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 Social Sciences & Humanities Library 
 
 University of California, San Diego 
 Please Note: This item is subject to recall. 
 
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 NOV 1 8 2002 
 
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 *, I 
 
 
 ^/ o
 
 Frontispiece.] Rukmini at the lathing-place.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 NIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. SAN DIEGO 
 
 3 1822025030107 
 B Uale of HMnou domestic %ffe. 
 
 BY 
 
 K. VIRESALINGAM, PANDIT. 
 
 TRANSLATED BY 
 
 J. EGBERT HUTCHINSON. 
 
 SEith a 
 GENERAL MACDONALD, 
 
 LATE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, MADRAS PRESIDENCY, INDIA. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 
 
 1887,
 
 TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 THAT stronghold of Hinduism, the native home, has 
 never yet been carried. It stands impregnable within 
 rugged walls of caste prejudice and ancestral usage. 
 The barriers it opposes to the inquisitive outsider 
 barriers of race, caste, and religion are barriers of 
 steel ; slowly corroding now, it is true, but still effect- 
 ually strong to prevent curious intrusion. In this 
 citadel of the Hindu people hangs the key to their 
 hearts and minds and lives ; and of this key the excluded 
 foreigner can never hope to possess himself. Our 
 knowledge of the domestic economy and social life of 
 the Hindu family must, under existing circumstances, 
 come from within the home itself. 
 
 Apart from its intense interest as a work of fiction, 
 the following tale (written by a high-caste Hindu) is, 
 in this respect, of special value. It is the ' open 
 sesame ' before which the door of the Hindu abode flies 
 open, revealing the complete inner life of a representa- 
 tive Hindu family their home, dress, food, worship, 
 modes of thought and speech, joys and sorrows, loves 
 and hates, hopes and fears ; their simple, unquestioning 
 piety, so strangely blended with rank superstition ; the 
 secluded quiet of their existence ; their calm stoicism 
 and unmurmuring resignation to the decrees of fate. 
 In a word, the tale unlocks the street-door, introduces 
 the reader to the inmates, shows him over the house,
 
 iv TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 and makes him feel quite at home notwithstanding the 
 bewildering strangeness of his surroundings. 
 
 The numerous live social questions of the day in 
 India have their origin in this seclusion of all domestic 
 life within four walls. Nor does the writer ignore this 
 important fact. The subject position of women, and 
 their education ; the inhuman treatment and wretched 
 condition of widows ; the quackeries of native char- 
 latans, the consequent sufferings of the sick, and the 
 opening thus presented for trained physicians of both 
 sexes ; child-marriage, with all its heartless intrigue and 
 unnatural horrors ; the remarriage of unfortunate child- 
 widows these and many kindred topics are treated 
 powerfully and with enlightened good sense. While to 
 crown all, the story into which these topics are woven 
 is of intense interest and thoroughly Hindu.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 COMPLAINTS are sometimes made that the educated 
 natives of India have not done as much as they ought 
 for the improvement of their vernacular literature. The 
 Pandits, it is said, must be expected to work in their 
 old groove, but something new ought to be produced by 
 men who have been brought in contact with the liter- 
 ature of Europe, and have had the advantage of study- 
 ing models unknown to their countrymen. Every 
 effort to remove this reproach must be viewed with 
 interest, or at least with indulgence. Kandukuri Vire- 
 salingam, Telugu Pandit of the Government College at 
 Eajahmundry, who has had the advantage of receiving 
 some English education, some years ago conceived the 
 idea of translating the ' Vicar of Wakefield ' into Telugu, 
 but eventually decided on writing a tale of Hindu 
 domestic life, in which the scene is laid in his own dis- 
 trict, and little or nothing is borrowed from Goldsmith 
 beyond the general idea of a family in easy circum- 
 stances reduced to poverty. Himself an ardent re- 
 former, he has made his story a vehicle for exposing the 
 evils of child-marriage and the miserable condition of 
 Hindu widows. He shows us how large a part a belief 
 in astrology, omens, fortune-telling, magic and witch- 
 craft plays in Hindu life. He takes us into liukmini's 
 sick-room and exhibits the absurdity of the treatment 
 to which she is subjected by a celebrated native prac- 
 titioner. The tricks of religious impostors are satirized
 
 vi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 in the episodes of the roguish Byragi, who professes to 
 be an alchemist, and of the sanctimonious Yogi, who is 
 in league with a gang of robbers. The Guru Sri Chi- 
 dananda Sankarabharati-swami exemplifies the rapacity 
 and licentiousness of the class of spiritual teachers of 
 whom he is a type. 
 
 The English reader must not expect to find any traces 
 of the delicate delineation of character and quiet humour 
 which give such a charm to Goldsmith's inimitable idyl. 
 The main value of the book lies in its minute de- 
 scriptions of that domestic life which is so imperfectly 
 known to Europeans. We sit down in the choultry on 
 the banks of the Godavery and hear the flatteries ad- 
 dressed to the rich man of the village by his obsequious 
 friends. We listen to the gossip of the women, who 
 have come down to draw water and perform their 
 ablutions. We follow Rajasekhara into his house ; we 
 see his wife grinding sandal-wood, and his niece cook- 
 ing the midday meal. We observe how he is sponged 
 on by distant relatives and perfect strangers. We hear 
 him importuned for additional subscriptions for the 
 support of the worship of Janardana-swami, who, like 
 the gods of a good many other shrines, has seven 
 putties of land, of which five go to the dancing- women 
 and two to the priests. We see the silent disapproval 
 with which Rajasekhara's attempts to educate his 
 daughter are viewed at a period when reading and 
 writing were considered accomplishments suited only to 
 courtesans. We watch him and his boy listening to 
 the poor Sastri, who comes in to expound the Maha- 
 bharata. We see Rajasekbara gradually sinking into 
 poverty, and at last compelled to mortgage his house 
 and set out with his family on a pilgrimage to Benares. 
 He never, however, gets further than Peddapuram, 
 and after some adventures returns a wiser man to his 
 old home. 
 
 In the course of the narrative we have some pleasing 
 descriptions of local scenery. We go into the temples 
 and mingle with the crowds during the celebration of
 
 INTRODUCTION. vii 
 
 various religious festivals. We are introduced to the 
 Courts of two Eajahs. We hear of some rather im- 
 probable adventures with tigers. The incidents are 
 perhaps scarcely of a character to prove very attractive 
 to the ordinary novel-reader, and a less faithful trans- 
 lation might have given the book a better chance of 
 success in the circulating library, but not success of a 
 desirable kind. 
 
 Eajasekhara set out on his pilgrimage in 1618-1619. 
 At this period the white strangers were not far off, for 
 they had already commenced trading at Masulipatam 
 and Nizampatam ; but there are no references to them in 
 the story, nor do we come across a single Mussulman, 
 although Ramamurti does ask the astrologer how long 
 the country is to remain under the yoke of the foreigner. 
 
 During the two centuries and a half which have 
 elapsed since the period to which the tale relates, the 
 face of the country has undergone great changes. At 
 Dhavalesvaram, where the story opens, the magnificent 
 stream of the Godavery is now spanned by the great 
 anicut constructed by Sir Arthur Cotton, and the dis- 
 trict is covered with a network of canals, which fertilize 
 the fields and carry boatloads of travellers with an ease 
 undreamt of in the days of Rajasekhara. Broad roads 
 run through tracts which were once covered with 
 jungle, and, since the establishment of Sir William 
 Robinson's police, such highway robberies as that de- 
 scribed by the author have ceased to be common. 
 English education is slowly undermining the ancient 
 faith. But the external aspect of Hindu society changes 
 very slowly. The life described in the story is the life 
 of the present day. The author has drawn most of his 
 pictures from the scenes among which he is living. It 
 is this realism which gives the book whatever merit it 
 possesses. 
 
 Owing to the excellence of the Telugu in which it is 
 written, and the insight which it gives us into native 
 manners, the original story may be perused with ad- 
 vantage by young civilians, military officers, mission-
 
 viii IRTRODUCTION. 
 
 aries, and other persons \vhose duties require them to 
 study the language. A translation of this Telugu 
 novel, by the Eev. J. E. Hutchinson, has recently 
 appeared in the pages of the Madras Christian College 
 Magazine, and is now presented in a more permanent 
 form to the English public. 
 
 It is to be hoped that the reception accorded to his 
 first work may be of such a character as to encourage 
 him to persevere in his efforts. Missionaries have done 
 a great deal to bring India closer to England, but there 
 is still much to be achieved, and a friendly welcome 
 should await every fresh labourer in this wide field of 
 usefulness. 
 
 E. M. MACDONALD.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 CHAPTEIi I. 
 
 Dhavalagiri Description of the Temple Rajasekhara sitting in the 
 Rest-house on the Bank of the' Godaveri at Early Morning The 
 Flatteries of the Astrologer and others who resort there All go 
 together to the Feet of Rama to see the Byrauji. 
 
 Sri Nassakatryambaka, somewhere in the far East, 
 the Godaveri river has her birth in a lofty mountain. 
 Sparkling with the scintillations of her rings and 
 wristlets, she meanders along the valleys on the slopes 
 of Bhubhrudvara, her birthplace, and, tarrying a little, 
 glides from thence gently onward, filling the eyes of all 
 beholders with delight. Then flaunting sauciJy with 
 sweet though indistinct utterances, she runs swift as an 
 arrow, and, reaching the mighty trees, flouts the parent 
 roots to dally with their younger offspring. Again, she 
 plays hide-and-seek among the bulrushes ; then escapes 
 and journeys through Vidarbha and adjacent territories, 
 refreshing all, whether young or old, and furnishing so 
 abundant a supply of water for drinking and bathing 
 that the fault is theirs alone who, coming that way, 
 refuse to take it. She vivifies and renders fruitful the 
 crops and fruit-trees in every place where she sets her 
 foot ; adorns the whole land on either bank, as far as 
 her coolness extends, with soft green grass; provides 
 food for vast herds of cattle ; welcomes to her embrace 
 
 1
 
 2 FORTUNE'S WHEEL, 
 
 the Varada, Maujira, Finnaganga, and other rivers, 
 which hear her coming from afar and rush by many 
 roads to meet her, bearing as tribute fruits of the desert 
 and peacock plumes ; views from afar that white moun- 
 tain in the neighbourhood of Eajahmundry which has 
 attained celebrity as the richest gem of the Telugu 
 country, and, betraying her depth the more as she 
 comes on and on seeking her husband, rushes melo- 
 diously along its base to pay her respects to Janar- 
 dana-swami * who dwells upon the summit, and 
 immediately stretching out from thence her hands (in 
 the form of two branches), gains the coveted boon and 
 coyly joins her lord. 
 
 This mountain is not of great height; but, being 
 composed of white mica rock, is a veritable wonder to 
 behold. It is on account of these same rocks that it 
 bears the name Dhavalagiri, or White Mountain. On 
 the south side are built stairs of black stone from the 
 base straight up to the brow of the hill. On either side 
 of these extend up the slope, in a line that delights the 
 eye, the dwellings of priests and other devotees of 
 Vishnu. These stairs ascended, there appears upon the 
 summit a small but beautiful temple of black stone. 
 Around this on three sides extends a wall of about the 
 height of a man. On the north side, however, instead 
 of the wall the horn of the mountain itself shoots up- 
 ward, and affording the walls a shelter at its base, 
 towers above them and peeps over the dome of the 
 temple itself. Within this enclosure, to the north, 
 is a small cave. The ancients say that when of 
 old the princes of the house of Pandut lived as 
 hermits, they sat here and did penance. There was 
 in it at the time of our story a small stone image. 
 
 * An epithet of Vishnu. Swami is a general term for objects of 
 worship. 
 
 f The princes of the house of Paiidu. Pandu was the half-brother of 
 Dliritarashtra. Having incurred a curse in consequence of killing a 
 stag, he retired to the Himalayas, where he died. Here he had sons 
 born to him by his wives, the progeny of deities Yudhishthira, Bhima, 
 Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 3 
 
 On the feast-days of this god, which throughout the 
 remainder of the year moulders without offering or ad- 
 oration, the priest brings it out, cleans it with tamarind- 
 water, and places a small lighted lamp in the divine 
 presence. Then, standing in the entrance of the cave, 
 he takes a penny a head from the crowds of people who 
 come on pilgrimage from the surrounding hamlets, goes 
 within and worships the god, and dismisses them with 
 the assurance that their ancestors have been blessed.* 
 No sooner do the half-dozen nuptial days of Janar- 
 <lana-swami come to an end than the priests place him 
 as usual among the ropes of his car, and station the little 
 god as sentry over him. This minor deity, though 
 possessing neither salary nor means of daily subsistence, 
 moves not a foot, but steadfastly stands guard day and 
 night ; while the priests, through faith in ^iim, live a 
 life free from anxiety or necessity for entering the 
 cave again until next year this rope business comes 
 round once more. But though irreligious man thus 
 fail to wait upon the god, the little four-footed beasts 
 that guard the mountain pay their pious homage con- 
 stantly to the deity ; and until men return on feast- 
 days and commit so great a sin as to drive them out, 
 make their very bed at night before the god on the bare 
 floor of the cave. 
 
 Within the enclosure, on the eastern side, there stands 
 before Janardana-swami a lofty standard. The tiny 
 bells upon its top for ever sway back and forth in the 
 breeze, and delight the ear with their sweet music. At 
 the base of the shaft, facing the god with joined hands, 
 stands an image of Anjaneya.f To the north of this 
 
 * The Hindus practise ancestor-worship. They believe that such 
 worship as that mentioned above accelerates the progress of the soul to 
 heaven. One of their poets thus satirizes the practice : 
 
 ' If offerings of food can satisfy 
 Hungry departed spirits, why supply 
 The man who goes a journey, with provisions ? 
 His friends at home can feed him with oblations." 
 
 f The chief of the deified monkeys, and an ally and spy of Rama. 
 
 12
 
 4 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 stone image and the standard is a nuptial porch. On 
 the wedding-days of the god they seat the processional 
 images in this porch, and conduct the whole marriage 
 ceremony with the utmost pomp.* 
 
 In each fortnight of the month, t on the night of the 
 eleventh day, occurs the praise-service of Vishnu. 
 The Vaishnavas assume their rosaries of tulasi beads,]; 
 plaster on the twelve perpendicular marks, and, fin- 
 gering their lutes to the braying of cymbals and drums 
 and shouting with all their might the names of their 
 tutelary deity' Butter Thief !' ' Enjoyer of the 
 Shepherdesses !' ' Lover of Eadhika V ' Shep- 
 herd Boy !' || sing the exploits of Krishna, and chew 
 pepper-corns and lumps of sugar between whiles to relieve 
 their hoarse throats. With wagging heads the devotees 
 put forth all their strength and play so hard that fre- 
 quently the drums and cymbals are broken. It often 
 happens, too, that one or two of the more pious fall into 
 a trance by divine inspiration, and lean back upon the 
 pillars behind for several minutes at a time, insensible. 
 To foreigners who do not at all understand this sort 
 of devotion, their actions at such times seem like the 
 antics of madmen ; but as for the people who come 
 to see the show the more the devotees yell with 
 distorted features, the greater saints they consider 
 them. 
 
 If anyone take the trouble to climb the mountain 
 
 * The marriage of the principal Hindu deities is celebrated once a 
 year. Idols are of two classes processional, or movable, and fixed 
 images. The image of Anjaneya is an example of the latter. 
 
 f Each lunar month has two pakshas, or periods of two weeks. The 
 first is called the sukla or light, the second the krishna or dark, 
 fortnight. 
 
 J The sacred basil (ocyminn sanctum), a plant worshipped by tin- 
 Hindus. 
 
 The twelve perpendicular marks worn by Vaishnavas. Three 
 each are drawn with wet ashes of cow-dung upon the forehead, 
 shoulders, and breast. 
 
 I! These names are twenty-four in number, and are drawn from the 
 chief exploits of that jolly god, Krishna, when incarnate. Radhika 
 was his aunt, and a favourite mistress during his residence among the 
 cowherds. She was also wife of Ayana Ghosha, the Nameless.
 
 FORTUNES WHEEL. 5 
 
 at mid-day and direct his gaze to the four quarters 
 of the heavens, he will behold a veritable feast for 
 the eyes. Along the mountain-side the goats, erect 
 upon their hind-legs, nibble the foliage of the bushes, 
 while their vari-coloured kids frolic nimbly before them. 
 To the east and south, among a seeming heap of 
 thatched houses, towers aloft an occasional tiled roof, as 
 in derision of its meaner neighbours. To the north the 
 field- watchers shout ' Ko ! Ko !' from their elevated 
 perches, and whirl their rattles to frighten away the 
 numerous flocks of birds. Of these, many varieties 
 rise from the neighbouring groves into the sky, uttering 
 their sweet calls, and when opportunity affords break 
 off the milky heads of unripe grain and light again 
 upon the branches of the trees to eat. Here, too, the 
 herds of cattle in the meadows crop the blades of grass 
 between whiles, or wholly stop grazing and with their 
 calves stand listening, their ears erect, necks out- 
 stretched, and hearts melting at the songs of the shep- 
 herd boys who sing to the melodious accompaniment of 
 the pipe in the shade of the trees. On the west the 
 rays of the sun, falling upon the clear waters of the 
 parent Godaveri, produce diamond-glintings in all direc- 
 tions ; while many varieties of aquatic birds bob up and 
 down upon the surface like puff-balls as they skim 
 along the eddies catching fish. 
 
 On the bank of the Godaveri, near the base of this 
 mountain, the Feet of Eama have come to light neatly 
 imprinted in a black stone slab. Everyone believes 
 these to be the prints of the very feet that trod the 
 path near this mountain, when of old Sri Eama went to 
 the hermitage with Sita and Lakshmana. Pilgrims, 
 desirous of visiting the Feet of Rama, journey hither 
 even from distant countries. Here, near Rama's shrine, 
 they bathe in Mother Godaveri, climb the mountain 
 and offer fruit and alms to Janardana-swami accord- 
 ing to their several ability, or if they have the means, 
 even make a feast to the god, and go their way 
 again.
 
 6 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 Since they have made this a meritorious shrine, all, 
 without difference of creed or" caste, receive the sour 
 rice, rice and curd, and other oblations offered to the 
 god, and apply them to their eyes and eat them on the 
 spot; and as it is a misdemeanour to wash off what 
 sticks to the hands, they paint the pillars and walls of 
 the temple with their palms as high as they can reach, 
 and then polish the backs of their hands and their 
 cloths with what still remains. 
 
 For a short distance on the south and east of the 
 mountain extends a village. Formerly this village bore 
 the name of the hill itself; but at present they call it 
 Dhavalesvaram, Just where the steps leave the hill, 
 on the lower side of the high-road, stands the Temple of 
 Sri Agastesvara-swami. The local legend says that 
 of old Agastyu crushed the pride of the Vindhya 
 Mountains, and, proceeding south, established this deity 
 here.* Between the temple and the hill there extends 
 from east to west, as far as the Godaveri, a broad high- 
 way. At the extremity of this street steps of black 
 stone are built down to the water's edge ; and near 
 the steps, to the east of the road, is a building called a 
 rest-house. It was originally intended for foreign 
 Brahmans and other travellers to pass the night in ; but 
 finally came to be used only as a place of idle resort 
 for the leading men of the village, who were in the 
 habit of gathering there daily at morning and evening 
 to pass the time in gossip. 
 
 The sun on rising one morning decorated himself as 
 usual with his rouge bottu,^ and gilded the tree-tops 
 until he made them gleam as though they had blossomed 
 into golden water. The birds with loud cries were 
 leaving their nests, and flying off in all directions in 
 quest of food. The shepherd boy (his lunch tied up in 
 
 * Agastyu is a celebrated personage in Hindu legend. He is fabled 
 to have razed the Vindhya Mountains, and to have drunk the ocean 
 dry. 
 
 f A distinctive caste-mark placed upon the forehead by the Hindus 
 after bathing.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. ^ 
 
 a bundle) was driving his cattle to the green meadows ; 
 while behind, the girls, baskets in hand, raced one 
 another shouting, ' The white cow's dung is mine 1* 
 or ' The dun buffalo's dung is mine !' The farmers with 
 goad on shoulder were driving their ploughs respectively 
 afield, when a stout, middle-aged man, wearing his sacred 
 thread after the manner of a necklace and carrying a brass 
 drinking-vessel in his left hand, came wading to the bank 
 after having washed his feet and hands in the Goda- 
 veri. Rinsing his mouth and ejecting the water, he 
 arranged his sacred cord according to custom on the left 
 shoulder, and came and sat down in the rest-house 
 upon the bank. Here he proceeded to clean his teeth 
 with a bit of crabstick which he had brought along in his 
 drinking-cup when he came. His age was about forty. 
 Had it not been for the small-pox pits upon it, there 
 need have been no hesitation in pronouncing his face 
 handsome. As it was, it was not at all unworthy of the 
 blatant flatteries of those prophets who constantly 
 visited him. In stature he was somewhat short 
 and corpulent. His forehead was broad, leading be- 
 holders to think him a pandit* He had on at the 
 time a cloth of a watery-reddish tint. A laced cloth, 
 newly washed, wound loosely about his head and hung 
 down a little way behind. Except a small pair of diamond 
 earrings in his ears, a gold ring in the form of a tuft of 
 darbha grass which, on the ring-finger of his right 
 hand, testified to the fact that he was a strict forrnalist,t 
 and two silver rings on the forefinger, there were no 
 ornaments whatever about his person. His name was 
 Itajasekhara. By the time he had performed his facial 
 ablutions a number of the inhabitants of the village 
 came up. Saluting these as became their respec- 
 tive rank, he motioned them with his hand to be 
 seated. Expressing their thanks profusely and begging 
 
 * A man of education. 
 
 t The darbha (Poa cynosuroides) is a sacred grass used in worshipg 
 Brahmans who are strict in the observance of the ritual wear a gold rin. 
 in the form of a tuft of this grass.
 
 8 FORTUNE'S WHEEL, 
 
 him to sit down first, they crowded the rest-house, 
 full. 
 
 ' Astrologer,' said Eajasekhara, opening the conversa- 
 tion, ' you have entirely ceased visiting me of late. I 
 suppose everybody is quite well at your house ?' 
 
 ' Thank you, thank you/ replied the astrologer ; ' by 
 your honour's favour we are all quite well. What can 
 such people as we lack while your honour (a very jewel 
 of the Lord !) is in the village ? You are capable of pro- 
 tecting any number of families and supplying them with 
 food and clothing. It is simply through our good fortune 
 and the merit of our former existence,* that such bene- 
 factors as your honour deign to favour our village with 
 their presence.' Then, turning to Eama-sastri, 'Of 
 course it isn't the proper thing for me to praise him 
 to his face ; but, you must understand, Eajasekhara is 
 simply divine.' 
 
 Eama-sastri signified his assent to this remark by a 
 low laugh. ' Is there,' said he, ' any doubt of that ? Is 
 it necessary that you tell me this ? It is only because 
 he is in the place that we are able to remain. Other- 
 wise, wouldn't it have been necessary long before this 
 for us to leave house and home and get off to foreign 
 lands ? Since his honour's father settled here this has 
 been something like a village ; but before that it had 
 neither " a local habitation nor a name." ' 
 
 Thus whenever a good opportunity offered, he mixed 
 in a few of his own praises as a spice to those of the 
 astrologer, and that, too, without any attempt at hiding 
 his learning. 
 
 ' Astrologer,' said Eajasekhara, inwardly well pleased, 
 but adroitly concealing his real feelings, ' I heard the 
 other day that signs of possession had shown them- 
 selves in your second daughter, I think ? Is she any 
 better ?' 
 
 At this inquiry the astrologer's face betrayed con- 
 
 * Hinduism teaches that all good or bad fortune in this life is the 
 ruit of the merit or demerit of actions performed in a previous exist - 
 fnce"
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 9 
 
 siderable anxiety. After a moment's reflection he shook 
 his head, and replied : ' I am having Josyula Kama- 
 vadhanulu exorcise her;* but so far it has had no 
 effect whatever. According to her horoscope, too, the 
 influence of Saturn is just now adverse to her. So, to 
 see what that will do, I'm having my younger brother 
 offer prayer to the nine planets.-f- But not satisfied 
 with that even, I have myself been pursuing Kama- 
 vadhanulu, and importuning him to undertake the 
 repetition of the mantra to Hanuman the Five- 
 Paced,^: and to perform a more efficacious exorcism, 
 telling him that if anything is needed for the success of 
 the rite, I'll give a few rupees, even though I have to 
 catch some Rajasekhara or other, and carry him off nolens 
 volens to do it. This is the only reason I have for not 
 calling of late ; otherwise, would I not have managed to 
 visit you by some means or other ?' 
 
 ' Sastri/ replied Rajasekhara, ' you need not hesitate 
 so far as the rupees are concerned. I'll give the 
 whole four if necessary. And even if it takes another 
 four you must look out for a good doctor. In our village 
 
 Kamavadhanulu ' and glancing up at the sky he fell 
 
 to reflecting on something or other. The astrologer's 
 flattery was never lost upon Rajasekhara. It never took 
 hold in vain, being always sure to bring more or less of 
 a return in the shape of hard cash. 
 
 Neither in Dhavalesvaram nor in the surrounding 
 villages was there another astrologer. People were or 
 ever coming to his house to ask him to fix an hour 
 for a journey, or to ascertain what time was unlucky, 
 or what day was best for dividing and putting on a 
 new cloth ; what month was favourable for commencing 
 the building of a new house, or what day of the week 
 
 * By applying ashes of cowdung, held sacred by the Hindus. 
 
 t The five major planets, the sun and moon, and liahu and Ketu 
 (the moon's ascending and descending nodes), are the nine fjrahas or 
 heavenly bodies that appear to move. Each is supposed to have good 
 or evil influences. 
 
 Hanuman, the monkey-god, an ally and spy of Rama. His mantra 
 (incantation) must be repeated one hundred thousand times.
 
 io FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 propitious for having a shave ; to beg him to determine 
 the period for a wedding, or name the star at the occur- 
 rence of puberty. If they wished to know how long 
 the defilement must continue when distant relatives 
 died ; if they desired to ascertain how long it was neces- 
 sary to leave the house when anyone departed this life 
 under an evil star ; if they wished to learn what propi- 
 tiatory rite was proper when a child was born in the 
 fourth and similar lunar mansions it was indispensable 
 that they consult the astrologer. No matter what 
 farmer's cattle strayed ; no matter in whose house any 
 article was missing; he would come without fail and 
 consult the astrologer. On all such occasions as these 
 he would spread sand on the ground in the street porch, 
 write certain talismanic letters and numbers in it witli 
 the straw of a broom, look up for a moment as in deep 
 reflection, and then dismiss the questioner with the 
 assurance that so and so had happened, or that the 
 affair would occur in such and such a manner. He also 
 prognosticated the results of the fall of lizards and other 
 reptiles, and by auguries foretold the time when an 
 addition might be expected to the family. In short, in 
 all the villages of that vicinity no event, whether aus- 
 picious or inauspicious, came off without the advice of 
 the astrologer. His forecasts most frequently turned 
 out to be sheer falsehood ; but since now and then some 
 things came true by mere coincidence, the people be- 
 lieved his word to be infallible. 
 
 One of the number then in the rest-house observing 
 quietly that ' byragis* were adepts at witchcraft/ Eaja- 
 sekhara turned to the astrologer and remarked : ' By the 
 way, as soon as you mentioned byragis it occurred to 
 me that I heard a report that some byragi or other had 
 come to this place some ten clays ago. Shouldn't you 
 show the child to him ? The medicinal roots and 
 empirics of the ascetics are well known to these 
 Gosains.-j- No matter how incurable the disease may 
 
 * Religious mendicants -fakir-*: 
 
 f Secular monks or fakirs, who never marry, and who live in monas- 
 teries.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. n 
 
 be, they rid you of it in a trice.' No sooner had he 
 uttered these words than the whole rest-house was rilled 
 with cries of ' Good !' ' True !' ' He should certainly do 
 as you say !' Let only a speaker be rich even the 
 most senseless utterance is sure to be counted worthy 
 of applause. So Eajasekhara, made bold by these 
 words, lauded the byragi to the skies, even though he 
 himself had never seen him. 
 
 The astrologer dissembled on his features a pleasure 
 which he did not feel at heart, and smiled u bland 
 smile. ' At your honour's mere word,' said he, joining 
 his hands with an appearance of humility and fixing his 
 eyes on Eajasekhara's face ; ' at your honour's mere 
 word our little one's trouble is gone, it is certainly 
 through her good luck alone that this advice emanated 
 from my lord's countenance. In accordance with your 
 honour's kind permission I will proceed at once to the 
 byragi,' and he rose as though about to go. No sooner 
 did Eajasekhara's opinion become somewhat generally 
 known, than the whole assembly was overwhelmed in 
 praises of the byragi. He was, they asserted, a most 
 magnanimous man ; an eminent magician ; one who 
 subsisted on air and did penance in the burning heat 
 of summer in the midst of five fires. When a great 
 man votes another a good fellow, who will rise in 
 opposition? what tongue will grope in search of 
 flatteries ? 
 
 Just then Eajasekhara looked towards the street and 
 remarked : ' Some women have come for water, and seeing 
 us here have modestly retreated a few steps and stand 
 looking aimlessly at one another. Come, let us all go 
 and see the byragi.' 
 
