24 - The story of Kuvalayáśhva (continued).

The Recovery of Madálasá.

The Nága king Ashvatara asks Kuvalayáshva what gift he can confer on him-Kuvalayášhva replies he needs nothing, and is sufficiently gratified by the king’s favour. The king urges him and at his sons’ suggestion the prince asks to see Madulasá even in illusion - The bring brings her in as an illusion, and afterwards restores her to Kuvalayáshva. 

Jada spoke.

1 His two sons and the king’s son respectfully attended the

2 high souled king of the Nágas, after he had banquetted. The high-souled Nága manifested kindly regard towards his sons’

 3 friend with suitable conversation, and said, “Declare, Sir what pleasure I must do thoe who hast entered my house: 

cast away hesitation towards me as a son would towards his father. Whether silver or gold, raiment, carriages, or seats, or whatever thou dost highly appreciate that is hard to be got-ask that of me.”

Kuvalayáshva spoke.

5 “Through thy favour, illustrious Sir! gold and other wealth are in my father’s house; I have no need of any such thing

6 at all now. While my father rules this earth for thousands of years and thou also rulest Pátála, my mind is not expectant

7 in solicitation. They are both possessed of Svarga and are very rich in merit, who from their youth possess, in their father’s lifetime, a mere particle* of wealth amidst his

*Wealth as small as the point of a blade of grass,

8 krores of wealth, friends equally-educated, and a body free from sickness. My father† holds the wealth; hore I not youth? When wealth is wanting, mon’s minds become prone to petitions, When I have it in full measure, how shall

† Read janitrá for janitá, 

10 my tongue make petition? Those who need not think whether they have any riches at home or not, happy are they, sheltered in the shadow of the tree of their father’s arm,

11 But those, who oven from childhood losing their father have had the care of a family, they have in my opinion, through the ruin of their tasto for happiness, been tricked by

12 the Creator. We therefore through thy favour always give willingly to supplicants the hoards of money, gems and other

13 wealth left by our fathers. I have everything then here, since I have touched thy feet with my crest-jowel, since I have touched thy body.”

Jada spoke.

14 Being answered thus in a modest speech, the noble Nága replied kindly to the young prince, the benefactor of his sons. 

The Nága spoke.

 15 “If it be not thy mind to receive of me gems, gold or other gift; whatever else may please thy mind, mention thou it. I will give it thee.”

Kuvalayáshva spoke.

 16 “My lord, through thy favour, I whom thou dost ask ha everything at home: it has beon gained especially through

 17 sight of thee. And herein I am successful, and my life has been rewarded, that I a mortal have embraced thy body

 18 art divine; that tho dust of thy feet has found a seat on my head. What indeed have I not gained thereby, O Naga

19 king? But if thou needs must give me the boon tha desire, then let not the faculty of working righteousness

20 depart from my heart. Gold, gems, jewels and such like carriages, houses, seats, women, food and drink, and children,

21 and tasteful garlands and ointments, -both these vario objects of desire, and also vocal and instrumental music a whatever other music there be-all this I hold to be the fruit

 22 of the tree of good works. Therefore, a man must start from the root thereof; he must exert himself, while ruling his spirit; nothing in the world is hard of attainment to the who adhere to good works.”

Aśhvatara spoke.

 23 “So shall thy mind be, O wise man, relying on righteouness; and truly all this is the fruit of righteousness as thou

24 hast said. Nevertheless, thou must certainly take, now that thou hast entered my house, what thou thinkest hard to gained in the human world.”

Jada spoke.

25     Having heard this his speech, the young prince then

 26 looked at the faces of the Nága king’s sons. Thereupon both those heroes prostrating themselves told their father clearly all the young prince’s thoughts. 

The sons spoke.

27     “When this prince’s beloved wife heard that he was slain she forsook her dear life, being deceived by a certain cruel

 28 bad-minded Dánava, who showed his enmity. She was the

 29 daughter of the Gandharva king; she was named Madalasa Then he, mindful of the past, made this vow, dear father,

 30 ‘No other shall be my wife gave Madálasá.’ This hero Rita dhyaja longs, dear father, to behold her, lovely-limbed: if this may be done, let it be done.”

Ashvatara spoke.

31 “Such magical power as that belongs to ono who is exempt from such gross elements. How can this be except as a dream or as an illusion proceeding from Shambara?” *  

*A Daitya. 

Jada spoke.

32 Then Sh’atru-jit’s son prostrated himself before the high-souled Nága king and replied, being touched with affection

33 and modesty. “If thou show† me now, dear father, Madálasá even in illusion, I hold that thou hast done me the greatest favour.”

† Read darshayase for darshaya te? 

Aśhvatara spoke.

34 “Look thou here then, my son, if thou wouldest see tho illusion. I must show theo favour; a visitor at one’s house, though a child, is master.”

Jada spoke.

35     The Nága king lod in Madálasá who was concealed in the house, and next he uttered some gibberish distinctly in order

36 to bewilder them. And then he showed the young prince the beautcous lady, saying, “Is she or is she not, O prince, thy wife Mádalasá?”

Jada spoke.

37 Then, seeing the slender one, he lost his reticence that very moment; ho moved towards her, uttering the word “Beloved!” And the Nága Aśhvatara hasting held him off. 

Ashvatara spoke.

38     “It is illusion, my son! touch her not! I told thee so at first. The illusion quickly vanishes when touched or other-wise meddled with.”

39 Thereupon he fell to the ground, overwhelmed by a faint; and exclaiming “Ah Beloved!” he thought of his noble

40 wife. “Alas for the love of this king towards my steadfast mind, whereby I have been thus overthrown without the 

41 weapons of foes. She was shown as an illusion, though it on clearly no illusion at all by reason of the action of air, Water and fire, earth and ether.”

Jada spoke.

42 Then the Nága reviving Kuvalayašhva, related to him the whole story of her recovery from death and all else that had

43 happened. Thereat rejoicing he took again his loved one, and after doing obeisance to the Nága departed in great splendour mounted on the horse, to his own city, having attained* the object of his thoughts. 

* Read abhyupetah for abhyupetam?