INDIA. PART II. The Raja de HISTORY OF Rávana, and we will all pray for you." And the Raja replied "Your counsel is good!" So the Raja went out, with all the men and women of the country, to fight against Arjuna; and they employed many enchantments and magical arts. But after much fighting the Raja was slain by Arjuna, and all his forces fled in great confusion, and betook themselves to various quarters of the world and to the islands of the sea; and so that country was cleared of all these Plunder of the wicked Daityas. And Arjuna entered their abodes and feated by Arjuna, and his people escape to the islands of the sea. city of the Daityas by Arjuna. found much gold and jewels beyond all calculation. So Arjuna distributed some among his soldiers, and some among the Rajas who accompanied him; and he loaded very much treasure upon camels and elephants, and sent them away to Raja Yudhishthira, and his other brethren, and his friends who were in Hastinápur. Arjuna then and families of commanded that all the houses and families of the Daityas should be burnt; after which the horse was again loosened to wander where it would. Arjuna burns all the houses the Daityas. Seventh adventure of the horse. Enters the country of Manipura. Mythical description of Raja Babhruváhana. So the horse went on for many days, until he entered the country of Manipura, and there he met with his seventh adventure. And the Raj of Manipura contained many wellpeopled cities, and the Raja at that time was Babhru-váhana, the same whom Chitrángadá, the daughter of the previous Raja, had borne to Arjuna during his twelve years' exile. This Raja Babhru-váhana was without an equal in prowess and manhood. And in his Raj of Manipura there was not such a being as a liar, and the women were always obedient to their husbands; and there were also many wise and devout Rishis in the Raj, who studied the Vedas. And the whole country enjoyed tranquillity under the reign of Raja Babhru-váhana; and no one was ever anxious about worldly concerns, but all their thoughts were fixed on the world to come, and employed in the worship of God; and no one in that country was ever taken up and imprisoned; and if a poor man entered that territory, the Chandels made him a ryot that he might no longer feel any regret at leaving his own country. The troops of that country were all of Chandel is the name of a numerous tribe of Rajpoots, originally from INDIA. PART II. determined bravery and great strength, and never turned HISTORY OF their backs in the day of battle, however numerous might be the enemy opposed to them. And all the people in that country spoke the Sanskrit language, and they were always by the people. happy and in good humour, and all passed their time in mirth and joy. Sanskrit spoken fire weapons. revenues. Now the walls of the palace of Babhru-váhana were made City and palace. of gold, and round the whole city were walls of silver; and warriors of renown kept constantly watch and ward. On Waggons and the outside of the city were a number of waggons bound together with chains, and in them were placed fireworks and fire weapons, and men were always stationed there to keep guard. And many thousands of chariots and elephants Exhaustss and horses were employed in bringing the revenues of the Raj, in gold and silver, to a thousand treasuries; and the people who were employed to receive the money sat day and night; but so great was the treasure that the people who brought it had to wait ten or twelve years before their turn came to account for the money they had received, and to obtain their acquittal and return home. So perfect was the comfort enjoyed in that Raj, that strangers who arrived there were led to conceive that God had placed a second paradise in this world. virtues of the And one of the Rajas that was following the horse said to Wealth and Arjuna:- "There is no other country like this in the whole Raja. world: I have been accustomed to send every year to Raja Babhru-váhana, one thousand cart-loads of gold and silver, merely for leave to remain quietly in my own Raj; and if I failed to send it, an army came from him and laid waste the whole of my country: For the Raja is exceedingly brave, and also very learned and sage; so that he exceeds all the Brahmans and Rishis in the world in wisdom, as well Mahoba in Bundelkund, but now scattered over the North-Western Provinces. INDIA. PART II. Talents and bravery of the Minister. HISTORY OF as all the Rajas in the world in prowess: And if any one asks a favour of him, he bestows on him so much wealth that he never need ask any one else for more: The Raja is also of that continence and moral conduct that he never looks on a strange woman with an eye of desire, nor forgets for a single moment his worship and duty to God: This Raja has a Minister so able that no other Raja possesses his like; and this Minister manages the affairs of the Raj with such skill that the whole country is thoroughly well-peopled, and not a single measure of land is unoccupied or waste; and the Minister is likewise so brave that upon occasion he would hold combat with the great god Siva himself; and he never gives a word of bad counsel to the Raja." Babhru-váhana Magnificent Meanwhile the horse went forward until at night time seizes the horse. he came near the city of Manipura; and it so happened that Raja Babhru-váhana had gone to the chase, but some of his people saw the horse and informed him of it; and he immediately ordered the horse to be carried into the city, and when it was night he commanded that it should be brought into his Council hall. Now the whole ground where the Raja held his Council was