38 BLOOMFIELD— ON THE ART OF 



rounded by my retinue, salute this Sage, Soma by name, and not 

 take food before he has been feasted.' Now on the road between 

 the city and the park there was a river. When she arrived there by 

 night the river was flooded, and flowed too deep for crossing. At 

 that the queen was perplexed in her mind, and in the morning asked 

 her husband how then she might obtain her heart's desire. The 

 king replied : ' Queen, let not such a thing worry you, because it is 

 easily managed. Go cheerfully with your retinue ! On the hither 

 bank of the river remember first to call upon the River Goddess, join 

 your hands in supplication, and with pure mind recite : " O Goddess 

 River, if my husband has practised chastity since the day on which 

 he paid his devotions to my brother-in-law, then promptly give me 

 passage!"'-'' Upon hearing this the queen reflected in surprise: 

 ' Why now does the king, fifth Protector of the World, say such an 

 absurd thing? Since the day of his devotion to his brother I have 

 become pregnant by him with a son ; that wifely state of mine he 

 knows full well. But why be in doubt when the lest is at hand, 

 particularly since devoted wives should entertain no doubt about a 

 husband's statement. Because a good wife that doubts the instruc- 

 tion of her spouse, a soldier that of his king, a pupil that of his 

 teacher, a son that of his father break their vow.' Thus the queen 

 reflected, and went with her equipment and train to the bank of the 

 river, where the face of the earth was crowded with the assembled 

 people. There she called upon the River Goddess, paid honor to her 

 with a pure mind, and openly made the truth-declaration,*^ as told 

 her by her husband. At once the river banked its waters to the right 

 and to the left, became shallow, gave passage, and the queen crossed 

 to the other side. 



" She thought herself favored, and then paid jjroper respect to the 

 Sage. And when she had received his blessing the Sage asked the 

 devoted wife in what manner she had crossed the river. She told 

 the whole story, and then asked the Lord of Sages how her husband's 

 inconceivable chastity was valid. He then said : ' Hear Lady ! 

 Wlien I look vow, from that time on the king also, intently eager for 

 holiness, became in his soul indififerent to earthly matters. But as 



^''^ The notion that rivers may be induced by prayer to furnish passage is 

 a very old one in India; see Rig-Veda 3. st,. 9; 4. 19. 6. 



**" Satj'agravana =: the Buddhist saccakiriya ; see above, p. 16, note. 



