17 - The statement of Mohini

The son (Dharmangada) said:

1. Hence, O Mother, eschew jealousy and feed Mohini. A holy rite (dharma) like this cannot be attained in the three worlds.

2-3. The wife who, with her own hands, feeds the beloved lady love of her husband, the co-wife who gives a little quantity of cooked rice to the co-wife shall, O gentle lady, O dear mother, become immortal- So says god Brahma. O Mistress (of the Mansion) be favourable to me carry out what has been related by me.

4. O fair-complexioned lady, what is conducive to the happiness of my dear father must be performed by both of us. The sins shall be exterminated perfectly. Similarly, the attainment of heaven shall be everlasting.

5-6. On hearing the words of her son then, the queen Sandhyavali invited* her son and embraced him again and again. She sniffed at his head and spoke these words: “O son,. I shall carry out your words pregnant with dharma (virtues).

*A better emendation: abhinandya ‘‘praised’’, ‘approved of’ instead of abhi-mantrya in the text.

7. Eschewing jealousy and false prestige I shall feed Mohini. I have the pleasure of being the mother of a hundred sons, O son, with you as my only son.

8. It was after observing many holy rites and restraints. causing bodily exertion, that you were born. Since I observed the holiest of holy rites, the ‘king’ of holy rites, you were attained by me as my son.

9. In this world there is no other holy rite that is seen to be yielding benefits like this. This gives convincing proofs immediately. This is destructive of great sins.

10. Of what avail is it if many sons who cause sorrow and distress are born? It is better to have one son, as the main prop of the family, where the entire family takes comfortable rest.

11. On attaining you as one stationed in my womb, I have reached the top of the three worlds (I am above the three worlds). O sinless one, blessed are those pains of labour where by you are born as my son.

12. You are the son who delight both father and mother, you are the heroic son who have become the Lord of seven continents; you have carried out the words of your father.

13-15. Poets (Learned Philosophers) call only that person real son-the person who delights both the father and the mother. Others are only ‘so-called’ sons.

After saying these words, queen Sandhyavali just glanced at the pots and utensils for the purpose of a meal consisting of dishes of all the six tastes. By her very glance the utensils were full of dishes that would be pleasantly warm and that would be as tasty as Nectar, which she wished that Mohini should partake of.

16. She took a golden ladle studded with jewels. Smiling sweetly, she served food to Mohini without any perturbation.

17. She slowly ate the desired and well cooked food in a polished excellent vessel, all round which beverages and edible dishes had been placed.

18-19. The gentle lady, the daughter of Brahma, sat on an auspicious golden seat and took food that was comparable to nectar. While taking food, the fair lady was fanned with a fan of peacock feathers held by Dharmangada, in accompaniment of music.

20-21. After washing with cool water (her hands and mouth gurgling four times), she accepted the fragrant Tambula (chewing betel leaves) given by her (step)-son. The fair-complexioned lady took it with her hand over which excellent sandal paste had been applied. Then O king, she laughed and said slowly to Sandhyavali.

22. “O gentle lady, are you the mother of king Vrushangada (i.e. Dharmangada)? O auspicious lady, due to perspiring tiredness you could not be recognised by me.”

23. O king, while the daughter of Brahma was speaking thus to Sandhyavali, the son of the king bowed to her and spoke these words.

24. “I had been held in her belly (womb) by this gentle lady for three years. I flourished than s to the favour of your husband.

25. O Beautiful lady, I have hundreds of mothers. But much milk flowing out from the breasts of this lady out of (motherly) affection has been drunk by me.

28. That severe pain which more or less amounts to old age has been endured by her. It was after giving birth to me that she had become disjointed in her limbs.

27. A son has nothing in possession in all the three worlds by giving which he can be free from the indebtedness to his mother. O lady of sweet limbs, this is the truth that has been pronounced by me.

28. I am the most blessed one in the world. No man is superior to me. Everyday I sit on the lap of groups of mothers.

29. If anywhere the son does not sit on the lap of his mother, he does not become aware of the happiness of motherly affection like a virgin who remains unaware of the love of a husband.

