DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.640#0214
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. 87
pieces, boiled him up in spirits, and invited Shookru. to
the entertainment. Kuchu not returning from the forest,
Devujanee wept much, and told her father that she would
certainly kill hers elfd if he did not bring back her lover.
Shookru at length, by the power of meditation, discovered
that he had eaten this youth, so beloved by his daughter ;
and he knew not how to bring him back to life, without the
attempt being fatal to himself. At last, however, while the
boy continued in his belly, he restored him to life, and
taught him the incantation for raising the dead; after which
Kiichu, tearing open Shookru's belly, came forth, and
immediately restored his teacher to life. Kuchu, having
obtained the knowledge of revivifying the dead, took leave
of his preceptor, and was about to return to his father
Vrihusputee, when Devujanee insisted upon his marrying
her, Kuchu declined this honour, as she was the daughter
of his preceptor; at which she was so incensed that she
pronounced a curse upon him, by which he was doomed to
reap no advantage from all his learning. In return Kiichu
cursed Devujanee, and doomed her to marry a kshutriyu;
which curse after some time took effect, and she was
married to king Yujatee. After Devujanee had borne two
children, she discovered that the king maintained an illicit
connection with a princess of the name of Summisht'ha,
by whom he had three sons. She appealed to her father
Shookru, who pronounced a curse on Yujatee; when his
hair immediately became grey, his teeth fell from his head,
and he was seized with complete decrepitude. Yujatee
remonstrated with his father-in-law, and asked him who
should live with his daughter, who was yet young, seeing
that he had brought old age upon him. Shookru replied,
* The Hindoo children often resort to this threat to extort some favour
from their parents.
VOL. I. O
pieces, boiled him up in spirits, and invited Shookru. to
the entertainment. Kuchu not returning from the forest,
Devujanee wept much, and told her father that she would
certainly kill hers elfd if he did not bring back her lover.
Shookru at length, by the power of meditation, discovered
that he had eaten this youth, so beloved by his daughter ;
and he knew not how to bring him back to life, without the
attempt being fatal to himself. At last, however, while the
boy continued in his belly, he restored him to life, and
taught him the incantation for raising the dead; after which
Kiichu, tearing open Shookru's belly, came forth, and
immediately restored his teacher to life. Kuchu, having
obtained the knowledge of revivifying the dead, took leave
of his preceptor, and was about to return to his father
Vrihusputee, when Devujanee insisted upon his marrying
her, Kuchu declined this honour, as she was the daughter
of his preceptor; at which she was so incensed that she
pronounced a curse upon him, by which he was doomed to
reap no advantage from all his learning. In return Kiichu
cursed Devujanee, and doomed her to marry a kshutriyu;
which curse after some time took effect, and she was
married to king Yujatee. After Devujanee had borne two
children, she discovered that the king maintained an illicit
connection with a princess of the name of Summisht'ha,
by whom he had three sons. She appealed to her father
Shookru, who pronounced a curse on Yujatee; when his
hair immediately became grey, his teeth fell from his head,
and he was seized with complete decrepitude. Yujatee
remonstrated with his father-in-law, and asked him who
should live with his daughter, who was yet young, seeing
that he had brought old age upon him. Shookru replied,
* The Hindoo children often resort to this threat to extort some favour
from their parents.
VOL. I. O