 night with herv Again and again his old father sent 
 men to bring him home, — his poor mother wept and 
 wept) till she became almost blind ; his friends 
 entreated and his relatives prayed, — but all in vain. 
 He did not and could not leave the Syren's house 
 where some unknowable infatuation kept him 
 chained. 
 
 At last his old father died, and died of a broken - 
 heart for the misconduct of his wild son. Men were 
 sent to bring Bilwantangala home to perform his 
 father's last rites, — but he did not come. Without him 
 the SrLlddha ceremony^ could not be performed ; — 
 so his relatives went to Chintamani 3.nd appealed to 
 her to allow him to go at least for a day to save the 
 spirit of the dead man from the eternal hell-fire. 
 Chiittdmani was moved ; she pressed him to go ; 
 and when he refused to go, she positively drove him 
 out of her house. 
 
 * It is a ceremony performed on the roth day after death for 
 Brahmins and a month after for other castes in honour of the 
 departed spirit. It is further said that unless this <3raddha ceremony 
 is performed by the son, the soul of the parents cannot leave this 
 world and go to heaven. 
 
 12 
 
178 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Being forced to leave her for a few hours, he 
 went home with a sorrowful heart. As quick as 
 possible he went through the ceremony ; — every 
 second moment he tried to sh'p out and fly to 
 Chintamanis house. But notwithstanding all efforts 
 he could not leave his house before evening. When 
 he left his house and hastened towards his lady-love ; 
 it was already night. 
 
 [2] 
 
 It was a dreadful night ; the sky was full of 
 black clouds, — lightning was flashing from one corner 
 of the horizon to the other, — fearful thunder was 
 roaring, shaking the earth to its very centre ; rain 
 was falling like torents, — a great and tremendous 
 storm had burst all over the earth. Trees were 
 uprooted and houses were shattered ; — birds were 
 crushed into atoms and beasts were killed in 
 hundreds. No living creature was safe in the furious 
 storm that was raging outside. Mad Bilwamangala 
 rushed out of his house to hasten to his love and was 
 knocked about In the storm, as he ran towards the 
 river side, across which lay the house of Chintamani. 
 He was mad ; he forgot In the fervor of love that he 
 bore for the woman that the elements were engaged 
 in a mortal fight. More than hundred times he 
 
BILWAMANGALA. 179 
 
 lost his footing by the force of the wind and got 
 severe bruises all over the body. But nothing could 
 prevent him from proceeding ; he came at last to 
 the river, v^hich was roaring and foaming in a mad 
 fury. 
 
 How to cross it ? He saw something floating 
 in the river, he thought it to be a peice of wood and 
 jumped into the river to catch hold of it. He was 
 successful, — he floated resting on it and was carried 
 away by the strong current, where he knew not. 
 However, luck was not against him, — somehow or 
 other he reached the opposite shore and ran towards 
 the house of the woman who had made him mad. 
 
 Her house was surrounded by a high wall ; her 
 door was locked from inside, — he again and again 
 called her out, — but his voice was drowned in the 
 tremendous roars of the furious storm. He then 
 tried to scale the wall, — and ran round and round the 
 house to find out, if there were any means to do it. 
 At last he saw something hanging from the wall ; — 
 Oh, he was so happy, — he thought it to be a piece of 
 rope and immediately caught hold of it. He dragged 
 himself by its help up on the top of the wall ; then he 
 jumped down into the yard and rushed into the 
 house. 
 
iSo TALES OF IND. 
 
 [3] 
 
 Chintamani was astonished to find BUwaman^ata 
 at that dreadful hour* How could he manao-e ta 
 come ! How could he venture out in the great storm 
 that was fearfully raising' outside ? What a nausiat- 
 insr stink that was comingf out of him \ "Beloved 
 Chintatnani!^ said the youngman, *'I have come.'^ 
 *'Who told you to come/' replied she, *'Who told yoii 
 to risk your life in this feafful storm ?" "Oh 
 Chintamani!^ exclaimed he, "You do not know how 
 much I love you." "But how could you manage to 
 cross the river," asked she, "And scale the wall ?" 
 Bilwamangala told her what he had done and how 
 he had been able to come to her. . 
 
 By the time the storm much abated ; Chintamam 
 knew that there Was no rope any where hanging from 
 her wall ; she was very much curious to learn how 
 he had managed to scale it. She came out with a 
 light and accompanied by Bilwamangala she went to 
 that portion of the wall where he said the rope was 
 hanging. But what was her horror when she found 
 the said rope to be nothing else but a most deadly 
 snake ! She wildly stared at the youngman and 
 could not utter a word. Then she ran towards the 
 river which passed by just below her house to see 
 what other horrible thing he got hold of to cross the 
 
BILWAMANGALA 
 
 river. Oh horror of horrors ! it was not a piece of 
 wood ; it was a dead body, a rotten and putrid 
 corpse which the mad young man caught hold of to 
 cross the furious river. When she saw it, she burst 
 into tears. ^^ Bilwamangala!^ exclaimed she, "I now 
 know that you really love me, but I am not worthy 
 of your great love. Oh, how good it would have been 
 if you had dedicated your this unknowable love to 
 God !" 
 
 The word went into the very depth of the 
 youngman's heart ; he stood a few seconds in mute 
 astonishment ; then he said, *^Yes, Chintamani^ you 
 are right." 
 
 He immedcately left the place, and though she 
 ran after him and tried to prevent him from going, 
 yet he went away and never returned to see her, for 
 whom he was once mad. 
 
 He went away and became a hermit ; — years 
 rolled on and Btlwamangala became one of the 
 greatest devotees."^ 
 
 * There is another tale which is almost akin to it, though 
 the incidents were not the same. A leper Brahmin once saw a 
 most charming woman for v/hom he grew mad. His most loving 
 wife finding him melancholy pressed him to tell her the cause 
 of his misery. At last he told her that he would commit suicide 
 if he did not get her. The loving wife went to the woman and 
 became her maid-servant to make ber husband happy. Soon 
 
152 TALES OF IND. 
 
 she made her so much pleased with her that she asked her 
 what favour she wanted from her. "Oh Lady," said she, "If 
 you are so very kind, allow my husband to come to you one 
 day." She heard from the poor wife all that had happened 
 and agreed to allow him to come. He prepared for him a 
 best dinner and placed two glasses by his side, one full of 
 crystal water and other with mudy Ganges water. The leper 
 Bramhin at the time of drinking, drank from the glass, in which 
 there was the water of the holy Ganges. "Why Sir," asked the 
 woman, "You drink that mudy water instead of the crystal water 
 that is in the other glass ?"' "Well," replied the poor Bramhin. 
 "You see, it is the water of the holy Ganges," — "Why then Sir,' 
 said she, "You neglect the holy water at home and come to drink 
 crystal water here ?" She meant by the holy water his wife and 
 by the crystal water herself. Her words went deep into the man's 
 heart ; he at once rose and left her house and thenceforth became 
 a most loving husband. 
 
harishchandra. 
 [1] 
 
 MING Harishchandra was one of the most 
 celebrated rulers of the Solar Dynasty. He 
 was as powerful as mighty, as virtuous as good ; 
 none there was so charitable and such a supporter of 
 learning and religion as he. But with all his 
 goodness and love of religion he incurred the anger 
 of one of the most powerful and terrible Rishis. 
 