covered with gold; and at the entrance to the Council chamber were a hundred thousand pillars of gold, each forty or fifty cubits high; and the top of each pillar was made of fine gold and inlaid with jewels; and on the summits of the pillars, and on the walls, were many thousand artificial birds made so exact that all who saw them thought them to be alive; and there were precious stones that shone like lamps, so that there was no need of any other light in the assembly; and there also were placed the figures of fishes inlaid with rubies and cornelians, which appeared to be alive and in motion. All round the Council hall were sticks of sandal wound round with fine cloth, which had been steeped in sweet-scented oils; and these were burnt to give light to the place instead of lamps, so that the whole company were perfumed with the odour. And before each one of the principal persons in the assembly was placed a vessel ornamented with jewels containing various perfumes; and on every side and corner of the hall INDIA. PART II. Perfumes dis Horse taken in hall. were beautiful damsels, who sprinkled rose water and other HISTORY OF odoriferous liquors. And when the horse was brought into the assembly, all present were astonished at its beauty and excellence; and they saw round its neck a necklace of ex-tributed by cellent jewels, and a golden plate hanging upon its forehead. beautiful girls. Then Raja Babhru-váhana bade his Minister read the writing to the Council on the plate; and the Minister rose up and read aloud that Raja Yudhishthira had let loose the horse and appointed Arjuna to be its guardian. And when the Raja heard this, The Raja dishe said:- "Arjuna is my father! Say what course shall I Arjuna is his pursue?" The Minister replied:-"O Raja, since Arjuna is your father it is extremely unfortunate that you should have seized upon this horse; for it would have been most proper for you to have followed this horse for one year by the side of your father." covers that father. restoring the ing the Raj to procession. Then the Raja, by the counsel of his Minister, determined Resolves on to restore the horse, and to offer the whole of his posses- horse, and offersions as a free gift to his father Arjuna. And he ordered Arjuna. all the troops to be in readiness in all their parade dresses, and he took with him all the Rishis and learned Bráhmans, and gave orders that all the men and women of this city should come forth. And all the most beautiful virgins of the best education and most skilled in music were called together; and some were mounted on elephants richly caparisoned, Splendid and some on the most splendid chariots, and some on litters of the richest make, whilst others walked on foot; and all were ornamented with necklaces of pearls and other jewels, and carried garlands of the sweetest flowers in their hands, which they were to throw round the neck of Arjuna. And there were other girls from ten to fourteen years of age, who were appointed to carry boxes of precious perfumes, and to pour them upon the head of Arjuna, and upon the heads of all the Rajas and Rishis, and sons of Rajas, and Chieftains, and Bráhmans that had followed the horse. Then Raja Babhru-váhana set out to meet his father Arjuna, with all his Chieftains and Ministers; and all the soldiers, horse and foot, and all the fire-workers. accompanied him; and all the tradesmen and artisans in the city carried with INDIA. PART II. HISTORY OF them their choicest goods and went likewise; and all the singing-girls and dancing-girls bedecked themselves and joined the cavalcade. In this order Raja Babhru-váhana advanced on an elephant, for elephants were very excellent in that country; and when he saw Arjuna he immediately alighted, and making the most profound obeisances, he slowly approached his father; and when he was come nigh he let loose the hair of his head, and he stooped forward and Advance of the wiped the shoes of Arjuna with his hair. And the Brahmans and beautiful maidens also advanced and poured on Arjuna's head all the jewels they had brought with them, so that the whole ground shone round about him like the heavens covered with stars. They also put chaplets of pearls and jewels, and wreaths of sweet-smelling flowers round the neck of Arjuna, and round the necks of the other Rajas and Chieftains who were with him, and poured vases of jewels and flowers over their heads. Brahmans and maidens. Babhru-váhana Then Raja Babhru-váhana advanced a second time beoffered his Raj fore Arjuna, and made a profound obeisance, and said : to his father. under Arjuna's foot. "You are my master and the author of my being; and though you be my father and I your son, I am now your slave: I now make to you a free gift of this Raj, and my armies, and my revenues, and my treasures, and all that I possess; and I am come to draw my sword in your service, in the hope that you will mercifully look on me with favour, and that as your other sons are severally employed under Places his head you, so you would also employ me." Saying this, Babhruváhana again made a low obeisance; and then advancing, he laid his head under Arjuna's foot, and said:-"I hope you will raise my head from the dust with your own gracious hand, that I may lift up my head with honour among all the people of the world." And all the Rajas and Chieftains who had accompanied Arjuna presented themselves before him, and said: "This is your own son; why do you not with your own hand raise up his head from the dust? No sovereign on earth ever had such a son; why do you not look upon him with an eye of favour and affection?" But the Almighty had now brought an evil destiny upon |