Indian Antiquary Vol 19

SR No.: 032511
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 510
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 305

SEPTEMBER, 1890.]
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA
281
Then he resumed his march and reached his sister's city. Before going to the house lo despatched a special messenger to her, and she and her husband, the Peshkár, made special arrangements for feasting the emperor. His Majesty put on a smiling face to every one i the house, but when meal-time rrived and every one had sat down to his sopper, he asked of the servants to fetch the stale gruel in the pan from the hay-stall, and rejecting every grant dish that was served before hirn, began to cat the dirty old mess. Every one was amazed. Then Satyaparakrama explained its history to the whole assembly, and also the truthfulness ui the maxim that one ought not to sook his sister in adversity. The Peshkúr and his wife were ashamed, and our hero left that place without speaking a word to any of them after the meal.
Thus passing through these two places our hero reached Mathurâ, where his father was almost on his death-bed. And when the old man heard that not only had his son become the emperor to whom he himself bad to do homage, but also that he was himself coming to do the homage of a son to his old father, his sickness left him in a moment, and he sat up like a healthy man to welcome his son. After shedding tears for his former rash act, and overjoyed to see that that was in a way the cause of his son's greatness, the old man embraced Satyaparakrama, his long lost son. And the son, too, in the joy of the occasion, forgot all his father's former cruelty to him. and kissed his feet. Thus were they again united and lived together for some time.
To reward his friend Snehapâtra, who had protected him in his days of trouble, and who had secured him the empire, our hero Satyaparåkrama gave him sovereignty over Mathura and made him lord of that kingdom. Then he returned with his old father to his father-in-law, and reigned as emperor over the whole Pandya country.
"Thus five of the six maxims having proved true in the cases of Nayanamanohara and Satyaparakrama our hero was only waiting for an opportunity to find the sixth and last maxim true. He was in the habit of taking a nap at noon every day, and, just before doing so, of being shampooed by his maids. This always sent him off into a snooze. One day when he was thus only half asleep, one of the maids said to another near her :“ Sister, see the beautiful face of His Majesty asleep. While possessing such a husband as this moon among men, why should the empress visit the minister's house every night? And how is it that our monarch, so skilful in every thing else, is deceived in this matter?" Replied the other :-"You do not know the trick. I have long known it. Every night the empress gives the monarch a cup of milk, in which she mixes some powder which brings on such a profound sleep that he never gets up the whole night. Taking advantage of this, she spends the whole night in perfect security by the side of the minister." The monarch, at the first hint that the conversation was about his wife, was all wakefulness, but snored purposely, to make the maids round him believe that be was really asleep. He heard it all, and was much grieved at heart to hear the scandal about his wife, and resolved to find out the truth of it that very night.
It came on as usual, and just before retiring to bed, the empress brought him a capful of milk. Said he, "I have left my snuff-box at the place where I supped, will you kindly fetch it, my dear ?" To show how very obedient she was to her lord, she ran off in haste, but before her return our hero had upset the milk in a corner of the room, and left the empty cup at the place where it was usually left by his wife, She soon returned with the box, and our hero received, it from her hands, thanking her for the trouble, and took pinoh before her. He talked on for some time in a kindly way to her, while she all the while was waiting for the working of the medicine in the milk. She had taken a stolen glance at the cup and to her heart's joy found it empty.." Surely he has taken it and he must soon fall saleep," thought she; and Satyaparakrama, seeing the anxiety in her face, determined to play the yillain to catch a villain, and to all appearance fell asleep, while he was really watching the movements of his wife. About a ghafluk.mfter he began to anors, the empeone got op, and quietly placing a long pillow in her place, left the bed. In a moment more she was out of the room.'