 Vtswdmitra was a great Rishi ; he was originally 
 not a Brahmin. Perhaps we need not say that in 
 those ancient days Brahmins only were allowed to 
 study religion and philosophy, — they only were 
 permitted to be Rishts and ascetics, but Viswamitra 
 
184 TALES OF IND. 
 
 broke through the rule ; he studied Vedas and 
 practised Yo^a and finally raised himself up to a 
 position higher than all the Rishis of the period. He 
 was as high-spirited and hot tempered as he was 
 learned ; he was as mighty as he was religious ; 
 people were afraid of him ; the great chiefs and 
 potentates feared his frowns. 
 
 He lived in a great forest, — far far away from 
 all habitations, but his hermitage was a very 
 beautiful place, surrounded by charming gardens and 
 enchanting groves. Fragrant flowers smiled at every 
 step and many-coloured creepers playfully entwined 
 his simple hut. He lived in solitude and in his own 
 meditations, adoring the gods with flowers that 
 blossomed round his cottage. 
 
 His holy-seat was so charming that some fairies 
 took pleasure to come to his gardens and play there 
 with his beautiful flowers. Whenever the great Rishi 
 went in the morning to gather flowers to worship his 
 gods, he found that merciless havock had been made 
 in his garden over his most favourite flowers. He 
 knew not who could dare pluck his flowers and 
 destroy the beauty of his garden. Every day he 
 wondered and every day he found that some body 
 had come to his garden and topsy-turvied it in every 
 possible way. To find out the mischief-makers he so 
 arranged that next time^ whoever they might be, if 
 
HARISHCHANDRA. 185 
 
 they at all would come, they would be caught in the 
 net of creepers that were all around the garden. 
 
 The fairies as usual came at the dead of night 
 and went to play in their old haunts. They were 
 immediately caught in the net and although they 
 struggled much, they could not get out of the mess of 
 creepers. Oh, how piteously they looked at each 
 other, — how they exerted all their strength to break 
 assunder the dreadful creepers, — how much they 
 wished to get out of the fearful garden and to be 
 far away from its most fearful master, — but all their 
 efforts were in vain. When they found they had 
 been imprisoned and there was no hope of escape, 
 they all burst into tears. Alas, they were but 
 women ; they were terribly afraid of incurring the 
 anger of Rishi Vtswdmitra. 
 
 Their lamentations and piteous cry reached the 
 ear of king Harishchandra^ who came out for 
 hunting. Fearing that some mishap had fallen 
 on some helpless women, he hastened to their help. 
 He found that some fairies had been imprisoned in 
 the net of creepers, — he never paused to think of 
 the cause of their imprisonment, his galantry rose 
 over all his feelings, — he immediately took out his 
 weapon and liberated them all. They thanked him 
 from the depth of their heart and fled to their 
 mountain-homes, resolving never to set foot again in 
 
l86 TALES OF IND. 
 
 the garden of the fearful Rishi. King Harischandra, 
 never dreaming that this small incident would be the 
 cause of his future ruin and misery, returned to his 
 capital after his hunting excursion all over the forest. 
 
 [2] 
 
 The great lizshi Viswamitra went in the 
 morning to see who had been caught in the net 
 set by him, but to his great disappointment and 
 displeasure he found that some body had cut assunder 
 all his creepers and set free those that were caught 
 in the net. The great Rtshi^s anger knew no 
 bounds, — fire flashed from his eyes. *'Who is the 
 arrogant man," exclaimed he, "that dares interfere 
 with the works of Viswamitra." 
 
 He soon found that the great king Harishchandra 
 came to his holy seat and set free the fairies whom 
 he had a mind to punish for their impudent interfer- 
 ence with his garden. "Well," said the Rishi^ "It 
 seems that the man has become very arrogant and 
 proud of his wealth and high position. He will soon 
 learn what it is to offend Viswamitra^ He resolved 
 upon taking vengeance, — he determined to teach the 
 proud king a severe lesson who had unwittingly 
 incurred his displeasure. 
 
 He left his holy seat and appeared in the court 
 of the great king. He was received with all the honour 
 
HARISHCHANDRA. 187 
 
 due to his exalted position ; the king remained 
 standing before the Rishi and asked him with folded 
 hands what he could do to serve the great man. 
 "Well, king Harishchandra,^^ said the Rishi, "You 
 want to serve me ! They say you are a very religious 
 man and have the highest respect for us. But will 
 you be able to satisfy me ?" "Great and reverend 
 Sir," replied the king, "My life, my wealth, my 
 possessions, I consider all this nothing before the 
 pleasure of men like you." "Well," said Viswdmitra, 
 "Promise me then that whatever I shall ask, you will 
 at once grant me." The king folded his hands and 
 most humbly said, "I promise. Oh Sir, to grant you 
 whatever you would want." The Rishi smiled and 
 then turning round to the assembly said, "Gentle- 
 men, you have heard the promise solemnly made by 
 this king." Then he faced the king and said, "Give 
 me your kingdom with all that you possess." 
 
 The assembled people stared at one another, — 
 ministers became grave and the commanders shook 
 their arms, — for the king was the most beloved of 
 all. But king Harishchandra left his throne and 
 came near the Rishi; he again folded his hands and 
 said, "Oh great Rishi, my people are happy to get 
 you as their king and ruler. From to-day this 
 kingdom is yours with all its regalia; — every thing that 
 is in the palace, every thing that I possess, — hence- 
 
l88 TALES OF IND. 
 
 forth all belongs to you. Bless me, I retire into the 
 jungle." ''Yes," said the great Rishi, "I praise your 
 nobleness, — I admire your charitable feelings. You 
 can go." 
 
 King Harishchandra with his good wife Saibya 
 and their son Rohitashwa left the palace and went to 
 live far away from their capital ; they went to the 
 holy pilgrimage of Benares and there they lived as 
 best they could in their self-imposed poverty. But 
 the heartless Rishi was not satisfied by making the 
 good king a poor man. He soon followed him and 
 appeared before him. ''Harishchandra,^ said he, 
 ^'I forgot to tell you when you so nobly gave 
 me your kingdom, that no Ddna"^ is acceptable 
 without the Dakshind.-^ Where is my Dakshina ? 
 Give it to me." Poor Harishchandra knew not 
 what to do ; he had nothing to give to the great 
 Rishi. He asked a week's time to procure the 
 required sum and to pay it to him. "Well," said 
 Viswamitra, "I allow you the time, but take care to 
 pay me on the promised day." 
 
 * Dana means things bestowed upon a Brahmin. 
 
 t Dakshina, means the coin, {i. e. something cash besides the 
 things bestowed), which one is bound to give when he bestows 
 any thing on a Brahmin. 
 
