कथासरित्सागरः — तृतीयस्तरङ्गः

तृतीयस्तरङ्गः ।

ततो ऽन्येद्युरलंकारवतीपार्श्वस्थितं सखा ।
नरवाहनदत्तं तं मरुभूतिर्व्यजिज्ञपत् ॥

Summary AI Then one day, the friend Marubhūti addressed Naravāhanadatta, who was seated beside Alaṃkāravatī.

पश्य पश्य वराको ऽयं देव कार्पटिकस्तव ।
चर्मखण्डैकवसनो जटालः कृशधूसरः ॥

Summary AI "O King, behold this poor attendant of yours, clad only in a piece of skin, with matted hair, emaciated and dusty."

९.३.३

सिंहद्वाराद्दिवारात्रं शीते वाप्यातपे ऽपि वा ।
न चलत्येव तन्नास्य किमद्यापि प्रसीदसि ॥

Summary AI "He does not stir from the main gate day or night, whether in cold or heat; why then do you still not show him favor?"

९.३.४

काले दत्तं वरं ह्यल्पमकाले बहुनापि किम् ।
तद्यावन्म्रियते नैष तावदस्य कृपां कुरु ॥

Summary AI "A small gift given at the right time is indeed better; what is the use of much given at the wrong time? Therefore, show him mercy before he perishes."

९.३.५

तच्छ्रुत्वा गोमुखो ऽवादीत्साधूक्तं मरुभूतिना ।
किं पुनर्नापराधो ऽस्ति तव देवात्र कश्चन ॥

Summary AI Hearing that, Gomukha said, "Marubhūti has spoken well; however, O King, in this matter, there is no fault of yours."

९.३.६

क्षयो यावन्न वृत्तो हि पापस्य परिपन्थिनः ।
तावद्दानप्रवृत्तो ऽपि दातुं शक्नोति न प्रभुः ॥

Summary AI "As long as the obstructing sins of a person are not exhausted, even a master inclined toward charity is unable to give."

९.३.७

परिक्षीणे पुनः पापे वार्यमाणो ऽपि यत्नतः ।
ईश्वरः प्रददात्येव कर्मायत्तमिदं किल ॥

Summary AI "But when sin is destroyed, the lord gives even if restrained with effort; for everything indeed depends on one's past actions."

९.३.८

तथा च लक्षदत्तस्य राज्ञः कार्पटिकस्य च ।
लब्धदत्तस्य देवैतां कथामाख्यामि ते शृणु ॥

Summary AI "O King, I shall relate to you the story of King Lakṣadatta and the attendant Labdhadatta; listen."

९.३.९

अभूल्लक्षपरं नाम नगरं वसुधातले ।
तत्रासील्लक्षदत्ताख्यस्त्यागिनामग्रणीर्नृपः ॥

Summary AI On this earth, there was a city named Lakṣapara; there reigned a king named Lakṣadatta, the foremost among the generous.

९.३.१०

लक्षादूनं न दातुं स जानाति स्म किलार्थिने ।
संबभाषे तु यं तस्मै ददौ लक्षाणि पञ्च सः ॥

Summary AI He did not know how to give a petitioner less than a hundred thousand; to anyone he spoke with, he gave five hundred thousand.

९.३.११

तुतोष यस्मै स पुनर्निद्रारिद्र्यं चकार तम् ।
लक्षदत्त इति ख्यातं नाम तस्यात एव तत् ॥

Summary AI Furthermore, whomever he was pleased with, he made poor in sleep (restless with wealth); hence his name Lakṣadatta became famous.

९.३.१२

तस्यैको लब्धदत्ताख्यः सिंहद्वारे दिवानिशम् ।
तस्थौ कार्पटिकश्चर्मखण्डैककटिकर्पटः ॥

Summary AI At his palace gate, an attendant named Labdhadatta, wearing only a piece of skin around his waist, stood day and night.

