Indian Antiquary Vol 18

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

Page 54

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(FEBRUARY, 1889.
The king's face changed colour on hearing such on unwelcome benediction, if benediction it might be called, from the fellow-student of the great poet. And all the assembled Pandits were struck dumb with fear and astonishment. But in order to save BhojanadAsarathi, Kalidasa at once rose up and said,
आसने विप्रपीडा च सुतपीडा च भोजने।
शयने दारपीडा च तिम्रः पीडा दिने दिने । "May Brahmaņs trouble you when you are on your throne; may your sons trouble you when you sit down to eat; may your wives trouble you (for amorous sports) when you are in bed. Thus may there be three kinds of trouble to you day after day."
Thus KAlidasa explained away the three miseries wished by Bhojanadaśarathi to the monarch. And the king, highly pleased, rewarded the poor Brâhman, though of course he did not deserve anything.
LEGEND III. One day a poor Brahman went to Kalidasa, and requested him to take him also to the assembly of king Bhoja. The great poet asked him whether he knew anything to bless the king with, and the Bråhman, being the son of a reciter of Upanishads replied that he had heard his father often repeat the words fraf ar: acara: but that was all he knew, and even of that he did not know the proper intonation or meaning. "Very well, it will do," said Kálidasa, and asked the Brahman to come to the king's assembly the next day; and our hero, much pleased, went away.
As the next morning was a special occasion, learned Pandits from all parts of Jambūdvipa had assembled there to bless the monarch and receive presents. Our poor Bråbman too came; and, when his turn approached, without using the peculiarintonation of the Upanishads, he said सहनशीषों पुरुषः सहवाक्षः सहस्रपात्.
Every Pandit there was astonished to hear so gauche a repetition of a portion of one of the Védángas. Kalidasa read the faces of the assembled Pandits, and standing up in their midst said : “ Panditáh! Learned Sirs ! The Pandit who has just quoted from the Upanishad did not adopt the usual intonation, as he meant it to be but one-half of a verse. You must all try to patch up the other half. The whole assembly heard what Kalidasa said, and tried their best to fill in the other portion, but in vain. Then rose up Kálidasa, the king of poets, and said affa
r , which may be rendered thus -- Tava sainye pradhávati," when your army marches," Sahasrasirshá purushah chalitah," the thousand-headed (hooded) god Adiśêsha changes his position (unable to bear the weight)." Sahasrákshah chakitah," the thousand-eyed Iodra fears for his safety," and Sahasrapát, "the sun becomes," chhannah, "clouded by the dust raised by the army." The king praised Kalidasa, scolded the assembled Pandits, and rewarded the poor Brahmaq.
LEGEND IV. Four poor Brâhmans visited Kalidasa on a certain day and requested him to introduce them to the king. The poet asked them whether they knew any Sanskrit verses to bless the king with. The first Brahman said that his father was a great reader of the Ramayana, and that he had heard him often repeating the words of THCare, and that he knew only so much. The second Brâhman replied that his father was a great Purána-reader, and that he had heard him often repeat sifarage, and that he knew only so much. The third Brahman stated that his father took great delight in the Harivansa, and that he had heard him often repeat the words
fare, and that he knew only so much. And the fourth Brahman said that his father, grandfather, great-grandfather and others, were all priests, and that he had often heard them pronounce, while discharging their duties, the words fogori TTHU, and that he knew only so much. Kalidâ sa was pleased with them all, and, pitying their poverty, asked them to be present at the king's assembly the next day.