 At this signal all arose, and proceeded together up the 
 street in the direction of the Feet of Eama.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Rajasekhara's daughter, Rukmini, conies to bathe Description of the 
 River-bank Conversation between Rukinini and the Astrologer's 
 Wife The Gossip of the Maids and Matrons who come for Water 
 A Paiichainja Brahmin comes and repeats Mantras Rukmini bathes 
 and goes Home. 
 
 WHEN Rajasekhara and the group of townsfolk had 
 proceeded half a dozen steps on their way, a lovely girl, 
 gathering her mantle deftly about her, and hanging her 
 head to conceal a face on whose features modesty and 
 shyness vied with each other, came straight down the 
 steps with pretty graceful movement. The silver anklets 
 upon her feet tinkled in unison with the music of her 
 toe-rings ; while the glittering silver belt about her 
 waist and the golden and jet bracelets upon her wrists 
 were reflected in picturesque hues by the copper cup 
 that glinted in her right hand. Placing this cup at 
 the water's edge, she removed a lump of saffron stuck 
 on its rim and rubbed a little upon her body, laid a 
 tiny packet of rouge she had brought wrapped up in a 
 leaf on a stone for washing clothes, and waded knee- 
 deep into the stream. She was Rajasekhara's eldest 
 daughter, Rukmini. Ah me ! The eyes so blessed as 
 actually to gaze upon her beauty were eyes indeed ! At 
 that time among all the fair daughters of Ind the women 
 of the Telugu land were unsurpassed in outline, grace, and 
 blandishments. Among these, again, the women of the 
 Brahman caste were by far the most debonair. But at 
 the mere recollection of Rukmini's form all must hesitate 
 to assert that these fair ones were in the least degree 
 beautiful. In truth, I know not how to describe her 
 beauty ; for if the choicest of those who were con- 
 fessedly handsome were selected and placed beside her, 
 she would certainly prove them but ugly wenches. And 
 it is an insult, I ween, to the majesty of her prettiness 
 for me, unworthy in any sense to [be compared with 
 Kalidas and those other poets of old who possessed so
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 13 
 
 divine an afflatus, to presume to paint her lofty beauty 
 in a tongue destitute of phrases fitted to express it, and 
 without the ability to depict it even as faithfully as 
 existing phrases permit. Yet when a worthy object is 
 found, it should not be abandoned without at least an 
 attempt at description. And so I had thought, by com- 
 paring the symmetry of her limbs with some natural 
 object, to suggest it, in a slight degree at least, to the 
 imagination of the readers of this book ; but again, when 
 I consider her parts, I am ashamed even to utter that 
 object's name. In a word, all who beheld her considered 
 that even the Four-faced Creator himself could not fail 
 to nod his approval of her form (a literal freak of 
 Nature !) and praise his own creative skill. As regards 
 her complexion, gold had no colour in the world when 
 compared with it. Granting a bow to be black, it may 
 be said that her eyebrows resembled it in a slight degree. 
 Merely to see her eyes was to declare that Venus dwelt 
 therein. But, had you examined the lineaments of her 
 face closely, they would have indicated slightly that 
 some fixed grief occupied the throne of her heart. That 
 grief was not without cause ; some months before, her 
 husband, unfaithful, had clandestinely gone off to foreign 
 parts. 
 
 She was now fourteen years old, and, like fragrance 
 joined to gold,* already young womanhood lifted its 
 head and added lustre to the elegance of her person. 
 The white mantle, too, that she now had wrapped about 
 her, gave a sort of grace, as blistered alum to gold. 
 What does not become beautiful when worn by the 
 fair ? She also wore a jewel in her nose, gold ear-rings 
 set with sapphires, finger-rings, a necklace, a silver belt 
 about her waist, and on her feet tinkling anklets and 
 toe-rings. Various-coloured glass bangles and jet brace- 
 lets decked her wrists as a set-off to the rings. Whether 
 
 * The Dripada Prabhu has a verse which says : ' Marvellous as 
 would be fragrance in gold.' The Telugu poets frequently mention the 
 fancy that, were gold endowed with fragrance, it would be perfect 
 indeed. ' Why should powder be perfumed and gold scentless ?'
 
 14 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 these jewels added any beauty to her limbs, I know not ; 
 but 'twas as plain as the palm of one's hand that the 
 limbs gave additional charm to the jewels. 
 
 Deity, being impartial, grants perfection to no created 
 object, but leaves each defective. So he permitted one 
 flaw even in the beauty of Rukmini. If it may truly be 
 called such, her sole imperfection was a rather long 
 neck. Nevertheless, whenever Mustiserva-sastri came 
 for alms, he would benignly smile at sight of this same 
 neck, and read from his book of palmistry : 
 
 ' A long-necked wench, the sages state, 
 Endows her house with riches great.' 
 
 Near by, standing in the water up to her middle and 
 mumbling a prayer, was a widow who now and then 
 lifted her head and poured out a libation to the sun 
 from her joined hands with an obeisance, while occa- 
 sionally she performed the triple revolution.* Some 
 women who had just come placed their brass waterpots 
 in the stream, and, standing upon the stones near the 
 shore, beat out their clothes, interjecting an occasional 
 word between the blows. An old woman having washed 
 one half of her cloth with the other half tied about her, 
 put on the washed portion and proceeded to drub the 
 part that remained. Some middle-aged women, re- 
 moving their jackets and other garments to wash them, 
 wrapped about themselves on the spot the wet clothes 
 they had already beaten out, and displayed without shame 
 to the men who were walking on the bank or bathing in 
 the river, those parts of the body which it is proper to 
 keep concealed. At a distance of some twenty yards 
 beyond, the servant-folk, occasionally lifting their hands 
 to frighten away the crows that, cawing, flocked aboutthe 
 grains of refuse boiled rice, were scouring the defiled cook- 
 ing utensils on the bank. Still higher up, some fishermen, 
 clad only in scanty breech-clothes, stood waist-deep in 
 the water, where, fastening the net-rope to the cord 
 about their middle, they gave the net a twirl with both 
 
 * A religious act indicative of the omnipresence of the Deity.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 15 
 
 hands and cast it well out into deep water, and then 
 drew it gently in again. Others rinsed the hauled nets 
 frequently in the stream until all the mud was gone, 
 and pulling them to the bank, opened them with a 
 shake that made the iron weights on their edges jingle 
 again, threw out the gravel and rubbish, and deftly 
 catching by the middle the little fish that here and 
 there leapt through the meshes of the net, handed them 
 to the lads who stood ready, basket in hand, to receive 
 them. Half a dozen paces above that again, a lazy 
 fellow able to earn six annas a day, mounted upon a 
 small boat that lay in the stream and affixed to a hook 
 at the end of a string a lump of coagulated blood, called 
 a bait. Then standing erect he whirled the line with 
 all his might, with his right hand cast it into deep water, 
 and seated himself again. With undivided attention he 
 watches the line to ascertain when a fish bites ; and, 
 whenever it shakes, starts to his feet and gently draws 
 in the poor fish which by ill-luck has swallowed and is 
 struggling with the hook ; but, fearful that the line may 
 break and his captive escape, he lets it run out through 
 his right hand and then gradually winds it up as he 
 pulls it in again ; and after the fish is played out, draws 
 it to the bank with the supreme happiness of a beggar 
 who has found a fortune. But just as he gets it to the 
 bank the fish snaps the line and makes off; while the 
 unfortunate angler, abandoning the coveted prize like 
 one who has lost his all, goes home empty-handed, 
 grieving the more that he has lost his two-anna hook 
 into the bargain. Near the same place some urchins on 
 the bank tie a thread to a bamboo twig, and impaling a 
 worm upon the hook fastened to the end of it, throw it 
 into the stream. Pulling this out with a jerk, they 
 seize the tiny fish and string them upon another cord, 
 shouting joyfully to one another the while, ' Ho ! I've 
 got ten suckers !' ' Say, I've caught four sprats !' A 
 thievish kite, perched on a tree near by looking on, 
 suddenly swoops down upon the fish the boys have 
 slung on the sling, and carries them off in his talons.
 
 16 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 An elderly matron, whose whole face was one great 
 bottu, removed from her shoulder a waterpot filled with 
 cloths, and carrying it in her hand to the place where 
 Rukmini stood, said respectfully, ' What, dear ! have 
 you condescended to bathe this morning V 
 
 'This is karttika Monday,* you see. Tis the last 
 Monday of the month, and so I came to bathe in the 
 Godaveri because I must go with my mother to the 
 Temple of Siva at dusk/ 
 
 4 Can you do without your meal until evening ?' 
 
 4 What difference does it make for but one day ? I'll 
 manage somehow or other. Day before yesterday you said 
 your second little girl was ill is she any better now ?' 
 
 'I don't know that she's any better. My husband 
 has been having her exorcised by Kamavadhannlu for 
 the past two days. We were kept awake last night 
 without a wink of sleep until daylight.' 
 
 4 Is she possessed, or what ?' 
 
 4 Yes, dear what shall I say ? Her husband but 
 there's no one near, is there ?' she asked, looking about 
 her; then coming a little nearer she whispered cau- 
 tiously in the girl's ear, 4 Her husband torments and 
 devours her ! You know, don't you ? it isn't two years 
 since her wedding came off. Her husband died just six 
 months after. Ever since then he has haunted her con- 
 tinually, appearing sometimes in her dreams, sometimes 
 when she is alone at night. The child told no one, but 
 kept the thing a secret out of modesty. For a month 
 past he has never left her, but follows her day and 
 night wherever she goes. What the mischief it is, I 
 don't know : but for the last three days he has worried 
 and tormented her more than ever. During these three 
 days the child has been all but gone. That's the whole 
 story ! Is she never ' suppressing a sigh that burst from 
 her bosom and wiping away a tear with the edge of her 
 handkerchief, she paused a moment ' is she never to be 
 
 * The full moon of the eighth lunar Hindu month October- 
 November. It is a festival in honour of Siva's victory over the 
 demon Tripuriisura.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 17 
 
 happy with a husband ? Will she never live with him?' 
 she faltered, beginning to cry aloud. 
 
 These words touched Rukmini's heart. After a 
 moment's agitation she made bold to say, ' You're a 
 married woman,* you shouldn't take on so. Be quiet 
 be quiet, do. Does sickness leave mortals and attack 
 trees V 
 
 ' Oh, miss, she cares for no kind of pleasure. While 
 in such a bad way as this she's satisfied if she lives and 
 has a cloth to put on. But as long as our two old lives 
 last, and we have our health, she shall never want for 
 food and clothing,' she said, ceasing to cry. 
 
 Rukmini pondered for a moment before replying. 
 ' Somidevama, your husband's the ablest astrologer iu 
 the village, isn't he ? 'Twas not through ignorance that 
 he gave his daughter to one who lived out but half his 
 time ' 
 
 ' Yes, yes,' cried the matron, interrupting her; ' I know 
 what you're going to say. But who is the author of his 
 own destiny ? While it is written that she's to be a 
 widow, who can save her ? People marry when they 
 see that a horoscope is a good one ; but they can't 
 endow the bridegroom with life that he hasn't got, can 
 they ?' 
 
 ' Ah, perhaps in the horoscope your son-in-law is to 
 enjoy long life ?' 
 
 After a moment's reflection the matron replied, ' Long 
 life ? Yes, it certainly is long life. Perhaps you ask, 
 " Won't it turn out according to the horoscope ?" If 
 they fix the time properly and write the horoscope, 
 every single syllable in it will come true. But those 
 who don't know the science well can't fix the time pro- 
 perly, and so make a mess of it. Our people have 
 determined so many periods, you see. But tell me, as 
 far as you know, whether it has turned out differently 
 anywhere else.' 
 
 ' Your husband himself fixed the time for the wedding 
 
 * A Telugu proverb says : ' When the good wife weeps, wealth refuses 
 to stay at home.' 
 
 2
 
 18 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 of Kannama's Butchama in our porch; but when he 
 wrote the horoscope of her husband, too 
 
 ' Yes, sometimes it will happen to miss in that way. 
 They say that the curse of Parvati* is on astrology. 
 My husband is for ever saying so. But I hear the 
 sound of toe-rings on the bank. Some one seems to be 
 coming. Let's drop the subject at this/ and turning 
 aside she set her waterpot on the bank, and waded into 
 the stream to bathe. 
 
 In the meantime a number of housewives and widows 
 descend the steps. Those in front, stooping down and 
 pulling up their silver anklets a little as they approach 
 the water, place their waterpots on the bank and turn 
 back to talk with those near until the hindermost come 
 up. Women, you see, never have a better opportunity 
 to talk over their affairs at leisure than when they all 
 come together in one place for water. For this reason 
 it is that they usually dally a little and speak the few 
 words they have to say whenever they come to the 
 river. 
 
 A short female of about thirty years of age made her 
 way to the front at that moment, and laying her finger 
 along the bridge of her nose, called out, ' I say, Venkama! 
 It's reported that Seshama's man beat her last night. 
 D'ye hear ?' 
 
 ' Her husband's always beating her in that way. A 
 month ago he took a stick and beat her, and broke all 
 her bangles.' 
 
 ' They say her husband don't care much for her.' 
 Then thrusting her finger into her cheek, f she added, ' Do 
 you know, woman, it's reported that he keeps a leman?' 
 
 A baldheaded woman came up at that moment. ' It's 
 all very well,' said she, gesticulating ; ' but is there 
 nothing crooked in her character as well ? They say 
 her husband caught her the other day talking with 
 
 * The wife of Siva, and the Hindu Juno. 
 
 f The first gesture is accompanied by an expressive cast of the eye, 
 and is used to give a hint. The second has a meaning somewhat 
 similar to that of thrusting the tongue into the cheek.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. i 
 
 Subbavadhani's son. It's no harm, of course, what the 
 husband does ; but the wife's conduct ought to be proper, 
 oughtn't it ?' 
 
 'What of that ?' said the short one. 'But they do 
 say that poor Chinnama's mother-in-law gives her such 
 a time of it as never was! And besides, when her 
 husband comes home, she makes up a lot of stuff of 
 some kind and tells him. On the strength of this he 
 beats her nearly to death every day.' 
 
 ' Yes,' said a straw-complexioned girl of sixteen, the 
 tears streaming from her eyes ; ' wherever there's a 
 mother-in-law alive that's the rule. If all the mothers- 
 in-law in the world were to die at once ' 
 
 ' I hear, Seshama/ said the short one, ' that your 
 mother-in-law gives you a hard time of it too. Is it 
 true ?' 
 
 ' I don't know either hard times or easy times. I'm 
 dying because I can't stand it ! I get up at daybreak 
 in the morning, sweep the whole house clean, scour the 
 dirty pots, draw all the water needed for the house, 
 wash the cloths, and do up all the work by the time 
 she rises. Late in the morning she turns out rubbing 
 her eyes, and begins scolding me because the ladle isn't 
 clean, or the litter in the veranda is just as bad as 
 ever. Then until I mix the dung, stick it on the wall 
 in cakes, and stretch my wings and come to a late 
 breakfast, she keeps declaring the whole while she's 
 cooking, "You're ready for your grub before there's 
 the least sign of daylight ; but you won't put a hand to 
 the work, not you !' It's a crime, you know, if one 
 speaks to one's husband by day ; while at night after 
 all have had dinner I must shampoo mother-in-law's 
 feet ;* and by the time she gets to sleep and I go to lie 
 down, it's twelve o'clock. Even after I do lie down I 
 keep starting up in my sleep to see if it is dawn, for 
 fear that mother-in-law will get mad if the work isn't 
 done in time. It makes no difference how I try, the 
 
 * A privilege of dutiful Hindu daughters-in-law. 
 
 22
 
 20 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 scoldings and beatings never fail ;' and she put up her 
 cloth and began to wipe away her tears. 
 
 1 Shouldn't you do your everyday work so nicely as 
 not to make your mother-in-law angry?' asked Ruk- 
 mini. 
 
 4 Alas, Rukmini ! you have no niother-in-law, and 
 so know nothing at all about the matter. No dif- 
 ference how much work I do, mother-in-law is never 
 pleased. When I sprinkle the cow-dung water on the 
 floor, if I spread it thick, " Now," she goes on, " you've 
 made a sea of the whole house ; d'ye want me to slip 
 and meet my death?" If I sprinkle it thin "You 
 haven't sprinkled any cow-dung water at all ! as 
 though there was a water famine !" she jeers. If I 
 answer when she asks me anything, she snaps me up 
 and explodes with " You contradict what I say ?" If 
 I keep quiet and don't answer back, she demands 
 " What's the reason you won't speak, you blockhead ?" 
 Do what you will when she's about, it's a mistake. 
 If you yawn, it's a sin ; if you say " Narayana !"* it's 
 swearing. A few days ago the old cracked earthen 
 waterpot that I've been using ever since I came to live 
 here four years ago, went to pieces she's abusing me 
 yet because, she says, I broke a pot that was as new and 
 as solid as a stone !' 
 
 ' Did you never hear the proverb that says, " The 
 mother-in-law breaks the cracked pot, the daughter-in- 
 law the new "? ' asked the short one. 
 
 ' But what do you see now compared to what I had 
 to bear ? You ought to have been around when my 
 elder brother's widowed sister was living ! Since she 
 died last year of Arnma Varu's disease f bless the god- 
 dess's heart ! I have at least rice to eat regularly three 
 times a day. When that girl was alive I didn't have 
 even that. I must speak what's so. No matter how 
 bad she goes on now, mother-in-law doesn't abuse me 
 
 * A common mantra. _ 
 
 f Smallpox, supposed to be a visitation from Amma Varu or Kali, 
 to whose malign influence all such diseases are attributed.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 21 
 
 because I eat my rice regularly, but because I don't 
 eat it.' 
 
 ' If there were no such people in the world,' said the 
 short one, ' how could the saying originate that " Even 
 a dough image will dance for joy on its seat if called a 
 husband's sister "? ' * 
 
 An old woman who had been making her prayer 
 while this was going on, now approached and poured 
 out the water in her drin king-vessel muttering to herself, 
 ' Have your eyes gone blind through the clatter of your 
 tongues ? Don't even see that there are some who have 
 bathed over here ! You don't care where you splash 
 the water ! Some of your dirty water fell on poor 
 widowed me, who have just bathed, and here I've got 
 to go and dip myself again till I'm like to die in the 
 cold.' Wading into deep water she soused herself go- 
 splash several times, and came out casting angry glances 
 in the direction of the talkers. ' The jades are so stuck 
 up they don't recognise their betters. A daughter-in- 
 law hasn't a thousandth part as hard a time of it now 
 as in my day. No mother-in-law's nice ; no bitter's 
 sweet. The wife who has no mother-in-law will be 
 good, and the woman who has no daughter-in-law, 
 virtuous, anywhere,' she grumbled to herself, as, dashing 
 the river water three times on the bank with her joined 
 hands, she proceeded a little distance, turned around 
 thrice,f and mounting the steps passed out of sight. 
 
 ' Ah,' cried Seshama, looking around in terror, ' I 
 suppose you women'll tell some one what I've said. 
 If my mother-in-law hears it she'll surely go and kill 
 me. I never had much luck; but if she hears this, 
 'twill leave me altogether. mother Venkama ! 'twould 
 be far better to fall into the Godaveri than to live 
 such a life as this !' and she began to weep bitterly. 
 
 ' Come,' replied Venkama, trying to comfort her, ' be 
 
 * The position of the elder sisters of a family is superior to that of 
 the brothers' wives. This saying indicates the delightful tyranny of 
 the former over the latter. 
 
 t These are devotional acts.
 
 22 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 quiet ! You shouldn't say such nasty things. The 
 fallen are not always bad.' 
 
 ' It's half an hour at least since I came to the river,' 
 said the girl, drying her tears at this ; ' she'll kill me 
 to find out what I've been doing so long. I must go at 
 once ;' and filling her waterpot, she placed it on her 
 shoulder and walked to the bank. 
 
 Among those who just then reached the river was a 
 young woman of twenty summers. Pointing to the 
 neck of another who stood near she said, ' What, Kan- 
 thama ! Have you just had this necklace new-made ? 
 What do you want of it ? You're a poor unlucky lass, 
 and so your husband sets you off from head to foot with 
 jewels !' 
 
 "Twas only yesterday goldsmith Subbayya finished 
 it and brought it home. He's making four strings of 
 gold beads besides. Parama, I hear that your man's 
 very kind to you isn't it so ?' 
 
 ' What does it amount to, such kindness ? He doesn't 
 have a ten-pagoda jewel made even once a year for me 
 to wear, not he ! I suppose the sin I committed in my 
 former existence is the reason that in this life I have 
 such a ' 
 
 ' Parama !' cried another female standing by, ' you're 
 giving yourself needless sorrow. Do you ever want for 
 food ? Haven't you cloths enough ? While your hus- 
 band regards you as a queen, what's the difference if 
 you have no jewels ? What's the good of disconsolate 
 jewels after one's husband ceases to love one ? simply a 
 useless burden ! See what a lot of jewelry Bangarama 
 of our village has. Her whole body's covered with 
 it. I never even heard the name of some of them. 
 But as soon as the lamps are lighted off he goes, her 
 husband, and sits in a dancing woman's house. What 
 happiness has she ? Your husband never passes the 
 street door after dark.' 
 
 ' Oh, you're educated and can teach us all the lip- 
 morals we need. None of the rest of us have such book 
 knowledge as you. But when everybody else puts on
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 23 
 
 her jewelry for the occasion, I'm ashamed to go to a 
 party anywhere like a bare stick. I tell you, Jankama, 
 if you had such a poor man for a husband as mine ' 
 
 ' My good Parama, don't get angry. I meant no harm 
 by what I said ;' and filling her pot, she walked away. 
 
 The others also fill their pots with water, and pick 
 flaws in their neighbours as they walk home. 
 
 ' I say, Papama, the priest's wife, is wearing a queue 
 over her temple/ 
 
 ' Do see how gracefully the karanam's * girl walks !' 
 
 ' I don't know what makes Eamama the Brahman's 
 wife so proud, but she won't speak to a body at all.' 
 
 'They say that Pullama will talk with a man in 
 broad daylight.' 
 
 'As sure as you live, Kannama's eye squints a 
 little !' 
 
 ' Sitama the karanam's daughter hasn't a single 
 jewel.' 
 
 What better subjects for conversation than these 
 have uncultivated women who know not even the odour 
 of education ? Save the quarrels of rival wives, the 
 evil ways of stepmothers, the unkindnesses of husbands, 
 and like matters, the women who were in the habit of 
 congregating there had, as a rule, nothing in the wide 
 world to talk about. 
 
 Just then a Brahman, who carried in his right hand 
 an almanac written on kadjan leaves,t and wore only 
 a waist-cloth of soft reddish tint a small folded upper 
 cloth % was thrown over his shoulder turned suddenly 
 and came down the steps, after standing for a moment 
 on the bank shading his eyes with his Tiand to see who 
 
 * The village clerk. 
 
 f Palm leaves prepared for writing upon. The almanac here men- 
 tioned is the Hindu panchanya, so called from its specifying Jive 
 t.hiiujs, viz. the lunar day, the day of the week, the sign in which the 
 moon is, the conjunction of the planets showing good and bad days, 
 and the horoscopes. 
 
 The usual dress of the Telugus consists of a lower cloth or girdle 
 and an upper cloth, for which in these times of English influence a 
 linen coat is often substituted. To these are added a turban of gold- 
 laced cloth and laced shoes.
 
 24 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 were bathing in the Godaveri. Both on his face and 
 body the lines of sacred ashes were broadly visible ; his 
 rosary of rudraksha seeds,* each as big as a lemou, 
 shone again ; and the snuff-box tucked in at his hip 
 swelled out like a small carbuncle. 
 
 ' Eukmini,' he called out, ' make your bath. I'll 
 repeat some mantras.' 
 
 ' Oh, I haven't brought a single copper.' -j- 
 
 ' Never mind the coppers. You can give them at 
 mid-day at the house ' stooping ' make achamana J 
 Kesha ! Narayana ! Madha ! Govinda ! turn your 
 face to the east towards the sun.' 
 
 ' Must I bathe V asked Eukmini. 
 
 ' Let me repeat the mantra' said he, taking his 
 snuff-box from his thigh and removing the stopper. 
 Gently tapping the box twice upon the ground he sifted 
 a little of the snuff into his left hand, and, replacing the 
 stopper, stuck the box in the cloth at his side as usual. 
 Taking from his left hand a pinch of the snuff as large 
 as he could hold with his thumb and index-finger, he 
 drew it vigorously up both nostrils, then made a second 
 pinch of the remainder, holding it in his right hand 
 while he wiped the left on his cloth, rubbed his nose, 
 and proceeded as follows : 
 
 ' " On this auspicious occasion, in the reign of Maha 
 Vishnu, on Monday the twelfth day of the dark half of 
 the Karttika month of the year Kalayukti, I, for the 
 improvement of my well-being, firmness of mind, 
 longevity, health, and prosperity, bathe in the parent 
 stream of the Godaveri, in India, the land of Bharata, 
 on Jambu-dvipa " bathe three times.' 
 
 Not being in the habit of bathing frequently, Eukmini 
 was afraid to go into deep water ; so she sat down in the 
 
 * The seeds of the S/hcocarpUi gamfrtu, used for rosaries. 
 
 + A few copper coins are usually given to such priests by those in 
 whose hearing they repeat the mantra*. 
 
 This is a religious act. It consists of sipping water three times 
 before religious ceremonies or meals, repeating at the same time the 
 twenty-four principal names of Vishnu.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 25 
 
 stream where it was not deep enough to reach to the 
 arm only to the knee; and, letting down her hair, 
 poured water upon her head with her hands.* The 
 Brahman, having repeated his mantras, went off saying 
 he would call for the money. Rukmini dried her hair 
 with the edge of her cloth and tied up her locks in its 
 end. Glancing towards the bank she saw her father 
 coming in the distance ; and hurrying out she placed a 
 bottu on her forehead with the rouge she had laid on the 
 stone, threw water over the drinking-vessel once or twice 
 with her hands and went back a couple of steps into 
 the river to fill it, adjusted her cloth, and started for 
 home with the astrologer's wife, who, her washed cloths 
 upon her shoulder and the pot full of water on that 
 again, had all this time been waiting for her. 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 Rukmini returns Home Description of the Dwelling Rajasekh- 
 ara returns and seats himself in his Office Visit of Relatives The 
 Devotee who performs his own Menial Offices. 
 
 AFTER mounting the steps together, the astrologer's wife 
 and Rukmini walked straight up the street as far as the 
 temple, where they turned into a side street and pro- 
 ceeded for a short distance, when Rukmini, taking a 
 couple of steps into an alley, stopped, and turning round, 
 gently coughed twice. At this signal the astrologer's 
 wife also stopped and looked back, and asked : ' Shall I 
 stop, dear?' 
 
 ' Do, Somidevama ; I've made it necessary for you 
 to go a long roundabout to your house.' 
 
 ' How much of a roundabout ? I'll walk it in a 
 minute.' 
 
 ' Please go now and come back again.' 
 
 ' We're but poor folk youmustbe kind to us, you know.' 
 
 * Men and widows bathe by holding the ears and nose and ducking 
 themselves under. Married women are prohibited from bathing in this 
 way. They must pour water over themselves.
 
 26 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 1 What does that matter ? Please come,' said Eukrnini, 
 moving on a few steps, when she again looked back and 
 called out : ' Oh, Sornidevama ! I forgot to tell you. 
 When I go to the temple in the evening, won't you 
 come too ?' 
 
 'Certainly; that I will,' replied Somidevama. 
 
 Although neither the astrologer nor his ancestors had 
 ever been in the habit of offering sacrifice, yet among 
 those on Somidevama's side of the house, at least, there 
 were not wanting some who performed their duty in 
 this respect. It was an indubitable fact that her own 
 paternal grandfather had sacrificed,* and by virtue of 
 thirty-and-four sacrificial animals offered at the rate of 
 one a year, had departed to the enjoyment of heavenly 
 bliss with the courtesans of Elysium. The father of 
 Somidevama did not himself sacrifice ; but being un- 
 willing to lose in any degree the good name earned by 
 his father at such expense, he gave to his son the name 
 Somayazulu, and to his daughter that of Somidevama. 
 
 When Eukmini had walked up the alley for a hundred 
 yards she turned to the south, and, after passing two 
 doors in that alley, entered the third house by the back 
 way. 
 
 Among the houses of the period that of Eajasekhara 
 was considered very handsome. On each side of the 
 street-door was an extensive pial.^ Between these 
 pials lay the walk that led within. At the end of 
 this walk was the lion-portal, or front-door. Near 
 the threshold there were picturesquely carved on each 
 doorpost a lion crouching on the head of an elephant, 
 in the act of crushing the frontal lobes. From the 
 head-parts of these lions there was carved on each 
 side, as far as the umbrella- board,]: a vine decked with 
 fruits and flowers. Upon the posts on either side were 
 
 * At the time of full moon in the month Sravana (July August). 
 This is among the Hindus the great day of atonement. Sacrifices per- 
 formed on this day obtain pardon for all the sins of the year. 
 
 t A long, raised, veranda-like seat of earth or brickwork. 
 
 J A carved board placed above the doorway.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 27 
 
 wooden horses, extending their forefeet toward the street 
 as though about to leap down upon the passer-by. On 
 gala-days festoons of uiango-leaves are tied to the feet 
 of these horses. Upon the umbrella-board, and directly 
 in the centre between the two horses, was carved a 
 lotus ; and on each side of this, as far as the prancing 
 steeds, extended a vine, clad with pretty leaves and 
 blossoms. On this at intervals were painted parrots, 
 their claws resting upon the vine, in the act of piercing 
 the fruit with their beaks. Even the great nail-heads 
 on the street-doors were chiselled over with a kind of 
 flower. 
 