९.३.१३

स निबद्धजटः शीतवर्षे ग्रीष्मातपे ऽपि वा ।
न चचाल ततः क्षिप्रं स राजा च ददर्श तम् ॥

Summary AI With matted hair, he did not stir from there despite cold, rain, or summer heat; and the King soon noticed him.

९.३.१४

तथा तस्य चिरं तत्र तिष्ठतः क्लेशवर्तिनः ।
न स राजा ददौ किंचिद्दातापि सकृपो ऽपि सन् ॥

Summary AI Even though the King was generous and compassionate, he gave nothing to him as he remained there for a long time in suffering.

९.३.१५

अथैकदा स नृपतिर्जगामाखेटकाटविम् ।
स च तं लगुडं बिभ्रदन्वक्कार्पटिको ययौ ॥

Summary AI Once, the King went to the forest for hunting, and that attendant followed behind him, carrying a club.

९.३.१६

तत्र तस्य ससैन्यस्य वाहनस्थस्य धन्विनः ।
व्याघ्रान्वराहान्हरिणान्बाणवर्षेण निघ्नतः ॥

Summary AI There, as the mounted King, accompanied by his army and armed with a bow, was slaying tigers, boars, and deer with a rain of arrows...

९.३.१७

अग्रतः पादचारी सन्स कार्पटिक एककः ।
जघान लगुडेनैव वराहान्हरिणान्बहून् ॥

Summary AI That attendant, being alone on foot in the front, killed many boars and deer with only his club.

९.३.१८

स दृष्ट्वा विक्रमं तस्य चित्रं शूरः कियानयम् ।
इति दध्यौ स राजान्तर्न त्वस्मै किंचिदप्यदात् ॥

Summary AI Seeing his prowess, the King thought to himself, "How wonderfully brave he is!" yet he gave him nothing at all.

९.३.१९

कृताखेटः स नगरं स्वसुखायाविशन्नृपः ।
स च कार्पटिकस्तस्थौ सिंहद्वारे च पूर्ववत् ॥

Summary AI Having finished the hunt, the King entered the city for his own comfort, and the attendant stood at the main gate as before.

९.३.२०

कदाचिदेकसीमान्तगोत्रजावजयाय सः ।
लक्षदत्तो ययौ राजा युद्धं चास्याभवन्महत् ॥

Summary AI Once, King Lakṣadatta marched out to conquer a neighboring kinsman, and a great battle ensued.

९.३.२१

तत्र युद्धे स तस्याग्रे राज्ञः कार्पटिको बहून् ।
दृढखादिरदण्डाग्रप्रहारैरवधीत्परान् ॥

Summary AI In that battle, the attendant (kārpaṭika) killed many enemies in front of the king using the ends of a sturdy staff made of khadira wood.

९.३.२२

जितशत्रुः स राजा च निजं प्रत्याययौ पुरम् ।
न च तस्मै ददौ किंचिदपि दृष्टपराक्रमः ॥

Summary AI Having conquered his enemies, the king returned to his own city; even though he had witnessed the attendant's prowess, he gave him nothing.

९.३.२३

एवं कार्पटिकस्यात्र लब्धदत्तस्य तिष्ठतः ।
व्यतीयुः पञ्च वर्षाणि तस्य काष्ठेन जीवतः ॥

Summary AI In this manner, five years passed for Labdhadatta, the attendant, who lived in that state by selling wood.

९.३.२४

षष्ठे प्रवृत्ते दृष्ट्वा तमेकदा दैवयोगतः ।
स राजा जातकरुणो लक्षदत्तो व्यचिन्तयत् ॥

Summary AI When the sixth year began, King Lakṣadatta, happening to see him by chance, felt compassion and thought.

९.३.२५

नाद्याप्यस्य मया दत्तं चिरक्लिष्टस्य किंचन ।
तद्युक्त्या किंचिदेतस्मै दत्त्वा पश्याम्यहं न किम् ॥

Summary AI "I have not given anything to this man who has suffered for so long. Therefore, let me give him something by some clever means and see the result."

