Kathakoca or Treasury of Stories

Author(s): C H Tawney
Publisher: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation New Delhi

Page 93

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garden in the suburbs. And at this time it happened that Lílávatí, the daughter of Karka, the king of that town, was bitten by a serpent. Saying that she was dead, they proceeded to carry her to the funeral pyre. Dípaçikha heard the sound of the bier.* He said to Gandharvadattá: 'My dear, they are carrying out a living person.' She said: How do you know ?' He answered: 'I know by the peculiar sound.' She said: How can you tell by the sound?' He answered: By means of spells one can know all things.' She said: 'If it be so, then restore the corpse to life.' So he sent a messenger of his own and had the corpse stopped, and the ground near the pyre anointed. When this had been done, the prince went there, and was seen by King Karka. On seeing him the king was astonished, and said to himself: 'Certainly Lílávatí will be restored to life.' The prince fastened up his hair in a knot. Lílávatí was set down on the ground which the prince had anointed, and he, calling to mind the spell, thus addressed Lílávatí: 'Arise up, and, taking a golden vessel, give me water to rinse my mouth.' The princess rose up, and all the people were delighted. Great rejoicings took place. When King Karka found out that Dípaçikha was the son of King Vijayadharma, he gave him his daughter Lílávatí, and the marriage was celebrated. After staying there some days, he again set out for his own country. As he was on his way, he came in due course to Ujjayiní, and, as fate would have it, encamped there. Now, at the time of twilight he saw a blazing pyre. The prince, when night had come on, went there without telling his wife, and approached the pyre sword in hand. While he was standing at the foot of a tree, an adept in magic arrived. He drew a circlet and beat a cymbal, muttering spells. Then a maiden came into the circle. The adept said to the maiden: Come now, call to mind
* Váhitra.
+ He is called above Vijayavarman.
See the word circle' in the index at the end of vol. ii. of my translation of the Kathá Sarit Ságara.'