The Hitopadesa (Penguin Classics) Read online

  ‘This was duly done. After his wife had left, the cowherd suddenly woke up and cried out, “Now why don’t you go to your lover?” When the procuress kept silent, he became angry. Shouting, “Are you too proud even to give me a reply?” he picked up a knife and cut off her nose. After that he fell asleep again.

  ‘In due course the cowherd’s wife came back. “Well, what happened?” she asked the procuress. “Look at my face,” the latter replied, “that will tell you what happened!” Afterwards, the cowherd’s wife tied herself up as before, and the procuress retrieved her amputated nose and went home.

  ‘In the morning, when this barber asked for his box of razors, his wife gave him only one blade. Annoyed at not getting the whole box, the barber threw the razor back into the house. At this his wife began to wail loudly, crying that he had cut off her nose though she had done no wrong, and took him to the magistrate.

  ‘As for the cowherd’s wife, on being questioned again by her husband, she retorted, “You wretch! Who can dare to disfigure a supremely chaste woman like myself? The eight guardian gods alone know the spotlessness of my conduct. For,

  (110) Sun and moon who shine on high,

  Water, fire, earth and sky,

  The night, the day, the twilights two,

  The gods of death and dharma true:

  Man’s actions all to them are known,

  And to the heart he calls his own.

  So, if I am indeed the first among chaste women, and have never even thought of anyone else other than you, my husband, then let my face become whole. Now, look at my face!”

  ‘The cowherd lit a lamp and looked at her visage. When he saw that her nose was intact, he fell at her feet, exclaiming that he was blessed to have such a supremely virtuous wife.

  ‘Listen also to the story of this hermit here. He left his home and spent twelve years on the slopes of the Malaya mountain before he came to this city. Here he slept in a bawdy house. On the threshold of the madam’s door there stood a wooden statue of a goblin with a fine gemstone on its head. The hermit was greedy, and having noticed the gem, he got up at night and attempted to take it out. But he was caught in the statue’s arms, which were operated by strings. His loud screams woke up the madam, who declared, “I know you have come from the Malaya region. Now give up all the gems you have to this goblin, otherwise he will not let you go, he is such a villain.” So he had to surrender all his treasure and, now that he has lost everything, he too has joined me.

  ‘After hearing all these accounts, the officers asked the magistrate to give a judgement. The barber’s wife had her head shaved, the cowherd’s spouse was exiled, and the procuress punished with a fine. The hermit’s possessions were restored to him. The barber returned to his home.’

  ‘It is for this reason,’ said Bossy ‘that I recited the verse beginning “Svarṇa Rekhā I did touch…” This problem is of our own making. There is no point in feeling sorry about it.’ He thought for a moment and added, ‘Friend, just as the sudden amity between these two was my creation, so too must I bring about a split in their friendship. For,

  (111) Clever people demonstrate

  Even lies as verities:

  As painters, on a level slate,

  Show peaks as well as declivities.

  ‘Furthermore,

  (112) One who’s never at a loss

  Even in situations new,

  Will the hardest hurdles cross,

  As the wife with lovers two.’

  ‘How did that happen?’ asked Rusty. Bossy narrated

  The Woman with Two Lovers

  In Dvāravātī there lived a cowherd whose wife was a whore. She used to sleep with the village police chief as well as with his son. As it is said,

  (113) The fire can’t be satisfied

  With all the wood that there may be.

  All rivers flowing side by side

  Cannot ever fill the sea.

  Death its thirst can never slake

  Though every creature it may take.

  And a woman, it is sure

  Of menfolk she needs ever more.

  ‘Further,

  (114) By gifts one cannot win their heart,

  Nor by praise or honest pleas,

  Or being helpful, strong or smart,

  For girls are always hard to please.

  ‘For,

  (115) A husband young and handsome, rich and famous too

  Also good at making love, and full of merits true,

  But women, as soon as they can,

  Will leave him for another man—

  The lover, though he may have virtues very few.

  ‘Furthermore,

  (116) Though sleep she may on couches rare,

  The woman’s pleasure can’t compare

  With that she gets on a dusty floor,

  Lying with her paramour.

  ‘Once, when she was in bed with the police chief’s son, the chief also arrived for the very same purpose. Seeing him on the way, she hid the son in a cupboard and proceeded to make love with the father. Then her husband, the cowherd, returned from his cattle-pen. The cowherdess told the police chief, “Pick up your staff and rush outside as if you are angry.” As he did this, the cowherd entered the house and asked his wife what the police chief was doing there. “He is angry with his son for some reason,” the wife replied, “the boy was on the road, and came in here. I hid him in the cupboard to protect him. The father searched for him here but could not find him. That is why he went out looking so annoyed.” She then got the son out of the cupboard and showed him to her husband. As it has been said:

  (117) Women do eat twice as much

  As men, in scriptures it is said;

  Their intelligence is four times such

  As man can have inside his head;

  Their industry is six times more,

  And eightfold is their passion’s score.

