Note.
The story, as given in the Panchatantra (Benfey, Vol. II, p. 332), is somewhat different. Here we have four brothers of whom three possess all knowledge, but one only possesses common sense. The first brother joins together the bones of the lion, the second covers them with skin, flesh, and blood, the third is about to give the animal life, when the brother, who possesses common sense, says “If you raise him to life, he will kill us all.” Finding that the third brother will not desist from his intention, he climbs up a tree and so saves his life, while his three brothers are torn to pieces.
In the Bahar-Danush (Scott) Vol. II, p. 290, the bones of a cow are joined together by being sprinkled with water. See Benfey, Vol. I, p. 489. (Oesterley’s Baitál Pachísí, pp. 211–212.)
[1] I read with the Sanskrit College MS. Kusumapurákhyanagareśvaraḥ. But Kusumapurákhye nagare svaráṭ, the reading of Professor Brockhaus’s text, would mean “an independent monarch in the city of Páṭaliputra,” and would give almost as good a sense.
[2] I follow the Sanskrit College MS. which reads baddhvá for buddhyá.
[3] The Sanskrit College MS. gives the reading, sadanshtrásankaṭamukhaḥ, which I follow.
[4] I read avikrite with the Sanskrit College MS.
Chapter XCVII.
(Vetála 23.)
Then the noble king Trivikramasena went back, and again took down that Vetála from the aśoka-tree, and though the Vetála transformed himself in all possible ways, he put him on his shoulder and started off with him in silence, and then the Vetála said to him, “King, though the business in which you are engaged is not becoming to you, you exhibit in it undaunted perseverance; so listen, I will tell you a tale to dispel your fatigue.”