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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1891.
sung it delighted her, and so did the thought that her lord was no ordinary person, and that he was as fair in mind as in body. She tried her best to arrive at the meaning, but could not. She fell at ber lord's feet, and requested him respectfully to expound the meaning of the verse he had just sung; and with a clear and silvery tone Atirûpa began the exposition, and after two hours' commentary concluded it thus:
“Sweetmeats, fruits, &c., to a hungry stomach are like beauty to unchaste women. Rice alone is the food I now most need to satisfy my hunger, as it is chastity alone which & woman needs to be called beautiful."
The princess rose up, and without saying a word arranged upside down on the floor in the form of a hearth, three silver cups, in which scented sandalwood, paste, rose water and other things had been placed. There was akshata3 in abundance standing in a platter at the side of the room. She took it, washed & portion of it in milk, which had been placed in the room, and, putting it in a silver milk jug with milk in it, set the pot over the overturned silver cups. Below these she placed scented sticks and sandal wood, which she found in the room, and in a minute lighted a fire. In less than a ghafiká the washed akshata and the inilk were cooked into boiled rice. The princess emptied the rice into a silver platter, and placed it before her lord. Atirûpa was lost in admiration at the readiness of the princese. Glad at heart that he was fortunate enough to term that intelligent lady his wife, for a short time at least (for he was sure to be sent out of the city by the minister the next morning), he dragged the platter before him. He eyed the princess with joy in his face, and politely requested her to sit by his side and partake of the meal with him, as she, too, must be hungry.
Now, during Hindu marriage ceremonies, the ritual takes up so much time, that brides and bridegiooms have scarcely any leisure for a convenient and hearty meal. The princess, proud of the company of such a beautiful and intelligent husband, sat by his side, but she ate little. She was so delighted with the verse that she requested her husband to repeat it again, and carefully copied it on the wall of the hall. After a long conversation about the various departments of knowledge with which each were acquainted, they retired to rest. Each was overjoyed, and thanked God, who, in His superior judgment, had brought them together in this world as husband and wife. Never was there a happier pair in the world than Atirûpa and the princess.
Leaving our hero to his hard-earned repose after an adventurous day and night, let us - return to the minister. Before he could arrange to snbstitute his son in the place of the poor Brahman boy, the ladies of the palace and Her Majesty the queen herself had outwitted him. He did not like to display any of his awkward blanders, and returned home a little sad no doubt, but glad that the marriage had gone off successfully, that throughout the whole ceremony the people assembled there thought that it was his son, who sat as the bridegroom, and that no suspicion had arisen on that head. He would fetch his supposed son in the early morning from the decorated chamber, and send the poor Brahman boy away :“The secret will be hetween myself and that fool of a Brahman. From to-morrow my son will be the husband of the princess, and the heir-apparent to the throne of Chandragiri."
In this way the minister consoled himself, and before sun-rise sent his palanquin to the palace to bring home his supposed son, the bridegroom. In accordance with custom the palanquin from the minister's mansion waited near the princess's bed-chamber. The queen opened the door, and, seeing her son-in-law enter the palanquin, she entered her daughter's chamber and conducted her to her own room. Now, though the happy couple had retired to rest the previous night, they had never a wink of sleep, for one conversation led to another, and each found the company of the other so sweet, that time flew away without their noticing it, till the palanquin was announced. To the credit of our hero be it said that he never told
. Rice grain mixed with turmeric used in auspicious ceremonies.
