कथासरित्सागरः — द्वितीयस्तरङ्गः

द्वितीयस्तरङ्गः ।

Summary AI Then King Ratnādhipati lived there on Ratnakūṭa, amusing himself as he pleased along with those eighty thousand women.

७.२.२२

शान्त्यर्थं शीतरश्मेश्च तस्य दिव्यस्य दन्तिनः ।
प्रत्यहं भोजयामास विप्राणां शतपञ्चकम् ॥

Summary AI To ensure the well-being of that divine elephant named Śītaraśmi, he fed five hundred Brāhmaṇas every day.

७.२.२३

कदाचिच्च तमारुह्य परिभ्रम्य स भूपतिः ।
द्वीपान्तराणि स्वं द्वीपं रत्नाधिपतिराययौ ॥

Summary AI Once, King Ratnādhipati mounted that elephant and, after wandering through various other islands, returned to his own island.

७.२.२४

तत्रावतरतस्तस्य गगनात्तु गजोत्तमम् ।
चञ्च्वा तार्क्ष्योद्भवः पक्षी मूर्ध्नी दैवादताडयत् ॥

Summary AI As he was descending from the sky, a bird born of Garuḍa struck that excellent elephant on the head with its beak by chance.

७.२.२५

स च पक्षी प्रदुद्राव राज्ञा तीक्ष्णाङ्कुशाहतः ।
हस्ती तु भूमावपतच्चञ्च्वाघातेन मूर्च्छितः ॥

Summary AI Although that bird fled after being struck by the king's sharp goad, the elephant fainted from the blow of the beak and fell to the ground.

७.२.२६

नृपे ऽवतीर्णे स गजो लभसंज्ञो ऽपि नाशकत् ।
उत्थाप्यमानो ऽप्युत्थातुं निरस्तकवलग्रहः ॥

Summary AI After the king dismounted, the elephant, though conscious, could not rise even when assisted and refused to take any mouthfuls of food.

७.२.२७

पञ्चाहानि तथैवास्मिन्वारणे पतितस्थिते ।
दुःखितः स निराहारो राजा चाप्येवमब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI When the elephant remained fallen in that same state for five days, the king, distressed and fasting, spoke thus.

७.२.२८

भो लोकपाला व्रूतास्मिन्नुपायं संकटे मम ।
अन्यथोपहरिष्यामि छित्त्वाहं स्वशिरो ऽद्य वः ॥

Summary AI "O guardians of the world, tell me a remedy for this crisis of mine; otherwise, I shall cut off my own head today and offer it to you."

७.२.२९

इत्युक्त्वैवात्तखड्गं तं स्वशिरश्छेत्तुमुद्यतम् ।
अशरीरा जगादैवं वाणी तत्क्षणमम्बरात् ॥

Summary AI Just as he spoke and stood ready with his sword drawn to cut off his head, a bodiless voice from the sky addressed him at that moment.

७.२.३०

मा साहसं कृथा राजन्साध्वी काचित्करोति चेत् ।
हस्तस्पर्शं गजस्यास्य तदुत्तिष्ठति नान्यथा ॥

Summary AI "O King, do not act rashly. If some chaste woman touches this elephant with her hand, then it will rise, and not otherwise."

७.२.३१

तच्छ्रुत्वैवामृतलतां नाम हृष्टः स भूपतिः ।
मुख्यामानाययामास निजां देवीं सुरक्षिताम् ॥

Summary AI Upon hearing that, the delighted king summoned his well-guarded chief queen, named Amṛtalatā.

७.२.३२

तया स्पृष्टः स हस्तेन नोदतिष्ठद्गजो यदा ।
तदा सो ऽन्या निजाः सर्वा देवीरानाययन्नृपः ॥

Summary AI When the elephant did not rise after being touched by her hand, the king then summoned all his other queens.

७.२.३३

ताभिः कृतकरस्पर्शः समस्ताभिरपि स्फुटम् ।
दृष्ट्वा विलज्जितान्येव स राजा जनसंनिधौ ॥

Summary AI Seeing that the elephant still did not rise even after being touched by all of them, the king became clearly ashamed in front of the people.

७.२.३४

अन्तःपुरसहस्त्राणि तामाशीतिमपि स्फुटम्
दृष्ट्वा विलज्जितान्येव स राजा जनसंनिधौ ।
७,२
३४ ॥

Summary AI Seeing all those eighty thousand ladies of the harem fail to raise the elephant, the king felt profoundly humiliated in the presence of the public.

७.२.३५

विलक्षः स्वपुरात्तस्मादानाय्य निखिलाः स्त्रियः ।
क्रमेण हस्तिनस्तस्य हस्तस्पर्शमकारयत् ॥

Summary AI Embarrassed, he summoned all the women from his city and had them touch the elephant one by one.

