________________
APRIL, 1874.)
ANECDOTE OF RÅO MÅLDEVA OF JODHPUR.
97
beauty, a handsome dowry. When night drew near, Rao Maldeva, who had partaken copiously of wine, retired to the palace allotted to him and his bride, to rest, and as he found his bride had not arrived, he sent his Nazir to summon her; but she did not come, saying that she had to bid farewell to all her relations, and that therefore a little time would elapse ere she could join him. After waiting some time the Río sent a second time, and the Bhatiani sent a message in reply that she would adorn herself and come. As, however, her toilet occupied a considerable time, the Rao became impatient and sent a third time for her. U mâ now feared that the Râo would be angry, and accordingly she desired a slave-girl of hers, called Bramha, to beg the Râo just to wait one minute, and then she would join him. The slave-girl was very beautiful : she therefore begged her mistress not to send her to the Râo, as he had been drinking. The Bhatiâ ni, however, was very indignant at the assumption of Bramhỉ that her charms might attract the Râo, and bid her be gone, saying "Think you my husband does not know the difference between a queen and a slave-girl?” Bramhâ accordingly went to the Rao, who, being slightly intoxicated, and daz- zled with her beauty, embraced her. After a few minutes U må joined her husband and found him embracing the slave-girl: she at once dashed the dish and bottle of wine he held in her hand to the ground. On seeing this notion Bramha feared for her life, and, disengaging herself from the Râo, jumped from the window. Wagho Rathod, one of the Râo's sardars, the chieftain of Kotrå, was on guard beneath the window, and seeing this beautiful woman jump out, he thought it must be the Rani, and caught her in his arms. Bramha told him who she was, and that, unless he carried her off, she would be infallibly killed by the Bhâtiâni. The Kotrà chieftain, fascinated with her beauty, agreed, and, placing her before him on his horse, galloped off to Kotra. As Bramhå was so beautiful, Waghoji thought that no one would suspect that she was a slave-girl, and so he made her his Råņi. Bramhâ was covered with jewels, to the value of lakhs of rupees, when carried
• This alludes to the that or platter containing pan supari, etc., and the bottle of wine which it is customary
off by Waghoji. She therefore determined to lavish these so generously that people might forget to ask about her origin, and accordingly she commenced bestowing large sums on Bhâts and Chârans. The neighbouring chieftains, however, forbade the Châts and Chårans to receive her bounty, alleging that she was a slave-girl. The Bhâts and Charans therefore refrained from asking alms at Kotrå. Now Waghoji and Bramhâ had made a rule never to partake of food until they had bestowed something in alms. They passed several days fasting, but no one came to ask for alms: they therefore considered that it would be better to die in a temple than in the Darbâr, and therefore they went to a temple of Mahadeva near the Darbar, and there fasted for twenty-one days, but still no Bhât or Chåran came to ask alms. On the twenty-first day Mahadeva was moved by theirausterities, and told them to ask for a boon, promising to grant whatever they should ask. Wághoji replied that he wanted nothing, except that, as long as he and his wife should live, Bhâts and Charans should come to them for alms, and that he should have sufficient wealth to be able to bestow on Bhâts and Charans such sums as he might think fit, and yet that nobody should be able to call him poor, and that a Bhât or Charan should always be with him. Mahadeva presented him with a tuber, and told him that he should squeeze out the juice and let a drop of it fall on melted copper, and that it would become gold. Mâhâdeva then turned to Bramhî and toid her what gift he had bestowed on her husband. Bramhå said, “The neighbouring chieftains are unfriendly to us, and they will therefore instruct the Bhâts and Charans to ask for such gifts (other than gold) as we shall be unable to bestow. Be therefore present, and aid us in such times of difficulty." Mâhâdeva agreed to aid them, and said, “A poet is coming from the land of Dhât under the Sodhâ: he will accept your alms." Aftur this interview, Waghoji and Bramhâ returned to Kotra. On their way thither, they met the poet, and, taking him with them, went on to the Darbargadh at Kotrå. Waghoji, making gold, bestowed it on the poet to his heart's content. Hearing of his liberality, other poets and bards flocked to Kotra to partake of
for a Rajput bride to take to her husband on the marriagenight.
