Indian Antiquary Vol 17

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 20

14
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
and in turn asked where he was going. He told him everything, whereupon the king said:"Do take my message, too, to lávara. Tell him I have been twice twelve years building a tank for the good of my subjects, but it has not been completed. Ask him the reason why, and what I should do."
The boy said he was at His Majesty's service and would do everything the king told him. And he again started; but before he left he made a third knot on the rope lest he should forget.
For a fourth day our hero walked on and on till late in the evening, by which time he had reached a certain shore. Being very weary and hungry he ate what little remained of his bajri cakes and slept soundly till break of day.
When he woke up the next day he saw at a little distance an enormously big manghalmású (fish) stretched on the dry land. On approaching him he questioned the boy as to where he was going, and he told him that he was in search of Isvara. Thereupon the
whale said:
"If you happen to meet with Îsvara, do not forget me. Tell him it is twice twelve years since I was thrown on this shore, and since then not a single tide has come within my reach to enable me to get into the sea again."
The boy made a promise to the whale to mention him to fśvara, and made a fourth knot on the rope. He then rushed into the sea, little recking the roaring of the waves, when lo! a passage opened out for him and he was enabled to proceed on his way. He walked a long while and came to a house, at the entrance of which, on the sixth step, was seated an ascetic, in whom the boy did not recognize the object of his search, for he was isvara himself, who pitied the boy and had come to aid him. Îsvara questioned the boy as to who he was and what he wanted in that place. The boy said :--
"O holy saint, tell me, if you can, where I can find Isvara."
"What do you want from Isvara? Tell me all, and I will try and help you."
Upon this the boy related his story, and how he had journeyed for several days to seek Isvara, and beg of him to better his condition!
[JANUARY, 1888.
Îsvara bade him go home and said he would now live in a better position. Hearing this the boy went down from the fifth to the fourth step, when Îévara detained him and asked him if he had anything else to say. Just then the boy remembered his promise to the whale, and told isvara how for twice twelve years he had been lying on dry land and how he was longing for a tide to come and take him back to his mother, the ocean.
On this fśvara told the boy to tell the whale that he had in his belly a box containing very precious gems, and that if he would throw up that box and give it to the first passer-by, the tide would come and carry him back into the sea.
The boy heard these words and went down to the third step when lévara again detained him and asked him if he had nothing else to say; whereupon he remembered the king who was building the tank, and said:
"There is a certain king who says he has spent twice twelve years in constructing a tank for the benefit of his subjects; but to his sorrow as soon as one side is built and the other commenced, the first side breaks down, and by the time it is rebuilt the other side gives way, and so it has continued for twice twelve years. He wants to know what he should do to complete the tank."
Upon this isvara said:"Tell the king that if he has the welfare of his subjects at heart, he he must risk half his kingdom by bestowing it on the first passer-by, and also give him his daughter in marriage, and then only will the tank be completed."
The boy then stepped on to the second step when lévara asked him for the third time whether he had to give him any other message, and this time he was put in mind of the mangotree, and said :—
"In a certain forest stands a mango-tree bent down with the load of its fruit, and it complains that it has been in that position for twice twelve years, but no living creature eats of its fruit."
The boy was ordered to tell the tree that at its foot was buried a box containing great treasure, which box the first passer-by should be allowed to dig out and take away, and then its fruit would be eaten.