HARISHCHANDRA. jSf) 
 
 [3] 
 
 A WEEK was a very short time to procure the 
 required sum ; the last day came, but still no money 
 had been procured. ^^Saiby^l' exclaimed the king, 
 "We became poor to earn virtue, but alas, luck is 
 against us 1 To bestow things upon a Rishi asked 
 by him is a great virtue indeed, — but without the 
 Dakshin^ the bestower secures nothing. So all that 
 we did was done for nothing." "My Lord," replied 
 the good queen, "I still belong to you. Sell me to 
 some one and get money to pay the DakshindP Oh, 
 it was the crudest cut of all ! The king turned away 
 his face and supressed the tears that were rushing 
 into his eyes. 
 
 But the terrible Rishi was at their door ; he had 
 no mercy, no heart, no feeling. "Where is my 
 Dakshinci ?" cried he, "Come, look sharp, I can- 
 not wait." Well, he might curse, he might do a 
 thousand other mischiefs. The king grew desperate, 
 —he came out with his wife and child ; he prayed 
 for half an hour's time. "Oh great RishiJ^ said he, 
 "I am sorry to say that I have not been able to 
 procure the sum. However, kindly wait half an hour. 
 I have determined to sell my dear wife and get the 
 money for you." "Very well," replied the cruel 
 Rishi, "I shall wait." 
 
igo TALES OF IND. 
 
 King Harishchandra took his wife to the market- 
 place and the great queen of a Royal house was placed 
 before the public gaze. He again and again called 
 out for a customer, but none appeared to purchase 
 the poor queen. At last an old Brahmin came to 
 him and wanted to inspect the woman whom he had 
 put to sale. The king pointed out to him his most 
 beloved wife, whom the man began to stare and 
 to cut yokes at in an outrageous manner. The 
 king with a super-human effort controlled his temper 
 and settled the price with him. We need not 
 attempt to describe the feelings of poor Saibya, — 
 well, she was a woman with unmatched patience and 
 fortitude, or else who could stand the sufferings that 
 she had to undergo ? 
 
 ''My dear husband," sobbed the queen, "Take 
 away my Rohitashwa^ — he is mere a child. From 
 to-day you become his mother and father both." 
 'Well," said the old Brahmin, "I never knew that a 
 man when he purchases a cow, does not purchase 
 the calf with it. I have purchased the woman by 
 paying ready-money. I am not going to be cheated 
 out of the boy." He ordered the poor queen to 
 follow him with her son and then majestically walked 
 away from the market-place. 
 
 The sale of the queen did not fetch much money; 
 it was far below the amount that would be required 
 
HARISHCHANDRA. IQI 
 
 to be given to the great Rishi. How to raise the 
 balance of the money ! The king determined to sell 
 himself ; he was ready to be made an ever-lasting 
 slave provided the money for the Dakshina was 
 forthcoming. He again and again offered himself 
 for sale, — but there was no customer. At last a 
 Chandalay who was in charge of the burning ghaf' 
 came to him and agreed to purchase him. *'Yes," 
 said he, "I require a man for helping me in burning 
 dead bodies. You look hale and hearty and may 
 suit me well." A price was soon settled, and the 
 king was paid the money. He went with it to the 
 great Rishi and told him that he had brought the 
 sum for the Dakshind. 'Well said Viswdmitra, *'I 
 am now well-satisfied." He then left the king to 
 his fate and went away. The king accompanied the 
 Chanddla and became the help-mate of the man who 
 was the custodian of the place, where the last 
 remains of men, women and children were burnt to 
 ashes. 
 
 * It means the place where the dead bodies are burnt. 
 These places are always in the charge of Chandalas, which is 
 the most degraded and hated caste amongst the Hindus. These 
 men help the friends of the deacesed to burn the body for a small 
 consideration. 
 
192 TALES OF IND. 
 
 [4] 
 
 The old Brahmin, who purchased the poor queen, 
 was a miserly demon and a heartless ruffian. He was 
 a man without any feelings for any man or woman of 
 the world. He loved money and money was the god 
 of his adoration. He purchased the poor queen by 
 paying money ; he, therefore, forced her to labour like 
 a beast of burden and treated her most cruelly. Her 
 life at his house was an unbroken chain of misery and 
 persecution. But Saibya suffered all in silence. She 
 starved herself in order to feed her most beloved 
 Rohitashiva. She had lost her dear husband, she had 
 lost her kingdom, she had lost all her earthly com- 
 forts, she had become the slave of a very cruel and 
 heartless man, but there was her lovely Rohitdshwa 
 by her side to comfort and console her ; he was the 
 only light in her life of misery and pain. 
 
 But alas. Misery had taken her for her own ! 
 One day when the boy went out to play with his 
 mates, a deadly snake bit him ; he came crying 
 home and soon became pale, for the deadly poison 
 spread all over his body. Oh, how the poor mother 
 cried with her dying son on her lap,— -how she 
 prayed for help ; how she piteously wept, — but alas, 
 none came to her rescue ! None pitied her and 
 
HARISHCHANDRA. 193 
 
 none said a word of sympathy for her great affliction. 
 But the cruel' Brahmin upbraided her for her loud 
 lamentations and drove her out of his house. 
 
 Rohit^shwa breathed his last on the lap of his 
 weeping mother ; it was night, — very dark and very 
 tempestuous ; not a human being could stir out, — 
 Nature was In her furious mood. The corpse that 
 lay on her lap, was to be burnt ; — ^the sweet thing 
 that was the joy and object of love and caress, was 
 to be placed on the funeral pyre to be burnt to 
 ashes ; no amount of weepings and lamentations 
 would help her ! She took up the boy and went 
 weeping to the burning Ghat, 
 
 But) alas, even the poorest of the poor requires 
 money to burn or bury the last remains of those that 
 once were dear and near to them. The thought never 
 occurred to her ; in her great bereavement she forgot 
 that she would require money to destroy the last 
 semblance of her dearest boy. She came to the 
 Glikt^ It was dreary and dark ; a solitary Chandal was 
 sitting on the bank of the river, immersed in his 
 own thoughts. Even the most degraded of the 
 human beings had his thoughts to dwell upon ! He 
 rose up when he heard wailings behind him. Pity and 
 sorrow no longer arose In his breast for the sad 
 and most painful bereavements of others ; so many 
 men, women and children he had burnt, — so many 
 
 13 
 
194 TALES OF IND. 
 
 bereaved parents, relatives and friends he had seen, 
 that no longer any emotion stirred into his mind. 
 He came near Saibyd and damanded the usual fee. 
 Alas, where would she get it, — she had not a pice 
 to spare 1 When the money was demanded, she 
 wept the more. 
 
 When the Chandal came with his light to see 
 the dead body, — it fell on the face of the bereaved 
 mother. The recognition was instantaneous. Saibya 
 fell on the breast of her husband and sobbed out, 
 "'Oh, look at my Rohitashwa ; he is no more." We 
 need not describe the scene, — it was heart-rending. 
 
 When the bereaved parents, when the most 
 unfortunate king and his most unhappy queen, were 
 bewailing over the corpse of their most beloved son, 
 Ris/ii Viswdmitra appeared on the scene. ''King," 
 said he, "\ou grew very proud and arrogant, and that 
 is the reason why I made you come so low and why 
 you have suffered unbearable woes. But you have 
 come out of the trial victorious. You have by your 
 most noble deed secured a name which will give 
 lusture to generations to come. Bring the child to 
 me, — I shall revive it. Go back to your kingdom, — 
 it is yours." 
 
