Suryaprabha

“ But Súryaprabha, who is an incarnation of Sumundíka, with this same beautiful body which he now possesses, shall soon become lord of the sky-goers. When king Chandraprabha heard this from Maya, he was delighted and agreed to it, but Siddhártha said this—“O excellent Dánava, what ground of confidence have we, if this doubt should arise, ‘Why has the king entered another body, has he then died?’ And moreover will he forget us when he enters another body, like a man gone to the other world? Who is he, and who are we?” ”

“ Sunítha received with joy this speech of Prahláda’s. Then Prahláda made Súryaprabha ascend an altar-platform, in the middle of which a fire was burning, and which was adorned with lofty jewelled pillars illuminated by the brightness of the flame, and there gave him his daughter, with splendour worthy of the imperial throne of the Asuras. And he gave to his daughter and her bridegroom heaps of valuable jewels, obtained by his triumph over the gods, resembling the summit of mount Meru. ”

“ Hence it comes that Súryaprabha has to-day procured this great bow, and these companions of his shall procure bows suited to them. For they, being heroes who have acquired the sciences, are appropriate recipients for them, for they are still procured by worthy men, as is right."
When the companions of Súryaprabha, Prabhása and the others, heard this speech of Sumeru's, they went to the bamboo-grove, and after defeating the king Chandradatta, who guarded it, they brought the bamboos, and threw them into the lake. ”

“ And after they had eaten and drunk, they all went to another hall, which was made of jewels, and beheld the skilful dance of the Daitya and Dánava maidens. On that occasion Súryaprabha beheld the daughter of Prahláda, named Mahalliká, who came forward to dance by order of her father. She illuminated the world with her beauty, rained nectar into his eyes, and seemed like the moon-goddess* [15] come to the under-world out of curiosity. ”

“ And the next morning, when king Chandraprabha was sitting in secret conclave together with the queen, his son, the kings and his ministers, the Asura Maya said to him— " Listen, king, I will to-day tell you a secret long guarded; you are a Dánava, Sunitha by name, my mighty son, and Súryaprabha is your younger brother, named Sumundika; after you were slain in the war of the gods, you were born here as father and son. ”

“ Then Súryaprabha, seeing many of them assembled in fight, under the leadership of Śrutaśarman, sent other great warriors of his own to support Prabhása and his comrades, his own friends with Prajnádhya at their head, and the princes of whom Śatáníka and Vírasena were the chief. They flew through the air, and Súryaprabha sent the other warriors also through the air in the chariot Bhutásana. ”

“ When Rambha made this request, Chandraprabha granted it, and sent Prahasta and had Varuṇasená brought quickly from the city of Śákala to her father Kumbhíra. And the next day, he and Súryaprabha and Rambha, and Vírabhaṭa and all, with their attendants, went to the city of Kánchí. And after they had been met by Kumbhíra, they entered the city of Kánchí, as it were the girdle of the earth, full of many jewels and adorned with excellences.7 There Kumbhíra bestowed his daughter on Súryaprabha with the usual ceremonies, and gave much wealth to the young couple. ”

“ When the Vidyádhara said this, Naraváhanadatta, in the presence of the king of Vatsa, said to him again out of curiosity: “How did Súryaprabha, being a man, obtain of old time the sovereignty over the Vidyádharas? Tell us.” Then in private, that is to say, in the presence of the queens and ministers, the king Vajraprabha began to tell that tale. ”

“ While those two weapons were contending, Śiva, seeing that the sword was gradually being overpowered by the discus, made an angry roar. That caused the discus and sword to be both destroyed. Then the Asuras rejoiced, and the gods were cast down, as Súryaprabha had obtained the victory, and Śrutaśarman was taken prisoner. Then the gods praised and propitiated Śiva, and the husband of Ambika, being pleased, gave this command to the gods— " Ask any boon but that promised to Súryaprabha; who can set aside what has been once promised at a burnt-sacrifice?" ”

“ Then Súryaprabha, grieved at the slaughter of his kinsmen and friends, spent that night apart from his wives. And eager for the fight, he passed that night in various military discussions with his ministers, without going to sleep. And his wives, grieved on account of the slaughter of their relations, met together in one place that night, having come for the sake of mutual condolence. But even on that melancholy occasion they indulged in miscellaneous conversation; there is no occasion on which women are not irrelevant in their talk. ”