७.२.३६

तथापि यत्स नोत्तस्थौ गजेन्द्रस्तत्स भूपतिः ।
कष्टं पुरे मे साध्वी स्त्री नैकापीति त्रपां ययौ ॥

Summary AI When the lordly elephant still did not rise, the king felt deep shame and grief, lamenting that there was not even a single chaste woman in his city.

७.२.३७

तावच्च हर्षगुप्ताख्यास्ताम्रलिप्त्याः समागतः ।
वणिक्तत्राययौ बुद्ध्वा वृत्तान्तं तं सकौतुकः ॥

Summary AI Meanwhile, a merchant named Harṣagupta, who had come from Tāmraliptī, arrived there out of curiosity after learning about the event.

७.२.३८

तस्य कर्मकरी पश्चादाजगाम पतिव्रता ।
एका शीलवती नाम सा तद्दृष्ट्वा तमब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI A servant of his, a devoted wife named Śīlavatī, followed him; seeing the situation, she spoke to the king.

७.२.३९

स्पृशाम्यहं करेणैतं स्वभर्तुश्चापरो मया ।
मनसापि न चेद्ध्यातस्तदुत्तिष्ठत्वयं द्विपः ॥

Summary AI "I shall touch him with my hand; if I have never thought of any man other than my husband even in my mind, then let this elephant rise."

७.२.४०

इत्युक्त्वोपेत्य हस्तेन सा च पस्पर्श तं जगम् ।
उदतिष्ठत्स च स्वस्थः कवलं च ततो ऽग्रहीत् ॥

Summary AI Saying this, she approached and touched the elephant with her hand, and he rose up healthy and finally accepted a mouthful of food.

७.२.४१

इमास्ता विरलाः साध्व्यः काश्चिदेवेश्वरोपमाः ।
सर्गपालनसंहारसमर्था जगतो ऽस्य याः ॥

Summary AI These rare virtuous women are like the gods themselves, for they are capable of the creation, preservation, and destruction of this entire world.

७.२.४२

इति शीलवतीं तत्र कृतकोलाहलो जनः ।
तां तुष्टाव तदा दृष्ट्वा श्वेतरश्मिं तमुत्थितम् ॥

Summary AI Thereupon, the people present made a great clamor and praised the chaste Śīlavatī as they witnessed the white horse, Śvetaraśmi, rise once again.

७.२.४३

राजापि रत्नाधिपतिः परितुष्याभिनन्द्य ताम् ।
सो ऽपूरयदसंख्यातै रत्नैः शीलवतीं सतीम् ॥

Summary AI King Ratnādhipati, immensely pleased, congratulated the virtuous Śīlavatī and bestowed upon her an abundance of countless gems.

७.२.४४

तत्स्वामिनं च वणिजं हर्षगुप्तं तथैव तम् ।
अपूजयद्ददौ चास्य गृहं राजगृहान्तिके ॥

Summary AI The King also honored her husband, the merchant Harṣagupta, and granted him a residence located near the royal palace.

७.२.४५

परिवर्जितसंस्पर्शा निजभार्यास्तथैव सः ।
पिण्डाच्छादनमात्रैकभागिनीरकरोत्ततः ॥

Summary AI Subsequently, the King abandoned physical contact with his other wives and relegated them to receiving only basic food and clothing.

७.२.४६

अथानाय्य कृताहारो हर्षगुप्तस्य संनिधौ ।
साध्वीं शीलवतीं तां स जगाद विजने नृपः ॥

Summary AI After eating in the presence of Harṣagupta, the King spoke privately to the virtuous Śīlavatī regarding a personal matter.

७.२.४७

शीलवत्यस्ति ते काचित्कन्या पितृकुलादिति ।
तां मे दापय जाने हि सापि स्यात्त्वादृशी ध्रुवम् ॥

Summary AI "O Śīlavatī, is there any girl in your father's family? I wish to marry her, for I am certain she would be as virtuous as you."

७.२.४८

इत्युक्ता तेन सा राज्ञा शीलवत्यब्रवीत्तदा ।
राजदत्तेति नाम्नास्ति ताम्रलिप्त्यां स्वसा मम ॥

Summary AI Thus addressed by the King, Śīlavatī replied, "O King, I have a sister named Rājadattā who lives in the city of Tāmraliptī."

७.२.४९

उपयच्छस्व तां देव श्लाघ्यरूपां यदीच्छसि ।
इत्युक्तः स तया राज्ञा प्रतिपेदे तथेति तत् ॥

Summary AI "Marry her, O King, if you desire one of such commendable beauty." Hearing this from her, the King agreed to her proposal.

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नीलकण्ठविजयचम्पूः नीलकण्ठदीक्षितः

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