९.३.२६

किं नामास्य वराकस्य वृत्तः पापक्षयो न वा ।
किं ददाति न वाद्यापि लक्ष्मीरस्य च दर्शनम् ॥

Summary AI "Has the sin of this poor man been exhausted or not? Does Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, still refuse to show herself to him?"

९.३.२७

इत्यालोच्य नृपः स्वैरं भाण्डागारं प्रविश्य सः ।
रत्नैर्भृतं मातुलुङ्गं समुद्गकमिव व्यधात् ॥

Summary AI Thinking thus, the king entered the treasury and filled a citron fruit with jewels, making it like a casket.

९.३.२८

चकार सर्वास्थानं च स विधाय बहिः सभाम् ।
तत्र च प्राविशन्सर्वे पौरसामन्तमन्त्रिणः ॥

Summary AI He arranged a full assembly, setting up a court outside, where all the citizens, vassal kings, and ministers entered.

९.३.२९

तन्मध्ये च प्रविष्टं तं राजा कार्पटिकं स्वयम् ।
इतो निकटमेहीति जगाद स्निग्धया गिरा ॥

Summary AI To the attendant who had entered the midst of the assembly, the king himself spoke in an affectionate voice, saying, "Come closer here."

९.३.३०

ततः कार्पटिकः श्रुत्वा लब्धदत्तः प्रहर्षवान् ।
अग्रे सविधमागत्य राज्ञस्तस्योपविष्टवान् ॥

Summary AI Then Labdhadatta, the attendant, hearing this and filled with joy, came near and sat down in front of the king.

९.३.३१

ततस्तमवदद्राजा ब्रूहि किंचित्सुभाषितम् ।
तदाकर्ण्या पपाठैतामार्यां कार्पटिको ऽथ सः ॥

Summary AI Then the king said to him, "Recite some wise saying." Hearing this, the attendant recited the following āryā verse.

९.३.३२

पूरयति पूर्णमेषा तरङ्गिणीसंहतिः समुद्रमिव ।
लक्ष्मीरधनस्य पुनर्लोचनमार्गे ऽपि नायाति ॥

Summary AI "Just as a multitude of rivers fills the already full ocean, fortune smiles upon the wealthy, but does not even come within the sight of the poor."

९.३.३३

श्रुत्वैतत्पाठयित्वा च भूयस्तुष्टः स भूपतिः ।
सद्रत्नपूर्णं तस्मै तन्मातुलुङ्गफलं ददौ ॥

Summary AI Hearing this and having him recite it again, the king was pleased and gave him that citron fruit filled with excellent jewels.

९.३.३४

यस्य तुष्यति राजायं दारिद्र्यं तस्य कृन्तति ।
शोच्यः कार्पटिकस्त्वेष यमाहूयैवमादरात् ॥

Summary AI People thought, "The king destroys the poverty of anyone with whom he is pleased. But this attendant is pitiable, for after being called with such respect..."

९.३.३५

मातुलुङ्गमिदं दत्तं तुष्टेनानेन भूभृता ।
कल्पवृक्षो ऽप्यभव्यानां प्रायो याति पलाशताम् ॥

Summary AI "...this pleased monarch has given him only a citron. For the unfortunate, even the wish-granting kalpavṛkṣa tree generally becomes a mere palāśa tree."

९.३.३६

इति सर्वे ऽपि तद्दृष्ट्वा तत्रास्थाने विषादिनः ।
अज्ञातपरमार्थत्वात्स्वैरमूचुः परस्परम् ॥

Summary AI Seeing this, everyone in the assembly, being dejected because they did not know the hidden truth, whispered among themselves.

९.३.३७

स तु कार्पटिको मातुलुङ्गमादाय निर्ययौ ।
आययौ चाग्रतस्तस्य भिक्षुरेको विषीदतः ॥

Summary AI The attendant, taking the citron, went out; and as he was walking dejectedly, a mendicant approached him.