  ‘That is why I spoke about new situations,’ said Bossy. That may be so,’ said Rusty ‘but how will it be possible to cause a rift in the deep affection that has grown between Tawny and Lively because of their temperaments?’

  ‘Some method will have to be devised,’ said Bossy, ‘As it is said,

  (118) By stratagem what can be done,

  By valour can’t be ever won:

  Just as with a golden chain

  The crow did have the serpent slain.’

  ‘How did that happen?’ asked Rusty. Bossy narrated

  The Cunning Crow

  On a certain tree there lived a crow couple. Their young used to be eaten up by a black serpent who lived in a hollow in the same tree. When the hen-crow became pregnant again, she said to the crow, ‘Lord, let us leave this tree. As long as that black snake is here we will never have a family. For,

  (119) A wicked wife, a villain friend,

  A servant who is insolent,

  And a snake inside one’s tenement:

  These lead but to a fatal end.’

  ‘Don’t be afraid, my dear,’ the crow replied. ‘I put up many times with his criminal activity, but now I will not tolerate it any more.’

  ‘He is very strong,’ said the hen-crow,’ how will you fight him?’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ the crow said, ‘for,

  (120) He is strong who has a mind,

  The foolish strong can never be.

  The lion with his swagger blind

  Was finished by a rabbit, see.’

  ‘And how could that happen?’ the hen-crow asked with a smile. The crow narrated

  The Lion and the Rabbit

  ‘On the Mandara mountain there was a lion named, Durdānta or Haughty. He spent all his time killing the other animals. Those that remained got together and petitioned him, “Lord of beasts, why do you kill so many animals at the same time? If it please Your Majesty, we will ourselves present an animal to you every day for your food.”

  ‘ “If this is what you gentlemen want,” said the lion, “then let it be so.” From then on he confined
himself to feeding on the one animal which would be offered to him.

  ‘Once it was the turn of an old rabbit. He said to himself,

  (121) “To plead with slayers one could try,

  For getting on one’s life a lease;

  But if I am now sure to die,

  For what should I this lion please?

  So I will take my time in going to him.”

  ‘The lion was meanwhile famished. “Why have you come so late?” he asked the rabbit angrily.

  ‘ “Sire, it is not my fault,” said the rabbit. “I was on my way here, but on the road I was detained forcibly by another lion. I had to swear to return to him. Now I have come here to report this to Your Majesty.”

  ‘The lion was incensed. “Where is that villain?” he cried. “Go immediately and show that wretch to me!”

  The rabbit then took the lion to a deep well. There he showed him his own reflection in the water. “Master, see for yourself,” he said. The enraged lion flung himself imperiously upon his own reflection and perished there and then.

  ‘That is why I said that he alone is strong who has a mind,’ the crow continued. ‘I heard it all,’ said his wife. ‘Now tell me what is to be done.’

  ‘A prince comes here every day to bathe in the nearby lake,’ said the crow. ‘At that time he takes off a golden chain that he wears, and keeps it on the stone steps leading to the water. Pick it up with your beak, and place it in this hollow.’

  When the prince had got into the water, the hen-crow did as she had been told. The officers looking for the golden chain saw the black serpent inside the hollow of die tree, and killed it.

  ‘That is why I spoke about what can be done by stratagems,’ said Bossy. ‘If that is so,’ replied Rusty, ‘then carry on, and may all go well with you.’

  Bossy then went to Tawny and, after saluting him, said, ‘Sire, I have come as I consider that there is an extremely dangerous emergency. For,

  (122) A true well wisher always ought

  To give good counsel, though unsought:

  When there is a wrong decision,6

  Or a critical, grave situation,

  Or when the time is passing on

  For something needing to be done.

  ‘Further,

  (123) Pleasure is a kingly perk:

  For ministers it should be work.

  A minister who spoils the same,

  From every side is held to blame.

  ‘The proper course for ministers is this:

  (124) Life it’s better to forsake,

  Even by decapitation,

  Rather than no notice take

  Of someone with the aspiration

  —Though it is a dreadful sin—

  To seize the post his master’s in.’

  ‘What do you want to say, sir?’ Tawny enquired politely. Bossy said: ‘Sire, it looks as if Lively is adopting an improper attitude towards you. Between us, he has disparaged the triple powers7 of Your Majesty, and covets this kingdom itself.’

  On hearing this Tawny was struck dumb with fear and surprise. ‘Sire,’ continued Bossy, ‘you removed all the other ministers and made him alone in charge of everything. That was the real mistake. For,

  (125) A minister if the king exalt

  Too much in strength, it is a fault.

