Indian Antiquary Vol 04

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 67

FEBRUARY, 1875.]
LEGENDS FROM DINAJPUR.
57
days' journey to the south, and he could tell where and how it was to be found. Siva Dås inquired how he could approach the hermit, and the king told him that when the hermit went to the river-side to perform his devotions he must go to his hut and clean it thoroughly and remain in hiding near, and when the hermit returned and saw all his house cleaned he would wonder who had done it, and after considering a little time he would discover who it was and call him by name: he must then go and prostrate himself, and when he was questioned relate the whole story. Siva took the advice of the Rakshasa, and went to the house of the sage, but found he was not at home, so he cleaned the house and remained concealed near. The sage returned and wondered who it was that had cleaned his house, and after considering a little time he discovered that it was a king's son named Siva Dås, so he called him by name, and Siva Dås came and stood before him and saluted him; the sage told him to sit down, and asked him why he had come. Śiva Das told him all about the dream he had come to seek, and said he had come to him as he heard he could give him some information about it. The sage said, "The dream is true, but very difficult to find; if you will remain here a few days, I will tell you how you can get it." Siva Das remained there for some time, living on fruits and roots, and at last told the sage he wished to hear how the dream could be obtained. The sage replied, “There is a pond here, and on the north side of of it isa ghât and a temple of Śiva: on the night of the full-moon five nymphs from heaven, amongst whom is one named Tillottama, will come to bathe there ; they will descend from their chariot and take off their clothes and put them on the bank of the tank and go into the water : you must take their clothes and remain concealed. The girl who has the mole on her nose is the one from whose nose the flower will come out." On the night of the fall-moon the gage said, "Siva Dâs, to-night you must go to the pond, for the nymphs will descend, and I will give you some holy water which you must take with you, or they will burn you to ashes : and you must go very carefully." Siva Das took the holy water and went to the temple of Siva on the bank of the pond. In the meantime the nymphs came down from heaven and went to bathe in the water. The whole place was lighted up with
their beauty, and Siva Das was so cnraptured that he forgot to take the holy water, but took the clothes of all five and went and hid again. When the nymphs had finished bathing, they came to the ghit and found that all their clothes had disappeared, so they wished that the man who had taken them might be reduced to ashes, and as Siva Das had not the holy water of the sage with him he immediately became ashes.
When the sage saw it he repeated an incantation and restored him to life, telling him that he would have perished entirely had he not seen his ashes. So Siva Das remained with the sage till the next full-moon, when the sage again gave him some holy water and fastened it in his dress, and told him to take the clothes of the nymphs and go and sit in the temple of Siva ; and when they saw that their clothes were gone they would curse him, but no harm would befall him; and when they asked him to give back their clothes he was to refuse, and they would urgo him and promise that if he consented he should marry whomsoever he liked among them; and if he married the one who had a mole on her nose and was called Tillottama the dream would be obtained, and lastly he was not to mind her being very ugly, but to marry her all tho same. Siva Dis gained confidence on hearing this, and went to the temple, and the nymphs came down and bathed as before, and he took their clothes away and went into the temple and clung to the idol. When the nymphs had ended bathing, they came up the ghat and found their clothes gone, so they uttered the curse as bofore, but as Siva Das had the holy water with him no harm happened to him.
The nymphs inquired who he was, and told him to give up their clothes, but he continued to refuse. Now they were naked and could not delay, because they were engaged to dance in Indra's court, so they promised that if he would restore their clothes he should marry the one he liked best among them. On hearing that, he gave back the clothes, and they came and stood in a row before him, telling him to choose the one he preferred, and all the time Tillottama was standing there, looking very ugly. Siva Dås looked at them, but was so bewildered that he could think of nothing; at last, however, as the sage had bidden him, he married Tillottama, although she looked so ugly, but the other nymphs said, “We are much the most beauti.