Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/354



When that Naraváhanadatta had thus obtained a new and lovely bride of the Vidyádhara race, and was the next day with her in her house, there came in the morning to the door, to visit him, his ministers Gomukha and others. They were stopped for a moment at the door by the female warder, and announced within ; then they entered and were courteously received, and Ratnaprabhá said to the warder, " The door must not again be closed against the entrance of my husband's friends, for they are as dear to me as my own body. And I do not think that this is the way to guard female apartments." After she had addressed the female warder in these words, she said in turn to her husband, " My husband, I am going to say something which occurs to me, so listen. I consider that the strict seclusion of women is a mere social custom, or rather folly produced by jealousy. It is of no use whatever. Women of good family are guarded by their own virtue, as their only chamberlain. But even God himself can scarcely guard the unchaste. Who can restrain a furious river and a passionate woman? And now listen, I will tell you a story."

Story of king Ratnádhipati and the white elephant Śvetaraśmi.:—There is here a great island in the midst of the sea, named Ratnakúta. In it there lived in old times a king of great courage, a devoted worshipper of Vishnu, rightly named Ratnádhipati.* That king, in order to obtain the conquest of the earth, and all kings' daughters as his wives, went through a severe penance, to propitiate Vishnu. The adorable one, pleased with his penance, appeared in bodily form, and thus commanded him— " Rise up, king, I am pleased with thee, so I tell thee this— listen! There is in the land of Kalinga a Gandharva, who has become a white elephant bj r the curse of a hermit, and is known by the name of Śvetaraśmi. On account of the asceticism he performed in a former life, and on account of his devotion to me, that elephant is supernaturally wise, and possesses the power of flying through the sky, and of remembering his former birth. And I have given an order to that great elephant, in accordance with which lie will come of himself through the air. and become thy beast of burden. That white elephant thou must mount, as the wielder of the thunderbolt mounts the elephant of the gods. † and whatever king thou shalt travel through the air to visit, in fear shall bestow on thee, who art of god-like presence, tribute in the form of a daughter, for I will