he retired in disgust to this cave. Here he and his wife lived in great distress for a long time, till at last, through press of hunger and the constant entreaty of his wife, he determined to visit his old friend in the hope of getting help from him in some way. Too proud, however, to go empty-handed to his friend, who had been his inferior at school, yet having nothing to carry as a present, he took some gram, and tying it in a corner of the rag which served him for a dhoti, he went to the door of Siva’s palace; the guards refused him admittance, and to his statement that Siva was his friend, lie only received taunting replies alluding to his naked condition, for in tying the gram to his dhoti, so much of the rag had been taken up that enough was not left to cover him decently. Siva, however, heard the noise, and, coming out, was delighted to see his old friend, led him up, and gave him a seat of honour, while he himself, with Pârvati, sat down close to him and began talking. The poor Rishi produced his gram as a present for his friend, and Siva took up and ate a handful, and took up a second handful and ate that also; while in the act of taking a third handful, Pârvati restrained him, saying, “Are you going to give him all three of the Trilokas?” The poor but proud Rishi, after a short stay, took leave and departed, greatly dejected and angry, for he had been too proud to ask Siva for a favour, and Siva had not conferred any on him unasked, though he saw his evident distress, but on the contrary had eaten up his gram, which was all he had. Full of grief he returned towards his cell, when to his astonishment he saw a magnificent place on the spot with many servants, who laid hold of him and carried him in, saying the mistress of the house had called him. From the court-yard he saw a beautiful lady covered with jewels beckoning to him to come up; he replied that he was a poor man who had done no harm and did not know the lady, and begged to be allowed to go. Then the lady at the window repeated a sloka to the effect that as wealth had so changed her that her husband could not recognise her, she wanted not the wealth but preferred her poverty. Sudâma then recognised his wife, and they lived happy together, and grateful to Siva for his gifts.
This is the popular version as related on the spot. There is a long legend of Sudâma in Hindu mythology, and also of Lomas Rishi; also a Buddhist legend of a Lomas Kasyapa in Spence Hardy’s Manual, but they do not appear to have any connexion with these caves.
