CHAPTER – 25
Having returned to his own city he communicated every thing to his father how he had obtained that slender built damsel after she had died. (1) That auspicious lady bowed down at the feet of her father-in-law and mother-in-law and honoured all her relations with salutations and embraces with reference to propriety and age. And then there was in that city a great festivity of the citizens. (2-3) And Hritadhwaja too, for a long time, sported with that slender-waisted damsel near the fountains of the mountains, the banks of the rivers, in charming forests, as well as gardens. (4) And desirous of spending her religious merit through the enjoyment of desirable objects she sported with that greatly beloved one at charming places.
(5) After a long time the king Satrujit, having governed well the earth, breathed his last. (6) Then the citizens installed, as king, his son Hritadhwaja, high-souled and of liberal actions and conduct. (7) And while he was governing well his subjects as if they were his own begotten children Madalasa gave birth to her first son. (8) The father gave to his intelligent son the name of Vikranta. The servants were greatly delighted and Madalasa laughed. (9) One day while her baby, lying at ease on her lap, was crying in indistinct notes, Madalasa, by way of soothing him, said: (10) “Thou art pure, O child, and without a name. It is by imagination that a name has been given to thee. This thy body, composed of five elements, is not thine. Nor dost thou belong to it. Wherefore dost thou weep? (11) Or perhaps thou dost not weep – This is a self produced sound coming out through the king’s son. Various qualities, good or bad, relating to the elements, have been attributed to thy organs. (12) In this world, beings, extremely feeble, acquire their growth by help of the elements, and taking meats and drinks; but thou hast no growth or decay. (13) This body is a covering and it will be shattered and still thou will live on; therefore thou shouldst not yield to stupefaction in this body. It is by virtue of good and bad acts engendered by stupefaction, caused by pride and other passions that this covering of a body has been fixed on thee. (14) The father, the son, the mother, the wife, the relatives and those that are not so, are nothing; thou shouldst not attach too much importance to this collection of elements. (15) Those, who have their minds stupefied, consider pain as neutralizing pain and enjoyment as leading to pleasure. Ignorant persons, who have their minds possessed by stupefaction, consider pain as pleasure. (16) When a woman laughs her bones come out and her two shining eyes throw out anger. Her breast is a mass of flesh and so is her organ. Therefore is not a woman a hell? (17) On earth is the conveyance, in the conveyance is the body – and in the body is placed another person. The sense of this is mine does not exist there as it is in the body. Oh fie on the infatuation.
(18)