 Immediately on passing the entrance was a porch, 
 and opposite this a great cistern. When it rained, the 
 roof-water from all sides poured into this cistern and 
 found its way into the street through a drain under the 
 street porch. On the north and south sides of this 
 cistern were two other porches facing each other. Of 
 these the southern was the office-porch. During weddings 
 and other entertainments the relatives and chief guests 
 invited to partake of betel-and-leaf, sat here in a group 
 while music and dancing went on below. When on 
 other occasions celebrities came to call, or when, after 
 the midday meal, some time was spent over the puu- 
 ranas* or when pupils came to study, Kajasekhara was 
 in the habit of sitting here. Adjoining the ends of this 
 porch were two rooms ; and on the south side was a line 
 of double doors in the wall, which, when opened, ad- 
 mitted the cool mountain breeze to fan the perspiring 
 company. Beyond these doors extended a veranda ; and 
 beyond that again a tiny area which feasted the eyes 
 with many varieties of flowering plants. Within, on 
 the three walls of the porch just mentioned, large pic- 
 tures were hung on nails at the height of a man. Be- 
 sides the Ten Incarnations, pictures of Krishna carrying 
 off the garments of the shepherdesses and sitting in the 
 
 * Ancient histories or romances intended to support a creed or sect. 
 The puranas generally received as authentic by the Hindus are eighteen 
 in number.
 
 28 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 branches of the cassia-tree while they supplicate him 
 with uplifted hands ; dragging away the mortar to 
 which he had been tied by his mother for stealing butter, 
 thus suggesting the felling of the maddi trees; and 
 other delineations of his many pranks ; Saiva pictures 
 representing Kumara-swami killing Tarakassura, Par- 
 vati slaying Mahisassura, and Siva destroying Tripura ; 
 with a number of others of Ganesa, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, 
 and the Four-Faced Brahm, adorned the walls.* The 
 porch on the north side was precisely similar, except 
 that it had but one door, and that frequently closed. 
 In this porch were always one or two old palanquins 
 hanging up. On the floor of the porch, close to the 
 wall, stood a new palanquin carefully covered, and 
 used only when Kajasekhara went to the suburbs, or 
 when persons of quality asked the loan of it. Upon 
 passing through the door of this porch into the north 
 veranda, a large well appeared in the area. The wind- 
 lass over this well was for ever creaking under the 
 hands of neighbours who were constantly coming to 
 draw water. On the west side of the well, built apart 
 from the house, were two hutches for storing rice in the 
 husk. Near the well was a side door opening into the 
 street the very door by which Kukmini had just before 
 entered. By the same entrance the neighbours came 
 and went for water ; and when, during the noon hour, 
 the women of the vicinity came in to chat, or when it 
 was necessary for the females of the household to go 
 out while Kajasekhara was in his office, this door was 
 used. 
 
 The four sides of the cistern were flanked by four 
 pillars carved in imitation of jac-fruit. In the western 
 porch was a central inner door opposite that opening 
 into the street, and immediately on passing this another 
 porch appeared. This porch also had a door on its south 
 side. Were we to pass this door we would stand in 
 
 * The ten arataras or incarnations of Vishnu. The paintings here 
 mentioned depict a few of his many escapades, together with a number 
 of other subjects drawn from Hindu mythology.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 29 
 
 Eajasekhara's bedchamber. There stood in this room, 
 from east to west along the north wall, a four-poster 
 bedstead, its feet resting in stone sockets. The bed 
 itself was draped with musquito curtains and fringe, 
 while between the posts were lacquered wooden salvers 
 and caskets. A parrot's cage, ornamented with lacquered 
 fruits and flowers, hung inside the curtains. The walls 
 of the room were whitened with lime ; and along them 
 were arranged wall-bags the fruit of Eukmini and her 
 mother's diligence. A short distance above these wall- 
 bags pretty rag parrots, tied with thread to strings, 
 swayed in the wind. Kondapalli images and lacquered 
 vases arranged upon a shelf resting on great pins driven 
 into the wall, served as ornaments to the room. To the 
 nails which supported the wall-bags were fastened small 
 pictures of the Ten Incarnations and other subjects ; 
 and on the south side hung a Coronation of Sri Kama. 
 When Eajahsekhara awoke from sleep his eyes would 
 rest upon this very object and fall on another just 
 beyond. The room was ceiled above with a handsome 
 ceiling. Opposite the bedstead, along the south wall, 
 kavadi- boxes* were arranged in a row on the lower shelf. 
 In these boxes were kept common, everyday clothes, 
 and Eajasekhara's Sanskrit books written on Bengal 
 paper in the Nagari character.-f- Against the western 
 wall of this room stood a huge chest secured with a 
 strong lock. In the small lock-boxes which this chest 
 contained were kept the family jewels, valuables, cloths 
 for use on feast-days, and cash. When the nights 
 were dark, and there was much fear of thieves, Eajase- 
 khara would spread his bed on top of this chest and 
 sleep there. To the south, between the chest and the 
 shelf loaded with kavadi-boxQS, was a passage leading 
 into the area off this room. On entering the area 
 
 * The kavadi is a sort of yoke borne on the shoulder, and is one of 
 the most common means of transport in India. 
 
 t Before the importation of the European article the only paper 
 obtainable in India was a coarse kind made in Bengal. The character 
 in which the English usually print Sanskrit books ia called dtvanarjari, 
 or the ' elegant.'
 
 3 o FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 through this passage a broad marigold Led feasted the 
 eyes with buds and new-blown llowers. At a little dis- 
 tance to the left of this again, a jasmine vine crept upon 
 a trellis ; and, although not then in bloom (that being 
 the wrong season), charmed the sight with a wealth of 
 green shoots. 
 
 In the porch adjoining Eajasekhara's bedroom a 
 parrot's cage was suspended from a beam. The parrot 
 it contained ejaculated continually in a voice of great 
 natural sweetness: 'Who are they ? Who are they ?' ' The 
 cat's come ! beat her, beat her !' ' Greens here ! Garden 
 greens !' and other such expressions. A little further on 
 were hung by cords to the same beam the Eamayana 
 and other palm-leaf books. When Eukmini rose from 
 sleep at early dawn, she was in the daily habit of taking 
 the parrot from its cage, mounting it upon her hand, and 
 teaching it all such sayings as ' In her hand a butter-pat.' 
 
 Although it was not a common practice at that time 
 to educate women, Eajasekhara, out of love for his 
 daughter, had himself instructed Eukmini to such an 
 extent that she could understand a new book without 
 assistance from others. Being of good natural ability, 
 she derived great benefit from this instruction, and even 
 in her girlhood acquired wisdom and a knowledge of 
 right and wrong. Seeing him instructing her, the neigh- 
 bours whispered in secret envy ; but, since Eajasekhara 
 was a man of wealth, they did not dare voice their 
 sentiments. Neither did they remain entirely quiet. 
 Gradually influencing a near relative of Eajasekhara's, to 
 whom he showed much deference because of his station, 
 they induced him on a certain occasion, when a large 
 company was present, to broach the subject. ' Sir,' said 
 he, 'it certainly is not customary with us to educate 
 girls. Why, then, do you teach Eukmini to read ?' 
 Eajasekhara was a man who knew the benefits accruing 
 from education. He was also acquainted with the fact 
 that in no so.stra is the instruction of women forbidden, 
 and that the virtuous women of olden times were per- 
 sons of education. He accordingly gave the question of
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 31 
 
 the old man due attention, and citing a few proof pas- 
 sages favourable to the education of females, asked the 
 opinion of the assembly. Those present were all men 
 who at heart hated the very term ' Education of women;' 
 but after they had once ascertained Kajasekhara's opinion 
 they were not in the habit of advancing anything in 
 opposition to it, so they flattered him that the advantages 
 of such education were innumerable, and praised him 
 for instructing Eukmini. 
 
 A few yards beyond the rope to which the parrot's 
 cage was suspended, opened the doorway to the western 
 apartment of the house. This room was large spacious 
 enough to seat eighty brahtnans at dinner. If viewed a 
 short time before dinner was announced, there might be 
 seen arranged along the two walls low stools at the dis- 
 tance of a cubit apart, and before the stools rows of 
 designs drawn in lines of flour. In the north-east 
 corner of this room was an altar built of plaster. Upon 
 this altar was a coffer, in which were kept the sala- 
 grams,* and other utensils used in the worship of the 
 goddess Bhuvesvara.-f- On this coffer was laid a 
 copy of the blessed Sundara Bamayana,| which Eajase- 
 khara was always strict in using for the daily lesson. 
 After coming from his bath Eajasekhara would place 
 a stool before the altar, and seating himself, recite from 
 the Ramayana and perform his five-fold puja. On 
 passing out through the door opposite the altar, a 
 paddock was entered. There, built of brick and mortar, 
 stood a shapely tulasi fort,|| some four feet in height 
 On this were cultivated with pious care a lakshmi and a 
 krishna-tulasi. At a little distance further in the same 
 
 * A species of ammonite worshipped by Vaishnavas as a type of 
 Vishnu. 
 
 t The goddess Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu. 
 
 J The Ramayana is the second great epic poem of the Hindus, 
 recording the adventures of Rama. The fifth canto of the poem is 
 called the Sundara, or ' Beautiful.' 
 
 Puja, worship. 
 
 || A pedestal in the form of a fort, in which is grown the tulasi 
 bush.
 
 32 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 paddock a tulasi plat, just beyond perennial jasmine 
 plants, and close to these a creeping vine trained upon 
 a broadleaved rosebay tree, afforded Eajasekhara the 
 requisite leaves and flowers for divine worship. Here, 
 too, arranged in rows along the wall, were marigolds 
 and lilies lovingly tended by Eukmini and her sister. 
 Within the kitchen area, which joined hard to the 
 south side of the west room, plantain trees feasted 
 the eyes with their wealth of green foliage. Here, at 
 the very foot of these trees, Eajasekhara was in the 
 habit of taking his daily bath. 
 
 As stated above, Eukmini, having come from her bath, 
 poured the water which she had brought from the 
 Godaveri in her drinking vessel upon the tulasi plant, 
 then performed her devotions, and, after making the 
 triple revolution in her wet cloth, went inside and 
 changed that garment for a dry silk one. With a rouge 
 casket in one hand and in the other a box containing 
 in its various compartments some grains of unbroken 
 rice, saffron, and rice flour, she came and sprinkled 
 water on the altar at the base of the tulasi fort, cleaned 
 it with her hands, and, sitting down, drew with the rice 
 flour lotus designs and other curious convolutions, 
 prettily setting them off here and there with rouge and 
 saffron, and softly humming the while in dulcet tones 
 the ' Fortune of the Island.'* 
 
 In the meantime Eajasekhara, conversing on various 
 topics with those who accompanied him, and now and 
 then asking again words lost in the noise of the many 
 pairs of creaking shoes, came with a number of others to 
 the house, where they, leaving their shoes in the passage, 
 entered one after another and sat down in the office 
 upon coloured rugs, while Eajasekhara himself sat leaning 
 against the south wall, fanning away with his upper cloth 
 the perspiration caused by the exhaustion consequent on 
 walking in the sun. At this juncture Nambi Eaghava- 
 charya, pressing down the rising flakes of thick paste 
 upon his forehead with his left hand, fixed his gaze upon 
 
 * A song descriptive of Rama's adventures in the Island, i.e. Ceylon.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 33 
 
 Rajasekhara's face, and rubbed his hands together with 
 a bland smile as he said : 
 
 ' At present your honour doesn't show quite so much 
 favour to Swami* as usual.' Then, rising, he drew out 
 from his cloth a wreath of oleander flowers, and remarked 
 as he obsequiously dropped them into Rajasekhara's 
 hand, ' You must be very good to Swami.' 
 
 Receiving the gift with becoming reverence, Rajasek- 
 hara asked : 
 
 'Are there at present any feasts that should be 
 observed in honour of our Janardana-swami ?' 
 
 ' In fifteen days,' replied Raghavacharya, ' there fall 
 the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of the month 
 Margasira.f the full moon, and the holy stars of St. 
 Mangayalvar and St. Panalvar in their order. Special 
 feasts must then be observed. In a month's time 
 Sagittarius will be in the ascendency. Throughout that 
 month Swami should have daily feasts ; and during the 
 Samkrantil the feast of the Recita.l must be observed. 
 In Sagittarius, too, the twelfth day after full moon, comes 
 the holy star of St. Tondara-dippodiyalvar.|| On that 
 day we must have a bigger feast even than Swami' s.' 
 
 ' Does Swami have his breakfast and perpetual lamp 
 regularly every day ?' 
 
 ' The two rupees your honour kindly donates are 
 insufficient for the breakfast. At present the swami* 
 are coming in greater numbers. But I keep the thing 
 running after a fashion by adding another rupee to the 
 one your honour gives for the lamp for I don't want 
 anyone else to have a share in its benefits. Swami 
 
 * Used here as the local deity. The term sicami is also employed 
 by the lower castes in addressing superiors, and especially priests. 
 
 t The ninth lunar month (December January). 
 
 Samkranti, the transit of the sun from one sign to another. Here 
 used in a special sense to indicate the sun's passage from Sagittarius to 
 Capricornus in January, This is a period of universal rejoicing. 
 
 A feast at which the Vedas are recited. 
 
 || Canonized disciples of Vishnu. Of these alvufi, or saints, there 
 are twelve. They are considered to have besn incarnations of the 
 attendants, arms, or insignia of Vishnu. 
 
 a
 
 34 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 has no cars whatever. True, there is the pound car,* 
 but how full it will be to-morrow at the Recital ! If 
 not remedied this year, it will certainly fall to your lot 
 next. At any rate, I thought it well to drop the matter 
 in your ear beforehand, and so I preferred this re- 
 quest.' 
 
 ' They say that a few days ago the priests in the 
 temple quarrelled among themselves about something 
 or other.' 
 
 'A priest from Dvarakati-rumala was sitting down 
 after dinner, when another on a visit from Pentapardu 
 paid his respects to Bacchus and sat down too. One of 
 them was a Tengali and the other a Vadahali; so they 
 fell to bandying words as to whether the pada should 
 be placed beneath the nama or not.'f 
 
 ' Did it end in mere words ?' 
 
 ' After a while they got their hands slightly mixed 
 up in it too ; but my brother and I stepped in and put 
 a stop to it without letting it go any further/ 
 
 ' Does our Jauardana-swami own no land ?' 
 
 1 There are said to be seven putties^, of land ; but a 
 matter of five putties goes to the dancing women. The 
 two putties that remain, too, belong to the priests and 
 not to Swami.' 
 
 'Why, there was no music or dancing in Swami's 
 feast that came off the other day.' 
 
 ' Theyjl don't come to every feast. They live in Eajah- 
 mundry, and it's very difficult to hire bandies and come 
 down to all the trifling festivals. They come down 
 only on the day of the car festival during the marriage 
 of any Swami. It is the custom to give them a trifle of 
 
 * A representation of the poniia or cassia tree, carried in procession 
 with an image of Krishna perched in the branches surrounded by the 
 shepherdesses, whose clothes he had stolen. 
 
 + Fada, a mark representing the foot of Vishnu, worn by his 
 followers on the bridge of the nose. Ifama, a trident -shaped mark 
 worn on the forehead. 
 
 A puttie equals about eight acres. 
 
 ii ' They,' the dancing- women. Bandy, a native cart drawn by 
 bullocks.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 35 
 
 four rupees from Swami's substance for their daily 
 expense.' 
 
 At that moment a fair-complexioned benedict of some 
 thirty years of age, dressed in white clothes and making 
 his iron-shod stick ring again, walked familiarly from 
 the hall into the porch, preceded by a cooly carrying 
 a bundle of cloths upon his head, and there stopping 
 said to the cooly : 
 
 ' You, Ramiga, take the bundle inside, call someone, 
 and leave it in Rajasekhara's bedroom, d'ye hear ?' 
 
 Then thrusting everyone aside, he made his way 
 through the company and seated himself on the carpet 
 in front of Rajasekhara like one who had long known 
 him intimately. Although Rajasekhara had never so 
 much as seen his face before, yet, deeming it improper 
 to be impolite when a person of respectability came to 
 the house, he half rose, motioned him to be seated with 
 a graceful wave of the hand, and himself sliding back a 
 little way, made the stranger welcome by inquiring if 
 all were well at home; but, fearing that his visitor 
 might be offended should he ask who he was, he fell 
 silent. The person who had just arrived rolled his 
 snuffbox towards Raghavacharya, and taking possession 
 of that worthy's box, threw away the pinch of snuff he 
 had just shaken into his palm, took a fresh pinch with 
 a most nonchalant air, snuffed up the half of it, and 
 turned towards Rajasekhara with the remark : 
 
 ' Rajasekhara seems to have forgotten me.' 
 
 'By no means,' replied Rajasekhara staring into his face. 
 
 ' Haven't recognized me yet. You saw me ten years 
 ago in Rajahmundry at Rainamurti's. I'm Vemarajah 
 Bhiravamurti. We're all near relatives the son-in- 
 law of your worthy mother's aunt was actually the son 
 of my maternal uncle's aunt one generation removed. 
 Not long ago my elder brother Sambayya spent a month 
 at your house, and after he came back kept going on 
 continually about the kindness you had shown him. 
 He opened his box and showed us the cloths, too, that 
 you gave him when he came away. When I saw them 
 
 32
 
 36 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 i was filled with ecstasy at the thought that you, one 
 of our relatives, were in such a prosperous condition !' 
 
 An old fellow who was lying down in the next room, 
 happening to overhear this conversation, coughed and 
 came out crying : 
 
 ' Haloo, Bhiravamurti ! When did you come ?' 
 
 ' Oh, ho ! grandfather Prasadaravu ! is it you ? Pray 
 how many days is it since you honoured the place with 
 your presence V queried Bhiravamurti. 
 
 ' I've been on the spot for the last two months. I 
 came with the intention of merely paying our relative, 
 Kajasekhara, a short visit. But I was unable to resist 
 his importunity, and so got caught here. Rajasekhara 
 is the best of all our relatives, I want you to know,' said 
 he as he seated himself. 
 
 ' Grandfather,' asked Raghavacharya, ' what relation 
 is Eajasekhara to you ?' 
 
 ' You just heard our relationship, didn't you ? The 
 brother-in-law of his maternal uncle was step-brother 
 to iny daughter's mother-in-law.' 
 
 While this conversation was going on, a woman's 
 voice was heard calling several times, ' Sita ! Sita !' On 
 this Eaghavacharya joined in with 'Sitania!' and added, 
 ' your mother's calling for something inside.' 
 
 A brown little miss of about seven who was playing 
 at cowries with other girls of her age in the veranda 
 next the well, clad in a simple skirt, and holding in her 
 left hand the cowries that she staked at play, and in 
 her right a bit of chalk with which she kept tally, sang 
 out, ' Coming, coming !' and ran through the porch 
 towards the door of the west room, making the bells 
 upon her feet tinkle merrily. This little one was 
 Rajasekhara's second daughter. Arrived there, Sita 
 stopped just outside and asked : 
 
 ' Mother, what did you call me for ?' 
 
 ' Tell father dinner's ready, and that they may go and 
 bathe,' replied Manikyamba. 
 
 Manikyamba was Rajasekhara's wife. Although 
 neither so intelligent nor so well educated as Rukmini,
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. -yj 
 
 she was yet unmatched for cleverness in the manage- 
 ment of her household affairs and in the culinary art. 
 In form she closely resembled her eldest daughter, 
 except that her countenance was somewhat maturer and 
 her complexion a shade darker. Although at least 
 thirty-four years of age, to see from a distance she was 
 an exact counterpart of the younger woman. 
 
 At that moment Sita came running back into the 
 room calling out : 
 
 ' Papa, mother says the dinner's ready, and that you're 
 to go and bathe/ and proceeded to the well veranda to 
 play at cowries as usual. 
 
 1 Prasadaravu, perhaps you'll bathe. Come to the 
 well. Bhiravamurti, are you going to the Godaveri, 
 or will you bathe at the well ?' asked Eajasekhara 
 rising. 
 
 ' As this is karttika Monday, I'll go to the Godaveri, 
 replied Bhiravamurti. 
 
 At this the whole assembly arose, took leave of 
 Rajasekhara, and proceeded to their several homes. 
 Rajasekhara himself walked into the west room. Mani- 
 kyamba, who was inside grinding sandalwood on a 
 stone, passed over to the door of the western area amid 
 the jingle of toe-rings, and with one foot on this side the 
 threshold and the other in the veranda, stood with her 
 right hand upon the door frame and called out : 
 
 'Eukmini, your father's come to bathe; be quick and 
 get him some water.' 
 
 Rukmini was engaged in cutting flowers for morn- 
 ing worship ; but on hearing this summons, she called 
 out, ' Coming !' brought the jasmine flowers and tulasi 
 blossoms in a copper plate, hastily laid them upon the 
 altar, and went into the kitchen area to hand her 
 father the water. Manikyamba placed some unbroken 
 grains of sandal-wooded rice in brass cups, and taking 
 a mirror and an ash-box from their niche, brought 
 them in and placed them beside the stool that stood 
 near the altar. At that moment there came from 
 within a widow of the age of forty. She had thrown
 
 38 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 over her head a wet cloth wrung out, the pendent end 
 of which served as a veil. Fixing a bottu on her fore- 
 head with ashes from the grate, she brought some clean 
 water in a pair of silver driuking-cups and placed it by 
 the stool. 
 
 When Eajasekhara had finished his bath, he let down 
 and smoothed out his juttu* tied the end of it in a 
 knot, replaced his wet cloth (which had been spread out 
 to dry), and entering the room sat down on the stool 
 before the altar. After performing the achamana, he 
 pinched off a little sacred ashes from the ball, wet it 
 in the water, and with the three fingers other than 
 the little finger and thumb, drew lines upon his fore- 
 head, shoulders, throat, stomach, and breast; then un- 
 locking the shrine, he placed the images and salagrams 
 upon a salver and began divine worship by repeating 
 some mantras. By this time all the others had come 
 from bathing, and seated themselves on the low stools 
 arranged along the wall. 
 
 When all who were to go to dinner had gone in,t 
 Manikyamba left the garden, and, shutting the middle 
 door after her, sat down in the bedroom to fold betel 
 and leaf.^: Just then, at the street door, 'Eajasekhara! 
 Rajasekhara !' were heard one after another a half- 
 dozen cries like the shouts of a rustic in the fields. 
 Manikyamba called out from within, ' Coming ! coming !' 
 but before she could reach the spot, there came a 
 fusilade of rousing thumps upon the door as an ac- 
 companiment to the shouts. When at last she got 
 the door unbolted, there stood by the door-post a huge 
 black shape wearing an old, wrinkled face, the flat 
 cheeks whitened by sweat mingled with sacred ashes 
 
 -' The queue worn by all Hindu men. 
 
 f I.e. the men, women always^eating after the male members of the 
 family. 
 
 An after-dinner refection. The nut of the betel-palm (areca 
 catechu) is rolled in the fresh green leaf of the piper-betel with a 
 modicum of slaked lime, and masticated. The preparation is highly 
 aromatic, and very slightly narcotic. Its use stains the lip.s and teeth 
 bright red.
 
 TAeve s/ood 6y the door-poxt a. hiif/e Hack shape wearing an old, 
 wrinkled face ' (p. 38).
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 41 
 
 thickly daubed upon the forehead; the earrings wagging; 
 a head of white hair peeping out through the folds of 
 an upper cloth in which it was wrapped ; shoulders sur- 
 mounted by a roll of black antelope-hide, swelled by 
 the darbha-grass mat that was wrapped about the 
 reddish tinted cloths within; and a shrivelled breast 
 adorned with a hempen bag and a spouted pot tied to 
 the fastening of the black hide and hanging down over 
 the right shoulder. As soon as the door was opened, 
 this form stalked straight into the west room, and finally 
 stopped before Bajasekhara. 
 
 ' Sastri, what is the name of your village ?' cried Eaja- 
 sekhara. 
 
 ' Ours is Kanuragrahara,' replied the sastri. ' Our 
 family name is Bulussu ; my name is Perayya Somaya- 
 zulu. Your fame is world-wide. Whether you give 
 such abundant food to a dozen brahmans, or bestow 
 alms, yours is an existence useful to the world ; but 
 what's the life of such a worthless fellow as I am good 
 for ?' 
 
 ' This is karttika Monday. Won't you stop till 
 night?' 
 
 ' I'm an old man. I can't stop just now.' 
 
 ' Somayazulu is fatigued ; please go to the well and 
 pour a few buckets of water over yourself. Dinner is 
 just ready.' 
 
 ' Let your dinner proceed. I have a request to make. 
 I must have food cooked by my own hand. If you will 
 have a fireplace purified with a little cowdung* and a 
 few things got ready, I'll bathe and do my cooking.' 
 
 4 There is only the one fireplace. You must oblige us 
 by joining in our meal.' 
 
 ' I'm bound not to eat women's cooking. But perhaps 
 the persons who cook for your household are men ?' 
 
 * Cowdung is a universal purifier among the Hindus, the cow being 
 regarded as sacred. The floors of houses are cleaned weekly with it ; 
 mixed with water, it is used daily on front steps and before houses ; 
 its ashes are employed in applying caste-marks, and in exorcisms ; 
 while the crude article itself is one of other abominable ingredients 
 administered to penitent apostates.
 
 42 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 ' My niece prepared the meal. In our house none 
 but women ever do the cooking.' 
 
 ' Alas, to say nothing of women's cooking, how am I to 
 take food from a niyogi?* If you will have a little rice 
 and water put on the fire, I'll come and remove it.' 
 
 ' It isn't convenient to-day. You must condescend 
 to bestow yourself elsewhere this morning,' replied Raja- 
 sekhara. 
 
 ' Ah, I have it,' cried Somayazulu reflecting a moment ; 
 ' yours from the very beginning is an eminent ancestry. 
 What a pious man was your grandfather! and your 
 worthy father, too ! He was deeply learned in theolog} . 
 I have no objection to eating in your house, but if I say 
 that I've taken meals at one place, they'll ask me to do 
 the same at another. So if I take my dinner here, you 
 must keep the matter a secret. This is karttika Monday, 
 so I'll run down to the Godaveri and bathe and be back 
 in a minute. In the meantime please proceed with 
 your dinner ;' and Perayya Somayazulu placed his ante- 
 lope's hide and hempen bag in the middle of the floor 
 and went off to his bath. When he returned he spread 
 the skin in the porch, unrolled his darbha- grass mat 
 upon it, and sat down. Then thrusting his hand into 
 his bovine maskf he began telling his rudraksha 
 rosary and repeating his orisons with shut eyes. Seeing 
 him hurry like a glutton and an eater of opium, those 
 who were seated within before the leafen plates,;}; per- 
 ceiving that the rice and curry (which was already served) 
 was growing cold, came and called him repeatedly ; 
 whereupon Somayazulu quickly laid aside his taciturnity 
 and took his place before a platter. Then all sprinkled 
 the aqua lustralis and proceeded to take their meal. 
 
 * An inferior class of Brabmans secular Brahmans. 
 
 + An imitation cow's face carried by such yogis. 
 
 Brahmans seldom or never eat off metal dishes. Earthenware 
 they regard as an abomination. Meals are eaten off plates formed 
 of a number of leaves neatly stitched together with fine grass or bamboo 
 splints. These are thrown away after meals. 
 
 Holy water sprinkled about the plates with the repetition of mantras 
 to sanctify the food.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 4$ 
 
 'I see nothing of Venkayya the waterman who 
 brought the news-letter from Rajahmundry/ said Raja- 
 sekhara ; ' where is he sitting ?' 
 
 ' Here I am, sir/ called out Venkayya ; ' behind 
 Somayazulu, at the corner plate.' 
 
 ' This cooking is capital/ remarked Somayazulu ; ' that 
 of Nala and Bhima * is nowhere alongside of it.' 
 
 ' Somayazulu/ remarked Venkayya slyly ; ' the cu- 
 cumberf you cooked in the rest-house yesterday wasn't 
 nearly so tasty as this, was it ?' 
 
 ' What rest-house ?' asked Somayazulu, starting. 
 
 ' In Rajhamundry, yesterday/ continued Venkayya, 
 disregarding the question, 'a merchant had a house- 
 warming and gave a dinner to the Brahmans. Bolli 
 Perayya did the cooking. There, too, Somayazulu and 
 I sat in the very same row.' 
 
 Thus familiarly conversing among themselves they 
 took their dinner, and, after washing their hands in the 
 area off the west room, came into the porch belching 
 and stroking their paunches, where they seated them- 
 selves. Though Somayazulu had really come with the 
 intention of remaining several days, on the strength of 
 what had occurred at dinner he now felt disinclined to 
 stay, and at once partook of betel-aud-leaf and went 
 his way without even so much as asking a gratuity. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Reading the Puranas The Estate of Rajasekhara His Brother-in- 
 law Damodarayya's History The Story of his friend Narayanamurti 
 Fortune-Telling. 
 
 AFTER dining Rajasekhara had a nap, and, taking some 
 betel-and-leaf, came and sat down in his office. Already 
 a number of the leading villagers had come in and 
 seated themselves in positions befitting their rank. On 
 Rajasekhara calling out ' Subrahmanya !' a voice from 
 
 * Famous cooks of old. 
 
 f Brahmans are forbidden the use of cucumbers.
 
