DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.641#0238
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. 231
dost thou hear what I say ? what wilt thou do with that
grave ?' The charioteer, hearing the above words, without
looking up, said, ' To the king has been born a son who is
dumb, lame, and destitute of understanding; and the king
has commanded me to bury him in the wilderness.' Muha-
sutwu said, ' I am neither deaf, nor dumb, nor lame. O
charioteer! if thou bury me in this wilderness, thou wilt do
a bad action. Behold my thighs, my arms ; hear me speak,
O charioteer! By burying me in this wilderness, thou wilt
commit an evil act.' The charioteer asked himself, 'Who
ean this personage be, who has continued praising himself
from the time of his arrival?' then beholding his.features
exquisitely beautiful, he continued, ' Who can this person
be ? Is he a man, or a god r' and added the following stanza:
* Art thou a god, or a gundhurvu, or the devu Pooriindiiru!
Who art thou ? Whose son ? How shall I know thee ?'
Muha-siitwu, describing himself in humble language, re-
cited this stanza: ' I am neither a god, nor a gundhurvu,
nor Poorunduru.: I am the son of the king of Kasheekii,
for whom thou art digging this grave; the son of that
king by whom thou art nourished. O charioteer! un>-
doubtedly it is an evil thing for thee to bury me in
this wilderness. He who cuts the branches of the tree
under the shade of which he sits and sleeps, is a worth-
less person.'
Although he spoke thus, the charioteer would not be-
lieve him to be Booddhu-sutwu. The latter therefore said,
' I will convince him by a godlike acclamation.* Then, by
a dreadful vociferation, echoing through the thick forest,
he proceeded to utter the stanza descriptive of the blessings
of friendship: ' O charioteer ! he who does not act unfaith-
fully towards his friend, has abundance of food, not only in
his own house, but wherever he may happen to go. He
VOL. II. h h
dost thou hear what I say ? what wilt thou do with that
grave ?' The charioteer, hearing the above words, without
looking up, said, ' To the king has been born a son who is
dumb, lame, and destitute of understanding; and the king
has commanded me to bury him in the wilderness.' Muha-
sutwu said, ' I am neither deaf, nor dumb, nor lame. O
charioteer! if thou bury me in this wilderness, thou wilt do
a bad action. Behold my thighs, my arms ; hear me speak,
O charioteer! By burying me in this wilderness, thou wilt
commit an evil act.' The charioteer asked himself, 'Who
ean this personage be, who has continued praising himself
from the time of his arrival?' then beholding his.features
exquisitely beautiful, he continued, ' Who can this person
be ? Is he a man, or a god r' and added the following stanza:
* Art thou a god, or a gundhurvu, or the devu Pooriindiiru!
Who art thou ? Whose son ? How shall I know thee ?'
Muha-siitwu, describing himself in humble language, re-
cited this stanza: ' I am neither a god, nor a gundhurvu,
nor Poorunduru.: I am the son of the king of Kasheekii,
for whom thou art digging this grave; the son of that
king by whom thou art nourished. O charioteer! un>-
doubtedly it is an evil thing for thee to bury me in
this wilderness. He who cuts the branches of the tree
under the shade of which he sits and sleeps, is a worth-
less person.'
Although he spoke thus, the charioteer would not be-
lieve him to be Booddhu-sutwu. The latter therefore said,
' I will convince him by a godlike acclamation.* Then, by
a dreadful vociferation, echoing through the thick forest,
he proceeded to utter the stanza descriptive of the blessings
of friendship: ' O charioteer ! he who does not act unfaith-
fully towards his friend, has abundance of food, not only in
his own house, but wherever he may happen to go. He
VOL. II. h h