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SEPT. 6, 1872.]
TAE PRITHIRAJA RASAU.
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The bania's daughter continued her penances standing in the heat between fires, in the cold water in winter, saying, “My sin has been very great, if I perform unheard of penance then I may get pardon."* The king determined not to return to Ajmer, but to repair to Gokarna, the shrine of Hara. He halted at the Bisal Sarovar. [On Sunday the seventh of the month, as he was about to proceed with chariots, horses, and elephants]t the king saw a snake in his tent and shot at it with an arrow. It escaped and hid in his boot (mojari). When he was putting on his boots to mount his horse the snake bit him (the Râja laughed and said " that which is fated will happen." They tried medicines and spells in vain; the Raja's pain increased. Hearing the Raja was dead the Parmârî became a Satí :-dying she said, "The son of ihe Jadavani will rule the country, may my blessing be on him"]. In that same place Bisal became an Asura, always hungry, vomiting flames of fire, eating men where there was a town or an army; as many as he could obtain he
have come to meet you and to seek your pro- tection. Call for what property you will." Pawasur hearing this, went to the Raja, he sent for Kirpal. The Châluk's ministers came to meet him " Whatever property you may demand we will place it at your feet." The king replied “Listen, I will place a thâna here; in a month, I will build a city. Pawasur the Tuar said, " bring the tribute." They sent for property; he founded a city there. The Chahuvân king gained the field, the Châluk was wounded. Bisal returned home again, having founded Bisalnagar." In Samvat 936, Bisal the king founded a royal city, handsome to behold.
Bisal Rêja entered his city Ajmer. A Bania dwelt there : at his house the Raja prepared to marry beholding the maid to be like an Apraras. The bards exclaimed “Jay! Jay !" the sons of the Mâgadhas; grain and wealth the king rained on the earth as Indra pours rain. In this way at Ajmer the king performed as it were a yajna at the bania's house. The bride was not yet thirteen: the whole city ridiculed it. In Asârh month in the light half, on the second day, Monday, much rain came from the north, the sun was not seen for five days, at this time the Râja enjoyed his bride. One night she said, “O Raja I have a boon to beg. At Pushkar is a woman of great beauty, you should go to see her." On the second day after the Dasera the king went there and beheld a bania's daughter named Gauri performing austerities. Bisal Râja seeing her became excited by lust, when the day came to an end he committed what should not have been committed. Every one who heard it was sorrowful. They declared that the king was never to be satisfied.
The girl forced in the midst of her penances, to the Deva pronounced a curse. "Become an Asura, King Bisal, an eater of the flesh of men." The king hearing this trembled, and touching her feet, asked how his restoration would be effected. She said his son's son who would be an ornament of the earth and a great warrior would effect his liberation.
O! son (says the relater to her son Ank) by the strength of her penances he became an Asura.
(Ana's mother says) “When your father heard this story he sent me to Rinthambh, I being then pregnant. He prepared himself to fight the Rakshasa. [His fate and mine were one, or rather, our ill fortune was alike, to stop disgrace we endured trouble. This was his desire and mine.] With a thousand men sounding the kettledrum, the Chahuvân set forth: he reached Ajmer. He found all the gardens waste and the fort broken down: Sârang Deva saw this. He [thought of the bania (his foster father) and] reflected that it was a female ascetic of his race that had destroyed his family. He lamented [his eyes filled with tears as he thought on his father). Three days he remained in the fort, but he saw not the Asura. Then Sarang Deva began to take heart and think of again building the city. In the morning of the 11th the Dânava entered the city. The whole army snatching their weapons run to fight him. They fought with swords, he seized them in his mouth and broke them as a monkey breaks fruit from trees and creepers, father and son were fighting. Sarang Deva
Colonel Tod, Western India, p. 172, mentions that one stipulation of this treaty was, that the Chalukys should give a daughter in marriage to Bisal Devs. He also mentions, quoting the Hamir Rasa, a work relating the exploits of a Chauhan prince of that name, that Bisal Deva took prince Karan, son of Raja Bhim, prisoner.-Rås Mald, vol. I. p. 98, note.
+ This battle was probably fought about A.D. 1046, or Samvat S'ake 968.-ED.
Much condensed. & Twelve lines left out and the rest condensed. About 100 lines are here compressed.
About 40 lines are compressed into this passage • About 40 lines here omitted expressive of the king's evil life and remorse.
+ In what follows the longer additions made by Mr. Beames have been put within brackets -Ed.