 44 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 within immediately replied ' Sir !' and a fair lad of 
 fourteen came out and stood before him. He was 
 Eajasekhara's only son. Two years after Sita was 
 born another boy had come ; but this child was fairy- 
 struck within ten days after his birth,* and died. 
 After that Manikyamba bore no more children. Subrah- 
 rnanya's face was unquestionably handsome, except that 
 upon the forehead there was a somewhat ugly scar where 
 lie had been burnt with a stick of saffron for convulsions 
 when but three years old.-f- His eyes were large, his 
 forehead lofty, his locks flowing and black. On 
 his wrists were gold bracelets ; in his ears a pair of 
 earrings set with diamonds ; while a ring of fine gold- 
 work, studded with emeralds, glittered on his ring- 
 finger. 
 
 ' Subrahmanya, what's the reason you didn't come 
 to dinner at noon along with the others ?' asked Ea- 
 jasekhara. 
 
 ' I thought that as this was karttika Monday I ought 
 to fast until the evening meal/ 
 
 ' The First Book J lies just inside on the table ; bring 
 it here, and go call the sastri.' 
 
 Subrahmanya brought the book and handed it to his 
 father in accordance with the command, and then 
 passed into the walk and down the steps. Here, catch- 
 ing sight of a black form approaching in the distance, 
 he called out, ' Hurry up !' and returning informed 
 them that the sastri was coming, and took his seat 
 after placing the book in the middle of the porch before 
 the company. At that moment up came the sastri 
 himself, and took a seat with the others. He had an 
 old torn shawl folded and thrown over his shoulder, 
 while there dangled from his ears a pair of earrings 
 
 * The period of ceremonial uncleanness, when both mother and child 
 are considered to be in special danger from malign influences. 
 
 t Branding is much resorted to by the Hindus. No child escapes 
 it. The stomach is branded for colic, the head for convulsions, head- 
 ache, etc. 
 
 J The Maha Bharata (the great epic of the Hindus) is divided into 
 eighteen books. The first is here meant.
 
 FORTUNE'S \\HEEi. 45 
 
 that here and there, through the wearing away of the 
 gold, showed the lac inside. Rajasekhara was himself a 
 classical scholar; but it was counted very respectable 
 in those days to have any celebrated book read and 
 expounded for one by another pandit. Hence their 
 waiting for the sastri before commencing the volume. 
 
 ' Pray, why are you so late in coming to-day ?' asked 
 Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' I came and looked in once before,' replied the 
 sastri; ' but as they said you were not up, and I had 
 some business to transact with another leading man, I 
 told them I would be back again by the time you 
 were out, and went away. A little delay took place in 
 talking with him. You must overlook it. Master Su- 
 brahmanya, open the book.' 
 
 Opening the volume, Subrahmanya began to read the 
 poem in praise of Ganesa * of ' the trunk, the single 
 tusk, and the pot-belly ;' and when that was completed 
 the sastri himself took hold and read the ' With joined 
 hands will I supplicate,' and other prayers to Sarasvati, 
 various hymns in praise of Vyasa-f 'refulgent-bodied 
 as the lofty cloud of blue,' and a number of others, 
 Subrahmanya now found the place where he had left off 
 the previous day, and read, in that part of the book 
 where Arjuna goes to Dvarakanagara, the stanza : 
 
 ' My monthly vow religiously performed 
 Broad Ganga with her sacred sister streams, 
 The Himalayas grand, and kindred peaks, 
 But chief thy lotus feet, adored and all 
 My former sins are fled, O Achyuta !' 
 
 The sastfi entoning this began to explain its mean- 
 ing, quoting in addition some things that were and 
 somewhat were not in the poem. While he was making 
 these explanations Subrahmanya took hold of the bit of 
 stick which was tied to the cord of the book J and 
 began twirling it about in his hand. Observing this 
 
 * The elephant-god, with whose piaise every service is begun, 
 f The sage who is supj osed to have written fie Malm Jlharafn. 
 The leaves of a palm-leaf book are strung up< n a cord. -
 
 4 b FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 the sastrl started, laid his finger along his nose, and 
 demanded, ' Is it proper to treat the Book in that way 
 when you're reading it ?' Then he proceeded to tell 
 those who were near a story to the effect that Vyasa 
 actually sat upon the volume ; and in reply to a ques- 
 tion on the subject asked by some one in the company, 
 he went on to say that unless Vyasa was actually 
 passing by he never came into mind ; and that he 
 was then passing that very way, soaring into the 
 heavens in his glorious chariot. And looking towards 
 the sky, he shut his eyes and made obeisance thrice. 
 In this way they concluded the First Book by twilight, 
 and, bringing their reading to a close for that day, 
 repeated the ' Svasti praja bhyaha ' * and other slokas, 
 and went to their respective homes. 
 
 Eelatives who were so far removed as the fortieth 
 cousinship some, too, for whom it was simply useless 
 to refer to genealogical trees bethought themselves of 
 their relationship to Eajasekhara, and out of pure love 
 for him kept constantly coming to his house with the 
 modest intention of paying their respects and taking an 
 immediate departure only to remain for months at a 
 time, sponging, and securing as prizes for themselves 
 clothing and other articles. Leading men of the town 
 and acquaintances, too, praised the capital cooking done 
 in Rajasekhara's house, and dined there at least fifteen 
 days of each month. Puffed up by their flatteries, Ra- 
 jasekhara laid himself out to win their applause by 
 preparing rich pastries, rice served with milk, and 
 similar dainty dishes for them whenever they came. 
 Even though the rice was not sufficiently boiled, or the 
 sour sauce not hot, or the dhal f not browned, no one 
 ever said that the food was not nice. Is not a dish 
 obtained gratis always the most tasty ? Some relatives 
 when they departed would borrow a little money ; and, 
 though up to that time they had been in the habit of 
 
 * * For the people, blessing !' A sloka is a passage of classic 
 Sanskrit. 
 
 f A kind of pulse.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 47 
 
 coming and going frequently, never afterwards could 
 find leisure to return and wipe out the debt. He was 
 a rich man, and everybody was his friend. But the 
 Goddess of Eiches wholly prevented him from perceiving 
 whether even one of his host of followers was a true 
 friend or not. These excellent friends, while seeking to 
 rejoice Rajasekhara's heart with their praises and to 
 afford him the happiness of Paradise in this world, as 
 far as they themselves were concerned consented to 
 receive the money and jewels, the garments and palan- 
 quins, which he lavished upon them, simply for the 
 sake of his regard. Beggars without number came 
 daily to relate the intricate tales of their miseries, who 
 invariably finished up by asking him to bestow upon 
 them a gratuity of. some sort. All the representations 
 of such people as these he believed to be simple truth, 
 and never refused them aid. Brahmans got away with 
 his money by representing that they were going to 
 make a wedding for a son, or to conduct an upana- 
 yana ;* or that they were going to offer sacrifices m 
 person, or to build choultries and feast friends. 
 Then there were frequently naulches of an evening at 
 Rajasekhara's house, and presentations of the ' Eape of 
 the Amaranth ' and other plays for the amusement of 
 friends. Rogues, too, brought their unsaleable rings 
 and other articles, and by persuading Rajasekhara that 
 no other good fellow but he knew the value of the 
 stones set in them sufficiently well to buy to advantage, 
 sold their very words for a high rate, even though they 
 did not get much for the goods. Through the influence 
 of the priestly clique of the place, Rajasekhara had 
 determined to found a temple (one of the Seven San- 
 tanas^") and had commenced a pagoda to Anjaneya in 
 the vicinity of the shrine called Rama's Feet, with black 
 
 * Upanayana, the induction of a young Brahman into the order of 
 the ' twice-born,' by investiture with the sacred cord. 
 
 f Satttana, issue. Issue has for its object the perpetuation of the 
 name of the person whose it is. Hence anything that perpetuates one's 
 name is called a uantana. The following are held to be the principal 
 or sapta ttantanas : (1) Construction of a temple ; (2) The ascription of
 
 48 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 stone brought from the Rajavara mountain. Although 
 the work had now gone on for four years and was not yet 
 half completed, the very workmen and sub-contractors 
 who superintended the construction had become quite 
 rich. He had thus got into a habit of disregarding his 
 own wants and of sacrificing himself for the good of 
 others; at which Prosperity became angry with him 
 and attempted to fly away. But, unable to leave him 
 all at once because of long acquaintance, she lingered a 
 little longer. Poverty, learning how things stood, came 
 occasionally and peeped in from just across the thresh- 
 old with the intention of taking possession so soon as 
 Prosperity should give her place in the house. For the 
 gratuities bestowed when Rukmini was married, Ra- 
 jasekhara had contracted a considerable debt upon his 
 lands. The interest of this debt was constantly grow- 
 ing ; . but with this exception he had no embarrassments 
 whatever. 
 
 Those who throve on Rajasekhara were many ; but 
 the principal of them all were Damodarayya and Xara- 
 yanamurti. Of these two, Damodarayya was brother- 
 in-law to Rajasekhara. Upon him they had bestowed 
 no less a person than Rajasekhara's twin sister. She 
 had died, however, after bearing but one son. This son 
 was now fifteen years old. His name was Sankarayya. 
 His mother having died before he was yet eight years 
 old, he grew up in his uncle's house from his very 
 childhood. It had been the desire of both his parents 
 to give him Sita in marriage. After the death of his 
 wife, Damodarayya had, with Rajasekhara's help, con- 
 tracted a second marriage ; but the girl on her wedding- 
 day was under eight years of age, and only two years 
 had now elapsed since she reached puberty and came to 
 her husband's house. He had as yet no issue by this 
 
 a book to another ; (3) The planting of groves ; (4) The construction of 
 tanks ; (5) Building a town and charitably donating houses therein 
 and lands adjoining to Brahmans ; (6) Building choultries ; (7) Hiding 
 treasure in the earth and renouncing one's claim to it for the benefit of 
 the finder.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 49 
 
 second wife. From the very beginning Damodarayya 
 had been very poor; and neither was ths father of 
 Kajasekhara wealthy at the time he gave him Eajase- 
 khara's sister. Their former place of residence was 
 Vasantavada. There, while Eajasekhara's father was 
 having white-ant hills dug for the walls of his house, in 
 a certain place he came upon a treasure in a brass pot. 
 Whether he feared he would not be so highly respected 
 in his native place after becoming rich, or whether he 
 feared the envy of man, is uncertain ; but at all events 
 Eajasekhara's father brought along his wife and children 
 his son-in-law, too and from that time forth settled 
 at the base of this Dhavalagiri. In this neighbourhood 
 he acquired lands, and here, after a time, he ended his 
 days. Until the death of his wife, Damodarayya con- 
 tinued to reside in Eajasekhara's house and to obtain 
 money from others in his brother-in-law's name and 
 appropriate it to his own use, covering the matter up so 
 that it might not get abroad. When, later, his creditors 
 came and worried him, Eajasekhara himself would hand 
 out the necessary cash. But after his twin sister died, 
 Eajasekhara, unable longer to bear Damodarayya's irre- 
 gularities, one day gave him a sound rating. Damo- 
 darayya flew into a rage at this, and proclaimed that his 
 brother-in-law had turned him out of doors with only 
 the clothes he had on his back. He then went off to 
 foreign parts, allowed his hair to grow long, cultivated 
 a beard, and came back again in six months and went 
 about the streets in the guise of a witch-doctor with a 
 huge rouge bottu on his forehead. Having before that 
 taken good care to put the cash he had obtained in a 
 safe place, Damodarayya now built him a house with 
 this money and dwelt apart by himself in a certain part 
 of that very village. His witch-doctoring proved n 
 daily success so much so that if anyone in the place 
 but got a thorn in his foot, he would have Damodarayya 
 apply sacred ashes to it. In this way he was not only 
 becoming rich, but was also growing daily in the esteem 
 of the people. 
 
 4
 
 50 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 Narayanamurti, the second friend, had been born of 
 a good family ; but, getting into bad company, he ran 
 through his entire fortune, and became much reduced 
 in circumstances. Nevertheless, he still kept up an 
 outward show of affluence. Although his fortune was 
 gone, Narayananmrti still retained at least the outward 
 signs of wealth ; so he visited frequently the house of 
 Eajasekhara, and requesting him to keep his secret, 
 would call him aside, make known his need, and ask 
 for a loan. Eajasekhara well knew that the debt would 
 never be repaid ; but he was a person exceedingly de- 
 sirous of standing high in the esteem of others, and 
 besides, Narayanamurti had been the schoolmate of his 
 boyhood, so he would place the sum asked in his friend's 
 hand and let him go without allowing a second party to 
 know of the transaction. With this money Narayana- 
 murti bought gold-laced cloths, perfumes, and other 
 expensive articles, and made elaborate banquets for his 
 friends. Besides this, when creditors dunned him for 
 debts which he had contracted elsewhere, Eajasekhara 
 at various times had paid as much as three thousand 
 rupees out of his own private funds to deliver him from 
 the annoyance of debt. Two years before, the wife of 
 Narayanamurti's uncle had died without issue, and he 
 had fallen heir to her fortune of ten thousand rupees. 
 On hearing this, Eajasekhara was greatly pleased. He 
 went at once to Narayanamurti's house, embraced and 
 congratulated him on his good fortune, and declared at 
 the same time that there was no necessity whatever for 
 paying off the debt owing him, and that Narayanamurti 
 must keep all his money in order to live happily and 
 respectably. Up to that time the necessity for repaying 
 Eajasekhara had never approached quite so near ; be- 
 sides, Narayanamurti now had plenty of money, so he 
 got into the habit of telling Eajasekhara repeatedly that 
 if he needed it, his whole fortune was at his disposal. 
 
 One day, at about ten o'clock in the morning, while 
 Eajasekhara was seated in his office with a number 
 of visitors, Eukmini came out to the well, and from
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 51 
 
 there proceeded to the back-door, where she stood just 
 inside talking with a neighbour's daughter who had 
 come to throw the rinds of a pumpkin she had been 
 peeling into the street. Just then a fortune-teller 
 came that way with a basket on her head and a 
 palm-leaf rattle in her hand. Staring into Rukmini's 
 face, she stopped and said, ' Miss, you're going to meet 
 with good luck very shortly; you're going to get a 
 fortune. But you've got a grief in your heart, and 
 you're pining to death over it. If you'll let me tell 
 your fortune, I'll reveal exactly what's in your mind.' 
 On hearing this, Rukmini called the artful one into the 
 yard, and made her sit down behind the storehouse 
 while she went in and brought some rice in a winnow- 
 ing basket. Taking the rice in her hand, she touched 
 it three times to her forehead, prostrated herself, made 
 a wish, and let the rice fall back into the basket. Then 
 the fortune-teller ran over her tutelary deities like one 
 who had got them by heart, begging them to be pro- 
 pitious, seized Rukmini's hand and exclaimed, ' A. 
 fortunate hand ! A rich hand ! You've thought a 
 thought ; you've wished a wish ; you've desired a boon ; 
 and now you're distracted as to whether it's a green 
 fruit or a ripe one a falsehood or the truth whether 
 you'll get it or not. It's not green fruit it's ripe ; not 
 a falsehood, but the truth ; and you'll get it right quick. 
 Perhaps you ask, " Is my thought about a man or a 
 woman ?" For a woman it's a beard ; for a man, a 
 lac-earring,' she ran on, watching the workings of 
 Rukmini's face closely. Observing it change slightly 
 when she said ' a man,' she at once guessed the difficulty. 
 ' You're thinking about a man. Your wish'll soon come 
 to shore'; your bread's buttered,' she said, and by further 
 conversation learned all that was in Rukmini's mind. 
 Having already heard that Rukmini's husband had de- 
 serted her, ' Your man went to the bad, and is wander- 
 ing in foreign parts. But he's got such a passion for 
 you that he'll be sure to be back after you within a 
 month,' she said ; and taking a root from her bag, she 
 
 42
 
 52 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 tied it to Rukmini's arm with a saffroned thread, re- 
 ceived an old cloth and a jacket as a reward, and, 
 charging Rukmini that after she joined her husband she 
 must give her a new skirt as well, went her way. Ruk- 
 mini was made very happy, and went into the house dazed, 
 praising the skill that had enabled the fortune-teller so 
 exactly to ascertain the workings of another's mind. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 An Attempt to marry Sita The Byragi's Fame He practises 
 Medicine Janardana-swami's Feast Rukmini loses her Coin- 
 Necklace. 
 
 ONE morning Rajasekhara was sitting in his office after 
 the transaction of business, when the astrologer came 
 in, and, taking a seat, drew a pair of spectacles from a 
 plaited palm-leaf case, mounted them on his nose, passed 
 the string back over his forehead and under his juttu, 
 and loosening four or five little bits of palm-leaf that 
 were strung on a string of a book of that material, 
 began to swing them back and forth, gazing the while 
 at Rajasekhara's face. 
 
 ' Astrologer,' said Rajasekhara, ' what alliance is best 
 for Sita ?' 
 
 ' After careful reflection it would seem that the horo- 
 scope of Mantripragada Bapiraju's son is in every 
 particular favourable,' replied the astrologer. 
 
 Mantripragada Bapiraju had long been desirous of 
 making Sita his son's wife by some means or other, 
 and of profiting by the relationship with Rajasekhara. 
 Only recently, on the celebration of the goddess Sita's 
 marriage-day in his house, not only had he made the 
 astrologer the possessor of a fine web of girdle cloth, 
 but had also further excited his avarice by promising 
 him a still handsomer present if he should arrange a 
 match with Sita. 
 
 ' Bapiraju's son is a black fellow, and besides I hear 
 he is dull at learning. There is a report, too, that he 
 is already walking in evil ways through the influence
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. S3 
 
 of bad associates. I will not give Sita to him. How 
 is our Sankarayya's horoscope ?' asked Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' I have seen your nephew's horoscope,' replied the 
 astrologer, ' and it is in every respect a capital one. But 
 his natal star is in the third lunar mansion, while our 
 Sita's is in the same. The sastra contains a sloka to 
 the effect that in the harmony of these mansions destruc- 
 tion lurks for maid and lover : " If the 25^, 23rd, 7th, 3rd, 
 5th, 14th, loth, 1.2th, 20th, or ISth lunar mansions be 
 the same for husband and wife, evil will result ; but if, 
 though in the same sign, the mansions or the quarters 
 differ, the union will be happy." * The horoscope of 
 Bapiraju's son is in every particular suitable in it the 
 Regent of the Trigon is in conjunction with the Regent 
 of the Kendra ;f but has no connection with the remain- 
 ing 3rd, 6th, 12th, and 8th Regents. He is very lucky 
 according to the sloka which says : " If the Regents of 
 the Kendra and Trigon be in conjunction, great good 
 fortune will result, no matter what position the re- 
 maining planets occupy." What difference does it 
 make about form and other trifles ? Who knows how 
 sensible a man he may become in another four years' 
 time ? Take my advice, and give the girl to him.' 
 
 ' No, I'll not give the child to Bapiraju's son. When 
 
 * Hindu astrology divides the twelve signs of the zodiac into twenty- 
 seven lunar asterisms or mansions, in which are supposed to reside the 
 wives of the Moon (masculine), with each of whom their serene lord 
 spends one day in succession on his monthly circuit. 
 
 f The annexed diagram represents the astrological chakra or wheel 
 in general use among the Hindus for constructing horoscopes, and 
 
 12 i/ 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 \ 
 
 determining lucky and unlucky periods. 1 is called the layiia, or 
 rising sign, and with the 4th, 7th and 10th places from it, Kendra ; 
 while the 5th and 9th places are called trikona, or trigons.
 
 54 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 my sister died, she made me place my hand in hers and 
 promise that I would give Sita to her son. Damoda- 
 rayya, too, is constantly pressing me to give Sita to 
 Sankarayya and keep him with me. Now, in case I 
 give the child to another, he will taunt me ever after 
 that I did so simply because my sister was gone. 
 Besides, our Sankarayya is a very sensible lad. He is 
 attractive in form, and possesses both education and 
 modesty. I shall certainly give the child to him. You 
 must examine the horoscope carefully once more.' 
 
 Perceiving it would be of no avail to oppose this de- 
 termination, the astrologer gazed for a little at the 
 sky in meditation, and then asked, 'In what quarter* 
 of the 3rd mansion was Sita born ?' 
 
 ' The 2nd quarter/ replied Eajasekhara. 
 
 ' Sankarayya's is the 1st quarter. True ! it is cer- 
 tainly auspicious. According to the sloka which says, 
 " If they who are, born in the same mansion and 
 in the same quarter thereof be married, their lives will 
 be in peril ; but should the quarters differ, the union 
 will be auspicious even though the mansion is the same" 
 not only is there no harm, but it is positively lucky. 
 Without fail betroth Sita to him, and have them married.' 
 
 ' What time in the present year would be best for the 
 wedding V 
 
 ' Since the sloka says that " The months Magha, 
 Palguna, Visakha, and Jestha are best for celebrating 
 matrimonial unions,"-]- the month Magha is a favour- 
 able one. In the dark fortnight, on the fifth Tuesday, the 
 sun is in Aquarius. That is a capital time. The sloka 
 " When the sun is in Aries, Gemini, Aquarius, 
 Scorpio or Capricornus, marriage alliances may be 
 contracted; when in other signs, they are prohibited" 
 is my authority.' 
 
 ' Is your daughter somewhat better of her illness ?' 
 
 ' By your honour's favour she is much better. The 
 
 * Each mansion is divided into four padas, or quarters, 
 f Magha corresponds to February March ; Palguna, to March 
 April ; Visakha, to May June ; and Jeshta to June July.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 55 
 
 byragi whom you recommended the other day is a very 
 clever man. He drove the evil spirit from our house 
 in a twinkling. All the witch-doctors had given our 
 little one up, believing it impossible to exorcise the 
 demon that possessed her. For three days he gave her 
 consecrated water to drink, and tied an amulet on her 
 arm. The child has been easy from that very time.' 
 
 ' My sister Subbama. is quite unwell. There don't 
 seem to be any good physicians in our village at all, and 
 what to do I don't know.' 
 
 ' Why not get the byragi to prescribe for her V asked 
 Raghavacharya ; ' he won't take money even if you offer 
 it him. I can't tell you to how many people in the 
 place he has given medicine out of pure charity and 
 cured cases of long standing, too.' 
 
 'If he is so expert, won't you bring him round to 
 our house for a little while at noon to see Subbama ?' 
 asked Rajasekhara; 'she's been unwell for some four 
 days past, and we're in great straits about the cooking.' 
 
 'Certainly, I'll bring him. There's no uppishness 
 about him. No matter who calls him, he'll come.' 
 
 ' They say,' observed the astrologer, ' that he pos- 
 sesses the art of making gold. It is simply astounding 
 what great men there are among these Gosains !' 
 
 ' It's reported that every day he melts a farthing's 
 weight of copper and transmutes it into gold,' put in 
 Raghavacharya ; ' now and then, too, he makes dona- 
 tions to Brahmans. Unless he posseses the art, where 
 does his money come from ?' 
 
 ' Raghavacharya, is the Swami's Recital Feast getting 
 on all right ?' interrupted Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' While we are sure of your honour's patronage, what 
 can be wanting for the feasts ? Last year the Sam- 
 kranti feast was celebrated wholly at your honour's 
 expense. It seems only yesterday or the dav before. 
 And to-morrow is actually the Samkranti ! The 
 truth is, I came to ask a favour of your honour in 
 regard to this very matter; but as Subbama is sick, I
 
 56 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 thought it an unfavourable opportunity, and so did not 
 mention it.' 
 
 ' Last year I gave a hundred and fifty rupees ; but as 
 some weddings are about to come off among our people, 
 I can give only a hundred this year. You must make 
 out with that amount in some way or other.' 
 
 ' Just as you think best. What does it matter about 
 that ? I'll do as you say.' 
 
 4 Raghavacharya, bring the byragi to the house this 
 very day without fail ; and you have some other busi- 
 ness to attend to afterwards, remember. The day is 
 getting on go at once. Astrologer, in case you are 
 still in doubt, you had better examine Sankarayya's 
 liososcope once more; and should it be necessary for 
 you to consult with anyone, you're at liberty to show 
 the horoscope to Lachayya-sastri as well.' 
 
 ' As you please ; but I have no such doubt,' replied 
 the astrologer. 
 
 ' If that is so, go home now, and come in later on.' 
 
 Thus dismissed, those present went to their homes. 
 By the time Rajasekhara had dined and washed his 
 hands, Raghavacharya brought along the byragi and 
 introduced him to the house. Rajasekhara daily did 
 him all kinds of good offices, and courted his favour 
 assiduously. Notwithstanding that Subbama's illness 
 disappeared immediately, Rajasekhara would not con- 
 sent to let the byragi go, but, out of a desire to acquire 
 the art of making gold, lodged him in his own house 
 and paid him such attentions as were calculated to win 
 his favour supplying him with rice and milk at every 
 opportunity, providing the fuel needed by the byragi 
 to keep himself warm, and devoting himself to him in 
 general. Several days passed in this manner, and 
 meanwhile the Nuptial Feast of Janardana-swami ap- 
 proached. To celebrate this festival the people flocked 
 in thousands from the surrounding villages until every 
 house in the town was packed. 
 
 On the twelfth day of the bright fortnight of the 
 month Magha all the requisite ceremonies of the Car
 
 ' Upon the upper part of the car where the god sat they placed 
 the trunk* of plantain tree* ' (p. 59).
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 59 
 
 Festival were in full progress. For four days they had 
 been decorating the car, fastening about it cloths of 
 various colours and bright-hued papers. To the ends of 
 bamboo-poles they tied banners painted over with figures 
 of Hanuinan and Garuda,* and fixed these also upon the 
 car. Upon the upper part of the car where the god sat 
 they placed the trunks of plantain-trees bending be- 
 neath their clusters of green fruit, and tied to these 
 garlands of mango-leaves and various kinds of flowers. 
 Between the stems of the plantain-trees a pair of 
 white lacquered horses faced the street, tossing their 
 heads and lifting their feet high in the air as though 
 drawing the car. Some ten paces in front of the car, 
 men, thrust into distorted images constructed of plaited 
 bamboo-splints covered with cloth and representing 
 Anjaneya and Garuda, leapt and wagged their lacquered 
 skulls in such a manner as to strike terror to the hearts 
 of the children and country people who had corne to see 
 the sights. The priests hoist the images into a palanquin, 
 descend the hill to the accompaniment of music, and seat 
 Swami in the car after causing him to circumambulate 
 it thrice. The crowds near pelt the god from below with 
 plantains, while the priests and others seated upon the 
 car ward off the blows with their hands, and ring hand- 
 bells at intervals with shouts of ' Govinda ! Govinda !' 
 The people in hundreds immediately seize upon the 
 cables attached to the huge wain and drag it along with 
 such right goodwill that the roofs of the houses and the 
 very street plain are like to fall. At that moment a 
 musical procession stopped a short distance in front of 
 the car, and a female put her hand to a drum and began 
 to beat. No sooner was the roll of the drum heard, than 
 the principal personages seated with the god came elbow- 
 ing their way through the crowd, and, sending to the 
 rear those who obstructed the way, themselves preceded 
 the players and conducted the procession, that no inter- 
 ruption might occur to the music. 
 
 Rukruiui, too, decked in all her jewels, and beautiful 
 
 * The kneeling griffin upon which Vishnu is represented as riding.
 
 60 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 as a thorn-apple blossom, came that way and stopped 
 beside a pial to watch the car. Her skirt fell in heavy 
 undulating folds to her instep ; over the left shoulder 
 there came flowing down her back a gold-laced mantle 
 woven with sprigs of lace ; the dark petticoat, dotted 
 with doves' eyes, that she wore, added a rarer grace to 
 her beauty ; the silver anklets and other ornaments 
 upon her feet tinkled melodious music ; except her 
 right hand all the rest of her person was hidden in her 
 mantle, but her ripe-brinjal-hued,* close-fitting silk 
 bodice shone doubly brilliant in the soft sunshine from 
 its partial concealment ; and, to crown all, the orange- 
 blossoms in her hair diffused a delicate perfume on the 
 breeze, and rendered the Fragrance Bearer]- worthy of 
 his name. The women of this country, as a rule, con- 
 sider it reprehensible to put on costly clothing and 
 adorn themselves when their husbands are not at home; 
 but when they attend a married woman's party on the 
 occurrence of any happy event, or when they go out to 
 witness the marriage festival of a god in the town, or 
 the gatherings in honour of the village goddesses, they 
 never fail to deck themselves out in rich cloths and 
 costly jewels, even though they have to be hired for the 
 occasion. How, then, shall I describe Eukmini's beauty 
 at such a time ? To satisfy the hunger of one's eyes 
 they must actually behold (for no mere description will 
 suffice) the na/iveU of her sweet face^ at that moment 
 overflowing with the very essence of beauty. The 
 black bandsj encircling her large almond eyes endowed 
 them with a rarer fascination ; and the crescent bottu of 
 rouge shone lustrous on a forehead that rivalled the 
 half moon in its semblance of a smile. As soon as the 
 car had passed her line of view there went by palmers 
 plastered thickly over with the twelve upright marks, 
 who, lighting lamps on iron stands and binding their 
 
 * Purple and gold, or warm brown, 
 f A title of Vayu, the air. 
 