“ And gradually prince Chandraprabha increased in stature as well as in excellent character, delighting his dependants by both. And in course of time he grew up, and became capable of bearing the weight of the earth, winning over the subjects by his courage, his generosity, his learning, and other accomplishments. And his father, king Súryaprabha, seeing that he possessed these qualities, appointed him his successor in the kingdom, and being an old man, and having accomplished all his ends in life, he went to Váráṇasí. ”

“ When Súryaprabha heard that, he wanted to embrace her, but Kalávatí being modest, said, " Do not, my husband, I am a maiden." Then Prahasta said to her; " Do not hesitate, my queen, for the Gándharva marriage is the best of all marriages in the world." When Prahasta had said this, he went out with all the rest, and Súryaprabba that very moment made Kalávatí, the maiden of the under-world, his wife. And when the night came to an end, Kalávatí went to her own dwelling, and Súryaprabha went to Sunítha and Maya. ”

“ Then, in the hearing of the gods and Asuras, the holy Śiva said this to Súryaprabha: " You must rule yourself in the southern half-vedi, but the northern halt-vedi give to Śrutaśarman. For you are destined, my son, soon to receive the fourfold sovereignty of all the sky-goers, Kinnaras and all. And when you receive this, as you will be in a distinguished position, you must also give the southern half-vedi to Śrikunjarakumára." And as for the heroes slain on both sides in the battle, let them all rise up alive with unwounded limbs. ”

“ We have learnt that our daughter, who was carried off by some being in the night, has come into the hands of thy son, and we rejoice thereat. Make an effort, thou and thy son Súryaprabha, to come with her to our house, without raising any objection, in order that we may behold our daughter, returned as it were from the other world, and perform for her at once the ceremony required for marriage.” When this letter was read by Siddhártha, the king Chandraprabha, consenting, welcomed the messenger and rejoiced. ”

“ But the weapon of Śiva conquered all those weapons, and blazed exceedingly, eager to slay Śrutaśarman. Then Súryaprabha praised that great weapon, and entreated it not to kill Śrutaśarman, but to take him prisoner and hand him over to himself. Then all the gods speedily prepared for fight, and the other Asuras also, who had come to look on, did the same, being eager to conquer the gods. Then a Gana named Vírabhadra, sent by Śiva, came and delivered this order of his to Indra and the other gods: " You came to look on, so what right have you to fight here? ”

“ So far from it, we shall live happily in mutual friendship; but what intercourse can I hold with those others who will be my enemies? And why should you have any shame about the matter? I will arrange it all.' While these ladies were thus conversing, with hearts devoted to you, I came out at my leisure and repaired to your presence." When Súryaprabha had heard this from the mouth of Prahasta, he passed that night in happiness, though he remained sleepless in his bed.
In the morning he went to the court of Prahláda, the king of the Asuras, with Sunítha and Maya and his ministers, to visit him. ”

“ For unfortunately there is nothing which women will not let out, when they are met together in social intercourse, and their minds are interested in the course of the conversation. At last that long conversation of theirs was somehow or other brought to an end, and in course of time the night passed away, during which Súryaprabha was longing to conquer the host of his enemies, for he was alone, intently waiting for the time when the darkness should depart. † [5] ”

“ What is the use of this unloving man, who leaves his wives outside?" And she would not approach Prahasta out of jealousy, as he was so exclusively in love with the cares of his official duties, but the other ministers around Súryaprabha went to sleep comfortably. In the meanwhile Súryaprabha and Prahasta beheld an incomparable maiden entering, accompanied by a female friend. ”

“ Send out ambassadors, and collect your subordinate kings, and your friends and connexions; then we will unite with Sumeru, prince of the Vidyádharas, and we will conquer Śrutaśarman, and win the sovereignty of the sky-goers. And Sumeru is our ally, considering us as friends, for he received at the outset a command from Śiva, to support Súryaprabha and give him his own daughter. When the Asura Maya said this, Chandraprabha sent, aambassadors to all the kings, Prahasta and the other ministers that travelled through the air ”

