This is the story called Vṛihatkathá, told long ago, on the summit of mount Kailása, by the undaunted[16] Śiva, at the request of the daughter of the Himálaya, and then widely diffused in the world by Pushpadanta and his fellows, who were born on the earth wearing the forms of Kátyáyana and others, in consequence of a curse. And on that occasion that god her husband attached the following blessing to this tale, “Whoever reads this tale that issued from my mouth, and whoever listens to it with attention, and whoever possesses it, shall soon be released from his sins, and triumphantly attain the condition of a splendid Vidyádhara, and enter my everlasting world.”
End of the Collection of Tales called the Kathá Sarit Ságara.
[1] The khaṭvánga, a club shaped like the foot of a bedstead, i. e., a staff with a skull at the top, considered as the weapon of Śiva and carried by ascetics and Yogis. For karaḥ the MSS give ravaḥ. This would mean that the ascetic was beating his drum. The word in No. 1882 might be khaḥ but is no doubt meant for ravaḥ.
[2] Cp. Vol. II, p. 243.
[3] I separate pratijná from siddhim.
[4] It is possible that this may be the original of the 4th story in the 10th day of the Decamerone.
[5] See Vol. I, p. 212, and Lieutenant Temple’s article Lamia in the Antiquary for August, 1882. Terrible man-eating Sirens are described in the Valáhassajátaka to which Dr. Morris called attention in a letter in the Academy. Cp. Schmidt’s Griechische Märchen, p. 142.
[6] No. 3003 and the Sanskrit College MS. give antaḥsthena for sambhramayya. No. 1882 has tva-taḥsthena; an insect has devoured the intermediate letter.