 I Hindu women use a mixture of lampblack and oil to heighten the 
 brilliancy of their eyes.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL, 61 
 
 waists tightly about with their cloths, waved in one 
 hand whisks of peacock feathers, and with the other 
 dipped cloth rolls into oil, and lighting them, rubbed 
 them over their whole bodies with such skill as not to 
 burn themselves, the while receiving and throwing into 
 the base of their lamp-stands the coppers showered upon 
 them by the gaping crowd. As soon as this uproar 
 abated Rukmini's mother and several other women 
 started out together, passed the fruitstalls and copper- 
 smiths' shops opened in booths by people from the 
 neighbouring villages threw cowries and pulse to the 
 shouting cripples who sat on cloths spread by the steps 
 at the roadsides avoided the cunning pilgrims who, 
 Benares kavadies* stuck in front and pictures in hand, 
 stopped those who came and went with the assertion 
 that they could discover saints and sinners, reveal heaven 
 and hell and ascended the hill to see the god. Here 
 the crowd was so thick that sand sprinkled on their 
 heads would not fall to the ground. Stalwart men, 
 desirous of offering fruit to the god, forced their way 
 out of this living mass, and, overwhelmed in the crush 
 near the temple gates, concluded that while the pressure 
 was so great it would be as much as they could do to 
 escape with a whole skin, and turning back when only 
 half way in, fell out at the rear, no little pleased at their 
 release. Others more powerful than they, forced their 
 way to the very sanctuary itself, placed their offer- 
 ings in the priests' hands, and then fell out again. The 
 priests themselves came out one after another, and after 
 wringing out their cloths (soaked with sweat) and en- 
 joying a little breathing-spell in the cool breeze, entered 
 the sanctuary to swelter once more in the terrible heat. 
 One of the priests who had thus come out, catching 
 sight of Manikyamba, took the fruit from her hand and 
 went? in and offered it to the god ; then returning with 
 some fruit and tulasi blossoms from the heap within, he 
 
 * Ganges water is carried by these pilgrims to all parts of India, and 
 ia highly prized by the pious.
 
 62 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 gave these to her and placed his sathagopa* on the 
 head of each. Manikyamba turned back, and was about 
 to pass the gate of the temple. Eukmini stood just 
 behind, holding on to the end of her mother's cloth. 
 Sita was standing on one side and an elderly duenna 
 on the other. At that moment some one thrust his hand 
 into Eukmini's neck from behind, and with a jerk 
 wrenched off her coin necklace. Ere Eukmini could 
 turn and look about her, both hand and necklace had 
 disappeared. At her scream a dozen persons gathered 
 around and attempted to catch the thief ; but the rogue 
 was himself in this very crowd, and joined the search 
 for the culprit. So Eukmini and her companions re- 
 turned home at nightfall greatly distressed at the loss of 
 the jewel. 
 
 CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 The Magician's Device on the Loss of the Valuable News of the Death 
 of Rukmini's Husband- Rukmini falls Sick They consult a 
 Diviner Her Husband haunts her Witch-doctoring Alchemy 
 The Byragi disappears with the Money. 
 
 ONE morning, while Eajasekhara was seated upon the 
 street pial cleaning his teeth, up came the astrologer in 
 company with another Brahman and perched himself on 
 one side of the pial. After eyeing from head to foot 
 the other figure sitting profound a silver-headed cane 
 in his hand, his hair, beard and nails long uncut, and 
 a great rouge bottu filling the space between his eyes 
 Eajasekhara asked the astrologer who he was. 
 
 ' This worthy man,' replied the astrologer, ' is a great 
 magician ; he spent some time in the Maliyalam country, 
 and gained a thorough knowledge of the secret mantras. 
 Happening to be on thebankoftheKistnahehas honoured 
 us by coming here on a pilgrimage. His name is Hari- 
 sastri. He has heretofore in various places restored 
 lost articles in the twinkling of an eye. For the past 
 
 * A bell-shaped vessel graved with Vishnu's sandals. The act of 
 placing it upon the worshipper's head denotes the remission of sins.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 63 
 
 four years he has voluntarily lived the life of an 
 anchorite.'* 
 
 Although the astrologer had known this worthy for 
 only two days, he enlarged upon his history like one 
 who could claim acquaintance with him from the very 
 day of his birth, and recalling that verse of the Dak- 
 sha-smriti which says, ' He who embraces the anchoritic 
 state grows his nails and hair,' described him as above 
 simply because he had these appendages long. Hari- 
 sastri then boasted at some length of his magical power, 
 and recited without faltering in the least, like one who 
 had with considerable labour got them by heart, a list of 
 localities where, he asserted, he had already restored 
 lost articles. At this juncture the astrologer informed 
 him that Eukmini had lost a valuable, and begged him 
 to give them some trace of its whereabouts. Harisastri 
 at once applied his spread ringers to the cartilage of his 
 nose, and turned his gaze towards the sky. After 
 counting his fingers for a moment with an air of pro- 
 found reflection, he replied that the lost article had 
 been carried off by some one who came and went about 
 the house, and not by an outsider. Rajasekhara having 
 by this time finished washing his face, all went 
 inside together. Stopping in the hall, Harisastri re- 
 marked that as for restoring the lost article the whole 
 responsibility rested upon him, and that he would come 
 at noon and construct the magic figure, at which time 
 all the household servants must be present. He then 
 desired that a little rice be brought. The astrologer 
 himself went into the house and brought the rice in u 
 platter, at the same time calling all the menials whom 
 lie found in the house, in accordance with Harisastri's 
 desire. Begging them to test the power of his magic, 
 Harisastri stated that if anyone present would take an 
 article and hide it secretly, he would tell that person's 
 
 * To every Brahman are ordained four asramas, or stages of religious 
 advancement in thi* life, viz: (1) the bramhachari, or bachelor; (2) 
 the grihachari, or householder ; (3) the vanaprastha, or anchorite 
 (4) the yati, or arahat.
 
 64 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 name. "With this remark he went out into the street. 
 Eajasekhara handed his ring to one of the party, telling 
 him to conceal it carefully. After he had taken his 
 seat the sastri was called in and asked to point out the 
 person who had hidden the ring. The sastri imme- 
 diately put rice into the hands of all present, and bade 
 them come one by one and pour it into the platter. He 
 himself fell to repeating a mantra. Each one in his 
 turn came and poured his rice into the dish. The sastri 
 at once indicated a certain person to be he who had the 
 ring. At this all present were filled with astonishment. 
 Even Eajasekhara acknowledged him to be a great 
 magician, and saluted him ; and, believing that the lost 
 jewel would undoubtedly be restored by his magic 
 power, again and again begged him to come without fail 
 at noon. He moreover charged the astrologer to be 
 sure and fetch him. The astrologer and Harisastri 
 wended their way homeward with smiling faces, en- 
 joying sweet communion. Before going to Eajasekhara's 
 house at all, the astrologer and the sastri had secretly 
 talked the whole matter over, and agreed that each 
 should have half of whatever reward he might bestow. 
 So, after deciding privately what plan they should adopt 
 beforehand to give Eajasekhara confidence in the magi- 
 cian's powers, the astrologer, before they left home at 
 all, had settled that he was to pour his rice into the 
 platter immediately after the person who should hide 
 the article, and that Harisastri should then declare this 
 person to be the party who had concealed it. Thus the 
 sastri was able instantly to point out him who took the 
 ring. 
 
 After dinner they set out, the astrologer and Hari- 
 sastri, with all necessary utensils, and came to Eajase- 
 khara's house. Already the servants and other members 
 of the household had been summoned. The astrologer 
 began making inquiries in a tone sufficiently loud for 
 the sastri to hear, as to who had accompanied Eukmini 
 on the occasion of the car festival, and who were by 
 when the necklace disappeared. He then approached
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 65 
 
 the sastri and whispered a quiet word in his ear, after 
 which he moved off and engaged in conversation on 
 some other subject. By this time Eajasekhara had 
 arrived, and invited them into the house. Harisastri 
 picked up his custodial* and withdrew, with the assur- 
 ance that he would be back in a minute. After a 
 slight delay he returned with his brass box in his hand 
 and a copper bracelet on his right arm. A porch had 
 been cleaned with cowdung and reserved for him. In 
 this he drew, in lines of white, black, and green, a large 
 figure. Placing the brass box he had brought with him on 
 the abdomen of this figure, he opened the lid with the ex- 
 clamation, ' Hail, Mother !' repeated a short incantation 
 with shut eyes, and then turned towards Eajasekhara 
 and desired him to bring him a sheet of white paper. 
 At that time no paper was to be had except that from 
 Kondapalli. Eajasekhara's son went into a room and 
 brought him a sheet of this. While the eyes of all were 
 fixed upon him, he tore the paper into eight equal parts, 
 of which he laid one by his side and distributed the 
 remaining seven among the company. By the power of 
 the deity whom he served, he said, the name of the 
 person who had stolen the article would appear upon 
 that slip of paper. Placing the slip in the brass box he 
 left it there a moment while he repeated a mantra, and 
 then drew it out again and exhibited it to all with his 
 own hand. Eubbing rouge upon its four corners from 
 beneath, he drew upon it, with offertorial camphor, the 
 talismanic letters and a magic diagram, laid it down, 
 and commanded them to come and place their hands 
 upon it in succession. Each one laid his hand upon the 
 white paper as it lay in plain sight, and returning to his 
 place watched with keen curiosity to see what would 
 happen next. After all had touched the paper, Hari- 
 sastri took it up, waved over it incense of benjamin, 
 lighted some offertorial camphor, passed the slip over 
 it four or five times, and handed it to Eajasekhara. 
 
 * A brass box for holding idols.
 
 66 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 When he took the paper and examined it, there ap- 
 peared written upon it in large characters the words 
 WASHERMAN SARI.' On holding the paper up, 
 the crooked characters were plainly visible to all ; 
 and when some one near took the paper and read the 
 words aloud, all, with the single exception of a certain 
 poor washerman, were filled with astonishment and 
 delight, and fell to clapping their hands and applauding 
 vociferously the sastri's skill and power of divination. 
 Some who were present began to accuse the sastri him- 
 self of being the thief, and to assert that he was stand- 
 ing just behind when the necklace disappeared. But 
 Sita declared that on that occasion Sarvi-gardu stood 
 in their rear with some fruit in his hand ; whereupon 
 all concluded that the person who had stolen the jewel 
 was none other than Sarvi-gardu the washerman. Raja- 
 sekhara and all the other members of the household 
 believed the same. But when they demanded that he 
 hand over the lost article instanter, the washerman, with 
 tears flowing in one steady stream from his eyes to the 
 floor, began to swear by his wife and children that he 
 knew nothing whatever about the theft. Everyone 
 knew, of course, that these were only crocodile tears ; 
 yet, notwithstanding all their threatening and coaxing. 
 he still, with tears, declared that he was innocent, until 
 finally Harisastri drew Rajasekhara aside and intimated 
 that he had but to say the word and he would mes- 
 merize the washerman and so make him restore the 
 missing article. As the washerman had done his work 
 most faithfully from his very childhood, Rajasekhara 
 was unwilling that any injury should be done him, and 
 simply dismissed him from his service. The washerman 
 went to his home weeping, and declaring himself inno- 
 cent. What the astrologer had in the first instance 
 whispered in the sastri's ear was an intimation that he 
 should write the name of the washerman Sarvi. When, 
 however, he withdrew on a pretence of fetching his 
 custodial, he had written on a slip of paper with onion- 
 juice the words ' Washerman Sari,' omitting the v
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 67 
 
 through ignorance of spelling. After drying this slip 
 and placing it in the box, he returned. When Raja- 
 sekhara's son brought out the paper, the sastri tore 
 it into slips. When, however, he put this into the 
 box, he changed it, and drew out the original paper. 
 As the two papers were exactly alike, no one had 
 the least suspicion. His writing the magic letters on 
 the paper with the offertorial camphor was for no other 
 purpose in the world than to get rid of the smell of the 
 onions. Smoking it afterwards in the benjamin fumes 
 and over the camphor, was a device for bringing out 
 plainly the letters which did not already show. In 
 recognition of the brave deed which Harisastri had 
 thus performed by the power of his magic, Raja- 
 sekhara tied about him a web of girdle-cloth, and pre- 
 sented him with four rupees in cash, and that, too, 
 notwithstanding the fact that the lost necklace still 
 remained unfound. On returning home the sastri and 
 the astrologer divided this reward of their services in 
 equal shares. 
 
 When the sun was about three hours high on the 
 morning of the day following these events, Rukrnini was 
 sitting alone in the veranda of the west room worrying 
 over the loss of her jewelry, and reflecting with mixed 
 feelings on the fact that though the period fixed by the 
 fortune-teller had expired the very day before, her 
 husband had not yet returned. At that moment a young 
 man of about the age of twenty walked in, and, throw- 
 ing down the bundle of clothes which he carried in his 
 hand, gazed into Rukmini's face and burst into a flood 
 of tears. Seeing this Rukmini herself fell to weeping, 
 although wholly ignorant of any reason for so doing. 
 The inmates of the house, hearing the sound of wailing, 
 came running out to inquire what the matter was. 
 The young man choked his tears, and in reply stated 
 that Nrusimhu-swami, Rukmini's husband, while coming 
 from Kasi had, on the way, at Jagannadham, on the 
 ninth of the bright fortnight of the month Pushy a, 
 paid the debt of nature, and that he himself had per- 
 
 52
 
 68 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 formed the crematory and other ceremonies. No sooner 
 did they hear these words than the whole household 
 with one accord fell to weeping uproariously. Rajasek- 
 hara, who was in his office, and the inmates of the 
 neighbouring houses, hearing the sound of lamentation, 
 came in and joined unreservedly in the family grief on 
 learning the calamity that had befallen them. Those 
 present who were more advanced in years then had 
 them all bathe, consoling them the while by quoting 
 scripture texts. After several days had thus passed a 
 number of relatives and friends spoke to Rajasekhara 
 about removing Eukmini's hair ; but out of love for his 
 daughter he would not consent to have that act per- 
 formed while she was so young ; and all were fain to 
 concede that no trouble would arise from the omission, 
 and that the course he had chosen was best. 
 
 The mind even of an enemy cannot but be shocked 
 at the bare thought of the wretched condition, in this 
 country, of women who have lost their husbands. The 
 very parents who should console and aid them in for- 
 getting grief for their husbands, pitilessly make the 
 daughters whom they bore now overwhelmed in a sea 
 of sorrow at the loss of the lords of their life aliens to 
 all adornments, disfigure them by shaving their heads, 
 and force them to sit, veiled, in a corner. They shrivel 
 them up by neglecting to provide regularly even suffi- 
 cient food to satisfy hunger, throwing them only a few 
 grains of boiled rice in the afternoon when all the rest 
 have dined. They permit them to wear no decent 
 raiment, even though they desire to do so, allowing 
 them only a coarse cloth without a border. Why a 
 thousand words ? The lives of those bereft of their 
 husbands they make very vessels of sorrow, and lay 
 them by like living corpses. Modest women regard 
 death itself as preferable to surrendering to the knife of 
 a heartless barber the beautiful tresses which, given by 
 no earthly hand, were bestowed as an ornament at their 
 very birth by the Supreme One, and which, from earliest 
 childhood, they have oiled and combed and cherished
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 69 
 
 as they have life itself. All the hard and mean work 
 of the house falls upon them. No sooner do they reach 
 the home of their birth, than elder brothers' wives and 
 younger brothers' wives regard them as slaves.* On 
 festal occasions, so far from tolerating their mingling on 
 terms of equality with others let them only so much 
 as show their faces and everyone abuses them for birds 
 of ill omen. For these reasons the very term ' widow ' 
 strikes like a keen dart upon the hearer's ear. But 
 call a female a ' widow,' and she at once flies into a 
 towering passion at what she regards as a frightful piece 
 of abuse. 
 
 This whole state now appeared, as it were, before her 
 very eyes ; and from the day she received the above 
 intelligence Rukmini took to her room and left it 
 neither day nor night, abandoned both food and sleep, 
 and began to grieve and pine for her husband. Along 
 with her sorrow some sickness or other also fastened 
 upon her ; but until she became so weak that she was 
 unable to rise, no one discovered this fact. As soon as 
 it became known, however, Eajasekhara called one 
 Basavayya, a Jangam who was celebrated as an. excel- 
 lent physician, and showed him the sick girl's hand. 
 Seating himself upon the cot where Rukmini lay, he 
 took her left hand in his, and remarked that her 
 pulse indicated fever. She had had, he said, the 
 ague for several days, and, as they had not discovered 
 it at once, it had become deeply seated. Quoting 
 from his book of pharmacy the sloka, 'Mercury, 
 cassia chips, rue, dry ginger, long pepper, black 
 pepper, mace . . . root of nightshade, cobivebs, 
 ground and black tulasi, betelnut, green paun-leaf 
 . . . leaf of the chaste tree . . . and stems of ripe 
 banyan-leaf, break up ague,' he wrote these ingre- 
 dients on paper, and for the time went home. By 
 
 * On the death of the husband, the wife, if young and without 
 children or property, returns to her father's house. Here, owing to the 
 prevalence of community of goods among the Hindus, there may be 
 Reveral brothers' families.
 
 70 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 mid-day Eajasekhara had obtained all the necessary 
 articles and senb \vord to the doctor ; who, when he 
 returned, had them triturated, made them up into 
 powders, and told them to administer three powders 
 three times a day with honey as a vehicle. As for diet, 
 he prohibited only oil, pumpkin, spinach, acids, roots, 
 and jac-fruit. He continued his visits in this way 
 twice a day, examining her pulse and observing her 
 symptoms. At first Eukmini's condition slightly im- 
 proved ; then delirium and other bad symptoms set in 
 at night, and the fever began to grow steadily worse. 
 When they called the doctor in and demanded why it 
 had not yet abated, he quoted the words, ' A fever con- 
 tracted when the moon is in the 27th or 17th lunar 
 mansion continues for many days,' and stated that as 
 this fever had set in under the 27th mansion, it would 
 not soon be got rid of. Eajasekhara's confidence in 
 this man's word was now pretty well shaken, and he 
 called another doctor who practised in the place to see 
 Kukmini. He felt her pulse and at once pronounced it 
 to be bilious fever ; but he asserted that in thirty-six 
 hours he could make Eukmini's a constitution strong as 
 adamant. Possessing, however, a larger stock of words 
 than of drugs, he took refuge in a certain rule which 
 says that ' Abstinence from food is the supreme cure-all,' 
 and began to appoint her fasts. He declared incessantly 
 that the fever must have its course for nine days ; but 
 seeing Eukmini waste away and grow weaker and 
 weaker day by day, they paid no further attention to 
 him, but abandoned his treatment and called in the first 
 doctor again. He immediately regulated the diet and 
 began the use of medicines as before. Through the 
 efficacy of his prescriptions the disease at first gave 
 some slight indications of turning ; but it eventually 
 proved to be not one whit the less virulent. 
 
 Meanwhile Mauikyamba, actuated by love for her 
 daughter, rose one Sunday morning at four o'clock, just 
 as it was breaking day, and taking Subbama with her, 
 and starting so that they should get there before anyone
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 71 
 
 else, went herself to the Temple of Koralama * to con- 
 sult the oracle. When Manikyamba had burned incense, 
 the pariah woman in charge of the temple placed herself 
 en rapport with her patron deity, and impersonat- 
 ing Eukmini's husband, wailed out that he had 
 died like a mateless bird in an evil land, and affirmed 
 that out of love to Rukmini he had now come to take 
 her to himself. At this declaration both Manikyamba 
 and Subbama fell to weeping. After their grief had 
 somewhat abated they gave the pariah woman the cus- 
 tomary guerdon and went home. 
 
 Both at night in her dreams and by day when she 
 shut her eyes, liukmmi's husband now began to appear 
 to her. Sometimes, too, she heard him as it were 
 talking to her ; but she could not comprehend his words. 
 Now and then she would cry out in her sleep, thinking 
 that some one was seated upon her breast. 
 
 While matters were in this state Harisastri one day 
 returned in another guise, and after examining Euk- 
 mini's pulse averred that it indicated demoniacal pos- 
 session. They had the byragi apply sacred ashes and 
 administer draughts of holy water; but Eukmini did 
 not appear to derive the slightest benefit from this 
 treatment. One day there came along a mendicant 
 playing the dakka."]" In his head-cloth was stuck a 
 bunch of bird's feathers, a bundle of canes was 
 swung over his shoulder, and on his back, suspended 
 i'rom the canes, hung a huge leather bag. On Mani- 
 kyamba asking an augury, he looked into a palm-leaf 
 book decorated with lines and figures, and said that on 
 the day they went to the feast a wraith had alighted 
 from Q.JUVVI tree and taken possession of her daughter, 
 but that it would leave her if exorcied with the lamp. 
 He gave her a bit of root, and instructed her to put it in 
 
 * A village goddess. Their number is legion, and their worship very 
 common among the lower castes. 
 
 f A small double drum-like rattle. A tiny ball of earth is fastened 
 by a string to the centre, and made to strike each side in succession by 
 rapidly twirling in the hand. These mendicants are called biula 
 hudahkax, perhaps from the noise made by this instrument.
 
 72 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 a silver amulet and tie it to the fleshy part of the girl's 
 arm. Thereafter he went his way with a rupee as his 
 reward. 
 
 Manikyamba accordingly exorcised Rukmini with 
 the lamp, but no good resulted even from that. One 
 day Subbama, going into a trance, impersonated A r en- 
 katesvara, and declared that the whole thing was the 
 result of his power ; but if the mother, he said, would 
 come to the hill and worship, vowing to him her orna- 
 ments and habiliments as she stood, all would turn out 
 well. Manikyamba accordingly prostrated herself be- 
 fore the mountain god and vowed one of her jewels ; 
 but notwithstanding all this, Eukrnini's health improved 
 not a whit. 
 
 Harisastri then declared upon his honour that he 
 would cause the demon to speak through the girl, and 
 drive it out that very night. Ere the sun was yet two 
 hours high he was on hand, and, after having the porch 
 cleaned with cow-clung, drew the figure of a woman 
 the full length of the floor in coloured lines, and so 
 distorted that the bravest might well tremble at sight 
 of it. After taking a bath he shook out his jutta, and 
 plastered his face all over in one great saffron bottu. 
 He then had Rukmini bathed and placed in the midst 
 of the drawing in her wet clothes, and rubbed sacred 
 ashes upon her face and stationed men all around to 
 make kettle music. Touching her forehead with lamps 
 so bright as to dazzle the eyes, and burning incense of 
 such potency as to intoxicate even those who were well, 
 he pronounced the cabalistic letters in a voice so loud 
 as to make the children in the neighbouring houses 
 quake, and seizing a cane fell upon Rukmini with eyes 
 glaring as though about to beat her, shouting, ' Tell the 
 truth as it is !' Rukmini had already lost consciousness, 
 and was wildly gazing about her ; so she affirmed, in 
 accordance with what her mother had said after con- 
 sulting the diviner, that she was Nrusimhuswami ; that 
 his love for his wife being insatiable he had taken pos- 
 session of her; and that he would shortly take her
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 73 
 
 away with him. The sastri then rubbed something on 
 her face to counteract the intoxication, and bade those 
 who stood about carry her in as soon as she had re- 
 gained consciousness, and apply cooling lotions. These 
 directions given, Harisastri went home for the time. 
 All that day and the next Eukmini lay weak and in- 
 sensible. The next morning Harisastri again put in an 
 appearance. The spirit that had taken possession of 
 Eukmini was, he said, a stubborn one. It could be 
 exorcised only by means of the supreme 'mantra ; but 
 he would yet drive it out even though he had to call 
 into requisition the merit of all the austerities lie had 
 ever subjected himself to. He accordingly directed 
 Rajasekhara to get ready ere night nine cubits of new 
 cloth, a maund * of gki for the lamp, some flowers, six 
 cubits of hempen rope, a few nails, and a brass vessel 
 capable of holding a couple of quarts of water, and to 
 have a room with but one door cleaned with cow-dung 
 and held in readiness. Rajasekhara prepared everything 
 carefully in accordance with these directions, and sat 
 anticipating the sastri's arrival. It was after nine 
 o'clock in the evening when Harisastri returned. He 
 at once lighted a lamp in the room and placed his cus- 
 todial near it, and, after drawing in the centre of the 
 room a small design with rice-flour, seated Eukmini on 
 it and mumbled a mantra for a moment. He then by 
 a magic rite closed the four quarters of the heavens 
 that the demon might not escape, sprinkled charmed 
 water in the corners of the room, and commanded those 
 present to take Eukmini out. When they had removed 
 her he bolted the room door on the inside, but after a 
 little came out and locked the door behind him. The 
 spirit, he said, had during its lifetime gotten possession 
 of the Nrusimha-mantra and would not give in to any 
 deity whatever. By exerting his whole strength he 
 had merely succeeded in binding it so that it should not 
 leave the room. If, however, he used the griffin mantra 
 
 * Twenty-five pounds.
 
 74 
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 from the outside, it might succumb after a hard fight, but 
 in no other way was the thing possible. He at once 
 began the repetition of the griffin mantra ' May you, 
 most horribly manyled, become food for the griffin, the 
 king of birds, the destroyer of all enemies, existent in 
 the cabalistic characters Om, Khim, Kham, Ghrasi, 
 Hum, Phat.' 
 
 By the time he had twice repeated the incantation 
 there were heard from within the room blows as of one 
 person beating another. Then followed a heavy thud. 
 The blows continued distinctly audible for the space of 
 half an hour, when the noise ceased, and Harisastri, 
 affirming that the spirit had been very easily caught, 
 and that he must at once take it and blend it in the 
 Godaveri, went alone into the room, gathered up all the 
 articles it contained, and carried them off. From the 
 following day Rukmini's sickness gradually abated and 
 she began to grow rapidly better. Later, the Brahman 
 directed them to take a copper plate, draw on one side 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 16 
 
 3 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 14 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 13 
 
 of it a figure of Anjaneya and the essential letters, and 
 on the other a diagram (as here shown) containing four- 
 teen squares numbered in such a way that they should 
 amount to thirty-four however added. If this amulet 
 were tied to liukmini's neck, no manner of spirit could 
 do her any harm so long as it remained. Rajasekhara, 
 in addition to giving the sastri a length of girdle-cloth 
 for freeing his daughter from the demoniacal plague, 
 made him a donation in addition of one hundred and 
 sixteen rupees. 
 
 When the sastri brought his image box that night he 
 had in it only a few stone idols. When, after sending
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 75 
 
 everyone out, he sat quite alone in the room, he shut 
 the door, drove the nails into the middle of the mud 
 ceiling and tied the hempen rope to them, tore off a 
 small piece of the new cloth and knotted the stone 
 images in this at short intervals, dipped the cloth freely 
 in the ghi and tied it by one end to the hempen rope, 
 tilled the vessel with water on the ground directly 
 beneath it, spread the flowers neatly over the surface 
 of the water, touched the lamp to the end of the cloth, 
 and came out to await events. In two or three minutes 
 the drops of burning grease with which the cloth was 
 soaked began to drop into the water go-tap, producing 
 a sound as of blows falling upon a human body. When 
 it had burnt up to the stone images, these loosened 
 and fell into the water with a loud noise ; but owing to 
 the flowers with which the bottom of the vessel was 
 covered, it did not sound at all like the clang of brass. 
 After the cloth was quite consumed the sastri went in 
 and gathered up the soot and rubbish clean, and carried 
 away all vestiges of the deceit he had practised. 
 
 Actuated by a deeply-seated desire to acquire the 
 alchemical art, Ilajasekhara still continued his constant 
 attentions to the byragi, and courted his favour with an 
 eye open to the coming opportunity. One day while 
 the byragi was taking his ease after his morning repast, 
 llajasekhara approached and addressed him deferentially. 
 
 ' Bavaji, is there such a thing in the world as the art 
 of making gold ?' 
 
 ' There is,' replied the byragi, with a low chuckle. 
 After some further conversation liajasekhara clasped his 
 hands with supreme reverence and devotion, and asked : 
 ' Of what nature is this art ?' 
 
 Thereupon replied the byragi that ' that was the supreme 
 arcanum ; yet would he reveal it to him ;' and went on 
 to relate that in bygone ages iron was turned into gold 
 by means of the philosopher's stone, unknown in this, 
 the Iron Age ; that of old Sankaracharya * taught the art 
 
 * A disciple of Vishnu, and the originator of the Hhanmatas, or six 
 creeds, in vogue among Hindus. He stands at the head of the Vedic
 
 76 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 of transmuting metals to a toddy-drawer who made gold 
 at pleasure, and at last joining the Yogis, communicated 
 the secret to them and gave up the ghost ; that his own 
 preceptor had instructed him in this same art, but as the 
 disclosure of the necessary mantra had been incom- 
 plete, it had never proved of any use to him ; and that 
 he could now make gold by means of vegetable saps 
 only. All this as though he uttered it simply as a 
 favour to Rajasekhara. As everyone, he said, would 
 pester him to make gold, he desired that the matter be 
 kept a profound secret. Rajasekhara bound himself to 
 preserve the secret as desired, and prayed the byragi in 
 many sorts to confide to him without delay the recipe 
 for making gold. But to this the byragi objected. 
 Householders, said he, must not employ this art; if 
 they did, they would suffer loss of family. He would 
 himself, however, make gold, and give it to such as had 
 confidence in him ; but he could on no consideration 
 disclose the recipe. 
 
