Read the previous part here… Now, I have a question for you. Was Buddhiśarīra guilty of the death of Saṅgrāmavardhana and his wife, or was it VajraMukuta, or Padmāvatī? Tell me, o wise king. Remember, if you know the answer, and don’t tell me the truth, your head will burst into a hundred pieces! इत्य् …
Read the previous part here… When I finished my meditation in the morning, I realized that the pearl necklace was still with me. I am not a man of the world, I have no use for much material possessions. And so I asked my disciple here, to go the market and dispose of it…. एतच् …
Read the previous part here… “This is an opportune moment”, said Buddhiśarīra. “Now listen carefully. Got to Padmāvatī’s house tonight, and make her drink so much wine that she gets heavily intoxicated. When she is drunk, make a mark on her hip with this”, as he passed on a small iron trishul to the prince, …
Read the previous part here… When the cunning Padmāvatī heard this, she replied sweetly “My love, I have a question to ask you. Were you the one to guess correctly the subtle signs that I had made, or was it your friend Buddhiśarīra? ज्ञाता किं किम् उवा तेन सख्या मन्त्रिसुतेन ते ।एवम् उक्तवतीम् एतां राजपुत्रो …
Read the previous part here… This time, Buddhiśarīra didn’t wait for VajraMukuta to question him, instead, he took the prince aside and said “Don’t despair once again, my friend. By marking the old lady with three fingers dipped in red dye, she has conveyed that she has her period for the next three days, and …
Read the previous part here… The old woman nodded. “Of course I do – he stays in that mansion”, she said, pointing to the house opposite her hut, “and I am an attendant of his daughter. Today however, I have not gone there yet. My wicked good-for-nothing son stole my bag, that also had my …
Read the previous part here… She soon departed, led away by her attendants, but she left her heart there, beside the lake, for when she reached home, she lay down on her bed, her mind lost in thoughts of the prince, and stayed there for hours, until her eyes closed, to dream about him. The …
Read the previous part here… “O king! When people are learned, clever and full of wisdom, they spend their days learning and relishing the knowledge of the Shāstras”, said the Baitāl. “Only fools spend time sleeping and in waste. We have a long journey ahead, and so let me speak something of wisdom, rather than …
Read the previous part here… The yogi replied “I just have one task for you, o mighty king. But one, that only you can execute. A few hundred yards to our south, is a place where the dead bodies are cremated. In the middle of that ground is a banyan tree, on which a corpse …
Read the previous part here… “Oh great king, you have spoken the truth. One who possesses virtue, possesses everything. It is only virtue that stays with us – riches, power, prestige, all come and go. My king, each of these gems is invaluable, priceless pieces that have no equal. Each ruby is worth a kingdom, …
