“On hearing this account, the king came out and sent for the kotwãl, and told him to go and bring the devotee. The kotwãl set off to bring the devotee on the instant of receiving the order; and the king began reflecting thus,—‘The affairs of one’s household, and the intentions of one’s heart, and any loss which has befallen one—these it is not right to disclose to anyone;’ when, in the interval, the kotwãl brought the devotee into the presence. Then the king took the devotee aside and questioned him, saying, ‘Spiritual guide! what punishment is laid down in the scriptures for a woman?’ On this the devotee said, ‘Your majesty! if a Brahman, a cow, a wife, a child, or any one dependent on us, be guilty of a disgraceful act, it is prescribed that such should be banished from the country.’”
“On hearing this the king had Padmãvati conveyed away in a litter and left in a jungle. Thereupon both the prince and the minister’s son started from their lodging on horseback, went to that jungle, took the Princess Padmãvati with them, and set out for their own country. After some days each reached his father’s house. The greatest joy took possession of all, high and low; and these (i.e., the prince and the princess,) entered upon a life of mutual happiness.”
After relating so much of the tale the sprite asked King Vikramãjït, “To which of those four does guilt attach? If you do not decide this point, you will be cast into hell.” King Vikram said, “The guilt attaches to the king.” The sprite replied, “How does the sin fall on the king?” Vikram answered him thus, “The minister’s son simply did his duty to his master; and the kotwãl obeyed the king’s command; and the princess attained her object; hence, the guilt falls on the king for having inconsiderately expelled her from the country.”
On hearing these words from the king’s mouth, the sprite went and suspended himself on that same tree.
TALE II.
On looking about him, the king perceived that the sprite was not present; so he went straight away back, and, reaching that place, climbed up the tree, bound the corpse, and placing him on his shoulders, set off. Then the sprite said, “O king! the second story is as follows:—”
“On the bank of the Yamunã (Jamnã) is a city named Dharmmasthal, the king of which is named Gunãdhip. Moreover, a Brahman named Kesava lives there, who is in the habit of performing his devotions and religious duties on the banks of the Jamnã; and his daughter’s name was Madhumãvati. She was very beautiful. When she became marriageable, her mother, father, and brother, were all three intent on getting her married. It happened that while her father had gone one day, with one of his supporters, * to a marriage ceremony somewhere, and her brother to his teacher’s in the village, for instruction, in their absence a Brahman’s son came to the house. Her mother, seeing the youth’s beauty. and excellent qualities, said, ‘I will give my daughter in marriage to thee.’ And there the Brahman had agreed to give his daughter to a young Brahman; while his son had given his word to a Brahman at the place where he had gone to study, that he would give him his sister.”
* Jafman, from the Sanskrit Yajamãna is a person who
institutes a sacrifice, and pays for it. In a village where
there is a hereditary priest, the priest’s fees are paid by
the villagers (who constitute his jajmãn), and that whether
they choose to employ his services, or those of any other
priest. I object, therefore, to the meaning of “employer” as
being inexact, and to that of “customer” as being both
inexact and inelegant.