Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/392

 sea of separation, spent that night unsated with mutual embraces. Then the king related to the queen with delight that adventure of Śringabhuja's, and told his son the circumstances of his mother's imprisonment and release. In the meanwhile Ayaśolekhá, waking up, found out that the king was gone, and guessing that he had entrapped her with his conversation, fell into deep despondency. And in the morning the king Vírabhuja conducted his son Śringabhuja, with his wife Rúpaśikhá, into the presence of Gunavará. He came, and was delighted to behold his mother emerged from the dungeon, and with his new wife he worshipped the feet of his parents. Gunavará, embracing her son, who had returned from his journey, and her daughter-in-law, obtained in the way above related, went from joy to joy. Then by the order of his father, Śringabhuja related to her at length his own adventure, and what Rúpaśikhá did. Then queen Gunavará delighted, said to him, " My son, what has not that Rúpaśikhá done for you? For she, a heroine of wonderful exploits, has given up and sacrificed for you her life, her family, her native land, these three. She must be some goddess, become incarnate for your sake by the appointment of Destiny. For she has placed her foot on the head of all women that are devoted to their husbands." When the queen had said this, the king applauded her speech, and so did Rúpaśikhá with head modestly bent. Just at that moment the superintendent of the womens' apartments, Surakshita, who had been long ago slandered by that Ayaśolekhá, returned from visiting all the holy bathing places. He was announced by the door-keeper, and bowed delighted at the king's foot, and then the king, who now knew the facts, honoured him exceedingly. And by his mouth he summoned the other queens who were wicked, and said to him— " Go ! fling all these into the dungeon." When the queen Gunavará heard that, and the terrified women were thrown into the dungeon, she said out of compassion to the king, clinging to his feet, " King, do not keep them for a long time in the dungeon ! Have mercy, for I cannot bear to see them terrified." By thus entreating the king she prevented their imprisonment, for the only vengeance that the great make use of against their enemies is compassion. Then those queens, dismissed by the king, went ashamed to their houses, and would even have preferred to have been in the embrace of death. And the king thought highly of the great-hearted Gunavará, and considered, because he possessed that wife, that he must have accomplished virtuous acts in a former state of existence. Then the king, determining to banish his other sons by an artifice, had them summoned, and spake to them this feigned speech— " I have heard that you villains have slain a Bráhman traveller, so go and visit all the holy bathing-places in suceession, do not remain here." When the sons heard that, they were not able to persuade the king of the truth, for when a ruler is bent on violence, who