The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be
given?
Then the king went
back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his shoulder, and started. And the
goblin spoke to him again: "O King, why do you go to such pains in this
cemetery at night? Do you not see the home of the ghosts, full of dreadful
creatures, terrible in the night, wrapped in darkness as in smoke? Why do you
work so hard and grow weary for the sake of that monk? Well, to amuse the
journey, listen to a puzzle which I will tell you."
In the Avanti country is a city built by
the gods at the beginning of time, adorned with wonderful wealth and
opportunities for enjoyment. In the earliest age it was called Padmavati, then
Bhogavati, then Hiranyavati, and now it is called Ujjain
One day the king
went with her to the sacred Ganges river and
prayed to Shiva that he might have children. And after long prayer he heard a
voice from heaven, for Shiva was at last pleased with his devotion: "O
King, there shall be born to you a brave son to continue your dynasty, and a
daughter more beautiful than the nymphs of heaven."
When he heard the
heavenly voice, the king was delighted at the fulfilment of his wishes, and went
back to his city with the queen. And first Queen Padmarati bore a son called Shuradeva,
and then a daughter named Anagharati who put the god of love to shame.
When the girl grew
up, the king sought for a suitable husband for her, and invited all the
neighbouring princes by letter, but not one of them seemed good enough for her.
So the king tenderly said to his daughter: "My dear, I do not see a
husband worthy of you, so I will summon all the kings hither, and you shall
choose." But the princess said: "My dear father, such a choice would
be very embarrassing. I would rather not. Just marry me to any good-looking
young man, who understands a single science from beginning to end. I wish
nothing more nor less than that."
Now while the king
was looking for such a husband, four brave, good-looking, scientific men from
the south heard of the matter and came to him. And when they had been
hospitably received, each explained his own science to the king.
The first said:
"I am a working-man, and my name is Panchapattika. I make five splendid
suits of clothes a day. One I give to some god and one to a Brahman. One I wear
myself, and one I shall give to my wife when I have one. The fifth I sell, to
buy food and things. This is my science. Pray give me Anagharati."
The second said:
"I am a farmer, and my name is Bhasaja. I understand the cries of all
beasts and birds. Pray give me the princess."
The third said:
"I am a strong-armed soldier, and my name is Khadgadarah. I have no rival
on earth in the science of swordsmanship. O King, pray give me your
daughter."
The fourth said:
"O King, I am a Brahman, and my name is Jivadatta. I possess a wonderful
science. For if dead creatures are brought to me, I can quickly restore them to
life. Let your daughter find a husband in a man who has such heroic skill."
When they had spoken, and the king had seen that they all had
wonderful garments and personal beauty, he and his daughter swung in doubt.
When the goblin had told this story, he
said to the king: "Remember the curse I mentioned, and tell me to which of
them the girl should be given."
And the king said
to the goblin: "Sir, you are merely trying to gain time by making me break
silence. There is no puzzle about that. How could a warrior's daughter be given
to a working-man, a weaver? Or to a farmer, either? And as to his knowledge of
the speech of beasts and birds, of what practical use is it? And what good is a
Brahman who neglects his own affairs and turns magician, despising real
courage? Of course she should be given to the warrior Swordsman who had some
manhood with his science."
When the goblin
heard this, he escaped by magic from the king's shoulder, and disappeared. And
the king followed him as before. Discouragement never enters the brave heart of
a resolute man.
To be continued...
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