 The Rishi gave life to the corpse of the dead 
 prince. Next day the king and the queen with their 
 son started for their capital. There was joy and 
 
HARISHCHANDRA. 
 
 195 
 
 merriment all over the kingdom ; and they were 
 very very happy. 
 
 King Harishchandra and queen Saibya lived 
 for many years. None there was in their kingdom 
 who had any wants. Poor men had only to come at 
 the Royal palace and point out their grievances ; 
 religious men had only to send words to his court 
 and all their demands were supplied. Happy were 
 the people that lived under the benign rule of king 
 Harishchandra, 
 
PARASURAMA. 
 
 [1] 
 
 X GREAT hero rose from the rank c Brahmins ^ 
 
 J^X and thrice seven times he defeated and i 
 
 conquered the Kshatryas, who were the most power- \ 
 ful warrior-caste of the ancient Hindus. This hero 
 
 was Parasurama^ the son of Jdmadagn?) one of ; 
 
 the most celebrated Rishis of ancient India. Away i 
 
 from the noisy world the old Risht lived in the i 
 
 solitude of a great forest, adoring the unknowable I 
 
 One and meditating upon His wonderful Creation, i 
 
 Thus years after years rolled away In studying the \ 
 
 Vedas^ and practising the Voga. At last the Rishi \ 
 
 * The Vedas are the most holy and ancient boolcs of the j 
 
 Hindus, and are considered to be the words of God. Rik^ Yayu, I 
 
PARASURAMA. 197 
 
 came out of his solitary abode and travelled all 
 over the country, till he came to the kingdom of 
 Raja Prasanajit, The king had a most charming 
 daughter, named Renuka^ whom the Rishi saw and 
 thought of marrying. The mighty Ruler dared not 
 refuse him ; he gave away his daughter to the ascetic 
 Brahmin, who took her away to his forest-home. 
 
 Princess Renuka was virtuous and good ; she 
 was a most faithful wife and a dutiful help-mate ot 
 her husband. She never complained for the greaf 
 change that came upon her life ; she was never sorry 
 to live the life of an ascetic, though she was a great 
 princess. She lived happily for years till one after 
 another five sons were born to her, the last being the 
 hero of this tale. 
 
 Once on a time princess Renuka went to bathe 
 in the river that flowed by the side of their hermitage. 
 She met on her way prince Chittraratha of 
 Mirtikahati\ and alas, human heart is so weak, so 
 frail, so unknowable, that she, who had renounced all 
 pleasures and luxuries of a royal palace for the rigid 
 asceticism of the forest through her strong sense of 
 duty, fidelity and chastity, allowed unworthy thoughts 
 to arise Into her mind ! She came back disturbed to 
 the hermitage and her husband perceived her 
 
 Bikm and Athurba, these are the four Vedas. But the Vedas often 
 mean the whole of Hindu Theology. 
 
igS TALES OF IND. 
 
 agitations. Seeing that she had fallen from perfection ' 
 
 and lost the lusture of sanctity, Jamadagni reproved ; 
 
 her and was exceedingly angry. \ 
 
 There came her sons from the wood, and each, ; 
 as he entered the cottage, was commanded by his 
 
 father to put his mother to death. Amazed they stood ' 
 
 silent, — how could they commit such an unnatural i 
 
 and horrible crime ? I 
 
 At last came Parasurama. "Son," said the angry '■ 
 
 Rishi, ''Kill thy mother ; she has sinned." ''Father," ; 
 replied the son, "I must obey your command." He 
 
 took up his axe and beheaded Renuka. "Well," | 
 
 said Jamadagni, "You have obeyed my command | 
 
 and done an act hard to perform. I am pleased with ■ 
 
 you and willing to grant you whatever blessings you j 
 
 demand." "Father," said Parasurdma, "If you so i 
 
 please, restore my mother to life and advice me what \ 
 
 to do to expatiate the great crime and sin that I have \ 
 
 committed by killing my mother." "Son," replied i 
 
 he, "I restore your mother to life and advise you to I 
 
 visit all the holy places to expatiate the sin that you ! 
 
 have committed under my command." ' 
 
 Parasurdma left the hermitage of his father i 
 
 and went away to travel over the country. Here | 
 
 in his absence the mighty king Kirtaviryya came to ' 
 
 his father's holy-seat and was received in great j 
 
 honour. But the proud king, instead of requiting i 
 
PARASURAMA, 199 
 
 the hospitality of the Rishi, took away by force the 
 calf of the milch-cow of the holy hermitage. 
 
 When Parsurdma returned, he was told what 
 had happened. He was a man of high spirit^ — he 
 was a giant in physical strength and a great warrior 
 in arms ; he at once took up his axe and went to 
 kill the king for his most impudent conduct. There 
 was a great fight between the two, but at last the 
 king fell. Parasurdma struck off his head and took 
 it to his father. 
 
 The sons of Kirtaviryya determined to revenge 
 their father's death. They came with a large army 
 and surrounded the holy hermitage of the old Rishi. 
 Unfortunately Parasurdma was absent from home ; 
 thus they unopposed destroyed the holy-seat of the 
 Rishi, killed him whom they could lay hand upon 
 and slew the pious and unresisting sage. When 
 Parasurdma returned home he found his father 
 cruelly murdered and his hermitage mercilessly 
 destroyed. 
 
 He silently performed the last obsequies of his 
 father and placed his body on the funeral pile. 
 When the fire blazed in great fury over the dead 
 body of the old Rishi, Parasiirama in the name of 
 all that was holy made a vow facing the fire that he 
 would kill all the sons of Kirtaviryya, — nay he 
 would exterminate the whole of the Kshatriya race 
 
200 TALES OF IND. 
 
 from the face of the earth to revenge his father's foul 
 murder. 
 
 With the terrible axe on his shoulder and his 
 fearful bow and deadly arrows on his back he left 
 his father's hermitage and came out of the forest. 
 It was a fearful carnage he began ; he killed all the 
 sons of Kirtavtryya, — nay each and every one of 
 his royal house. He then left the place and went to 
 kill other Kshatriyas. Thrice seven times he 
 exterminated the Kshatriya race from the face of 
 the earth, and filled up with Kshatriya blood seven 
 big tanks. There on the banks of these bloody tanks 
 he performed his father's Srdddha ceremoney and 
 his last obsequies. 
 
 He then went to king Janaka and left w^ith him 
 his fearful bow.^ Thence he retired to the holy 
 mountains and passed his time in meditations and 
 prayers. 
 
 * See Ramayana. 
 
BISHAYA. 
 
 [ 1 ] 
 
 Yf) ,ISHAYA was a most beautiful and accomplished 
 Ji^ Princess of the Lunar Dynasty. She was the 
 only daughter of her father and consequently the 
 heir-apparent to the throne of his kingdom. She 
 was the joy of her parents and beloved of all their 
 people. She was intelligent and learned ; — she had 
 received the education befitting her great rank and 
 the high and responsible duties which sooner or later 
 she would be called upon to perform. 
 
