Page:Little Clay Cart (Ryder 1905).djvu/38

2 And again:

The Sāmaveda, the Rigveda too,

The science mathematical, he knew;

The arts wherein fair courtezans excel,

And all the lore of elephants as well.

Through Shiva's grace, his eye was never dim;

He saw his son a king in place of him.

The difficult horse-sacrifice he tried

Successfully; entered the fiery tide,

One hundred years and ten days old, and died.

And yet again:

Eager for battle; sloth's determined foe;

Of scholars chief, who to the Veda cling;

Rich in the riches that ascetics know;

Glad, gainst the foeman's elephant to show

His valor;—such was Shūdraka, the king.

And in this work of his,

Within the town, Avanti named,

Dwells one called Chārudatta, famed

No less for youth than poverty;

A merchant's son and Brahman, he.

His virtues have the power to move

Vasantasenā's inmost love;

Fair as the springtime's radiancy,

And yet a courtezan is she.

So here king Shūdraka the tale imparts

Of love's pure festival in these two hearts,

Of prudent acts, a lawsuit's wrong and hate,

A rascal's nature, and the course of fate.

[He walks about and looks around him.] Why, this music-room of ours is empty. I wonder where the actors have gone. [Reflecting.] Ah, I understand.