९.३.३८

स राजबन्दिनामा तद्दत्त्वा शाटकमग्रहीत् ।
तस्मात्कार्पटिकान्मातुलुङ्गं दृष्ट्वा मनोरमम् ॥

Summary AI A man named Rājabandu, seeing the beautiful citron, took it from the attendant and gave him a garment in return.

९.३.३९

प्रविश्य च स भिक्षुस्तद्राज्ञे फलमढौकयत् ।
राजा च तत्परिज्ञाय श्रमणं पृच्छति स्म तम् ॥

Summary AI The mendicant then entered and presented that fruit to the king; recognizing it, the king questioned the monk.

९.३.४०

मातुलुङ्गं कुत इदं भदन्त भवतामिति ।
ततः कार्पटिकं सो ऽस्मै तद्दातारं शशंस तम् ॥

Summary AI "Venerable sir, from where did you get this citron?" Then the monk informed him that the attendant was the giver of it.

९.३.४१

अथ राजा विषण्णश्च विस्मितश्च बभूव सः ।
अहो अद्यापि न क्षीणं पापं तस्येति चिन्तयन् ॥

Summary AI Then, King Lakṣadatta became dejected and astonished, thinking, "Alas, even now his sin has not been exhausted."

९.३.४२

स्वीकृत्य मातुलुङ्गं तदुत्थायास्थानतः क्षणात् ।
चकार दिनकर्तव्यं लक्षदत्तः स भूपतिः ॥

Summary AI That King Lakṣadatta, accepting the citron, rose from the assembly hall in a moment and performed his daily duties.

९.३.४३

सो ऽपि कार्पटिको गत्वा सिंहद्वारे यथास्थितः ।
कृतभोजनपानादिरासीद्विक्रीतशाटकः ॥

Summary AI The poor traveler (kārpaṭika) also went and stood at the main gate as before, having sold his garment and finished his eating and drinking.

९.३.४४

द्वितीये ऽह्नि स राजा स सर्वास्थानं तथैव तत् ।
विदधे तत्र सर्वे च सपौराः प्राविशन्पुनः ॥

Summary AI On the second day, the King held the general assembly in the same manner, and all the citizens entered it again.

९.३.४५

दृष्ट्वा कार्पटिकं तं च प्रविष्टं सो ऽथ भूमिभृत् ।
तथैवाहूय पुनरप्युपावेशयदन्तिके ॥

Summary AI Seeing the traveler enter, the King summoned him just as before and once again seated him nearby.

९.३.४६

पाठयित्वा च भूयो ऽपि तामेवार्यां प्रसादतः ।
गूढरत्नं ददौ तस्मै मातुलुङ्गं तदेव सः ॥

Summary AI After making him recite that same āryā verse again, the King graciously gave him that very same citron containing hidden jewels.

९.३.४७

अहो द्वितीये दिवसे तुष्टो ऽस्यायं वृथा प्रभुः ।
किं तावदेतदित्यत्र सर्वे दध्युः सविस्मयाः ॥

Summary AI Everyone present was astonished and thought, "Oh, on the second day too, the master is pleased with him for no reason! What could this mean?"

९.३.४८

स च कार्पटिको विग्नो हस्ते कृत्वा तु तत्फलम् ।
राजप्रसादं सफलं मन्वानो निर्ययौ बहिः ॥

Summary AI The traveler, though distressed, took the fruit in his hand and went outside, considering the King’s favor to be literally fruitful.

९.३.४९

तावत्तस्याययौ कोऽपि विषयाधिकृतो ऽग्रतः ।
प्रविविक्षुतदास्थानं द्रष्टुकामो महीक्षितम् ॥

Summary AI At that moment, a certain provincial governor, wishing to see the King and about to enter the assembly hall, came before him.