 But education, learning or accomplishments have 
 no hold on one's heart. Sense of duty, intelligence, 
 
202 TALES OF IND. 
 
 prudence or all the higher faculties of mind cannot 
 control the unknowable emotion which is known 
 by the name of love. It blossoms up in one's mind 
 so suddenly as to take him by surprise ; it ignites, as 
 quick as gun-powder and blazes up in great fury. It 
 never pauses to think who and what is the object of 
 its love ; it loves and madly continues to love without 
 knowing why it does. Princess Bishayd fell in love 
 with a young man of his father's court, named 
 Chandrahasha. He was an orphan boy, brought 
 up in charity but he was handsome, educated and 
 accomplished. He was greatly loved by the king 
 and he was a favourite of all the court. Wherever the 
 king went, Chandrahasha was sure to be by his side. 
 The king loved him and he loved the king. 
 
 He saw the princess more than once ; he had 
 the honour of talking with her and the pleasure of 
 accompanying her to many places ; but he had no 
 particular love for her. He had the highest admira- 
 tion and the greatest respect for her, but not that 
 unexplainable love which a young man feels for a 
 young woman. He never knew, — and the thought 
 never occurred to him, — that the princess had any 
 other feelings for her than the ordinary sympathy and 
 affection for one whom her father loved. He never 
 knew that he had occupied her heart and become the 
 sole object of her adoration. 
 
BISHAVA. 20- 
 
 Although no body knew it, the companions and 
 maids of the princess knew the state of the feelings 
 ot their mistress. She did never hid it, — she never 
 tried to put a veil over her loving heart, — she openly 
 and often told them that if she would marry at all^ 
 she would marry Chandrahasha. The maids thought 
 it their duty to acquaint the queen with the state 
 of her dauofhter's feelino^s ; — for the matter was a 
 very serious one ; — she being the heir-apparent could 
 by no means marry the unknown young man. The 
 queen told the king what had happened. ''Well," said 
 he, ''It is a serious matter no doubt. She cannot by 
 any means marry this young man. She is sensible and 
 educated, — convince her of her folly and induce her 
 to give up the idea." "My Lord," replied the queen, 
 "You know not what love Is. Before it education, 
 cleverness, intelligence, all fly as dust does before a 
 storm. She cannot be induced to forget love. Separa- 
 tion is the only remedy to cure this disease ; therefore 
 remove the young man from her presence." The 
 king held a council of his ministers and discussed the 
 matter. They unanimously agreed to the proposal 
 of the queen, but they went further and said that 
 he ought to be killed ; — for If he be sent away who 
 would prevent him from coming secretely to the 
 Princess ? But was it not very cruel to kill a most 
 innocent youngman for no fault of his ! The king 
 
204 TALES OF IND. 
 
 really loved him ; he agreed to the foul deed only 
 through his strong sense of duty, but he positively 
 declined to have the deed done in his presence or 
 when he would be in his capital. If it be done at all, 
 it should be done as secretly as possible. 
 
 [2] 
 
 The king and the queen with all their staff went 
 out on a hunting-excursion. A solitary minister was 
 left behind to administer the State and to do what he 
 would be instructed to do by the king as regards 
 Chandrahasha. The young man was ordered to 
 accompany the royal suite, but Princess Bishaya 
 was left in the capital. None knew the secret plot 
 that was laid to remove the poor and innocent young 
 man from this world, for not loving, but being loved 
 by another. Bishaya knew nothing of it, and 
 Chandrahdsha never dreamt that his life had been 
 aimed at. 
 
 The king left the capital and went to a distant 
 forest. There he encamped and passed a few days 
 in hunting. One day he asked Chandrahdsha to 
 appear before him and when he came and saluted 
 him in due respect he addressed him thus. ''I am 
 entrusting you with a most important State paper. 
 Take horse immediately and deliver it to the minister 
 
BISHAVA. 205 
 
 in charge of the State/' Chdndrahdsha was greatly 
 flattered,— his joy knew no bounds. He had beeft 
 honoured with the royal confidence and had been made 
 an agent to carry most important and confidential 
 State papers to the royal court* He immediately took 
 horse and rode as fast as the horse could carry him. 
 He covered miles in minutes and flew like a whirlwind^ 
 
 But his horse broke dowrt when he had come 
 almost at the gate of the city. The poor brute could 
 not go a step further unless it was allowed to take 
 some rest. Chandrahdsha was forced to halt ; he 
 got down from his horse and sat at the foot of a tree. 
 He was very much fatigued ; as he lay half-reclined 
 to the treCj the all-asSuaglng Sleep Came upon him 
 and he fell into a deep slumber. 
 
 Princess Bhhay^ was left behind in the palace 
 and she knew not that a secret plot had been 
 arranged to remedy the disease that had taken 
 possession of her loving heart. She Was melancholy ; 
 ' — she Was not happy^ she did not get any pleasure 
 in any thing, but she kneW not w'hy. Is it because 
 her parents had gone away ? Is it because they 
 Were absent from her ? Is it because they did not 
 care to allow her to accompany them ? No, — she 
 was happy in her own pleasure from her childhood. 
 Her beloved companions were all by her side ; all 
 the pleasures and luxuries were at her disposal ; the 
 
206 TALES OF IND. 
 
 whole kingdom was at her feet, — why, she had no 
 wants to feel and no grievance to make. But she 
 was not happy ; the fragrant flowers that were her joy, 
 the sweet songs that were her favourites, the plays 
 and games that were her amusements, did not and 
 could not please her ; something was wrong some- 
 where. She felt a vacuum In the Innermost depth of 
 her heart and she tried not to feel It by every possible 
 means but without any avail. Chandrahasha was gone 
 and with him her joy, her pleasure, her happiness. 
 She smiled at her own weakness, she tried to get rid 
 of the feelings, she attempted to be merry, — but alas, 
 all in vain ! She sang, she danced, she played, but 
 no, — the sweet face of her lover was always before 
 her eyes, and it made her melancholy morose and 
 unhappy. Nothing gave her pleasure, she grew so 
 restless ! She avoided her companions and passed hours 
 in silent meditations. Nothing is so pleasureable as 
 the thoughts of love. Her companions marked the 
 change that had come upon her ; they tried all possible 
 means to amuse her and to while away her time. 
 They induced her to go out and play in gardens 
 and groves ; they took her to many places, hoping to 
 cheer her up by new scenes and new pastimes. 
 
 In one of these excursions Vvm<z^^'=> Bishaycu came 
 with her maids to the garden where the young man fell 
 asleep. She tried to be happy with her companions ; 
 
BISHAYA. 207 
 
 she attempted to be merry with the song and dance 
 that were got up for her, but alas, nothing could 
 please her. She slipped out of their company and 
 went to the most solitary corner of the garden. There 
 she walked alone In her own thoughts, dreamlnof of 
 Chandrahasha and his sweet face. But was she really 
 dreaming ! She stood amazed to find before her the 
 very object of her love, peacefully sleeping and 
 reclining on the trunk of a tree. She came near 
 him and saw a packet underneath his breast-plate. 
 What is greater than curiosity In a woman's heart ! 
 She carefully took it up without disturbing her lover ; 
 she opened it and read the short lines it contained. 
 It ran as follows, — "Give without least delay Bisha 
 (poison) to Chandrahasha^ the bearer of this." The 
 letter was signed by her own father ! Her head 
 reeled and she would have fallen, if she did not 
 place-herself on the tree. But soon she regained 
 her self-control and determined to save her 
 lover. She took up a pin from her hair and with 
 this pin and with the collyrium that was in her 
 beautiful eyes, she carefully immltated her father's 
 hand and added the letters Yd just after Bisha 
 (poison). Thus It became Bishaya the princess, 
 instead of Bisha the poison. She carefully folded 
 the letter, placed It back where it was and left the 
 young man to sleep quietly at the foot of the tree. 
 