30. A son who has climbed on to the lap of his mother may become very proud, and wish to snatch the necklace from the excellent body of his mother, with his hand.

31. Maternal milk is so powerful that even if anybody is bereft of his father, he desires to seize the whole world on being duly reared and brought up by his mother.

32-33. (?) My love toward this lady is due to the contact of the belly. My love towards the other mothers is due to the contact of the lap. If it be true that I do not cherish any difference (or partiality) between this (mother) and (my) other mothers may my father live for hundred years, thanks to that truth.” When her (step) son said thus Mohini was wonder­struck.

34-37. “Ruthless as I am by nature, how can I strike him who is so humble and sinless. This would have been proper in the house of a tinner (?) If a boy is regularly rendering service to his father, there is no one on Earth on a par with him. It is for perpetrating a despicable act with regard to such a boy so superb in virtue (as compared with others) and by nature so virtuous and inclined to religion that I have become a step­ mother unto him, in this world.” After reflecting like this in various ways, Mohini the most beautiful woman in the world spoke to her step-son: ‘‘Fetch my husband quickly. Without him I cannot stay even for a Muhurta (i.e. 48 minutes).

38-39. Then, O king (?), he hastened to his father and bowed to him. He said-O dear father, the younger mother desires to see you immediately. Be favourably disposed towards her. May Brahma’s daughter be greeted and honoured” At the instance of the son the king got ready to go instantaneously.

40-42a. With pleasure evident in his face. the king entered the apartment of Sandhyavali and saw Mohini the enchanting lady having the luster of molted gold lying on the bed and being served slowly by his beloved Sandhyavali eschewing at the advice of her son the natural anger and jealousy felt towards a co-wife.

42b-43. On seeing Rukmangada come, the beautiful lady on the bed, Mohini, delightedly said to the king who had a great deal of chivalry-” O husband, be pleased to sit here on the cot spread with soft cotton (cloth).

44. O king, the affairs of the kingdom have been looked after by you for a long time and in their entirety. Still your desire for the administration of kingdom does not cease.

45. O king, I consider you the most sinful one on the surface of the Earth since you yourself look after the royal glory (affairs of the state) although you have been aware that your son is efficient.

46-47a. Hence, there is no one more miserable than you in all the worlds. O king, the time of those fathers who have good sons passes happily and that of the experiencers of the fruits of sins, whose mind is drawn towards worldly pleasures passes in misery.

47b. All the Prakrutis (the elements of the statecraft) (or subjects), O king, are fond of you. This is the result of your full meritoriousness.

48. When Dharmangada is protecting this kingdom and the subjects, why should you also see to it now after eschewing the pleasure of your beloved wife like a weak niggardly fellow.

49. If you are going to look after the kingdom, of what use am I to you? In vain have I been brought from the head Mandara, the churning rod of the ocean of milk (?)

50a. Just as flesh is to birds I shall be turning food to faeces (?)

50b-52a. If any foolish person, too much interested in carrying out his duties, does not take to his wife endowed with blooming youth, whence can he expect to have the beloved? If the wife is not enjoyed, she may go away; if the wealth is not given in charity, it may go (disappear); if the kingdom is not protected well it may go (to ruins); if the learning is not recited and revised, it may (be forgotten and vanished).

52b-54a.   Learning is not acquired by idle persons; a wife is not acquired by persons always observing holy vows; good fortune is not obtained without regular and assiduous performance (of good deeds); glory is not attained by persons who are not devotees, an industrious man does not get happiness; a person who has no wife cannot obtain children, an impure person does not attain virtue (dharma) and a Brahmana of unpleasant words does not attain wealth.

54b-56. Without asking no one understands things; without walking (i.e. moving forward) no one reaches destination; a person who is not a disciple does not understand the holy rite; a wakeful person knows no fear. Why should you, O king, leave me alone in the splendid house of Dharmangada and look after the affairs of your kingdom, O lord, when your son is competent (to do it himself)?

57. When the daughter of Brahma, who was fond of sexual intercourse and who had large charming eyes spoke thus, the king who was standing by the side of his son became ashamed. He spoke thus to his beloved.