1868.] The Poems of Chand Barday. 129 



apsaras danced for joy. " A son has been born in the line of the moon, 

 who shall tread the path of the golden age ; his sway shall extend to 

 the ocean, great poets shall sing his fame. , Celebrating sacrifices, 

 lavishing gifts, earth shall find in him a sovereign lord : Chandra- 

 brahma has been born to the moon in the city of Khajinpur." 

 When the sage had thus spoken, the gods all departed to their several 

 seats. 



Every day Chandra-brahma grew in beauty, Kamadeva incarnate. 

 All the people of Khajinpur were astonished as they gazed upon his 

 face : " This son of a widowed Brahman woman, has with ease slain 

 a tiger." The boy was ten years old when he set for Kedar : there 

 he spied an enormous tiger and slew it. As the strong tiger- could 

 not be seized, the king victoriously encountered it : the glorious son 

 of the moon slew it with his sword twelve hands in length. The 

 resolute prince left the king of that district and arrived at Khajinpur, 

 where he related the encounter to Alhan. Queen Hemavati came 

 and took him to her bosom, and recited the spell : the lord of night 

 appeared. The moon kissed his son's face, having called his chariot 

 near ; then Chandra-brahma received from him the philosopher's 

 stone. Mainaka danced for joy with her fair companions ; glad 

 Strains are heard. The happy Hemavati brings her due offerings of 

 flowers, fruit and water ; all the gods unite to establish the throne of 

 Chandra-brahma. With one accord exclaiming, ' Long live the king' \ 

 and repeating potent spells, they called the noble prince and instructed 

 him in kingly polity, " Who can have enjoyment that associates 

 with a man who is hump-backed, or lame, or who has black teeth, or 

 who is a leper, or crooked, or deaf, or foolish, or very dull, or a sensual- 

 ist, or a false friend, meanest of all men ? hear my advice, prince, let 

 not such persons come near thee, nor do thou go near them. This is 

 the purport of all the eighteen Puranas. Poets and sages and all the 

 world declare, the society of such men brings no good. (The two next 

 lines are obscure :) 



iii^TT*rwT^^r^r^Tf%^tqrr^ 



Encourage ingenious poets, with them is excellent wisdom ; with 

 them, prince, converse ; keep also about thee knights and warriors. 

 Give not thy mind too much to the chase ; shed dignity on thy royal 

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