TALES OF IND* 
 
 But soon Chandrahaslia got up and hastened 
 to the palace. He duly delivered the letter to the 
 minister in charge. Pie was astonished to find that 
 he had been ordered to bestow the royal Princess on 
 the young man. But he thought that the king must 
 have changed his mind and as he Was acconr^panied by 
 all the ministers, they must have found some strong 
 reasons to advice him to give away the princess to 
 Chandfahashd, So he made no delay ; the very next 
 morning he married the princess lo Chaiidrah^sha in 
 due form and in all solemnity. What was the king's 
 astonishment when he found on his return to the 
 capital that the young man to whom he ordered 
 poison to be given had become his son-in-law ! He 
 was awfully annoyed, but there was no help ; it was 
 done and could not be undone. 
 
 He reproved the minister, but he showed the 
 king the letter in Which Btsliaya and not Bisha was 
 written in very clear letters. The king thought 
 Chandrahaslia must have secretly opened the 
 letter and made the alteration ; but the princess 
 appeared before her royal father, fell on her knees 
 and said, 'father, if any body is to be punished for 
 the act, it is I ; for I did it." The king pardoned her 
 Q.nd Bishayd and Chandrahasha became very happy. 
 
THE DANAVA KING. 
 [1] 
 
 )Q|^HERE rose from the ranks of the vicious and 
 X wicked Danava kings a Ruler as mighty in 
 arms, as virtuous and noble in deeds, as good, 
 generous and charitable, as the king of the gods or 
 the great Preserver himself. His compeers conquered 
 the heaven and earth by their might, but king Bali 
 conquered them by his goodness, by his exemplary 
 character, by his great charity, generosity and 
 nobleness."^ Rishis were respected and honoured, — 
 
 * Taraka, Betra, Shambhu, (see Battle of Gods and demons), 
 Ravana, (see the Monkey War), Hiranyakashipu, (see Prahlad) all 
 these Danava kings were powerful and great in their wickedness 
 but here is a contrast. 
 
210 TALES OF IND. 
 
 learning was encouraged by endowments and grants, 
 Brahmins were enriched and the poor were supplied 
 with all their wants. His brother kings, his mighty 
 predecessorsjhis great ancestors, conquered the lands, 
 the cities, the kingdoms of the world and the blissful 
 and happy sovereignty of heaven, but king Bali won 
 the heart of both man and god. 
 
 Gods and Goddesses lost all hold over the heart 
 of humanity ; — men and women began to worship 
 king Bali instead of gods and goddesses. The 
 sovereignty of heaven over the earth was gone. 
 Well, it went further. The goodness of BalivosQ over 
 that of the celestial kingdom ; — gods and goddesses 
 began to leave their happy homes and to emigrate 
 to the blissful and loving kingdom of the Ddnava 
 king. 
 
 Indra, the king of the gods, lost his sovereignty 
 over the earth and found it difficult to retain his 
 hold over his own kingdom of heaven. He was 
 never in such a crisis. In olden days when the 
 Ddnavas tried to conquer his kingdom and empire, 
 he defended himself with arms, he gave them 
 battle, he fought with them for years and kept them 
 at bay at the gate of heaven, — he struggled to retain 
 his possesions, — but here in the case of king Bali 
 he could do nothing ; he was thoroughly helpless. 
 When he fought with the Ddnavas his gods stood 
 
THE DANAVA KING. 211 
 
 by him as men ; there was not a single dissentient 
 voice, there was none who went over to the enemy's 
 camp, — but now not one, but hundreds went over 
 to the good and generous king Bali, 
 
 Indra repaired to Baikuntha"^ and prayed to 
 the great Preserver to save his Empire or to allow 
 him to retire, so that Bali might be placed on the 
 throne of heaven. *'My son," said the great God, 
 *'A Ddnava cannot be made the Ruler of heaven and 
 earth. I shall soon go down to the world and do 
 the needful to put you at rest." 
 
 Vishnu left his heavenly throne and took birth 
 in the womb of Aditi, the wife of the great Rishi 
 Kashyapa. He incarnated himself to save the 
 sovereignty of gods over the heaven and the earth. 
 
 [2] 
 
 The boy that was born to great Rishi Kashyapa 
 was a dwarf, t — very small in stature but very 
 intelligent in look. He appeared to be a prodigy, 
 for he mastered the Vedas before he went through 
 the ceremony of the holy-thread. { He was the 
 
 * BaikuntJia is the seat of Vishnu. 
 
 t Dwarf was the fifth incarnation of Vishnu. See the note in 
 Prahldda. 
 
 X The ceremony of holy-thread is a sort of Baptismal. It is 
 a ceremony in which the boy begins to wear a thread round his 
 
212 TALES OF IND. 
 
 beloved of all the Rishis and the favourite of all the 
 ladies.^ 
 
 He grew up and the time for his Braamacharya 
 came. Rishi Kashyapa solemnised the ceremony 
 in due form and as the boy would have to maintain 
 himself by begging alms, he was sent out to make a 
 beginning at the palace of the most kind, generous 
 and charitable king Bali. 
 
 The little man went and appeared at the 
 court of the great Danava king. None came 
 there and went back disappointed ; riches were 
 showered over the needy in the court of king Bait. 
 When the boy appeared, the king received him 
 in great honour and asked him what he could do for 
 him. *'0h, generous king," said the boy, "Do you 
 promise to grant me what I shall ask from you ?" 
 "My good sir," replied the king, "I have made a vow- 
 not to refuse any body. I have never broken through 
 the vow ; therefore, you can safely ask me what you 
 want. Know for certain that it shall be granted." 
 "Then, Oh king," said the boy, "Give me land that 
 
 neck, and which, being the emblem of a Brahmin, is considered 
 to be very holy, and enters upon his student-life. From the day of 
 this cereomny which is called Brahmacharya, i.e. the life for 
 preparation to be a Brahmin, he is to observe strict celebacy, to 
 cultivate all moral virtues and to practise rigid studious habits. 
 
 * Celebacy was not the strict rule for a Rishi. There were 
 MAny Rishis who were married. 
 
THE DANAVA KING. 213 
 
 would be covered by my three feet." The king 
 and the court smiled at the boy's demand ; they 
 thought him mad ; they took him for an idiot. 
 ''My good boy," said the king, "Ask riches, ask 
 kingdom, sovereignty or whatever you will, but the 
 small piece of land that you demand will do you no 
 good." "No, king," replied the boy, "I want nothing 
 else. Tell me whether you agree to give it to me or 
 not." 
 