 Rajasekhara now conceived the notion of at least 
 having some gold made for himself, and patronized the 
 byragi with greater assiduity and reverence than ever. 
 While he was one morning sitting with the byragi, after 
 presenting him with some milk and sugar that ha had 
 brought, that worthy the workings of whose face indi- 
 cated that Rajasekhara stood high in his favour for the 
 nonce asked him to fetch two annas' weight of gold 
 and a like quantity of silver. "When he had brought 
 these, the byragi tied both together in a rag, which he 
 then proceeded to place on the coals before Raja- 
 sekhara' s astonished eyes. After allowing it to remain 
 in the fire for a moment the byragi squeezed out upon 
 it the juice of a leaf, and after waiting a little while 
 removed it with a pair of tongs, and placed in Raja- 
 sekhara's hand four annas' weight of gold. This only 
 served to render him the more eager, and he begged the 
 
 system, and is the author of a celebrated commentary on the Sutras of 
 Vyasa. He is said to have been born about A.D. 100.
 
 When he returned fan in hand, the. byragi was blowing the fire 
 through a bamboo joint' (p. 79).
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 79 
 
 byragi again and again to combine all the gold and 
 silver he had in the house and turn it into gold at a 
 stroke. He repeated this request with so much persist- 
 ency that at last the Gosain gave ear to his prayer, and 
 set him to gather together all the gold and silver in the 
 house, and fetch it to him in a bundle. In accordance 
 with this command Rajasekhara collected the jewels of 
 the household, the silver plate and the cash, tied them 
 up in a huge bundle, and brought them away to the 
 byragi so secretly that not a soul in the house knew 
 anything about the matter. The byragi immediately 
 made a fire of cow-dung cakes, and had Rajasekhara 
 place the bundle upon it with his own hands. He then 
 covered it up and sent Eajasekhara into the house to 
 bring a fan. When he returned fan in hand, the byragi 
 was blowing the fire through a bamboo joint, and the 
 bundle was plainly visible through the interstices of the 
 dung-cakes. After throwing on a few more cakes and 
 making a blaze, the byragi rose with the remark that 
 he must go and fetch some necessary roots from. Vama- 
 giri, for unless he brought them in person and expressed 
 the juice, the whole would not become gold. Until he 
 returned Rajasekhara was to pile on the fuel, keep up 
 the fire, and watch the bundle carefully. With this 
 injunction away went the byragi for the roots, and 
 though he failed to put in appearance again, Rajasekhara 
 stuck to the spot and sent men to call him. They 
 searched the whole hill, and, finding no trace of him 
 there, supposed he had gone to some more distant hill 
 for some scarce herb that he was unable to find, and 
 accordingly returned to the village with this piece of 
 information. The byragi did not return perhaps 
 because he failed to find the roots which make gold. 
 Rajasekhara waited for him a whole day, when, on 
 opening out the fire, he found in it, not gold and silver, but 
 a simple white calx. Delighted that the silver had so 
 easily been transformed into calx of gold, Rajasekhara 
 concealed ii carefully ; but, for some reason or other, 
 this substance seemed to possess neither weight nor any 
 other characteristic of the calx of gold and similar metals.
 
 So FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Rajasekhara's Poverty Death of Subbama Conduct of Friends and 
 Relatives Journey to Rajahmundry Bathing during the Eclipse. 
 
 WHEX Rajasekhara read, ' Griefs and His by the 
 hundred destroy human happiness ; but where wealth 
 is, there enters as through a wide-open door the most 
 baleful calamity,' and other slokas which teach that 
 money is the root of all evil, he often used to yield to 
 the influence which pious books exert, and long for 
 poverty. Unlike Lakshmi;* her worthy sister is ever easy 
 of access ; so, no sooner did he frame the wish than the 
 Goddess of Poverty immediately appeared and gratified 
 his desire. Yet did not poverty seem quite so sweet 
 after all as he had long anticipated. He had not now 
 the wealth to bestow in charity that he formerly pos- 
 sessed, and consequently the host of blatant flatterers 
 who had hitherto been in the habit of lauding him for 
 an Indra and a Chandra,t gradually deserted him and 
 began to curry favour with those who had become rich 
 and prosperous by his aid. Yet was Rajasekhara unable 
 to send away empty those who begged of him with out- 
 stretched palm, but denied with his hand itself what 
 he could not refuse in words, setting before those who 
 asked a meal such food as he had. (For this reason it 
 is that the happiness of the hospitable man, be he never 
 so poor, is always gauged by his poverty.) But none of 
 those seeming friends who had formerly condescended 
 to grace his feasts with their presence, now took any 
 pleasure in them. Even for these charities some means 
 was essential ; and for a time Rajasekhara obtained 
 money by pawning the brass utensils belonging to the 
 house. Thus the household furniture diminished day 
 by day, and the responsibility of guarding it grew light. 
 After things had moved on in this way for a time, nearly 
 
 * The Goddess of Wealth. 
 
 f Indra, the Hindu Jupiter ; Chandra, the regent of the moon 
 Adonis.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 81 
 
 all the movable furniture about the house became trans- 
 formed into baskets and hampers and wooden-ware. 
 Being even then unwilling to cause pain by refusing 
 anyone who begged of him, he began at the instigation 
 of the Goddess of Poverty, and in spite of the fact that 
 he had never before so much as known the word false- 
 hood, to give empty promises instead of gifts. Surely 
 there is no more potent agency than poverty in causing 
 men to commit evil ! For, though suffering thus keenly, 
 he practised a certain amount of dissimulation, and 
 endeavoured to hide his poverty from the eyes of others 
 by wearing good clothes even at the expense of a less 
 generous diet, and by giving to the poor, even though 
 he went in debt for the means. What delusion it is, I 
 know not ; but mortals the world over take much more 
 pains to make others think them happy than they take 
 to actually attain to that desirable condition. Although 
 the Scriptures paint in glowing colours the pleasures 
 and advantages accruing from poverty, and abuse wealth 
 as the root of evil, poor Eajasekhara thought each 
 moment an age while asking himself whether this 
 Goddess of Poverty would never take her departure. 
 He now began in consequence to supplicate more and 
 more that Goddess of Fortune whom he had before 
 regarded with indifference. But the more enamoured 
 he became and the more assiduously he wooed, the 
 farther did the coy goddess recede. 
 
 Just then, of all times, Subbama fell sick again. 
 Kajasekhara now got out of all patience, and rated her 
 soundly for falling sick and causing him greater expense 
 by her fasts and fooleries, her twenty baths daily, and 
 her sitting around in wet cloths, at a time when he 
 was so hard up for money. A Brahman who had come 
 seeking work, and was going away disappointed, 
 happening to be near, overheard this rencontre, and 
 telling Eajasekhara that it was useless to abuse her, 
 declared he would himself set to as a Brahman cook, 
 and that they might let her stay sick as long as she 
 pleased ; and, in fine, showed plainly that so long as he 
 
 6
 
 82 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 was there, who could surpass either Nala or Bhima in 
 the culinary art, she might even die, if she wished, for 
 all he cared. How much of truth his words contained 
 will never be known ; but at all events whether be- 
 cause there was no skilled physician available, or because 
 it was the duty of this same Brahman to superintend 
 her food and drink the disease grew worse, and 
 Subbama was one day found to be in extremis. The 
 family priest declaring the astral influence to be bad on 
 that particular day, they carried her into the street and 
 made her a bed on the ground by the side of the wall, 
 tying up a mat to shield her from the gaze of the 
 passers-by. That night, about nine o'clock, she 
 mirabile dictu passed into the other world. All the 
 members of the household held wake over the corpse 
 that night until break of day, when, though they made 
 every effort in their power from early morning, not one 
 of the Brahma ns in the village would come to their 
 assistance. Eajasekhara then started out himself, and 
 happening to find a bearer of corpses in the house of a 
 dancing-woman, acquainted him with the circumstances; 
 whereupon he fell to bargaining for the job, and, after 
 finally consenting to carry the corpse to the burning 
 ground for the small sum of sixteen rupees, rose and 
 followed Eajasekhara. 
 
 It is a fact disgraceful to the whole Brahman caste 
 that, even at the present time in the Telugu country, 
 when anyone dies in the house of a Brahman, and more 
 especially in the house of a Smarta* his relatives and 
 fellow-sectaries not only will not come and lend their 
 assistance, as in other religions, but even though one go 
 and implore them, actually make many excuses for their 
 non-attendance, and conceal their faces from view. 
 Where none will assist in this the most dreadful of all 
 calamities, what is the advantage of embracing a re- 
 ligion ? Or what harm can result from not professing 
 any ? 
 
 By the time the corpse left the house that day, it had 
 
 * The highest sect of Brahmans.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 83 
 
 gone twelve o'clock; and when they reached home 
 after performing the cremation, the sun was but two 
 hours high in the west. Then followed the sancha- 
 yana* and all the other obsequies prescribed by the 
 rubric. 
 
 Friends and relatives now ceased to visit Eajasekhara 
 as frequently as before. When they met him in the 
 street, too, they attempted to pass by as though they 
 did not see him ; and when there was no alternative but 
 to stop and talk, they cut the conversation short with 
 two or three words. Those who formerly praised him 
 to his face when he discoursed, now either manifested 
 their assent by a mere shake of the head, or began to 
 listen to his utterances with sneers. After a while both 
 the headshaking and the sneers ceased or rather passed 
 into inattentive humming and hawing ; and in course of 
 time even these died away and gave place to all 
 kinds of satirical remarks. Though both Kajasekhara 
 and his wife and children were penniless, they inwardly 
 derived no little comfort from the reflection that at least 
 they had not squandered their wealth for any evil pur- 
 pose, and were in consequence content with what little 
 they had left. There were some, however, who per- 
 ceived, and were unable to endure their happiness. 
 These envious ones came to them under the cloak of 
 friendship, and destroyed their peace by asserting that 
 this, that, and the other one was slandering them. 
 The very individuals who a thousand times before had 
 praised Itajasekhara's liberality as largess, now began to 
 condemn it for a sinful waste. Even they who had 
 formerly reaped innumerable advantages off him, began 
 now to point the finger of scorn when he passed along 
 the street, and to jocosely inform the bystanders that this 
 was a man who had squandered his whole fortune and 
 become a magnanimous vagrant. Damodarayya, even, 
 who used constantly to press him to betroth Sita to 
 his son, now affirmed in the presence of various parties 
 that he would never marry his sou to that girl. When 
 
 * Collecting the ashes and bones of a burnt corpse. 
 
 62
 
 84 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 this report reached Eajasekhara through a series of ears, 
 he one day went and asked Damodarayya if it were 
 true ; he replied curtly that he would not have the 
 ceremony performed that year. The very astrologer 
 who, in writing Subrahmanya's horoscope, had asserted 
 that in the whole world there was no one so lucky as 
 he, went to the parties who had promised their daughter 
 to the lad and made them refuse to give the child, by 
 affirming that Subrahmanya's, of all the horoscopes he 
 had ever seen, was the worst. Though suffering thus 
 keenly from want of money, Eajasekhara was unwilling 
 to borrow of others, and endured the misery of his 
 changed condition stoically. Thinking, however, that 
 he surely could not be without at least one true friend, 
 Manikyamba and Subrahrnanya approached him with 
 the supplication that he should ask a loan either of 
 Karayanamurti or some other person, and so obtain a 
 little money for Subbama's masika* Unable to deny 
 their request, he sought an opportunity and asked 
 Damodarayya, Narayanamurti, and a few others who 
 had profited by him while conducting themselves as 
 friends, for a loan. But these persons who formerly, 
 when he did not want it, had been in the habit of 
 declaring again and again, unsolicited and with 'every 
 manifestation of pleasure, that they would be only too 
 happy to let him have a loan, trust them for that ! 
 now that he really needed it, made a thousand excuses, 
 and regretted they were so short of funds. Though 
 the majority ceased coming to Eajasekhara's house, a 
 few, for a brief period, still continued to visit him. But 
 these also, through fear that he might ask a loan of 
 them, soon dwindled away, and Eajasekhara's dwelling, 
 that had previously been constantly thronged with 
 guests and filled with uproar, was left destitute of people 
 to strut and stare, and became silent as the grave. But 
 it did not Ions remain in this condition. What magic 
 
 * A monthly ceremony for a deceased relative, continued for a year 
 after the death.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 85 
 
 there was in the planting of its roof-tree,* I know not ; 
 but after a little it again became filled from morn 
 till eve with men, crowded more closely than ever, and 
 once more re-echoed to the sound of many human voices. 
 Formerly it had overflowed with persons who, thinking 
 one thing and saying another, acted with duplicity, and 
 with poor people begging food and clothing. Now it 
 was packed with straightforward individuals who had no 
 hesitation in speaking out fearlessly what was in their 
 minds, and with persons of wealth who demanded 
 authoritatively the money due them, with which to buy 
 food and clothing. Bajasekhara's goods, too, began to 
 multiply day by day in such a manner as to keep the 
 house crowded ; for, although there was not so goodly 
 an array of eatables as formerly at the morning meal, 
 yet these were still Eajasekhara's chief care ; and in his 
 nightly dreams, at least, were a thousand times more 
 abundant than ever before. While he was hedged 
 in by these troubles, the same learned Brahmans who, 
 only a short time before, had commended him for not 
 suffering Rukmini's hair to be removed, now abused him 
 right and left, and attempted moreover to frighten him 
 with threats of writing to their priest, Sri Sankara- 
 charyaswami, and having him expelled from caste 
 unless he paid their clique a gratification of one hun- 
 dred rupees. Because his home, thronged with creditors, 
 was like a wilderness ; because the village, filled with 
 magnanimous souls who mocked at him and declared 
 even his good qualities to be bad ones if he went into 
 the street, was like a great sea ; and because even death 
 itself seemed preferable to a continued but ignoble 
 existence in a place where he had so long resided 
 respectably he determined by hook or crook to pay off 
 all his debts, leave the village, and take his departure 
 to another place. Without delay he went to Eamasastri 
 and raised five hundred rupees by mortgaging his house, 
 entering into a bond to return the money in a year's 
 
 * A preliminary ceremony in building a Telugu house is the setting 
 up of a pole at a time favourable for the commencement of such work.
 
 86 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 time with interest ; or, in the event of his being unable 
 to repay the money within the period named, to make 
 over the house to Ramasastri. With four hundred 
 rupees of the money thus obtained, he wiped out all his 
 debts. From the very day following that on which he 
 gave the loan Ramasastri kept sending messages to the 
 effect that he must at once clear the house and give 
 him possession. Ever since first reading the Skanda 
 Purana* Rajasekhara had cherished a desire to go on 
 a pilgrimage to Benares. Rejoicing that his desire was 
 now, in this way, to be gratified, he determined to set 
 out with his family for the purpose of bathing in the 
 Ganges; and, after fixing a time for the journey under 
 a certain peregrinatory sign,*f* when the influence of 
 both moon and stars was favourable, he observed the 
 caution, ' On the 1st and 9th, on Saturday and Monday, 
 journey not to the east,' and obtained a cart with the 
 intention of starting at two o'clock on the afternoon of 
 Wednesday, the 13th of the light fortnight of the month 
 Palgu. Their only pilgrimages up to that time had 
 been from the bank of the Godaveri to the house, and 
 from the house to the bank of the Godaveri ; but 
 farther from home than this they had never travelled 
 before. 
 
 When Rajasekhara had brought the cart and tied it 
 at the door, he charged them again and again to get all 
 necessaries into it before the time fixed for the start 
 went by. Manikyamba at once began bustling about, 
 and packed the bandy full of lime baskets, hampers, and 
 palm-leaf buckets, at the same time heaping in the 
 street-door enough to fill a second cart. All the brass 
 vessels and clothes-boxes which were to go in the bandy 
 
 * The second of the eighteen principal pvranas. 
 
 f Hindu astrology divides the zodiac (which corresponds exactly to 
 that known by us) into three equal parts of four signs each (kandayax) 
 w ! th reference to their supposed influences, as Aries, Cancer, Libra, 
 atid Capricornus, the signs auspicious for movements, journeyings, etc. ; 
 Leo, Taurus, Scorpio, and Aquila, those auspicious to stationary actions 
 or employments ; and Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, the four 
 auspicious to both classes.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 87 
 
 were as yet inside. Thereupon Rajasekhara came up, 
 had the hampers and other rubbish taken out of the 
 cart, and began to distribute them among the poor people, 
 who, hearing they were going away, had come to see 
 them off. The worthy Brahmans of the neighbourhood 
 had not, up to that moment, so much as set foot out- 
 side their doors ; but no sooner did they hear it reported 
 that Rajasekhara was giving away his furniture than 
 up they came, running with the speed of the wind. To 
 those who were importuning her, Manikyamba dis- 
 tributed the baskets and other articles which had been 
 placed on the ground because there was no room for 
 them in the bandy. The boxes and brass utensils were 
 next hoisted into the cart. Articles of furniture which 
 formerly could not be stowed in half-a-dozen bandies, 
 were now easily packed in one and even then left 
 room enough for several persons to sit. Notwithstand- 
 ing the fact that Rajasekhara was in such a hurry, 
 Manikyamba went off' to bid good-bye to one or two 
 neighbouring women who were her intimate friends, 
 and dallied away not less than two whole hours. Raja- 
 sekhara, having in the meantime had the bedsteads 
 tied upon the top of the cart and the children snugly 
 stowed inside, now got angry. At this Manikyamba 
 came and took her seat in the bandy ; and the lean 
 bullocks, which had been frugally dieted on a modicum 
 of dry straw, with as much water as they cared to drink, 
 ever since coming into the possession of the then owner, 
 began slowly to draw the cart. Directly at their heels 
 walked the handyman, who, though a perfect miser as 
 far as feed was concerned, began to exhibit great liber- 
 ality in dealing out blows. The very poor low-caste 
 people who had so often received alms from Rajasekhara 
 accompanied them to the outskirts of the village, where, 
 showering blessings upon the travellers, they turned 
 sorrowfully back. The cartman, whether from eating 
 opium, from drinking, from natural sleepy-headedness, or 
 from all these combined, staggered and reeled along the 
 road until, mounting the tongue of his cart, he seated
 
 88 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 himself comfortably, and smoked a number of old half- 
 consumed cheroots in such quick succession as to cover 
 the sky with tiny clouds and supply those seated in the 
 bandy with all the fragrance they could desire. Then 
 he leaned back upon the boxes and dropped off to 
 sleep as unconcerned as you please. The bandy barely 
 seemed to creep, and in the meantime night fell. When, 
 after a little, Rajasekhara peeped out, he could dis- 
 cover no evidence whatever that the cart was moving. 
 Then he undertook to awaken the cartman, who was 
 sleeping like Kumbha-karna.* Shouts had no effect 
 whatever ; and as for hitting him upon the bare feet, 
 that only served to make the sleeper draw these 
 appendages up, give vent to a groan, and turn over 
 upon the other side. When with great difficulty they 
 succeeded in rousing him, and got out to ascertain where 
 they were, they discovered that the cart had left the road 
 and was stuck fast in a field knee-deep in mud. All 
 alighted, and by exerting their united strength suc- 
 ceeded in an hour's time in lifting the cart out of the 
 mire and dragging it to the road. But so far were the 
 poor bullocks from being in a fit condition to draw the 
 cart, that it was actually necessary for some one to assist 
 them along. So, as a return for the trouble they had 
 taken in pulling the bandy until night, it now, being 
 dark, fell to the lot of the riders themselves to perform 
 that duty. All were heartily glad that this misfortune 
 had befallen them at night rather than by day, for the 
 clothes of the whole party were ornamented with mud 
 flowers of all sizes and designs. Fortunately for them 
 there were no spectators of their plight ; had there 
 been, they would have enjoyed no little sport. The 
 cartman was a perfect Hercules, and with Eajasekhara's 
 aid easily drew the cart. Behind came Subrahmanya 
 leading the bullocks and women. Even had they gone 
 
 * The younger brother of Havana, the sovereign of Lanka, or 
 Ceylon, who carried off the wife of Rama. He seems to have been the 
 sleeping Joe of the rabJuueu, slumbering for six months of the year. 
 His name signifies 'the pot-eared.'
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 89 
 
 afoot, they should have reached Rajahmundry in three 
 hours ; but as it was necessary for them to drag the cart 
 into the bargain, they did not reach the house of Rama- 
 murti, Rajasekhara's uncle's son, until twelve o'clock 
 that night. All in the house were then fast asleep, con- 
 sequently there was no one to open the door imme- 
 diately on the noisy arrival of the bandy. After they 
 had shouted awhile at the door, however, some one who 
 lay in the porch rose and opened it. As soon as 
 Rajasekhara's voice v/as heard, Ramamurti came out of 
 the room in which he slept, embraced his brother,* and 
 explained that they had expected them long before, 
 and sat up waiting for them, but when nine o'clock 
 even failed to bring them, they concluded that they had 
 not started that day, and had taken their evening meal 
 and just gone to rest ; and what, he wanted to know, 
 was the cause of their being so late ? Giving as the 
 reason for their tardy arrival only the explanation that 
 their clothes and legs covered with mud to the very 
 knee already divulged so plainly as to preclude any 
 necessity on their part for repeating it, Rajasekhara 
 withheld the one fact of their having drawn the bandy 
 themselves. But when he handed the cartman the cart- 
 hire due him, and told him to go, the fellow replied that 
 he had had a very hard time of it, and that it was diffi- 
 cult to find a better pair of bullocks than his anywhere. 
 In fine, after eulogizing his bullocks and himself at 
 great length, he urged that he ought to receive a pre- 
 sent. Rajasekhara, fearful that if allowed to talk longer 
 he would divulge the fact that they had drawn the 
 bandy, gave him a present in addition to his regular 
 fare, and dismissed him as soon as all the things were 
 out of the cart. Married women are prohibited from 
 seeing others of their sex who have lost their husbands, 
 immediately after dinner. Besides, that day was unlucky ; 
 so a widow, after first bidding all the reputablet women 
 
 * Cousins are, among the Hindus, regarded as brothers and sisters. 
 This does not, however, preclude marriage alliances between them, 
 f Married women only are called by this term. It is considered by
 
 90 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 go into another room and close the door, brought Kuk- 
 mini in, and directing her into a separate apartment, 
 shut the door tight. The females of the household then 
 came out and conducted Manikyamba and the others to 
 the west room, where, after the weeping and wailing 
 over Kukmini's misfortune had ceased, they served up 
 the meal that had already been prepared and kept in 
 readiness, placing some dry-boiled rice before Eajase- 
 khara. By the time the meal was completed it had 
 gone three o'clock, when all retired to rest, and enjoyed 
 a sound sleep. 
 
 Eajasekhara kept close indoors at Ramamurti's for 
 several days. One day, however, he took the boat to 
 Kovuru, and there saw the place where of old Gautama 
 did penance, and the spot where fell the fictitious cow,* 
 bathed at the shrine Gopada, and returned home at 
 night. On another day he went to bathe at the Koti- 
 linga-f- shrine,'and there heard from a sastrithe ancient 
 story of Anjaneya carrying off a llnga, and leaving it in 
 KasiJ through which that city became celebrated. On 
 
 the Hindus a disreputable thing for any woman to be unmarried or a 
 widow. The only unmarried women in India of marriageable age are 
 courtesans and native Christian girls. 
 
 * ' The fictitious cow.' The story is as follows : While Gautama, 
 the hermit god, dwelt on the south bank of the Godaveri, and did 
 penance at the shrine Kovuru, there came a twelve years' famine, and 
 all the rishis flocked to him for refuge. Thereupon it came to pass 
 that every day when he went out for his bath, etc., Gautama took a 
 handful of paddy, sowed it in the sand of the Godaveri, and watered it. 
 This, by the time he returned, was in full head, and ready to reap. On 
 the food thus provided all the rishis subsisted. After the famine 
 abated, these worthies, on taking their departure, demanded that 
 Gautama should accompany them, and, on his refusing to comply with 
 their request, fabricated a cow, which daily destroyed the green crop 
 in Gautama's field. One day Gautama frightened it off with his stick, 
 whereupon the cow and her calf fell dead. The rishis now charged 
 Gautama with cow-murder (a most heinous sin in the eyes of an 
 orthodox Hindu), and condemned him to expiate his crime by perform- 
 ing chandrayana i.e., by increasing the amount of his food one 
 mouthful per day during the light, and diminishing it in like manner 
 during the dark, half of the month. 
 
 f ' Linga,' a cylindrical oblong stone worshipped as the emblem 
 of Siva. Kotilinga shrine means the shrine of ' the ten million 
 lingas.' 
 
 Kasi, the modern Benares.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 91 
 
 yet another day he visited the fort of Rajarajanarendra,* 
 and saw therein the spot where of old stood Chitrangi's 
 castle, and that where Sarangadhara flew his doves. 
 From the bystanders he heard also the story of how, of 
 old, Amma Varu appeared to Rajarajanarendra and in- 
 formed him that for whatever distance he might walk 
 without looking back, the ground should become a fort ; 
 how, after walking straight forward for some distance, 
 he heard a loud noise behind, and being unable longer 
 to control his curiosity, looked back ; and how a fort 
 nearly surrounded by a gold wall immediately arose 
 with other tales of like nature. He then set out to 
 visit the place where Sarangadhara's feet and hands 
 were cut off; and, arrived at the hill, saw there beneath 
 a lime-tree the stone slab on which the amputation was 
 performed, observed that the whole of the surrounding 
 landscape was bare, and entirely destitute of even so 
 much as a blade of grass, and had a look also at the lake 
 near by to which the arahat carried Sarangadhara and 
 bathed him in its waters. 
 
 While in Eajahmundry Eajasekhara also made good 
 use of his time in observing the habits of the people 
 with a view to ascertaining whether there existed any 
 diversity of manners between the townsfolk and the 
 people who lived in the country. He began thus to 
 acquire to a considerable degree true knowledge of the 
 world. In that town they who displayed bracelets and 
 rings, even though obtained by borrowing, and wore 
 rich clothes, though brought on hire from the washer- 
 man's, were counted worthy of the highest respect. 
 They were regarded as the most learned pandits who, 
 though absolutely devoid of native ability, exhibited 
 fine rings in their ears and wrapped huge shawls about 
 their heads. All frequented the houses of the wealthy 
 and eulogized their hosts as being superlatively religious 
 and pre-eminently pious, though they had never once 
 seen the interior of a temple in their lives, nor so much 
 as breathed the Creator's name in their dreams. 
 
 * Kajarajanarenda, an ancient king ; Chitrangi, his wife ; Saran- 
 gadhara, his son. Anuna Varu, the maha wkti, or Power of Evil.
 
 92 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 As for genuine scholars and poets, their mouths and 
 stomachs were always surfeited with slokas and verses ; 
 but, since their possessors were unable to make any 
 external show, were seldom or never filled with food. 
 No matter though they thrust themselves into a dozen 
 rope-dancers' houses in a day, those who went about in 
 scant breech-clothes, and with juttus knotted at the end 
 as though they had bathed and performed their daily 
 devotions, were eulogized for respectable men. In a 
 word, though in. secret a man committed a lac of evil 
 deeds, granted only that he was irreproachable in the 
 one point of external hypocrisy those who were fully 
 cognizant of the baseness of his conduct treated him, 
 even in company, with greater politeness than they 
 showed those who were of spotless reputation. How 
 abominable soever their conduct was as regards right- 
 eousness, in the one matter of creed at least they were 
 outwardly most pious. Individuals who were unable to 
 build even so much as a wretched hut for a bosom friend 
 who was suffering for want of standing shelter, expended 
 thousands in the construction of temples for the use of 
 stone images. Rajasekhara counted no less than one 
 hundred and twenty-three temples which had fallen 
 into ruins because deprived of incomes by the death of 
 the builders ; and then surmised that probably as many 
 as ten million lingas into the bargain lay buried in the 
 debris of temples which at some time in the past had 
 crumbled to dust in this way. Except harlots, not a 
 woman in the place could read a word. The education 
 such women obtained served only to increase adultery, 
 entangle men in their net, and bring ruin upon the town ; 
 but assisted not a whit the increase of learning, or cor- 
 rection of immorality. 
 
 Rajasekhara had proposed remaining there until the 
 7th, and then starting for Benares ; but Ramamurti 
 importuned him so strongly to tarry until the New Year 
 that he could not refuse. In the month Palgu, on the 
 day of new moon, there occurred a total eclipse of the 
 sun. At the moment of seizure all the people bathed
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 93 
 
 in the Godaveri, and poured out libations* to their 
 ancestors. Some, for merit, offered prayers to the nine 
 planets, and made gifts of the nine kinds of grainf to 
 Brahmans. A number of ritualists and old women began 
 to wail with tears that it was all over with the sun. 
 Those who considered themselves the wisest of this lot 
 repeated 'mantras to drive away the demon that had 
 seized upon the sun. Others, wiser even than these, 
 knowing that it was a sin to have undigested food in 
 the stomach at the time of an eclipse, fasted for at least 
 nine hours before that event. All put darbha-gr&ss in 
 such dishes as contained food. The older ones, thinking 
 that if pregnant women appeared out of doors on such 
 an occasion they would give birth to deformed children, 
 locked such females up in a room and bade them not 
 stir hand or foot. Others again, obtaining possession of 
 mantras by feeing those who called themselves mantri- 
 cians, were repeating their orisons in water breast-deep 
 in order the more easily to succeed in their object. Some 
 simpletons who supposed herbs to possess peculiar effi- 
 cacy at the time of an eclipse, were waving lamps and 
 incense to the trees, and pulling roots, stark naked, and 
 with juttus flowing. Holy Brahmans, asserting that 
 charity performed at such a time was specially meri- 
 torious, stood in the stream knee-deep with cloths tied 
 up so as not to get them wet, and bestowed water- alms 
 upon fools and women. 
 
