114
[APRIL 5, 1872.
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
studied the Săstras and was honoured by the
Ujjayini) they went each to his house. One
elder Bhoja. His son-in-law was Bāna. The lat ter also was clever. The two were jealous of each
after the other they paid their respects to the
other, for it is said,
‘Donkeys, bulls, steeds, gamblers, Pandits, and rogues cannot bear each other and cannot live
herd with deer, kine with kine, steeds with steeds, fools with fools, wise men with wise ones. Friendship (has its root) in the similarity of
without each other.”
virtues and of faults.”
One day they were quarrelling. The king said to them, ‘Ho Pandits, go to Kashmir. He is
Once Bana had a lover's quarrel with his wife. The lady, who was proud, did not put off her pride. The greater part of the night pass ed thus. Mayúra, who was taking his constitu tional, came to that place. Hearing the noise, made by the husband and his wife through the window, he stopped. Bāqa fell at the feet of
the best whom Bhārati who dwells there, con
siders to be the better Pandit.t
They took food for their journey and set out. They came on their road to the country of the Mādhumatas (Kashmir). Seeing five hundred oxen which carried loads on their backs, they
said to the drivers, ‘What have you got there?' The latter answered, ‘Commentaries on the syl lable OM. Again they saw, instead of five hun dred oxen, a herd of two thousand. Finding that all these were laden with different new ex
King as before. It has been also said, -“Deer
his wife, and said, “O faithful one, pardon this one fault, I will not again anger thee.” She kicked him with her foot which was encircled
by an anklet. Mayāra, who stood under the window, became sorry on hearing the sound of the anklet, and on account of the disrespect
planations of the syllable OM, they lost their pride. They slept in some place together. Ma y (, r a was awakened by the goddess Saraswati,
shown to the
who gave him this ‘thema' for a verse, “The sky filled with a hundred moons.’ He half raised him self, bowed and gave the following solution,-• Chāhuramalla, stunned by the blow of Dāmo dara's hand, saw the sky filled by a hundred moons.” The same question was addressed to Băna. He growled and worked the thema in the follow
past, escapes swiftly like a hare; this lamp nods
ing manner :—
- In that night, on account of the lotus-faces
that moved to and fro on the high terraces, the
sky shone as if filled by a hundred moons.'t The goddess said, ‘You are both poets who know the Sºdistras.
But Băna is inferior, be
cause he growled. I have shown you that quan tity of commentaries on the syllable OM. Who has ever attained a complete knowledge of the dictionary of the goddess Speech. It has been also said, “Let nobody assume pride saying, ‘I am the only Pandit in this age. Others are
ignorant. Greatness of intellect is only com parative.' Thus Saraswati made friendship between the two. When they arrived at the outer wall (of
- Na sahanti ikkamikkam na viná chithanti ikkamikkena
rásahavasahaturagājūyārá pandiyádambhā.
t A journey to Kashmir and a presentation of books to Sarasvati is frequently mentioned as a test for poets by the Jaina authors.
t Jágarito mayúro ványá s'atachandram nabhastalaim samasyapadain vadantyá ardhotthitena natena
Dámodarakarághatavivhalikritachetasa. Drishtam chánuramallena satachandrain nabhastalam |
husband.
But
Båna recited a
new stanza–
“O thin-waisted one, the night that is nearly as if it were sleepy ; O fair-browed one thy heart also has become hard on account of its vicinity to thy breasts, so that, alas, thou dost not put off thy pride and thy anger at the end of my prostrations.”S Hearing this Mayāra said—“Don’t call her fair-browed but passionate, (chandi) since she is angry.” Hearing this harsh speech that faith ful wife cursed her father, who revealed the character of his daughter saying, “Mayest thou
become a leper by the touch of the betel-juice which I now have in my mouth.” At that moment lepra-spots appeared on his body. In the morning Băna went as formerly to the Court dressed as a Varaka and made with reference to
Mayúra, who also came, the following speech con taining a pun, “The Varakodhi has come.” || The King understanding this, and seeing the lepra-spots, sent (Mayāra) away, saying, “You must go.” Mayúra fixed himself in the temple of the Sun, sat down, keeping his mind concen trated on the deity, and praised the Sun with Iti samasya púrità || Bánopi tathaiva prishtah I huānkārain kritva tenapi kathità
Tasyam uttungasaudhágravilolavadanambujaih | Virarāja vibhāvaryām satachandram nabhastalam."
i.
kris'atanu sas'iyata iva
radipoyaſil nidrāvasam upagato ghūrnata iva | Pranamánte manan tyajasi ma yathâtvam krudham aha Kuchapratyāsattyá hridayam api te subhru kathinam || | I am unable to translate the term Varaka. The words of the text are–Varakavastram, paridháya sametam mayāram prati (āvauvarakodhi) iti s' lishtam vachauvacha.