 The king smiled and was at the point of 
 replying in the affirmative, when Sukra^ the great 
 Preceptor of the Ddnavas, rose and said, "King, do 
 not argee to grant the land asked for by this Brahmin 
 boy. It will be your ruin and with you the ruin of 
 the Danavas. Know then, he is no other than great 
 Vishnu himself. He has come in this shape to 
 delude you and to take out of your hands the great 
 sovereignty you have been able to acquire." 
 
 The king could not believe what was told to him. 
 Who could believe that the little man before him was 
 the great God himself ! Although It was said by 
 his great Preceptor, still he thought that the great 
 Rishi could by no means be correct, at least In his 
 this surmise. 
 
214 TALES OF IND. 
 
 [3] 
 
 "Great Preceptor," said king Bali, "If this boy 
 be really Vishnu and has come to delude me and 
 to take away my possessions, still I cannot but 
 grant him what he asks, for it is the solemn vow 
 of my life." Then he turned towards the boy and 
 said, "My gentle sir, I agree to grant you the land 
 you ask from me." "Oh king," replied the boy, 
 "I thank you for your generosity. Come, bestow it 
 on me in due form.""^ But where was the great 
 Preceptor who was required to perform the ceremony 
 of bestowal ? Rishi Sukra had great love for king 
 Bali and the Danava race. He saw ruin staring the 
 king in his face ; he determined to make a last effort 
 to save king Bali and the Danavas. He entered 
 into the water-pot and stopped its mouth, so that the 
 holy-water might not fall from the pot ; for it was 
 absolutely necessary for the ceremony of bestowal. 
 
 When the Preceptor was not found, the boy told 
 the king that he would himself perform it and officiate 
 for his absent Preceptor. The king sat on a holy 
 seat and tried to get water from the pot, but without 
 avail. "Oh king," said the boy, "take one of these 
 
 * In this ceremony the bestower takes up holy water in the 
 palm of his hands and utter some verses dictated by the Preceptor 
 in honour of the great God. 
 
THE DANAVA KING. 215 
 
 Kusha grasses and clean the mouth of the pot/' The 
 king did as he was ordered ; — he sent a Kusha grass 
 through the mouth of the pot and it struck one of 
 the eyes of the great Rishi^ who was there to prevent 
 the water from coming out. He was made blind 
 and in pain and sorrow he fled from the place. 
 
 The ceremony was performed. ''Oh king," said 
 the boy, ''Show me the land that you would give 
 me." "My good boy," replied the king, "Make your 
 own choice. I am the lord of both heaven and 
 earth ; you can select the place that you want." 
 
 At once the boy transformed himself into the 
 mighty, unknowable, and undescribable God which 
 he was. He covered heaven with one foot and the 
 earth with the other. "Bali!^ said he, "I have taken 
 earth and heaven ; what else you would give me for 
 my third foot". 
 
 The good and great Bali stood firm ; he was 
 unmoved ; he was unchanged. "Great and mighty 
 God," said he, "Where is your third foot that you 
 demand land for it ?" "Well," said the great 
 Preserver, "Here it is." And a mighty leg issued 
 from the centre of his body. "Bali," said Vishnu, 
 "show me the land for it." "Here it is," said the king 
 and took it on his own head. There were acclama- 
 tions all over the universe and loud and continual 
 cheerings for the great deed done by the Danava king. 
 
2l6 
 
 TALES OF IND. 
 
 Well, he had given to the great God his sover- 
 eignty of heaven and earth ; well, he had given up 
 himself too to hold his third foot, — where should he 
 now go, — what could he now do without the 
 command of his great Master ? He was sent to the 
 infernal regions, there to live on refuse of men and 
 Gods * 
 
 * It is said that Vishnu gave Bali a chance to live in heaven. 
 He was told that if he agreed to be accompanied by one hundred 
 fools, he could go and live in heaven. But king Bali preferred 
 living in the infernal regions to going to heaven with one hundred 
 fools. 
 
A.PPE]SrDIX. 
 
 [A] 
 
 GITA, WHAT IT IS. 
 
 Gita Is an episode of the great Sanskrit Epic 
 Mahdbhdrata. It contains the Instructions that were 
 given by Srikrishna to Arjuna at the field of 
 Kurukshetra, when the latter absolutely declined to 
 fight with his relatives and friends. We need not 
 discuss the point, (it has been done by greater men) 
 whether Gita is really a part of the great Epic or an 
 after addition, whether the instructions contained 
 in It were really given by Srikrishna or they are 
 from the Imagination of the author and whether 
 Srikrishna had at all anything to do with this part 
 of the Epic. These Instructions were said to have 
 been delivered by him; the great author of the 
 Mahdbharta, himself made Srikrishna the speaker 
 of Gita ; It is the general belief of the Hindus from 
 generation to generation, and reviewing the life of 
 Srikrishna one would find that the justification of 
 many events of his eventful life lies only in the doc- 
 trines preached in the Gita. 
 
When the two armies eneamped in the field of 
 battle and stood in battle 2irr3.y, A rjuna asked his friend 
 Srikrishna to place his chariot in such a position 
 as to allow him an opportunity to see the contending 
 armies. Krishna did as requested and then Arjiina 
 exclaimed. : — "Seeing these kinsmen, O Krishna^ 
 standing here desirous to engage in battle, my limbs 
 droop down, my mouth is quite dried up ; a tremor 
 comes on my body and my hairs stand on end ; my 
 bow slips from my hand ; my skin burns intensely. 
 I am unable too to stand up ; my mind whirls round 
 as it were. I see adverse omens and I do not 
 perceive any good to accrue after killing my kinsmen 
 in the battle. I do not wish for victory, nor 
 sovereignty, nor pleasures. Even those for whobC 
 sake we desire sovereignty, enjoyments and pleasures 
 are standing here for battle, abondoning life and 
 wealth ; — preceptors, father, sons, as well as grand- 
 father, maternal uncles, father-in-law, grand-sons, 
 brothers-in-law as also other relatives. These I do 
 not wish to kill, though they kill me. Even for the 
 sake of sovereignty over the three worlds, how much 
 less than for this earth a!one? Alas, we are engaged 
 in committing a heinous sin, seeing that we are 
 makinof efforts for killinsf our own kinsmen out 
 of the greed of the pleasures of sovereignty. 
 Tell me what is assuredly good for me, I am your 
 disciple." 
 
Ill 
 
 This Is a nice picture of the frame of Arjuna^s 
 mind who was expected to tread down every sort of 
 religious and moral virtues and to commit all sorts of 
 recognised sins and vices to win the battle. Had not 
 Srikrishna put forth some thoroughly new doctrines 
 and justified the acts on moral grounds, no sane man 
 would have been willing to win the battle at such 
 moral and mental a sacrifice. 
 
 To Arjuna the great king of Dwarka replied, 
 "You grieve for those who deserve no grief. Learned 
 men grieve not for the living, nor the dead. Never 
 did I exist, nor you, nor these rulers of men, 
 nor will any one of us ever hereafter cease to be. 
 He who thinks it to be the killer and he who thinks 
 it to be killed, both know nothing. It kills not, is 
 not killed. It is not born, nor does it ever die. 
 Therefore knowing it to be such, you ought not to 
 grieve." 
 
