VICRAJrADITYA AND SALIVAHANA. 12^ 



young. She conceived by a Naga-cumara, (or 7'ac- 

 shaca ;) and the brothers ashamed of this seeming 

 disorderly beliavioiir of their sister, left the country. 

 The unfortunate young widow, thus deserted, found 

 an asylum in the humble cottage of a pot-maker, 

 where she was delivered of a male child, whom she 

 called 'Sa'liva'hana. The child, hearing of this 

 strange case, went to the king's presence, where the 

 four sons of the merchant were, with a numerous and 

 respectable assembly. He spoke without embarrass- 

 ment, and they were astonished, for his words were 

 like amrit or ambrosia. The first pot, says he, con- 

 taining earth, entitles the owner to the landed pro- 

 perty of his father. The second contains coals, and 

 of course all the timber and wood become the pro- 

 perty of the second son. The third is entitled to the 

 elephants, horses, cattle, and animals of all descrip- 

 tions belonging to the estate ; and the fourth is en- 

 titled to the corn and grain of all kinds, the property 

 of his father. Vicrama'ditya, on hearing of this, 

 sent for the chikl, who refused to come : go, says he 

 to the messenger, and tell him that when I have com- 

 pleted my business, or in other words, when I shall 

 he perfected, or my time is arrived, he will come to 

 me of himself. Vicrama'ditya, irritated at this an- 

 swer, wanted to kill him; and advanced, at the head 

 of a numerous army, against the child, who, making 

 figures of soldiers with clay, animated them. They 

 fought on both sides with courage; but the iY^^'<2- 

 cumara, or son of the great serpent, stupified Vicra- 

 ma's army ; who, finding his soldiers asleep, implored 

 the assistance of the serpent Vas'uci, who gave him 

 some amrit, with which he revived his troops; and 

 'Sa'liva'hana, hearing of this, sent two men for 

 some of it, and Vicrama complied with his request; 

 and here ends the legend, which was introduced only 

 to give an instance of Vicrama'ditya's unbounded 

 generosity. 



Vol. IX. K 



