Note 12 — Chapter XXIV

The chaplain, thus entreated, went near Śiva, and beheld him immoveable, pretending to be engaged in meditation. And then he walked round him, keeping him on his right hand, and sat down in front of him: and immediately the rascal slowly opened his eyes. Then the family priest, bending before him, said with bowed head,—“My Lord, if it will not make you angry, I will prefer a petition to you. There is dwelling here a very rich Rájpút from the Deccan, named Mádhava, and he, being ill, is desirous of giving away his whole property: if you consent, he will give you that treasure which glitters with many ornaments made out of priceless gems.” When Śiva heard that, he slowly broke silence, and said,—“O Bráhman, since I live on alms, and observe perpetual chastity, of what use are riches to me?” Then that chaplain went on to say to him, “Do not say that, great Bráhman, do you not know the due order of the periods in the life of a Bráhman?12 By marrying a wife, and performing in his house offerings to the Manes, sacrifices to the gods and hospitality to guests, he uses his property to obtain the three objects of life;13 the stage of the householder is the most useful of all.” Then Śiva said, “How can I take a wife, for I will not marry a woman from any low family?” When the covetous chaplain heard that, he thought that he would be able to enjoy his wealth at will, and, catching at the opportunity, he said to him: “I have an unmarried daughter named Vinayasváminí, and she is very beautiful, I will bestow her in marriage on you. And I will keep for you all the wealth which you receive as a donation from Mádhava, so enter on the duties of a householder.” When Śiva heard this, having got the very thing he wanted, he said, “Bráhman, if your heart is set on this,14 I will do what you say. But I am an ascetic who knows nothing about gold and jewels: I shall act as you advise; do as you think best.” When the chaplain heard that speech of Śiva’s, he was delighted, and the fool said, “Agreed”—and conducted Śiva to his house. And when he had introduced there that inauspicious guest named Śiva,15 he told Mádhava what he had done and was applauded by him. And immediately he gave Śiva his daughter, who had been carefully brought up, and in giving her he seemed to be giving away his own prosperity lost by his folly. And on the third day after his marriage, he took him to Mádhava who was pretending to be ill, to receive his present. And Mádhava rose up and fell at his feet and said what was quite true, “I adore thee whose asceticism is incomprehensible.”16 And in accordance with the prescribed form he bestowed on Śiva that box of ornaments made of many sham jewels, which was brought from the chaplain’s treasury. Śiva for his part, after receiving it, gave it into the hand of the chaplain, saying, “I know nothing about this, but you do.” And that priest immediately took it, saying, “I undertook to do this long ago, why should you trouble yourself about it?” Then Śiva gave them his blessing, and went to his wife’s private apartments, and the chaplain took the box and put it in his strong room. Mádhava for his part gradually desisted from feigning sickness, affecting to feel better the next day, and said that his disease had been cured by virtue of his great gift. And he praised the chaplain when he came near, saying to him, “It was by your aiding me in an act of faith that I tided over this calamity.” And he openly struck up a friendship with Śiva, asserting that it was due to the might of Śiva’s holiness that his life had been saved. Śiva, for his part, after some days said to the chaplain: “How long am I to feast in your house in this style? Why do you not take from me those jewels for some fixed sum of money? If they are valuable, give me a fair price for them.” When the priest heard that, thinking that the jewels were of incalculable value, he consented, and gave to Śiva as purchase-money his whole living. And he made Śiva sign a receipt for the sum with his own hand, and he himself too signed a receipt for the jewels, thinking that that treasure far exceeded his own wealth in value. And they separated, taking one another’s receipts, and the chaplain lived in one place, while Śiva kept house in another. And then Śiva and Mádhava dwelt together and remained there leading a very pleasant life consuming the chaplain’s wealth. And as time went on, that chaplain, being in need of cash, went to the town to sell one of the ornaments in the bazar.