________________
348
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
DECEMBER, 1882.
Weep not, single-minded mother; shed no
tears : I am going to give my head for your son.
Then the old woman said, " Ah, but who will really risk his life for another?"
"I give you my word of honour," replied Raja Rasald, "that I will give my life for your son."
And saying this he got down from off hishorse, and sat by the old woman's bed. Almost imme. diately afterwards the Kotwal of the city came up, and the old woman said to Rajá Rasåld -
Nile ghosewaliya Rajá, munh dhári, sir pag, Oh jo dekhte dunde, jin kháyá sárá jag."
O Râjâ with the dark-grey-horse, bearded in face and turban on head, you see bim coming who has ruined me."
Now the Kotwal came attended by his usual guards, and Raja Rasâlû said to them-"Leave off troubling this old woman."
But the Kotwal said, “It is all very well, but if her son does not come with us at once, the Rakshasa will come into the city and make a fine disturbance, as he will lose the dinner daily appointed for him in consideration of his leaving the city in peace."
When Raja Rasala heard this, he said, "I will give myself in place of the old woman's son." Whereat the Kotwal's guards laughed, saying: “This is only a traveller. What has he to do with it." And they began to threaten the old woman's son. But Raja Rasâlû got on to his horse again, and started off for the Rakshasas' lair with his basket of chupatís and the buffalo. The buffalo led him by the straightest road, and as they neared the Rakshasas' home they met one of them, who was a water-carrier by trade, going along the road with his bag fall of water." When the water-carrying Rakshasa saw Raja Rasûlû coming along with a horse as well as with the buffalo and the basket of chupális be was much pleased to think that that day there would be a horse to eat over and above the usual meal. So he thought within himself that he
might just as well begin eating at once and put his hand into the basket, but Raja Rasûlû chopped it off with one blow of his sword, and the Rakshasa ran off to his friends as fast as he could. And as he was running along with all his might he met the Rakshasi, his sister, who asked him where he was running to. To which he replied, "Raja Rasálů is coming after us full gallop, and look! he has cut off one of my arms."
When his sister heard this she joined him, and they both went off to the rest of the Rakshasas, saying that RAJA Rasâlû had come upon them, "Nasko bhajjo, bhaiyo; dekho koi gali ! Jehri agg dhoikdi, so sir te an bali! Bújhanhári sújh gae; hun laihndi chashdi jáe! Jithe sánda sukh mile, so jha/pat karo upáe ! Fly, fly, brethren, wherever you see a way! A mighty fire is blazing and will burn our
heads! Our fate has come; and now we shall be
destroyed ! We must make immediate plans to save
ourselves!" When all the RAkshasas and Rakshasis heard this dreadful news they went to that RAkshasa who was well up in astrology, and asked him to look into his books and to see if Raja Rasâlû had been really born ornot. And when they heard that be had been really born they got very frightened, and began to hide themselves in all directions.
Meanwhilegreat Raja Rasálû went riding along and reached the Rakshares' home. And all the Rakshasas collected together and said to him,
"Who are you? And why did you disturb our brother and sister on the road ? "
Then said Raja Rasâlû-"I am Raja Rasálů, son of Rajâ Sahilwan, and the enemy of the Raksbasas.
But one of the Rakshasas answered him, "I have killed and eaten many Rasalūs like you."
Aisú märún gurjand," khad khad karún chảe: Aisá sitún waheke, jithe pawen jae.
* Should be dort, a beard.
30 Lit., who has ruined the whole world, i.e., the whole of my world, me. Cf. the proverb, mai mare to jag mara, when I die the world dies.
The Rikshasas of the story are evidently people, for the expression here used is, "to ragga Rakson ka unko mila, jo pin bharkar chala jata tha, then they met a blist of the Rakshasas, who was going along (with his bag) full of water." Later on in the tale quite as remarkable an expression occurs, "ek Rakasi' ilm nojim ku janta tha, ware pachhne lage, keh jantri ko dekho, heh Raja Rasull paid hid hai ya naho-one of the Ráksbabas knew astrology, and they neked him to
look into his almanac and see if Raja Rasáld was born or not." For reference as to the really human character of the Rakshasas, see Dowson, Dict of Hindi Mythology, 8. . p. 255 : Garrett, Classic l Dict. of India, 8. v. p. 499, and Supplement, t. p. 113; Muir, Sanskrit Tezls, vol. II, 420 ; McCrindle's Ancient India of Megasthenes and Arrian, p. 23, or Ind. Ant. vol. VI, p. 118, quoting Schwanbeck's Megasthenis Indica, pp. 70 et seqq.
** Gurjana, a mace, () for Pers. gurs: the gurjantis heavy spiked ball of iron fastened to a short iron rod by # chain. Its object is to reach over the shield of the opponent.
