One day one of the highest royal officials, whose heart had been inclined to the (True) Belief, spoke thus to the king: 'This is a true saying, in truth.
31. 'Monarchs, because they always deal with all kinds of business, the highest, the lowest, and the intermediate, by far surpass in their wisdom any wise men.
'For, Your Majesty, you have obtained the happiness of your subjects both in this world and in the next, as the effect of your sacrifice being performed in righteousness, free from the blameable sin of animal-slaughter. The hard times are all over and the sufferings of poverty have ceased, since men have been established in the precepts of good conduct. Why use many words? Your subjects are happy.
32[1]. 'The black antelope's skin which covers your limbs has the resemblance of the spot on the bright moon's surface, nor can the natural loveliness of your demeanour be hindered by the restraint imposed on you by your being a dîkshita[2]. Your head, adorned with such hair-dress as is in compliance with the rites of the dîkshâ, possesses no less lustre than when it was embellished with the splendour of the royal umbrella[3]. And, last not least, by your largesses you
- ↑ The corruptions of this stanza in the MSS. have been corrected in the edition. In some points, however, I venture to propose some alterations.
To gâtrena of the MSS., gâtre na of the ed., I should prefer gâtreshu.
For mandodyamâh of the MSS., mandodyamah of the ed., I substitute mandodyamâ, and in pâda 3, I think kesarakanasobhâ is one word. - ↑ See note on p. 95 supra. The sattra and the dîkshâ continue as long as the sacrifice is being performed. The king, therefore, is still wearing the skin of the black antelope, which he put on at the lime of his consecration for the sake of performing the sacrifice, since he is obliged to observe this and many other restrictions of the dîkshâ. The minister says that to the pious monarch these obligations are no restraint with respect to his behaviour, which already before has been in accordance with the strictest precepts of the Law.
- ↑ The white umbrella has been put aside for the time of the dîkshâ.