 This is the stand-point upon which Srikrishna 
 builds up his new Philosophy. He says, — this world 
 is nothing but a shadow of an invisible world, — 
 behind the visible shadow stands a world that is 
 ''everlasting unchangeable, all pervading, stable, 
 firm and eternal." If that be the case, "Your actions 
 cannot have any effects whatever over this Invisible 
 universe. You can do whatever you like, but that will 
 not do harm or do s^oodtothat wonderful world. You 
 feel sorrowjfor you think and believe that your actions 
 
IV 
 
 will have effects on the world, — no, nothing of the 
 sort. You are mere a shadow." 
 
 Then Srikrishna goes on to say, ''He whose 
 mind is deluded by egoism thinks himself the doer 
 of actions, which is every way done by the qualities 
 of Nature. All beings follow Nature. That, O son 
 of Kuntiy which through delusion you do not wish to 
 do, you will do uivoluntarily. The Lord, O Arjuna^ 
 is seated in the region of the heart of all beings, 
 turning round all beings, as though mounted on a 
 machine, by his delusion." All this means in plain 
 words that you do nothing ; — you are really a shadoiv. 
 Some body else i.e. God, acts and you by your 
 egoism think that you act, which is not the case. 
 
 This delusion produces pain and misery. How 
 this mental delusion could be removed ? By 
 knowledge, and the effect of knowledge is devotion. 
 Srikrishna says, ''The wise who have obtained 
 devotion repair to that seat where there is no 
 unhappiness." Then he goes on, "When your mind 
 will stand yfrm and steady in contemplation, then will 
 you acquire devotion." 
 
 This mental delusion is the very root of egoism 
 in the human mind. This produces in the mind the 
 idea that one exists. It is needless to say that it is 
 therefore a most difficult task for a man to get rid of 
 this delusion, which is in fact nothing else but the 
 idea of self-existence. 
 
Srikrisna said that It can be done away with by 
 acquiring knowledge^ — the effect of which would be 
 devotion. Then he went on to mention various ways 
 and means of acquiring knowledge and devotlon^whlch 
 we need not mention here. The key-note of his 
 Philosophy was told In a few words when he said, ''He 
 who regardless of the fruits of actions, performs the 
 actions which ought to be performed Is the Devotee." 
 So you are to act, but without a mind. In that case 
 to you there will be no good or bad, virtue or sin. 
 He himself said, ''Actions defile me not, for I have 
 no attachment for the fruits of actions." 
 
 To a man, whose mind (which Is the centre of 
 perception of this visible world) Is destroyed and 
 who sees not this world but the real world that exists 
 behind, all acts are without any permanent results ; 
 they are mere shadows. He is like the sky which 
 every moment takes various shades, shapes and 
 colours, but does not feel whatsoever. 
 
 Only he can be such a man who always sees 
 clearly before him the Invisible but real world. 
 In the Gitci It Is mentioned, that all the argu- 
 ments of Srikrishna failed to convince Arjuna the 
 unreality of the visible universe, and then he was 
 obliged to show him the Invisible world, which when 
 seen by Arjuna at once drove out of his mind the 
 delusion, and made him see at once the unreality 
 of this world. Srikrishna said, "With God and God 
 
VI 
 
 only, O Arjuna, seek shelter in every way ; by his 
 favour you will obtain the highest tranquility, the 
 eternal seat." 
 
 The summary of the whole thing would be the 
 following ; — This world is unreal and a mere shadow 
 of an invisible world that lies behind it ; that world 
 is unchangeable, firm and ever-lasting, therefore the 
 changes, the pain and pleasure, virtue and sin, 
 good and bad, are all sentimental creations of human- 
 mind ; that mind has the delusion which makes man 
 believe that he really exists and acts, whereas he does 
 not exist and act at all ; that this idea of self existence 
 makes man feel pain and pleasure, good and bad, virtue 
 and sin. That man wants to get rid of this senti- 
 mental and self-created unhappiness and misery. In 
 that case, he is to destroy this delusion from his 
 mind : this can be effected by knowlege and devotion. 
 There are many means to acquire knowlege and 
 devotion, — but the simplest of the means is to entirely 
 depend upon God and God alone ; and to act without 
 any attachment for the fruits of action. If a man 
 be fortunate to bring himself to this state, he enjoys 
 perfect bliss, and actions however bad, wicked and 
 horrible to general eyes, defile him not, and acts 
 however good, noble and virtuous raise him not. 
 We would ask our readers to mark the character of 
 Srtkrishna, He seems to have reached this sort 
 of perfection. 
 
Vll 
 
 [B] 
 
 YOGA, WHAT IT IS. 
 
 From the brief summary of Gita In the Appendix A. 
 readers must have got an Idea of the Philosophy 
 on which the Hindu Religion is based. Surely there 
 are different schools of Hindu Phelosophy, but In 
 fact they all agree In saying that this world is unreal 
 and that God only Is real. If a man wants salvation 
 and perfect bliss he must go up to him and mix 
 himself up with that great SouL. Salvation means 
 destruction of Individual soul and unification of that 
 soul with the great Spirit. There are mentioned 
 various means to effect this, — one of which is 
 Yoga. It Is the scientific way of doing It. Yoga 
 says that man can get salvation by performing some 
 specified actions and by practising some defined 
 formulas. It Is said that Risln Pdtonjali was the 
 founder of this School of Philosophy, but evidently 
 as time went on other Rishis made many novel and 
 new Innovations of Yoga practices. But the aim of all 
 of them was the same. 
 
 Rishi Pato7ijali divided the Yoga into eight 
 different steps or stages, — one after another of which 
 is to be practised. They are as follow, — (i) Jama 
 means practising self-control. (2) Niyama means 
 performing all moral duties, (3) Askana means 
 
Vlll 
 
 practising particular modes of sitting, (4) Pranaydm, 
 means practising particular modes of breathing, (5) 
 Protydhar means practising the restraint of thoughts, 
 
 (6) Dhdna means meditation and perception of Spirit 
 
 (7) Dhdrdna means retention of the idea, (8) 
 Shamddhi means final unity with the great Spirit. 
 When a man perfects himself in Ja?na, then he is 
 to practise Niyama and so on till he reaches the 
 last stage. 
 
 When a man reaches the state of Samddhi he 
 gets salvation, but he acquires as he goes on 
 practising Yoga step by step, innumerable miraculous 
 and wonderful powers. In many of the tales in 
 this book, readers have found miraculous acts 
 performed by Rishis. It is said they acquired these 
 powers by practising Yoga. It is further mentioned 
 that a man who has become a perfect adept in Yoga 
 possesses all the attributes of God. It is deeply to 
 be regreted that this scientific process of acquiring 
 salvation was kept a great secret and was taught to 
 only a favoured few. Thus at the modern time we 
 find hardly any man, although many try, who has 
 become a perfect adept in it or who knows how to 
 practise it. We find the Yoga processes described 
 in the book, but hardly there is a man In any part 
 of India who can comprehend all the passages and 
 can explain them to others. 
 
yin 
 
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