Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/87

Rh I am to bring as gratuity.' Thus addressed, his preceptress replied, 'Go unto King Paushya and beg of him the pair of worn by his Queen, and bring them hither. Four days hence is a sacred day when I wish to appear before the Brahmanas (who may dine at my house) decked with these Then accomplish this, O Utanka! If thou shouldst succeed, good fortune shall attend thee; if not, what good canst thou expect?'

"Utanka, thus commanded, took his departure. And as he was passing along the road he saw a bull of extraordinary size and a man of uncommon stature mounted thereon. And that man addressed Utanka and said, 'Eat thou of the dung of this bull.' Utanka, however, was unwilling to comply. The man said again, 'O Utanka, eat of it without scrutiny. Thy master ate of it before.' And Utanka signified his assent and ate of the dung and drank of the urine of that bull, and rose respectfully, and washing his hands and mouth went to where King Paushya was.

"Arrived at the place, Utanka saw Paushya seated (on his throne). And approaching him, Utanka saluted the monarch by pronouncing blessings and said, 'I am come a petitioner to thee.' And King Paushya, having returned Utanka's salutations, said, 'Sir, what shall I do for thee?' And Utanka said, 'I am come to beg of thee a pair of as gratuity for my preceptor. It behoveth thee to give me the  worn by thy Rani.'

"King Paushya replied, 'Go Utanka into the female apartments where the Rani is and demand them of her.' And Utanka went into the women's apartments. But as he could not discover the Rani, he again addressed the Raja, saying, 'it is not proper that I should be treated by thee with deceit. Thy Rani is not in the private apartments, for I could not find her.' The Raja, thus addressed, considered for a while and replied, 'Recollect, Sir, with attention whether thou best not in a state of defilement in consequence of contact with the impurities of a repast. My Rani is a chaste wife and cannot be seen by any one who is impure owing to contact with the leavings of a repast. Nor doth she herself appear in sight of any one who is defiled.'