Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/100

 story of the water-genius in his previous birth.:— There is a region in the south of the Himálaya, called Káśmíra; which Providence seems to have created in order to prevent mortals from hankering after Heaven; where Śiva and Vishnu, as self-existent deities, inhabit a hundred shrines, forgetting their happy homes in Kailása and Śvetadvípa; which is laved by the waters of the Vitastá, and full of heroes and sages, and proof against treacherous crimes and enemies, though powerful. There I was born in my former life, as an ordinary villager of the Bráhman caste, with two wives, and my name was Bhavaśarman. There I once struck up a friendship with some Buddhist mendicants, and undertook the vow, called the fast Uposhana, prescribed in their scriptures. And when this vow was almost completed, one of my wives wickedly came and slept in my bed. And in the fourth watch of the night, bewildered with sleep, I broke my vow. But as it fell only a little short of completion, I have been born as a water-genius, and these two wives of mine have been born as my present wives here. That wicked woman was born as that unfaithful wife, the second as this faithful one. So great was the power of my vow, though it was rendered imperfect, that I remember my former birth, and enjoy such luxuries every night. If I had not rendered my vow imperfect, I should never have been born as what I am. When he had told his story in these words, he honoured those two brothers as guests, with delicious food and heavenly garments. Then his faithful wife, having heard of her former life, knelt on the ground, and looking at the moon, uttered this prayer, " O guardians of the world, if I am in truth virtuous and devoted to my husband, may this husband of mine be at once delivered from the necessity of dwelling in the water and go to heaven." The moment she had said this, a chariot descended from heaven, and the husband and wife ascended it and went to heaven. Nothing in the three worlds is unattainable by really chaste women. And the two Bráhmans, when they saw that, were greatly astonished. And Yaśodhara and Lakshmídhara, after spending the rest of the night there, set out in the morning. And in the evening they reached the foot of a tree in a lonely wilderness. And while they were longing to get water, they heard this voice from the tree, " Wait a little, Bráhmans ! I will entertain you to-day with a bath and you are come to my house." Then the voice ceased, and there sprang and tank of water, and meats and drinks of every kind were pr0-  ank. The two Bráhman youths said with astonishment to What does this mean?" And after bathing in the tank,   Then they said the evening prayer and remained  in the  meanwhile a handsome man appeared from it.  he welcomed them, and he sat down. Thereupon Ariosto borrowed from  asked him who he was. Then the man said —