“ Surya is an Aryanized sun god. He drives a golden chariot drawn by seven mares, or a mare with seven heads; he has golden hair and golden arms and hands. As he is alluded to as “the eye of Varuna and Mitra”, and a son of Aditi, it is evident that if he did not originally belong to the group of Adityas, he was strongly influenced by them. In his Savitri character, which he possesses at morning as well as at evening, he stimulates all life and the mind of man. One of the most sacred and oldest mantras (texts) in the Vedas is still addressed by Brahmans to the rising sun. ”

“ Surya was also Savitri, the quickener, who in the early morn rouses the sleepers, and in the evening twilight buries them again in sleep; he is also Vishnu, the companion of Indra, who traverses the celestial space in three long strides; he is Pushan, the nourisher and faithful guide of men and animals; and he is Yama, who traverses the steep road to death and the shades. Thus the gods multiplied—the original supreme deity, Varuna, who was one with Indra, though different from him, giving place to a multitude of solar deities, children of Dyaus, the great dawn-god or day-father. ”

“ Being thus addressed Dhruva repeated to his mother all that the arrogant Suruchi had said to him in the presence of the king. Her son having related all these sighing, she was greatly distressed. And Suniti, rendered poorly, with her eyes dimmed, sighed and said,—"Suruchi has rightly spoken; thine, child, is as an unfortunate fate: those who are born to fortune are not liable to the insults of their step-mothers. Yet be not afflicted, my child, for who shall efface what thou hast formerly done, or shall assign to thee what thou hast left undone. ”

“ And beholding Samvarana conversant with all rules of virtue and unequalled on earth for beauty, Surya regarded him as the fit husband for his daughter, Tapati. And, O thou of Kuru’s race, Vivaswat then resolved to bestow his daughter on that best of kings, viz., Samvarana, the scion of a race of world-wide fame. As Surya himself in the heavens filleth the firmament with his splendour, so did king Samvarana on earth fill every region with the splendour of his good achievements. And all men, O Partha, except Brahmanas, worshipped Samvarana. ”

“ It is not through the merits of those sacrifices O Lord of all the deities, that I have attained to this region. On the banks of Sarayu and Vahuda and Ganga as also in the woods of Naimisha, I gave away millions of kine unto the Brahmanas. It is not through the merits of those acts that I have attained to this region. The vow of fast had been known to Indra. He had, however, kept it a secret. Sukra, the descendant of Bhrigu, obtained a knowledge of it by means of spiritual sight acquired through penances. Blazing with energy as he does, it is Usanas who first made it known to the universe. ”

“ She went to Jeta's park; she sat at the Buddha's feet, and she became one of the most saintly women in the community.
Among those who sought instruction from the Blessed One at the same time as this young slave was Suprabha, the daughter of a prominent citizen of Cravasti. Suprabha was very beautiful. To see her was to fall in love with her, and she was courted by all the distinguished young men of the city. This caused her father no little concern. "To which one shall I give her in marriage?" he would repeatedly ask himself; "those whom I refuse will become my bitter enemies." ”

“ Sūrya is constantly the actual solar element and is conceived in many forms, as a bird, a flying eagle, a mottled bull, the gem of the sky, the variegated stone set in the heaven. He is also the weapon of Mitra and Varuṇa, or the felloe of their car, or the car itself. He shines forth in the lap of the dawns and is the son of Aditi, and his father is Dyaus, even though many other gods are said to produce the sun. He triumphs over the darkness and the witches, drives away sickness and evil dreams, and prolongs life. ”

“ Though I have stolen the spouse of the high-souled prince (Rāma) , yet what is that to thee, O Sugriva? Do thou return to Kishkindhā. The monkeys shall not by any means be able to attack the city of Lankā. Even the celestials and Gandharbas could not—what of these men and monkeys?'" And being thus commissioned by the lord of Rākshasas, that night-ranger assumed the shape of a bird and, bounding, speedily reached the sky. And, proceeding far over the deep and stationing himself at the welkin, he spoke unto Sugriva all the words with which he was addressed by the vicious-souled Rāvana. ”