69 - About the Auttana Manv-antara.

         This shoald be Auttoma; see canto liii, verse 7, and lxxii, verse 39. It seems to be a mistake caused by the fact that Uttama was son of Uttana-pada, Bee verse 3. It occurs in the next canto, but is corrected in canto lxxi.

King Uttama banished his queen to a forest because of her persistent unloving behaviour. —A brahman whose wife had been carried off invokes the kings help to recover her. —The king in searching for her reaches a muni's hermitage, and is censured by the muni for his conduct to the queen. 

Kraushtuki spoke:

1. brahman, thou hast described to me the Svarochisha 

2 manv-antara at length and also the eight Nidhis, whom I asked about. Thou didst tell me of the Svayambhuva manvantara before that. Tell me of the third manv-antara which is named after Uttama,* 

* Auttama wonld be preferable, as he was tie Manu, see canto lxxii, verse 89; read then kathayauttama-sanjnitam for kathayottama-sanjnitam?

Markaudeya spoke:

3 There was a son of Uttana-pada named Uttama, son of

4 Su-ruchi,† famous, great in strength and valour, and righteous of soul, and magnanimous, a monarch rich in valour. Excelling 

† Or Su-ruch'i, a feminine name. 

5 all created beings he shone in valour like the sun. He was the same both to foe and friend, to his city and to his son, being one who understood righteousness; and he was like Yama to the wicked, and like Soma to the good, O great muni! 

6 A knower of righteousness, Uttana-pada's son Uttama married a maiden of Babhru's race named Bahula, as supreme

 7 Indra married famous Sh'achi. His mind was always exceedingly affectionate to her, O noble brahman, †† just as is the moon's

†† For dvija-varyaread dvija-varya? 

8 mind which has fixed its abode in Rohini. Verily his mind felt no attachment to any other object; in sleep also that king's mind rested on her. And the king at the very sight

9 of her, who was most beautiful in every limb, was continually touching her body, and at the touch of her body he became

10 one with her. § The king's words, although kindly, caused annoyance to her ears, and she deemed his special respect as

§ Tan-maya.

 11 humiliation from him. She contemned a garland when given by him, and his beautiful ornaments; and she arose as if pained in body when he drank the choice nectar of her lips;

12 and only a moment did the king hold her by the hand when he enjoyed her. She ate very little food, O brahman, and

13 that with no great delight. Thus she was not favourable to the magnanimous hing who was favourable to her; yet more abundant and excessive love did the king show. 

14 Now once the king, when engaged in drinking, respectfully caused that wilful queen to hold a drinking cup which

15 had been cleansed with wine, he being then surrounded with' accomplished attendants* who were melodious in their singing, and who were assiduously singing and chanting while kings

* Vara-mukhyaih; the dictionary gives only the fem., vara-mukhya,”a royal courtezan.”

16 looked on; but she does not wish to take that cup, turning her face away from it, in the sight of the kings. Thereat

17 the king was enraged. Breathing hard like a serpent, when set at nought by his dear queen, as if a husband not dear

18 to her, he called the door-keeper and said, - door-keeper! Take this lady of evil heart to a desolate forest and abandon her forthwith! Deliberate thou not on this my command!” 

Markandeya spoke:

19 Thereupon the door-keeper, deeming the king's word was not to be questioned, mounted the beautiful-browed lady in a

20 chariot and left her in a forest. And she, when abandoned thus by the king in the forest and being away from his sight,

21 held he had done her the greatest favour. And king Auttana-padi, with soul and mind burning with the anguish of love

22 for her, took no other wife. He remembered her who was beauteous in every limb, day and night bereft of ease, and ruled his kingdom, governing his people righteously.

23 While he ruled his people, as a father his own children, a certain brahman suffering in mind arrived and spoke thus- 

The brahman spoke:

24 O Maha-raja! in grievous suffering am I; hearken while I speak. Men's deliverance from pain comes from no where

25 but the king! Some one carried off my wife by night while I slept, without unlocking the house door. Deign to bring her back to me. 

The king spoke:

26 Knowest thou not, O brahman, who carried her off or where has she been taken? With whom shall I strive in fight? or whence shall I bring her back? 

The brahman spoke:

27 While I slept just as I was, with the dooi- fastened, king, why and by whom my wife was carried off —this thou, Sir,

 28 knowest. Tbou art our guardian, king, whose due is the levy of a sixth, part of our wealth.* Therefore men sleep at night, freed from anxiety about justice. 

* For shadagadana read shad-bhigadana? See verse 39. 

The king spoke:

29 I have not seen tby wife. Tell me what is she like in body, and what is her age; and of what disposition is the brahman lady? 

The brahman spoke:

30 Sharp-eyed is she, very tall, short-armed, thin-faced, ungainly in form, O king. I defame her not by this description;

31 very harsh in speech, and ungentle is she in disposition, king —thus I have described my wife; she is a do-nothing,

 32 unpleasant in look, and she has slightly passed early woman-hood, O king. Such is my wife in form; true is this I have spoken. 

