SHREE SHOOKDEO JEE said,--O great king! on one occasion, a jewelled bedstead of pure gold with curtains was laid out in a golden palace, studded with gems. On the bedstead a bedding, white as foam, and decorated with flowers was spread. Pillows for the cheek, and the head of the bed exhaled perfumes. Vessels filled with camphor, rosewater, sandal and other perfumes were arranged on all sides of the bed. Pictures of all kinds were drawn on the walls; flowers, fruits, sweetmeats and confectionary were placed here and there in the recesses: and every thing, that could contribute to pleasure, was provided. Wearing a petticoat, and full loose robe of great splendour, on which were sewn real pearls; and a shining boddice, glittering cloth for the body, and a brilliant cloak, ornamented from head to foot; with red horizontal lines drawn across the forehead, a ring for the nose of large pearls, ornaments for the head, ear-rings, lines on the top of the head, where the hair is parted, marks between the eyebrows, ornaments for the ears, and forehead, a necklace composed of circular pieces of gold, a string of gold beads and coral, an ornament for the breast and decked out with numerous other jewels and ornaments,--bright as the moon,--of the colour of chumpa, with eyes like those of a deer, a voice like the kokila's (the Indian cuckoo) the gait of an elephant and O great king! Shree Rookmunee Jee rose on hearing these words; and, joining her hands and bending her head, began to say to Krishnù, "You have spoken truly in saying that you are not worthy of me, because you are the husband of Luchmee, and the lord of Shivù and Bruhmù, meditation, prayers, penance and guidance, do wicked acts, are of themselves utterly ruined and disgraced. O lord of compassion! it is your constant custom to descend in various forms and frequently upon the earth for the sake of your worshippers; and, having destroyed wicked demons, and removed the burthens of the world, you confer happiness on your own, and grant all their supplications. And, O lord! on whomsoever your great compassion is shed, and he thereby obtains wealth, royal power, youth, beauty and eminence; and subsequently being blinded by pride, forgets religion, penance, truth, mercy, worship and adoration, you reduce him to poverty; because the poor constantly meditate upon you, and keep you in remembrance, for this reason the poor man is acceptable to you. He, to whom your great mercy is shown, will always be without riches." O great king! Rookmunee proceeded to say, "O lord of life, I will not do as Unba, the daughter of Indrudown, Raja of Benares, did, abandoning her husband, and going to the Raja Bheekmuk; and when he would not receive her, she returned to her own husband, who, after this, turned her out of doors; then having gone, and sat on the bank of the Ganges, she
O great king! Rookmunee was gratified by this speech of Huri's, and attended upon him.