 Rajasekhara also bathed in accordance with the an- 
 cient custom ; but he considered all who performed 
 such acts as the above mere fools, and entered into a 
 discussion with the pandits of the place on the subject 
 of eclipses. While he held to his belief in the Jyoti- 
 sastra.l he discredited the puranas only when these 
 
 * Of water poured from the hand. 
 
 f The nine kinds of grain proper to be presented with burnt offerings, 
 oblations, etc., and to the gods and nine planets, one to each : (1) 
 wheat, to the sun ; (2) paddy, to the moon ; (3) a kind of lentil, to 
 Mars ; (4) pulse, to Mercury ; (5) Bengal gram, to Jupiter ; (6) beans, 
 to Venus; (7) sesamum, to Saturn ; (8) a kind of pulse Pkcutohu 
 munrjo to Rahu ; (9) gram, to Ketu. 
 
 The Hindu astronomy, the two principal treatises of which are 
 named below.
 
 94 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 were directly antagonistic to it. Quoting that sloka 
 from the Sidhanta-Siromani, which says, ' The moon, 
 moving like a cloud in a loiuer sphere, overtakes the 
 sun (by reason of its quicker motion), and obscures its 
 shining disc by its own dark body ;' and that from the 
 Surya-Sidhanta, which says, ' The moon being like a 
 cloud in a lower sphere covers the sun (in a solar 
 eclipse) ; but in a lunar one the moon, moving east- 
 ^uard, enters the earth's shadoiu, and (therefore) the 
 shadow obscures her disc,'* he argued at great length 
 that when the sun is above the earth, granted the 
 moon, owing to its higher rate of speed, to come be- 
 tween in a line with these two bodies, an eclipse of the 
 sun must occur, and that this phenomenon is not caused 
 by Eahu -f swallowing it ; that if what the puranists 
 asserted were the cause of eclipses, we should be 
 powerless to ascertain the intentions of Eahu and Ketu, 
 and so could not foretell the time of an eclipse ; that 
 there would then be no reason in solar eclipses occur- 
 ring at the time of new, and lunar eclipses at that of 
 full moon only ; that everyone knew that Eahu and 
 Ketu had never appeared in the heavens ; and, were 
 they really of such size as to admit of their swallowing 
 the sun and moon, how was it they never showed them- 
 selves at the time of an eclipse ? and even granting 
 that Eahu swallowed the sun or moon, there was no 
 satisfactory reason for an eclipse being visible in one 
 country and not in another, as the panchanga showed 
 was the case. No suitable answer to these arguments 
 suggested itself to any of the pandits present ; never- 
 theless, they shouted tremendously. As for the spec- 
 tators, they understood not a word of the discussion, 
 
 * Translation of Asiatic Society of Bengal from the Sanskrit. 
 
 f Rahu, the moon's ascending node, regarded by the Hindus as one 
 of the nine planets, in the form of a monstrous serpent or dragon. 
 Ketu, the moon's descending node, or cauda draconis, the red serpent 
 into which the trunk of Asura Sainhikeya, severed from the head 
 (Rahu, caput draconis, as above) at the churning of the sea of milk, 
 was changed, and which, with Rahu, is said to swallow the sun and 
 moon for betraying them.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 95 
 
 and, in consequence, applauded as best men those who 
 bore the title sastri, because they brayed the loudest, 
 and sneered at Eajasekhara's arguments as Buddhistical. 
 Than the pleasure necessarily consequent on jeering at 
 another, they possessed no higher enjoyment; so the 
 choicest of this lot of ignoramuses, who knew not even 
 so much as the smell of learning, made all sorts of sport 
 of Eajasekhara, and enjoyed to the utmost all the 
 amusement they could derive from the occasion. 
 
 In the meantime the termination of the eclipse ap- 
 proached, and all rushed to take the release-bath. The 
 females, after bathing, had gone on ahead and done the 
 cooking ; so, when all danger to the sun was quite past, 
 the others followed suit, and ate their first meal that 
 day by lamp-light. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The New Year Rajasekhara's Journey A Rajah is Sunstruck in the 
 Vicinity of Rajanagara They meet a Yoyi near the Black Lake 
 And are attacked by Highwaymen Rukmini's Death. 
 
 AFTER daylight on New Year's day * Eamamurti called 
 a barber and had him anoint Eajasekhara and Subrah- 
 manya. The anointing and bathing of the male mem- 
 bers of the household at an end, all the females followed 
 suit. Then all, in accordance with the national custom, 
 partook of margosa flowers and bits of green mango 
 with sauce of fresh tamarinds, dined at mid-day on 
 pastries, and observed the day as a feast-day. Instead of 
 getting all the enjoyment possible out of a holiday, as they 
 should do, the people of this country dine at a late 
 hour, and harass their bodies more severely than at 
 other times. After the raid-day heat had somewhat 
 abated Eamamurti took Eajasekhara along and proceeded 
 to the temple of Venugopalaswami to hear the new 
 panchanga read. Already the astrologer had placed 
 before him in a platter some unbroken rice coloured 
 
 * In the month Chetra, April May.
 
 96 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 with saffron, and, as they entered, was reading the 
 sloka : ' Worthy of audience is the estimable panchanga, 
 the bestower of universal blessing on mortals, the de- 
 stroyer of enemies, the deliverer from the guilt of evil 
 dreams, the conferrer of benefit equal to that accru- 
 ing from a bath in Ganga or the gift of a cow, the pro- 
 longer of life, the most excellent, the most pure, the giver 
 of offspring and joy and wealth, the most potent factor 
 in the performance of any deed.' He expatiated on the 
 perfection of the Samkranti personage,* announced the 
 outcome of the year, foretold the increase or decrease of 
 paddy and other crops, of scorpions and other venomous 
 reptiles ; and when the people did not know their 
 natal, ascertained their nominal stars, and revealed to 
 them the numbers of their handayas f and their gains 
 and losses for the coining year. The ryots and others 
 present took wise precautions against the presence of 
 cyphers in their Tcandayas by slipping something into 
 the astrologer's hand. 
 
 ' Astrologer,' said Eamamurti after the reading of 
 the panchanga, 'how many years have elapsed from the 
 commencement of the Kaliyuga J to the present time ?' 
 
 'It is now,' replied the astrologer '4719 years since 
 the commencement of the Kaliyuga, 1541 from that of 
 the Salivahana era, and 1676 of the Yikramarkian.' 
 
 'From, the signs of the times," asked Eamamurti, 
 ' can you tell how much longer our country is to con- 
 tinue under the dominion of barbarians ?' 
 
 * i.e., the Sun. 
 
 t The year is divided into three astrological periods of four months 
 each, called kandayas. Each month of each kandaya is associated 
 with one of the twenty-seven lunar mansions, and is productive of gain 
 or loss according as the influence of the asterism is good or evil. The 
 months and asterisms corresponding to them are represented by 
 numbers determined by means of the panchanga. Even numbers 
 denote full, odd numbers half, profits ; cyphers denote loss. 
 
 Hindu chronology divides all time into four ages or yur/as the 
 Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. These comprise 1,728,000, 1,296,000, 
 864,000, and 432,000 years respectively, and correspond to the golden, 
 silver, brazen, and iron ages. Brown defines the Kaliyuga as ' modern 
 times beginning from the deluge. ' 
 
 1618-19 A.D., the date of our story.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 97 
 
 ' The rule of the Mohammedans will be supreme in the 
 land for five hundred years,' replied the astrologer ; ' then 
 there will arise a ruler of the lineage of Pusapati with 
 a tail the size of a margosa berry.* He will conquer 
 the whole earth from Bainnad to the Himalayas.' 
 
 It being now evening, they tied up the panchanga, 
 and proceeded to their homes. 
 
 Eajasekhara had decided to set out on his pilgrimage 
 to Kasi on the 2nd ; and, in spite of the repeated re- 
 monstrances of the whole household, had in Piduparti 
 Ramasastri, the astrologer who had read the panchanga 
 in the temple, to fix a time for the journey. After a 
 careful scrutiny of the date and diurnal stars, he decided 
 that nine seconds past eight o'clock that very night 
 was a favourable time at which to set out on the pil- 
 grimage. Thinking the hour an undesirable one for 
 commencing a journey with one's family, Eajasekhara 
 placed a cloth, in which was wrapped a book, in a 
 neighbouring house, postponed their exodus, and deter- 
 mined to start as soon as it was day. Seeing Ramamurti 
 about to send a message for a bandy, he declared that 
 that would never do ; for, should they go by bandy, no 
 merit would accrue from the pilgrimage. He thereupon 
 declared his purpose to go afoot. That night Rama- 
 murti presented them all with new cloths ; and, rising 
 just at break of day, ere the others were astir, held him- 
 self in readiness against the time of their setting out. 
 Charging him to keep them safely until their return, 
 Rajasekhara handed over to him the utensils, bedsteads, 
 and clothes-boxes which he had brought from Dhava- 
 lesvaram, retaining only such articles as they would have 
 special need of on the way. When Manikyamba and 
 the others were about to depart, Ramamurti's wife 
 accompanied them as far as the street, where, recollect- 
 ing that they were undertaking a journey to a far 
 country, she began to weep. After taking leave of all 
 at the door they waited for a single Brahman who was 
 coming up the street to pass, and, perceiving a married 
 
 * The family title and tradition of the Maharajaha cf Vizianagram. 
 
 7
 
 98 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 woman approaching just beyond, took the road on the 
 strength of this good omen,* and began their long 
 walk. Eamamurti saw them to the outskirts of the 
 village, where, after cautioning them that they were 
 going a long journey and must proceed cannily, he 
 turned back and went home. Rajasekhara, pointing 
 out to his wife and children the trees and other objects 
 of interest by the roadside, went his way with a light 
 heart. 
 
 ' Do you see,' said he, ' how yon marri-tiee is covered 
 with buds from top to bottom, and how charming it 
 looks with its clusters of coral-red berries ?' 
 
 'Yes, yes,' replied Subrahmanya, 'but the young 
 mango just at its foot is more wonderful in its mauve 
 silk dress of newly-expanded leaves. And see ! on the 
 tip-top branch sits a black cuckoo, ravishing the ear 
 with its melodious note !' 
 
 ' Papa,' cried Eukmiui, ' do look how that beautiful 
 parrot is swinging head downwards from a branch and 
 pecking a green guava to bits with its beak.' 
 
 ' Oh, brother, won't you get that green mango for 
 me ?' chimed in Sita. 
 
 ' There are half-ripe ones under the tree that the 
 parrots have knocked off; take one of them, dear/ 
 
 Away danced Sita and brought four or five of the 
 unripe mangoes, which, on biting and trying, she de- 
 clared cracking her armpits by way of emphasis were 
 as sweet as sugar. 
 
 ' I just had a whiff of jasmine blossoms from some- 
 where,' said Manikyamba. 
 
 At that moment Subrahmanya shouted, ' Oh, mother, 
 come quick ! Look, there is a wild jasmine growing on 
 that pogada-tree. It's covered with basketfuls of 
 white blossoms ! Water it as often as we like, the 
 jasmine we have at home never blooms like this.' 
 
 * Some auguries favourable to a journey are : music of kettledrum 
 or conch, good wishes, ripe and green fruit, flowers, a married woman, 
 a dancing woman, a virgin, white boiled rice, an elephant, a bull, milk, 
 curds, fish, a toddy kavadi, saffron.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 99 
 
 ' And how sweet the scent of the pogada blossoms is, 
 too,' said Manikyamba. 
 
 ' And though the sun is now five hours high,' ob- 
 served Subrahinanya, ' how cool the wind blows ! Do 
 we ever have the wind so cool as this at home in 
 summer ?' 
 
 1 How incapable we are,' moralized Rajasekhara, ' of 
 appreciating and adoring the greatness of God, who, 
 with unmerited kindness, has created such beautiful 
 things to afford delight to every sense, and bestowed 
 them for the free enjoyment and happiness of travellers ! 
 When we constantly remained close at home, we knew 
 nothing whatever of such delights as these ; and yet we 
 piqued ourselves on being happier than all the rest of 
 the world. How fortunate are the uncivilized wan- 
 derers of the wilderness who, living their whole lives 
 amid such scenes, enjoy pleasures which have as their 
 source the goodness of that Great Spirit who is kinsman 
 to the lowly ! Ah, truly we never found the summer so 
 agreeable as this in town !' 
 
 ' Mamma,' interrupted Sita, ' I can't walk any 
 farther. Take me up.' 
 
 ' Come on as far as those trees I'll take you up 
 then. Rukmini, why are you falling behind ? Walk a 
 little faster,' cried Manikyamba. 
 
 ' I'm not accustomed to it, and my feet are blistered. 
 I'm not able to walk a step faster,' replied she. 
 
 ' I asked a herdsman, and he said it was but a couple 
 of miles to the next village. It is now nearly mid-day. 
 You must do your best to walk a little faster somehow 
 or other,' said Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' Fm carrying Sita,' replied Manikyamba ; ' she's 
 crying of hunger. At a little distance there on the 
 right-hand side I hear a sound like men's voices. Per- 
 haps it's a village. Shall we stop there till afternoon ?' 
 
 ' There are some men running in a great hurry,' 
 replied Rajasekhara ; ' maybe some accident has hap- 
 pened to one of their number. Come, let us go faster.' 
 
 They increased their pace and soon neared the spot 
 
 7-2
 
 ioo FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 from which the shouts proceeded. All at once several 
 persons burst out of a close-packed crowd of men at a 
 little distance to the south of the highway, and came 
 running towards them shouting, ' Some buttermilk to 
 purify it !' Eajasekhara stopped and asked them what 
 the noise was about. One of the number, a shepherd, 
 replied that ' A Eajah had fainted under a raw-tree 
 from sunstroke.' 
 
 ' Couldn't you pour a little water down his throat ?' 
 asked Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' At first we were agoing to give him water ; but we're 
 Sudras, and so the Rajah refused it because he said he 
 wouldn't take water from us to drink. But he wasn't 
 able to stand the terrible thirst, and soon consented to 
 drink the water. But just then the leader of our crowd 
 came up, and said that if we poured water into the 
 mouth of a Rajah 'twould be committing a sin, and sent 
 us to bring some buttermilk to purify the water. Our 
 village is about half a mile from here. You look like 
 Brahmans ; if you have any good water by you, go quick 
 and pour a few drops down his throat and get the merit 
 yourselves.' 
 
 As soon as Rajasekhara heard these words he seized 
 the vessel of drinking-water which Rukmini had in 
 her hand, and running to the tree made his way into 
 the midst of the group. Here he found a man lying 
 upon the bare ground in the shade of the tree, pointing 
 to his mouth and making signs for water with his hand. 
 ' The Rajah's dying from sheer obstinacy. I don't care 
 what harm it does, I'll give him some water and save 
 his life,' one of the crowd was saying as he drew near 
 with a wooden drinking-cup in his hand. But an old 
 man interposed : ' We're now living the life of Sudras 
 for the very reason that heretofore in a former birth we 
 committed, it's hard to say how many, sins of this sort ; 
 and must you commit the additional sin of making this 
 Rajah here an outcast ? Take my advice and don't give 
 him the water,' remonstrated he, seizing upon and stay- 
 ing the other's hand. By this time the Rajah's eyes were
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL, 101 
 
 rolling wildly, and with an attempt to raise his hand to 
 his mouth he fell prostrate in a convulsion. Rajasekhara 
 at once went to him and first moistened his parched lips 
 with the water, and then poured a small quantity into 
 his mouth, which after a few moments the sufferer began 
 to swallow feebly. Rajasekhara then took some water 
 in his hand and dashed it in his face ; and, after swallow- 
 ing a little more, the prostrate man opened his eyes and 
 looked around, and turned over on his other side. After 
 lying in this position for a short time he sat up much 
 revived, and lavished many namaskaras* of deep grati- 
 tude upon Rajasekhara for saving his life. The men 
 who had run to the village now returned with some 
 fruit and buttermilk, which they gave him. After dis- 
 posing of the fruit and taking a drinkf he felt better, 
 and all the bystanders took their departure. In the 
 meantime Manikyamba and her companions had been 
 sitting in the shade of a tree alleviating in some degree 
 the weariness resulting from their long walk. Rajase- 
 khara was very much exhausted, but hearing there 
 was not a single village in the vicinity, he determined 
 to get to Rajanagara somehow or other that day, and 
 directing all the members of his family to rise, he again 
 took the road, conversing with the Rajah. 
 
 ' Rajah, what is your name ? Where is your place 
 of residence ? And how did you come here alone ?' 
 
 ' My name,' replied his companion, ' is Ramarajah ; 
 our place of residence is Kattamuru in the vicinity of 
 Peddapuram. We have four yoke J of land under culti- 
 vation there. I went some ten days ago to see our 
 relatives, who live in Rajahmundry, and yesterday at 
 daybreak set out on my return ; but as I was coming 
 along an enormous tiger suddenly confronted me in the 
 road. Wrapping my thick mantle about my left arm as 
 
 * An obeisance made by bowing to the earth with joined hands. 
 
 f Caste rules forbid a high-caste man taking water from the hands 
 of a low-caste man. But he may take fruit and buttermilk without 
 committing a misdemeanour. 
 
 + A bovate or yoke of land is that quantity of land which may be 
 worked with a single yoke of oxen or bullocks.
 
 J02 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 quickly as I could, I thrust it into the tiger's mouth and 
 stabbed the brute with the knife in my right hand. 
 The tiger was of immense strength, so without paying 
 the least attention to my thrust, he dragged me a 
 long distance into the jungle, flooding his whole path 
 with streams of blood. In the meantime I hadn't been 
 idle, but continued to stab him again and again with my 
 knife, until the beast, unable to walk farther, fell to the 
 ground beneath a tree. I dropped the knife from my 
 right hand, and at last succeeded in forcing open its 
 jaws and freeing my left arm. Just then a royal tiger, 
 more powerful than the first one, leapt upon me from a 
 thicket close at hand. By the blessing of God, how- 
 ever, it missed its aim a little and tumbled into a small 
 pit at my side. As there was no time to secure my 
 knife, I at once crawled up the tree, and by the time the 
 tiger was ready for another spring, reached the top 
 branch, where I perched. That tiger, do you know, 
 never budged an inch, but took his seat and sat 
 down directly beneath the tree. There he stayed 
 until full ten o'clock this morning, when he at 
 last got tired and moved off. I had been on 
 the branch of that tree from early morning yesterday 
 without sleep or food; so the moment the tiger was 
 gone I crept softly down, secured my knife, and set out 
 with it in my hand. All day yesterday I suffered ter- 
 rible torture from the sun. My tongue clung to my 
 mouth, and my legs lost all power of motion. But in 
 some way I managed to drag my body along to this 
 tree, where I fell. See, I have two wounds on my arm 
 alone,' said he, baring that member. Then he drew 
 forth from a sheath resembling a walking staff a knife, 
 which he exhibited. This Eajasekhara took and ex- 
 amined with many exclamations of astonishment at the 
 daring deed he had performed. 
 
 ' You have to-day,' proceeded Eamarajah, ' restored to 
 me the life I lost. Though I should lay down that life 
 .for you, it would not free me from the obligation I am 
 under to you for the service you have rendered me.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 103 
 
 Please be so good as to receive my naniaskaras as 
 an expression of my heartfelt thankfulness. How 
 deeply I regret that while Fortune enables others to 
 show their gratitude in gifts of money and by like acts, 
 she forces me, who am at present poor, to express mine 
 by mere empty words and that, too, to so great a 
 benefactor as yourself ! But should you ever stand in 
 need of any kindness that lies in my power to show, I 
 am ready to do it and that, too, without regard even 
 for my life. Where do you go now ?' 
 
 ' We are off on a pilgrimage to Kasi.' 
 
 ' This hot season is not at all a good time for so long 
 a journey. You will certainly be sunstruck by the way 
 in this heat. Besides, the whole road is infested with 
 robbers. Have you any relatives in Eajahmundry ? Or 
 perhaps that is where you live ?' 
 
 ' Do you know Koteti Eamamurti? He is my uncle's 
 son it was after a fifteen days' stay at his house that I 
 set out. Our native place is Dhavalesvaram.' 
 
 ' What is your name, and what are all these to you V 
 
 ' My name is Kajasekhara ; he is my son ; these two 
 girls are my daughters, while she is my wife.' 
 
 ' What's your reason for starting on a pilgrimage in 
 such hot weather as this ? From your manner T should 
 take you to be people who have enjoyed considerable 
 prosperity.' 
 
 ' I was once a wealthy man, it is true ; but I squan- 
 dered all the wealth I possessed in gratuities at my 
 daughter's wedding, and in gifts to knaves who plied 
 their flatteries to my face became thus reduced to 
 poverty, and at length set out on this pilgrimage. I 
 always swallowed their flatteries and was satisfied ; they 
 swallowed my money and were more than satisfied. At 
 last a byragi, on the pretence of converting it into gold, 
 absconded with all my gold and silver leaving me 
 only so much ashes and made me a beggar in very 
 truth.' 
 
 ' You are not people who were ever in the habit of 
 making journeys to distant countries before. Take my
 
 104 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 advice and tarry in Bhimavaram, at least until summer- 
 is over. That is a great and justly celebrated shrine. 
 Near the Bhima river stands the temple of Bhimesvara- 
 swami. The town is only two miles distant from 
 Peddapuram. Krishna Gajapati Maharajah, who rules 
 Peddapuram, is immensely rich ; he goes about incognito 
 devising means for bettering the condition of his people. 
 A relative of ours has a capital situation with him. 
 Were you in Bhimavaram, I'd speak a word to him and 
 get you a situation when a chance offered.' 
 
 Rajasekhara was a good fellow ; so he said for the 
 present that he would consider the matter after reaching 
 Peddapuram. But in view of his would-be benefactor's 
 then condition he did not entertain the least hope that 
 he could secure him a position. By the time this con- 
 versation came to an end, they were near the village. 
 
 'How far is the village from those trees?' asked 
 Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' We are quite near the village. Those trees are on 
 the bank of the tank. The choultry is directly opposite 
 the tank.' 
 
 ' Won't you take dinner with us to-day ?' 
 
 ' I have relatives in the village ; I shall go there for 
 my meal, and come slowly on in the cool of the evening. 
 You have women along; so you had better be off just 
 as soon as you've had dinner, and pass Vedimangala 
 before the day closes. That's a great place for high- 
 waymen. Try hard to get to Peddapuram somehow 
 before it gets dark, and stay there a day. I'm quite 
 used up, and for that reason can't come with you now ; 
 but I'll catch you up to-morrow;' and with that 
 Ramarajah saluted Rajasekhara, and taking leave of all, 
 and charging them to be careful in the road, went his way. 
 
 After cooking and eating their meal they set out once 
 more, and with bodies completely drenched with sweat, 
 drinking water by the pint at every few paces, and rest- 
 ing now and then in the shade of the trees, they dragged 
 along as though every step were an a'niada* and at 
 
 * An amada equals eight miles.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 105 
 
 length, while there was still three hours' daylight, arrived 
 at the Black Lake. Here, at the roots of a juvvi-tree 
 growing just below the bund of the tank, stood a booth 
 of palmira leaves, and in it sat a yogi his whole body 
 smeared over with sacred ashes, and rudraksha rosaries 
 about his neck, head, and arms who with his hand 
 signalled them to approach, and bade them be seated on 
 a mat near by. Twirling in his right hand a rosary of 
 tulasi beads, he began mumbling his mantras and asking 
 occasional questions between whiles. 
 
 ' Travellers, you are very warm and exhausted with 
 your hard journey. Tarry here a little and rest. It 
 seems you have your family along. Where do you go ?' 
 
 ' We are going on a pilgrimage to Kasi,' replied Raja- 
 sekhara. 
 
 ' Pilgrimage to so distant a country is impracticable 
 except for the wealthy. There are no choultries on 
 the way. Did you not lay by any money against your 
 start ?' 
 
 ' Where should such poor people as we get much 
 money ? We have, however, brought a hundred rupees 
 in cash. We propose to manage the pilgrimage to Kasi 
 and return on that amount in some way.' 
 
 ' You must exercise great caution. At a distance of 
 four miles from here, near Vedimangala, robbers attack 
 wayfarers. If you will but wait a little, I'll send along 
 some of my disciples as company for you/ said the 
 yogi, again beginning to tell his beads and mumble his 
 orisons. 
 
 As, however, his disciples were very slow in coming, 
 Eajasekhara became disturbed in mind. The day also 
 was fast declining. 
 
 ' Swami,' ventured he, ' your people haven't arrived 
 yet. It wants but two hours of sundown. Will you 
 send a messenger quickly ?' 
 
 ' Certainly I will,' replied the yogi; and rising briskly 
 he went to a hut which stood at a distance of a hundred 
 yards from the juvvi-tree and called out, ' Gopaliga !' 
 From within there crept a hillsman wrapped in a ragged
 
 io6 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 cloth. He was the possessor of a pug nose, high fore- 
 head, bushy head, and irregular teeth, united to a body 
 as black as coal. The yogi conversed with him for a 
 moment on some subject, and brought him over to the 
 booth, where, in the hearing of Rajasekhara, he sent him 
 off with the order, ' Call our men to accompany these 
 people in case they should need assistance.' 
 
 ' Swami,' said Eajasekhara, ' it's hard to say when 
 your disciples will come. We must pass Vedimangala 
 before night falls. Shall we go on ?' 
 
 'Ah, what you say is very true. Do you walk 
 along ; they'll come and join you at once.' 
 
 Rajasekhara delayed no longer, but started with his 
 wife and children. Often he felt the bundle upon his 
 shoulder, and his heart went pit-a-pat whenever the 
 thought of robbers came into his head. If a cricket 
 but chirped he looked back, and started in terror at 
 the slightest movement of the bushes at the roadside. 
 
 The hillsman who had been despatched by the yogi 
 quickly outwalked them, and, taking a copious drink of 
 toddy somewhere on the road, reached the rendezvous 
 by dint of much staggering and stumbling and rolling 
 of eyes that were like live coals. ' Hallo you !' cried he, 
 striking with his hand a man who lay asleep in a hovel 
 there, and arousing him ; ' a Brahman, his wife, sou, and 
 two daughters are coming with a hundred rupees, and 
 our chief says you're to go as quick as you can to the 
 ant tamarind-tree.' This message delivered, he went 
 away. On hearing these words the other spent a 
 moment in cogitation, and then rose right gladly. Being 
 well acquainted with the paths and rendezvous, he 
 took his knife in his hand and left the hut without a 
 word. The hillsman made a cross cut, spoke a word 
 with another man whom he met in the way, and again 
 joined the yogi. At his order he slung a bow and 
 arrows over his shoulder, and set out on a run to de- 
 flect the wayfarers from the road, and guide them to the 
 vicinity of the ant tamarind- tree. When he joined 
 them it was just dusk.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 107 
 
 ' As the other disciples didn't come, the yog I sent 
 me, sir, for your protection,' said he, addressing Kajase- 
 khara. ' I've caught up with you just in the nick of 
 time. We're near the spot where the highwaymen 
 usually make their attack ; but you needn't be at all 
 afraid. We'll just leave this road and take a footpath ; 
 then when we've passed the place where there's the 
 most danger, we'll get into the highway again. 
 
 'Yours is the responsibility of getting us safely 
 through in some way. We'll come whatever way you 
 bid us.' 
 
 Turning aside from the main road, the hillsman con- 
 ducted them along a narrow path. The sky had now 
 become overcast, and they were soon wrapped in such 
 dense darkness that they could not see the road. The 
 chirping of the birds upon the trees had ceased ; 
 nothing was on the wing but a few owls and other 
 night birds in quest of prey. The grave-cricket sent up 
 its creaking note on every hand. The roaring of wild 
 beasts and the hissing of serpents fell with terrible dis- 
 tinctness on their ears. Now and then lightning 
 gleamed spasmodically from the clouds and illumined 
 the path for a moment. After they had walked a short 
 distance in this manner, a light appeared in the dis- 
 tance, which, as they gradually approached it, shaped 
 itself into a huge fire beneath an immense tamarind- 
 tree. While walking thus in the darkness Eajase- 
 khara's life was not in his body, while the others 
 dragged their limbs along with their lives in their 
 hands. All resolved that should they escape from the 
 dangers of that night and reach even the meanest 
 village alive, they would never again travel afoot. 
 Manikyamba vowed a sacrifice of a male buffalo to the 
 local goddess on reaching the village. They proceeded 
 thus with faltering steps until they reached a clearing, 
 when two figures rose from before the fire where they 
 were seated and came towards them. Their bodies 
 were closely wrapped in blankets ; cheroots were stuck 
 in their mouths ; and on the shoulder of each rested a
 
 108 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 huge club. No sooner did they see these apparitions 
 than the travellers became rooted to the spot in help- 
 less terror. The hillsman, who was in the rear, shouted 
 ' Robbers !' and, the last of the group, was the first to 
 beat a retreat. One of the highwaymen now strode 
 forward, lifted his club in both hands, and without a 
 word brought it down with all his might upon the head 
 of Eukmini, who happened to be in front. Beneath 
 this blow she fell to the earth insensible, like a plantain- 
 tree lopped off at the roots. At that moment some one 
 drew his sword with a cry of ' Back ! back !' and falling 
 upon the scoundrels like lightning smote one of them 
 on the skull. At the stroke the head flew off like a 
 melon and rolled to a distance, while the decapitated 
 trunk sank upon the earth with arms and legs threshing 
 convulsively, the blood spouting in streams as though 
 ejected from a squirt-gun. Seeing his opponent armed, 
 himself alone, and two other males among the travellers, 
 the second highwayman bolted with the hillsman as 
 fast as his legs could carry him. The brave fellow fol- 
 lowed them a short distance, sword in hand ; but as 
 they had passed out of sight in an instant, he soon 
 returned and rejoinsd Eajasekhara. 
 