  For then the goddess Sovereignty

  Resting on them both will be.

  And such balance is hard to bear

  For someone of the gender fair;

  So, of the two, all said and done,

  She surely will abandon one.

  ‘Furthermore,

  (126) If one the king should elevate

  As chief minister of the state,

  That will likely turn his head,

  On vainglory he will be fed,

  Pride will make him indolent,

  And then will in his heart ferment

  The desire for autonomy,

  Prelude to acts of treachery,

  Which may possibly extend

  To putting the king’s life to an end.

  ‘Further,

  (127) For wheat which is infected,

  A tooth which shakes when pressed,

  And a minister disaffected,

  Extirpation is the best.

  ‘What is more,

  (128) A king who lets his sovereignty

  With his counsellors reside,

  Will, when he is in difficulty,

  Be like the blind without a guide.

  ‘And the minister then does everything just as he pleases. But you, master, are the authority here. As for me, I know this:

  (129) In this world there’s not a man

  Who does not crave authority;

  Another’s handsome wife who can

  Not ogle at but wistfully.’

  The lion reflected for a while. ‘My good fellow,’ he said, ‘it may be as you say. But I still have a deep affection for Lively. Look,

  (130) Someone dear is someone dear

  Though he may act improperly.

  One loves one’s body, it is clear,

  Even though sick it may be.

  ‘Further,

  (131) Something dear is something dear,

  To harming one though it may turn.

  One respects fire, it is clear,

  Though one’s house it cause to burn.’

  Bossy said: ‘Sire, this indeed is the mistake. For,

  (132) Of whoever the king makes more,

  Of his eyes the cynosure—

  It may be his very son,

  A minister or just anyone—

  To that person’s side will come

  Sovereignty to seek a home.

  ‘Listen, sire,

  (133) Unpleasant but good advice

  Has consequences always nice.

  But it needs a giver and

  One who will it understand.

  Wherever both are found to be,

  There flourishes all prosperity.

  ‘You ignored your old servants and rewarded this newcomer. That was not proper. For,

  (134) There is indeed no greater fault

  Disruptive of affairs of state,

  Than the new men to exalt

  And servants old repudiate.’

  ‘This is most surprising,’ said the lion. ‘How can he betray me when I brought him here with a promise of safe conduct and looked after him?’

  ‘Sire,’ replied Bossy,

  (135) The wicked, though helped night and day,

  True to their own nature stay.

  Though it may be sweated hard

  And straightened out with some pomade,

  All this is of no avail

  For a curling canine tail.

  ‘Furthermore,

  (136) Massaged hard to make it sweat,

  Circumscribed inside a net,

  Kept thus a dozen years or more:

  The dog’s tail still is as before.

  ‘Further,

  (137) Can honours and promotions please

  The wicked? They’re like poison trees,

  Which watered with pure nectar though,

  Will never fruit nutritious grow.

  ‘That is why I say,

  (138) If you do not wish to see

  Someone in adversity,

  Even though he may not ask it,

  Tell him what is for his benefit.

  That’s the truly virtuous way—

  Anything else, a wicked play.

  ‘And, as it has been said.

  (139) That person really loves you well,

  Who helps you out of evil’s spell.

  A real friend indeed is he,

  Who has no insincerity.

  The person who has wisdom sure

  Is one all good people will adore.

  That’s real action, which is true;

  And that a wife, who follows you.

  That is true prosperity,

  Which does not lead to vainglory.

  He is happy deeme
d to be,

  Who has become from cravings free;

  And he a real man and whole,

  Who keeps his urges in control.

  ‘The king is under threat from Lively. If he does not take care, even after being warned, it should not be considered this servant’s fault. For,

  (140) When the king, intent on pleasure,

  Of his duties loses measure,

  And of his true interest, but

  Like an elephant mad with rut,

  Goes heedless wherever he will,

  Filled with pride and arrogance, till

  He falls into a pit of woe:

  Then he blames his servants, though

  He still cannot at all realize—

  The fault in his own conduct lies.’

  Tawny said to himself:

  (141) Others one should not condemn

  On someone else’s accusation,

  But reward or punish them

  After one’s own investigation.

  ‘For it is said,

  (142) Without a due determination

  Of fault or merit, one should not

  Give punishment or approbation—

  One’s own ruin thus is sought,

  Like if you put your hand inside

  A serpent’s mouth, just out of pride.

  ‘Should I then dismiss Lively?’ he asked Bossy. ‘Not at all, sire,’ the latter replied quickly, ‘in that way your consultations will get compromised. As it is said,

  (143) The seed of consultation

  Always keep concealed:

  It has no germination