With reluctance and discontent did the officials convey the tidings to the king, saying, “O king, the princess has completed the choice of a husband.” The king said, “What manner of man has she chosen?” They replied, “O king, a blind man.” The king also was displeased when he heard this, and he sent for his daughter and said, “O daughter, wherefore have you chosen such a man as your husband, in spite of there being extremely young, rich and handsome sons of kings, proprietors, merchants, caravan leaders, ministers, and purohitas?” She replied, “O father, this is the man I want.” The king said, “O daughter, if that be so, then go to him. Wherefore do you delay?” She went to him and said, “I have chosen you as my husband.” He replied, “Therein you have not acted well. Perhaps you have thought, ‘as such is the case and this man is blind, I can give myself to another.’ ” She replied, “I am not one who does such things.” He said, “What proof is there of this?” She replied, commencing an asseveration—
“If it be true, and my asseveration is righteous, that I have been in love only with Prince Ksheman·kara and with you, but with none else, then through the power of this truth and my asseveration shall one of your two eyes become sound as before.”
So soon as this asseveration was uttered, one of his eyes came again just as it was before. Then he said, “I am Ksheman·kara. My brother Pāpan·kara reduced me to the state I was in.” She said, “What proof is there that you are Prince Ksheman·kara?” Then he too began to asseverate, saying—
“If it be true, and my asseveration righteous, that although Pāpan·kara put out my eyes, I do not in the least bear him malice, then in consequence of the truth and affirmation may my other eye become sound as before.”
So soon as he had pronounced this asseveration, his other eye also became as it had been originally. Then [[285]]the royal princess betook herself to the king, along with Ksheman·kara, who was no longer imperfect in any part of his body, and said, “O father, this is Ksheman·kara himself.” As the king was incredulous, she told him how everything had come about. The king was exceedingly astonished, but with great joy did he give his daughter to Ksheman·kara as his wife. Then he set forth with a great army for that city, and drove Pāpan·kara from power, and set Ksheman·kara as king upon his father’s throne. [[286]]
[1] Kah-gyur, iv. ff. 186–189. [↑]
[2] Ksheman·kara, “promoting well-being, causing peace and security, propitious,” &c. [↑]