Rajatarangini of Kalhana:Kings of Kashmira/Appendix E
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Being A Translation of the Sanskrit Work
Rajatarangini of Kalhana Pandita
By Jogesh Chunder Dutt
1887
London: Trubner & Co.Visit of Shiva to the king
[p.ix]: The visit of Shiva to the king is thus narrated : At Shri hill the prince met a follower of Shiva named Ashvapada, who gave him some roots, &c, to eat and said that in a former birth he (Ashvapada) had attained perfection and had asked the prince what he wanted, and the prince had asked to have a kingdom. " And when I was thinking as to how your desire could be attained, Mahadeva said to me that you were his favored follower, and that he would fulfill your desire. Thus saying, Mahadeva disappeared." These words reminded the prince of his former life, and with a desire of getting the, kingdom, he worshipped Shiva for one year, after which period Shiva appeared to him in the form of a hermit, and promised him to give whatever he wanted. The prince wanted to be king of the world, " Wherefore do you ask," ' questioned the god in the form of a hermit, " temporary enjoyment instead of salvation." The prince answered, " I asked you for the kingdom believing you to be a false hermit, for surely you are not Shiva, the great guru of the world. For the great give more than what is asked of them, they will give milk if a thirsty man asks for water. You cannot know the pain which I feel for not getting salvation." Shiva became glad, and showed his real person to him and said that " in due course, when you will be reigning, Ashvapada by my orders will warn you of your salvation." When Shiva disappeared, the prince took leave of Ashwapada and came to Kashmira.
The death of king Pravarasena
The death of king Pravarasena is thus told : By the orders of Shiva, Ashvapada addressed one Jayanta, a Kashmirian Brahmana, saying " I hope you are not weary of travelling, show this letter to the king." But the Brahmana said that he was weary of travelling, and could not set out that day. Whereupon, Ashvapada replied that he was a hermit of the class that Married human skulls, and as he had touched him, he should bath. So saying he pushed the Brahmana into a pond. Rising from the water, when Jayanta opened his eyes, he saw himself in his native country, and the servants of the king busy in fetching water from the river for the king to worship. Jayanta found opportunity to put the billet hastily in one of the water-vessels. Now, when the king was bathing Shiva Pravaresha, the letter dropped from the pot, he
[p.x]: read it, and sent for Jayanta whom, he dismissed satisfied with royal presents. The contents of the letter were as follow :— " You have done what should have been done, you have given large gifts, and enjoyed what should have been enjoyed, your years are on the decline, what more shall you do ? Come to the house of Shiva." The king ascended the heaven piercing through the stony house and the people saw him going towards Kailasa across the clear sky, like another sun. The king reached the court of Shiva in his human body. Even to this day may be seen the passage through which the king made, his exit into heaven.
Jayanta who got riches by this strange means, built a village inhabited by Brahmanas, and called it after his name.