The king spoke:

33 Enough hast thou had of her, O brahman. I will give thee another wife. An excellent wife tends to one's happiness,

 34 such a one as that is verily a source of pain. Bodily beauty consists in healthfulness,† O brahman, its cause is a noble disposition. She who has neither beauty nor good disposition should be abandoned for that very reason. 

† There is a play on words here, kalyani,” an excellent (wife),” and kalye,” in henlthfulness.” day to-day, while I remain wifeless; and that, through the destruction of the perpetual ceremonies, will tend to my downfall

The brahman spoke:

35” A wife must be guarded,” king —such is our highest divine teaching. When a wife is guarded, the offspring is guar-

36 ded. For the Soul†† Jis born in her, hence she must be guarded, O king. When the offspring is guarded, the Soul is guarded. 

†† Or, one's self; atma.

37 When she is not guarded, there will arise confusion among the castes; that will hurl one's forefathers down from

38 Svarga, O king. And I may have loss of righteousness from 

39 And in her will be my offspring, O king. She will give thee the sixth part; she will be a cause of righteousness.

40 For that reason I have declared this to thee. Bring back my wife who has been carried off, my lord, since your honour is placed supreme for our protection. 

Markandeya spoke:

41 The king, on hearing him so speak, took thought, and mounted his great chariot which was furnished with every

42 useful requisite. Hither and thither he wandered over the earth with that brahman, and saw a fine hermitage of ascetics

43 in a large forest; and alighting there he entered and saw a muni, seated on a silken cushion, and blazing as it were with

44 splendour. Seeing the king arrived, he rose in haste, and welcoming him. with full respect commanded his disciple to

 45 bring the arghya offering. His disciple said to him quietly —“Why should the arghya be given to him, muni? Think well of it and command me, for I carry out thy command.”

46 Then the brahman being acquainted with the king's history, with self-possession did him respect in conversation and by giving him a seat. 

The rishi spoke:

47 Why hast thou come here. Sir; and what dost thou wish to do? I know thee, king, to be Uttana-pada's son Uttama. 

The king spoke:

48 A brahman's wife was carried off from his house by some one whose person is unknown, O muni” to seek her I have

49 come here. Deign, adorable Sir, in compassion to tell me, who have reached thy house and am prostrate before thee, what I ask thee! 

The rishi spoke:

50 Ask me, king, O without fear what thou must ask. I will tell thee truthfully if I ought to tell it thee. 

The king spoke:

51 Why is the arghya offering kept back, which thou wast prepared to give me on first seeing me on my arrival at thy house, O muni? 

52 When The rishi spoke:

through agitation at the sight of thee, O king, I commanded this disciple to give it, then I was cautioned by him.

53 Through my favour he knows the future in this world, as

64 I know both the past and the present thoroughly. When he said,” Consider and give thy order,” then I also knew it hence I did not give thee the arghya according to precept.

55 Truly O king, thou art worthy of the arghya and thou belongest to the race of Svayambhuva; nevertheless, we deem thee Uttama not fit for the arghya. 

The king spoke:

56 What then have I done, O brahman, whether wittingly or unwittingly, that arriving after a long time I am not worthy of the arghya from thee? 

The rishi spoke:

57 Hast thou forgotten, both that thou didst abandon thy wife in the forest, and that along with her thou didst abandon

58 all thy righteousness, king. Through neglect of religious acts a man becomes unfit to be touched by his adherents, like one on whom ordure and urine have been showered;* thou

* Varshiki, a noun, not given in the dictionary; it must apparently mean” a shower.” 

59 hast neglected an act of permanent observance. Just as a complaisant wife must bear with her husband though he be of bad disposition, so a wife although of bad disposition

60 must be cherished by her- husband, O king. Ungracious indeed was that brahman's wife who was carried off; nevertheless, he, being a lover of righteousness, very much excels †

† Ud-yati-taram. The only meanings assigned to ud-ya in the dictionary are,” to go up or out, to rise, originate.”

 61 thee, O king. Thou establishest other men in their proper ways of righteousness when they swerve therefrom, O king. What other person will establish thee when thou swervest from thy righteousness? 

Markandeya spoke:

62 A gazing-stock was the king -when thus addressed by the wise rishi; and saying” So be it!” he enquired about the 

63 brahman's wife who had been carried off —” Adorable Sir, who has taken away the brahman's wife, or where is she? Thou Sir knowest unerringly the past and the future in this world.” 

The rishi spoke:

64 A Rakshasa named Valaka, son of Adri, has captured her, and thou shall see her now in Utpalvataka forest, O king.

65 Go, unite the brahman with his wife quickly. Let him not become a seat of sin as thou art day after day.