 ' Eajasekhara ! How many times did I not tell you 
 at noon that you must pass this spot while it was 
 still light ? You brought this danger on yourselves by 
 disregarding my advice.' 
 
 ' Oh, ho ! Is it Eamarajah ? You came to our assist- 
 ance and saved our lives like a patron saint. Had you 
 delayed another instant we should all have been in the 
 power of those villains. But how did you manage to 
 get here at this time of night ?' 
 
 ' The hillsman who came with you was sent by the 
 yogi to summon the gang. Unable to walk in the sun 
 I was lying down in a hut, when he, mistaking me for 
 one of their number, said that their chief had ordered 
 me to be off to this tamarind-tree to plunder some 
 Brahmans. When I heard that I guessed those Brah- 
 mans to be no other than you. I didn't let the grass
 
 ' The hillaman xhouted "Robbers" and beat a retreat' (p, 108).
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. in 
 
 grow tinder my feet then, but hurried to the place 
 where the yogi stays, with the intention of heading off 
 the robbers. There I learned that the scoundrels had 
 already come and talked with the yogi and gone away. 
 My heart was in my mouth lest any danger should 
 befall you ere I could arrive, so without any thought of 
 weariness I came on at a run and managed to join you 
 just at the right moment and right glad I am that my 
 life has at last proved good for something.' 
 
 While Ramarajah was talking, Manikyamba had felt 
 Rukmini over from head to foot and now began to wail 
 vociferously. Both Eamarajah and Rajasekhara now 
 approached and examined the insensible girl's heart 
 and put their fingers to her nostrils ; but, unable to 
 discover any traces of respiration, they came to the 
 sorrowful conclusion that she had died from the effects 
 of the blow and from fright. Ramarajah also felt her 
 pulse and ascertained for certain that she had expired. 
 Then they all gathered about the corpse and wailed. 
 Just at that moment the roar of a tiger was heard 
 close at hand. While all, even in the midst of .their 
 great affliction, were trembling at the sound, Ramarajah 
 cheered them with words of encouragement and at- 
 tempted to persuade them that it was unsafe to remain 
 there in the very heart of a jungle infested with wild 
 beasts, and hinted that they could return after daylight 
 and perform the burning of the corpse and other cere- 
 monies. But they, unwilling to abandon their darling 
 in the dense jungle, paid no attention to his words, but 
 wept at the recollection of Rukmini's lovable qualities. 
 Just then the tiger gave a nearer and more frightful 
 roar. At this all their courage melted away like dew 
 before the rays of the sun. Then, in accordance with 
 Ramarajah's sensible admonition, they reluctantly left 
 Rukmini how hard it was ! and, looking back every 
 few steps, at length followed their guide aimlessly to Ped- 
 dapuram. How natural for mortals, when their own lives 
 are in jeopardy, to forget the peril of those they love more 
 than life itself, in order to escape from personal danger I
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 Rajasekhara reaches Peddapuram His Grief at the Loss of Rukmini's 
 Body Occurrences in Peddapuram He proceeds to Bhimavaram 
 Events there He sends Subrahmanya to Pitapuram. 
 
 THE same night Eamarajah, having slowly conducted 
 Eajasekhara and his family to Peddapuram, set them 
 down at the choultry near the Tirupati Eajah's tank, 
 and went his way, after prevailing upon them by dint 
 of much persuasion to consent to abandon the Kasi 
 pilgrimage and stop in Bhimavaram. On considering 
 the events of but a single night's journey the loss of 
 their daughter, they, though escaped with their lives, 
 with swollen feet and in such wretched plight as to be 
 unable to put one foot before the other Eajasekhara 
 trembled at the very name of pilgrimage, and decided 
 upon spending a few days in Bhimavaram and seeing 
 the Eajah when opportunity offered. Through grief at 
 the loss of Eukmini and fatigue consequent on travel, 
 they cooked and ate nothing that night. Sleep visited 
 the eyes of none of their number. After dragging out 
 the night as though it were an age, Eajasekhara rose 
 with the crowing of the cock, and set out alone down 
 the Vedimangala road to look for Eukmini's body. 
 After proceeding for quite a distance he inquired the 
 way of a shepherd boy, and, entering the jungle, at 
 length reached the spot where the robbers had attacked 
 them, by the time the sun was two hours high. No 
 trace, however, of Eukmini's body could he find there, 
 except a few drops of blood on the sand. Wild with 
 grief, he sought her again and again in every direction, 
 and finding no vestige of her anywhere, returned as 
 often to the place from which he had started. After 
 sitting here for a while upon the green sward and 
 watering the grass with his tears, he arrived at the con- 
 clusion that some wild beast had made away with the 
 body of his child. Perplexity as to how he was to 
 carry home these sad tidings and make them known to
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 113 
 
 his wife and children, augmented his grief. Slowly 
 rising, he left the place with faltering footsteps, weeping 
 all the way and recalling Eukmini's virtues. By mid- 
 day he succeeded in dragging his body to the house, 
 where he sank exhausted on the doormat. He at- 
 tempted to speak, hut the words refused to come ; and 
 moistening his parched lips with his tongue he re- 
 mained silent. Manikyamba flew into the house and 
 brought a chembu of cold water, which she put to his 
 lips, wiping away the sweat from his face with the end 
 of her cloth, and fanning him gently. After she had 
 thus alleviated somewhat her husband's extreme ex- 
 haustion, he felt relieved, and told them in few and 
 faltering words, and with copious tears and many efforts 
 to swallow his grief, the sad news of Eukmini's disap- 
 pearance. Immediately the whole family fell to wail- 
 ing most obstreperously. The choultry Brahman and 
 the bystanders heard the noise and ran in to ascertain 
 what the matter was ; and on learning the calamity 
 that had befallen them, offered many consolations and 
 carried them off to dinner. They seated themselves by 
 the leafen plates, but the grains of rice which they 
 attempted to swallow refused to go down ; and after 
 remaining seated a moment they left the meal and 
 retired sorrowful. Just as they were washing their 
 hands in the well inclosure, the cries of men running 
 up the street fell upon their ears. On going into the 
 street to see what the uproar meant, they saw at some 
 distance to the east a huge blaze and clouds of smoke 
 shooting up into the sky. At that moment the choultry 
 Brahman came up and said the potters' street was on 
 fire, and called to Eajasekhara to come and see the fun. 
 Though a kind-hearted man enough, Eajasekhara was 
 just then overwhelmed by a mountain of sorrow, and 
 feeling indisposed to leave the house he made no reply. 
 Subrahmanya, on the other hand, was a mere lad who 
 had never before known what it was to suffer affliction; 
 so no sooner did he hear that others were in distress 
 than he straightway forgot his own sorrow and started
 
 114 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 off after the Brahrnan with the intention of rendering 
 any assistance that lay in his power. By the time they 
 reached the spot the populace had gathered in thou- 
 sands and were watching the sight ; but not a single 
 person was attempting to extinguish the fire. The 
 bamboo poles upon the houses cracked at the joints and 
 exploded with a report like that of artillery. Dry 
 palmira leaves rose upon the breeze like sky-rockets. 
 The tank in the vicinity had gone dry from the heat of 
 the sun, and, this being empty, the water in such wells 
 as still held out had retreated to the nether world and 
 afforded no facilities even for dipping it up with 
 buckets ; consequently the proprietors of the burning 
 houses, unable to obtain water, set to work to tear up 
 the roofs. The owners of adjoining houses, however, 
 fearing that if they lifted even so much as the palmira 
 thatch upon their dwellings, they would necessarily 
 have the trouble of replacing it again, neglected this 
 precaution, and mounted and remained perched upon the 
 ridge-pole with pots of water in their hands refused 
 and hidden when the owners of the burning buildings 
 came and begged for it until their own houses caught, 
 when they dropped the water-pots on the spot and 
 descended with loud lamentations. Still others, through 
 fear that the furniture in their houses would be burned, 
 carried it out and deposited it in the street. While, 
 after leaving one article, they were gone for another, 
 some magnanimous experts in deeds of neighbourly 
 kindness would when no one was looking appro- 
 priate the articles thrown down in the street, and 
 insure their safety by hiding them carefully in their 
 own houses. 
 
 While the potters' quarter was thus falling a prey to 
 the greed of Parasu Rama,* the choultry Brahman took 
 Subrahmanya to the shade of a tree at some little dis- 
 tance and began to gossip about the burning of the houses. 
 
 ' Do you know/ queried he, * the cause of the houses 
 burning down at midday in this way ?' 
 
 * The Hindu Vulcan, to whose agency fires are ascribed.
 
 iiottera sttttt on fire (p. 114).
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 115 
 
 'These are thatched houses,' replied Subrahmanya, 
 ( and so they may have caught fire accidentally from 
 the potteries and burned down. Or perhaps some one 
 had a grudge and set the houses on fire.' 
 
 ' Neither of the reasons you give is the correct one. 
 An evil spirit has just come to the village and set it on 
 fire in this way make up your mind to that.' 
 
 ' Why, you came here with me this very moment, 
 didn't you ? How can you say for certain, without 
 first inquiring of anyone, that an evil spirit set fire to 
 the houses ?' 
 
 ' Don't I know the affairs of my own village ? It 
 burns down half a dozen times every year in the sum- 
 mer. Each time, the villagers make a feast to the 
 goblin and send it away. If it isn't caused by a goblin 
 as I say, why don't it catch fire in the rainy season ?' 
 
 ' If the burning of the houses really be the work of a 
 goblin, what's the reason it returns again when you 
 have once made it a feast and dismissed it ? In the 
 rainy season the thatch of the houses is soaked with 
 rain, and so ' 
 
 'I know neither the rhyme nor the reason of the 
 thing. The mere mention of reasons always gives me 
 a headache. So be assured that what I say is the 
 truth, and don't contradict it. But even if you don't 
 believe me now, you will to-morrow, at all events, when 
 you see the tamasa with your own eyes.' 
 
 While this conversation was going on, the fire-fiend, 
 aided by his mate the wind-god, had completely con- 
 sumed the potters' quarter, and, satisfied, retired to rest. 
 While the owners of the burnt houses and the losers of 
 the stolen goods were smarting under their loss, some of 
 the spectators actually went away rejoicing that they had 
 found a live coal of sufficient size to light their cheroots, 
 and that coals would be cheap on the morrow. Just 
 behind them Subrahmanya and the Brahman walked 
 back to the choultry. 
 
 A Brahman who was on his way to the village of 
 Eukmini's mother-in-law happening into the choultry 
 
 89 
 -,
 
 Ii6 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 for his meal in the meanwhile, Eajasekhara had written 
 a letter detailing her untimely death and given it into 
 his hands to deliver to his daughter's mother-in-law in 
 order that the requisite obsequies might be attended to 
 with all despatch. 
 
 The day following, Eajasekhara was sitting upon the 
 street pial after his midday meal, when a number of 
 people came that way to the roll of drums and tom- 
 toms, shouting loudly and drinking from a pot which 
 they had placed upon a cart. Behind them again trooped 
 a large mob who, dividing into groups, beat with sticks 
 the low roofs of the houses along the road. The choultry 
 Brahman burst from this group with a single cloth bound 
 tightly about his waist, a stout stick in his hand, and 
 his whole body streaming with sweat, seized Subrah- 
 manya's hand, and dragged him down, crying, ' Yester- 
 day when I told you, you said it was false, didn't you ? 
 Now, at least, you'll believe, won't you ?' 
 
 ' Hold on,' expostulated Subrahmanya ; ' I'll come. 
 What procession is this ?' 
 
 ' Didn't I tell you yesterday ? When the goblin that 
 burns the houses comes to the village, this is how they 
 do. Did you see him who was walking in front with the 
 mcwy/osa-branch in one hand and a cane in the other V 
 
 ' He who had the big rouge bottu on ? Yes, I saw 
 him. Who is he ?' 
 
 ' He's the identical mantrician who's managing this 
 business. It won't take him long to expel the goddess 
 that's been burning the houses lately. His name's 
 Viradass.' 
 
 ' What has he already done ?' 
 
 ' First he begged two handfuls of rice at each of seven 
 houses, had a new pot brought, and made a fire in the 
 middle of the street. Into the pot he threw the rice he 
 had collected, added to it some munuga greens and oil- 
 cake, and boiled the whole for a watch and a half. Then 
 he removed the pot and set it on the ground while he 
 cleaned the middle of the street with dung, and drew 
 in lines of red, white, black, green, and leaf-juice, a
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 117 
 
 picture of Bhaitalu. Next he drew the magic diagram 
 of Bhaitalu, made puja, burnt incense, and offered lamps 
 and fruit. Then after emptying the pot upon seven 
 platters each one was made of seven leaves of trees 
 sewed together he planted a stake in the middle of the 
 street and tied to it the Bhaitalu diagram, and the com- 
 mand he had written to the demon, and did everything 
 else that is usually deemed essential. Then we hoisted 
 the pot upon the cart, and are now parading the town 
 belabouring the houses with these sticks. Presently 
 we'll go to the temple of the village goddess, after which 
 there'll be something wonderful take place.' 
 
 ' If that's the case, I'll come along too,' said Subrah- 
 manya, starting off with him. 
 
 When the crowd reached the temple of the local 
 goddess, the mantrician read in a loud voice the 
 mandate which he had penned to the village goddess 
 as follows : 
 
 ' The mandate of Viradass mantrician, to Maridi 
 Maha Lakshmi, patron goddess of Peddapuram 
 Whereas some evil spirit has entered this place and is 
 burning the houses, you, being goddess of the village, 
 have no business to look on inactive. Through you we 
 have assigned to the demon this pot. The pot you are 
 to deliver to the demon and send it off to the moun- 
 tains of some other highland district. Should you not 
 thus dismiss it, you shall receive a yet sterner mandate 
 from either Sri Bhaitalu or Sri Hanuman. "Sloka: 
 Yaxaraxasa dustanam musha kassala bhassukaha 
 krimi kita patangana magna sidhirvi bhishana." '* 
 
 After reading this order the mantrician caused seven 
 leafen plates to be spread in as many different places, 
 then the contents of the pot to be emptied upon them, 
 and a black hen killed by the fellow who drove the 
 cart. The blood he poured over the pot with the com- 
 mand, 'Take this pot, O demon, and begone to the 
 mountains.' The numerous spectators who had gathered 
 
 * This sloka is untranslatable, and was evidently uttered ad cap- 
 tandum vulgus.
 
 Ii8 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 then bathed in the tank and went home. Subrahmanya, 
 too, returned to the choultry with the Brahman. 
 
 After Subrahmanya returned home and related these 
 occurrences, Eajasekhara spent some time in reflection 
 on the superstition of the people ; but that grief which 
 flowed at the mere thought of Eukmini again burst 
 forth, and, being unable to check it, try as he would, he 
 finally concluded that if he went somewhere he might 
 perhaps forget his sorrow, and accordingly set out to do 
 the town. After walking half a dozen steps past the 
 choultry he espied near a house a married couple en- 
 gaged in a wordy dispute. The quarrel waxed hotter 
 and hotter, and soon passed into a mimic war. The 
 faster the wife heaped on the abuse, the thicker the 
 husband showered the blows. Hearing the shouts of 
 the man and the screams of the woman, all who lived 
 in the street gathered in groups to see the row. But 
 though the number thus assembled was very large, there 
 was not found one who had come with the intention of 
 pacifying the combatants. Everyone stood and watched 
 the show, gaping. At this juncture Eajasekhara left the 
 spot and moved on. In another place, a hundred yards 
 farther on, a dozen elderly men were sitting in confab 
 upon a street pial. They were evidently persons of 
 considerable refinement, and Eajasekhara thought that 
 he might, perhaps, drown his sorrow somewhat by noting 
 the eloquence of their rhetoric. So he stopped short in 
 the street and listened. Every individual in the assem- 
 bly was either eulogizing his own great self, or drawing 
 pleasure from the eulogies of his friends ! Seeing them 
 all enjoying themselves thus, and feeling downcast that 
 there was neither any to flatter him nor to listen were 
 he disposed to flatter, Eajasekhara concluded that it 
 would not do for him to remain there any longer, and 
 again moved on. He next observed four or five elegant 
 mansions by the roadside ; and conceiving the idea of 
 entering to have a look at the interiors, he mounted the 
 steps of one, thinking to gain admission by representing 
 that he was a pandit, and had come to see the mansion.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. "9 
 
 The inhabitants of the town were, however, without ex- 
 ception, fond only of the rich, so his learning aided him 
 not a whit, and as it was now nearly sundown he was 
 forced to turn hack after only an inspection of the pala- 
 tial exteriors, and make his way straight to the choul- 
 try. 
 
 The choultry Brahman had no cooking to do that 
 night, so, having a little leisure, he sat down and began 
 to chat with Eajasekhara. 
 
 4 Does your town boast of any celebrated pandits ? 
 asked the latter. 
 
 ' Oh yes ! Harri Papayya-sastri, the court pandit, 
 is here, isn't he ? He won't converse with anyone at 
 all, so he's reputed to be the greatest pandit of the lot. 
 Once he came to a Brahman dinner that came off in the 
 choultry here, and though he didn't talk much, he ate 
 a heap. Even I believed him to be a great pandit after 
 that.' 
 
 ' Are there any others besides him ?' 
 
 * Bhanumurti, our priest, is unmatched in his know- 
 ledge of theology. When I fell sick the other day he 
 adopted an expedient fit to fetch the Millennium, and 
 carried off ten rupees into the bargain. The day after 
 those rascally minions of the Kajah's arrested him with- 
 out cause, and put him in the lock-up, simply because 
 some stolen goods were found in his possession.' 
 
 ' Priests are for ever pointing out to their disciples 
 the road to heaven ; but as far as they themselves are 
 concerned, they always miss the road and stumble into 
 some pitfall even while yet in this world, and while 
 professing such intimate knowledge of the way. It is 
 easy enough to become a logician or a grammarian ; but 
 it is not so easy to become a yogi. But let that be as 
 it may tell us something about the condition of your 
 townsfolk.' 
 
 ' Those who labour hard find what they earn insuffi- 
 cient for food, clothing, and other expenses, and suffer 
 accordingly. The lazy loons who don't work, on the 
 other hand, enjoy the income of lands acquired by their
 
 130 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 forefathers, and dress in tine clothes and feast on half a 
 dozen different kinds of cake and rice pudding every 
 day. Some families who had maintained a reputation 
 for respectability, even from the time of their great 
 grandfathers, found it impossible to live, and long ago 
 sought refuge under the Rajah's wing. But the Eajah's 
 an ungracious fellow, and no matter how much they 
 court his favour, he refuses them employment on the 
 pretext that he can't read.' 
 
 ' They never grow rich who are strangers to any 
 higher effort than that which arises from a constant 
 purpose to be lucky. Fortune is shy of persons who 
 have no other business in this world than dancing at- 
 tendance upon her ; but befriends those who stay at 
 home and bend their backs to the work. But what of 
 that ? Let's hear the rest of it.' 
 
 ' Lots of people in the town spend their evenings in 
 reading the puranas. Just a step from here there lives 
 a person of quality. Although he never learned to read 
 a word, he's for ever sitting with a palmleaf-book open 
 before him. Then there's the mother of the Samaddar, 
 who lives next door to us she jumps for joy if you so 
 much as mention the puranas. Whenever she feels 
 the least bit sleepy, "Read me something from the 
 puranas" says she. And when you begin and just 
 get to a capital story, she stretches herself out by the 
 wall and drops off to sleep as comfortably as you 
 please.' 
 
 ' What sort of traders have you ?' 
 
 'The traders dispose of both their goods and their 
 words at a fine profit. But no matter how much profit 
 they make, it doesn't satisfy their greed in the least. 
 Some of the dite here know this, and go at first to the 
 shop and buy an article and give the price asked. Next 
 they obtain some small article on credit and send around 
 the money for it the next day. After that they gradu- 
 ally procure articles of greater value, and pay the prices 
 of these also when it suits their convenience. After 
 they've won the confidence of the shopkeepers in this
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 121 
 
 way, they take a great quantity of valuable goods on 
 pretext of a wedding or some other festivity, and 
 finally abscond with the goods without paying an anna 
 for them.' 
 
 1 Why, if they make a business of roguery in this 
 style, will they not lose their reputation ? ! 
 
 ' What does it matter about reputation ? If they only 
 make sure of the money beforehand, with which to buy 
 it, they can purchase as much reputation as they want 
 afterwards.' 
 
 ' I've always heard your Rajah spoken of both as a 
 most liberal person and as one who guides his people in 
 the path of justice. While such wicked deeds as these 
 are going on in his very capital, does the Rajah wink at 
 them and do nothing V 
 
 ' What do irregularities such as these amount to ? 
 They're not a mustard-seed's part of a pumpkin as com- 
 pared with the wickedness that ran riot formerly in the 
 time of our Maharajah's father. Why, had you come to 
 the town at that time, do you suppose you could have 
 walked fearlessly about the streets in broad daylight 
 with good clothes on, as you do now ? Why, it's only 
 because our Rajah has a thousand eyes, and is constantly 
 punishing hosts of evil-doers, that we have now no 
 murders and such like desperate deeds.' 
 
 ' Are the religious rites prescribed by the rubric care- 
 fully observed in the town ?' 
 
 ' They are performed according to rule morning, noon, 
 and night.' 
 
 ' If that's the case, have you already repeated your 
 orisons ?' 
 
 ' What, you don't suppose, do you, that I could re- 
 member until now the prayer I learned on my installa- 
 tion-day without forgetting it ?' 
 
 1 Well, never mind that. Have you offered your liba- 
 tion V 
 
 'Yes, I have ; not only the libation, but the whole of 
 the prayer as well.' 
 
 By the time this conversation was ended the sun had
 
 122 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 set, and Bajasekhara arose and went to dinner. After 
 the meal he lay down and fell into a train of reflection 
 which resulted in a determination to leave such a home 
 for all knavery as that town, as quickly as possible. 
 Accordingly, early the following morning he obtained a 
 bandy, and setting out in it with his family, reached 
 Bhimavaram by the time the sun was three hours high. 
 The inhabitants of the place, hearing that some strangers 
 had arrived in a cart, turned out in great force to have 
 a look at them, and kept up a constant fire of interro- 
 gatories as to their place of abode and the cause of their 
 coming. Both Bajasekhara and Manikyamba at length 
 grew weary of repeating again and again to every one 
 who asked, the answers they had already so often given. 
 The townsfolk made this their special business, and 
 were ready enough to come and ask questions ; but no 
 sooner did Bajasekhara hint that they were in need of a 
 lodging than the bystanders replied that none was ob- 
 tainable, and drew back as though they did not hear 
 what he said. Bajasekhara then stopped the cart in the 
 street and set out to look for a lodging. He was until 
 midday going from house to house, but not a person 
 was there in the town who would give them so much as 
 a place in which to cook and eat their morning meal. 
 Being new comers, the family grew sick enough, while 
 Bajasekhara was looking about for a lodging, of gazing 
 at the heaps of garbage piled in the streets, for they 
 were all ignorant of the fact that this was none other 
 than the villagers' gold they making a business of 
 carting it to the out-villages and selling it for manure. 
 
 Bajasekhara held his nose against the vile stench and 
 walked on to the house of the village karanam. Having 
 ascertained this person's family name, he raked up some 
 distant relationship, and pressed the w T orthy disciple of 
 the pen so hard that he finally allowed them to cook 
 their morning meal in his house, and, moreover, called 
 a clerical Brahman, who was a neighbour of his, and re- 
 quested him to give Bajasekhara his old house in which 
 to reside. He replied that the house could not be used
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL, 123 
 
 as a dwelling until repaired ; that it was impossible for 
 him to give it without his wife's consent ; and raised a 
 score of other objections. Rajasekhara, however, induced 
 him to sit down, and, after lecturing him for fully an 
 hour on kindness to one's neighbour, slipped a couple of 
 rupees into his hand and agreed to repair the house. 
 More potent than the whole compendium of moral truths 
 Rajasekhara had uttered was the money he placed in 
 his hand. It won the Brahman's consent in a trice ; so 
 Rajasekhara at once had the cart brought around, and 
 after they had cooked and eaten a meal at the karanam's, 
 entered the house of the village priest with his family 
 just as the lamps were being lighted. This house had 
 been erected on marshy ground. It was wholly desti- 
 tute of windows, while the walls, built in accordance 
 with the architectural sastra so that the master could 
 touch the cross-beams with his hand, were very low. 
 The doorways, in consequence, were lower still. The 
 result was that even they who had never stooped before 
 walked in a stooping attitude when in this house. Sadly 
 deficient in height though the inner walls were, the 
 outer ones that surrounded the yard had, at all events, 
 been built at such an elevation perhaps from fear of 
 burglars that it was absolutely impossible for a breath 
 of air to enter. When the occupants left the house, 
 however, there being no one to take care of it, the place 
 had gone to ruins, and was now little more than a mass 
 of dilapidated walls through which the air found ample 
 opportunity of effecting an entrance. When the house 
 was occupied before, some one was constantly down sick 
 in it ; for this reason and for the further one that the 
 daughter of the master of the house had died there, the 
 inmates had come to the conclusion that the dwelling 
 was occupied by an evil spirit, and hence unfit for occu- 
 pation. They therefore abandoned this and moved to 
 another place. The star under which his daughter had 
 died was one of the five in the Archer ; so the Brahman 
 laid the house in ruins for six months, when, being still 
 unwilling to return to it with his children, he built
 
 124 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 another, and was now living therein. After taking 
 possession of the house, Eajasekhara provided for effec- 
 tive ventilation by constructing windows, had the house 
 raised so as to get rid of the damp, and built a separate 
 kitchen in the garden at a distance from the house. For 
 these repairs, food, etc., the hundred rupees he had 
 brought fast melted away, and it seemed that in t T .vo or 
 three months at most they would be reduced to the verge 
 of want. 
 
 Being a country place, neither milk, buttermilk, nor 
 fuel could be bought in Bhimavaram. By giving the 
 hulls and bran from their paddy to those who kept cows, 
 they got a modicum of thin buttermilk. Every Sunday 
 Eajasekhara went toPeddapuram and bought in the fair 
 and carried home whatever supplies were needed for the 
 week. By the time he had been a month in the place 
 quite a number of the inhabitants struck up an ac- 
 quaintance with him. When they learned his circum- 
 stances they sympathised deeply in his distress, and 
 counselled him to see Sobhanadri-rajah, who was a rela- 
 tive of the Eajah, and keeper of the prison. In the 
 near vicinity of Bhimavaram there stood at that time a 
 fort called Syamalkota. It contained the Temple of 
 Syamalamba ; hence its name. It was at that time used 
 as a prison, in which were kept all persons convicted of 
 crime in the dominions of the Peddapuram Eajah. The 
 fort is now in ruins ; but a village has been built on its 
 site which bears the name of Samalkot. Sobhanadri- 
 rajah, the commander of the fort, was also the proprietor 
 of the village. 
 
 During the time Eajasekhara resided in the place 
 Ramarajah was in the habit of occasionally coming to 
 see them by night. 
 
 Made anxious by the gradual melting away of their 
 means, Manikyamba daily urged her husband to see 
 Sobhanadri-rajah and make an effort to secure a posi- 
 tion. Two or three times he went, and as often returned 
 with the excuse that no opportunity had presented itself 
 of seeing the Eajah. The last time Eajasekhara at-
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 125 
 
 tempted to obtain audience of Sobhanadri-rajah the 
 following conversation transpired between him and his 
 worthy spouse : 
 
 ' Did you get audience of the Eajah ?' queried Mani- 
 kyaraba. 
 
 'I did. While standing in the street door I caught 
 sight of a servant and asked if I might go inside. He 
 replied that if I was rich I might go straight in ; but if 
 poor, there I must remain. After reflecting a few 
 moments I made bold to enter, and soon stood before 
 the Eajah.' 
 
 ' Did you address him, and acquaint him with your 
 affairs in a becoming manner ?' 
 
 ' I went into the room and made known my circum- 
 stances without reserve. Perhaps you ask, " Who with ?" 
 Not with the Eajah ; for, long as I talked, not a word 
 escaped from the Eajah's mouth. No sooner did I begin 
 to talk than a dog near the bed began to bark. So I 
 suppose I talked with it. But what it said I failed to 
 grasp, since I'm not versed in dog lore. While I was 
 standing there in doubt as to what it meant, the Eajah 
 called a servant and commanded in a language I knew, 
 to " Send this Brahman out." Twigging what was about 
 to happen, I retreated quietly on my own account before 
 he came up, and came straight home.' 
 
 Having no particular inclination further to court the 
 favour of a Eajah who had treated him with such marked 
 respect, and cogitating as to how they were to get a 
 living in the future, Eajasekhara concluded that he must 
 send Subrahmanya off somewhere. He mentioned the 
 matter to Manikyamba, and, with her consent, spoke to 
 his son about it. He agreed to the proposal with great 
 joy ; so they set their wits to work and finally concluded 
 to send him to Pitapuram. On the day fixed for the 
 journey Eajasekhara called his son to him, and after 
 giving him many injunctions, intermixed with much 
 good advice, and charging him again and again to walk 
 in the path of uprightness, he blessed the kneeling 
 lad and furnished him with five rupees for expense.
 
 126 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 Manikyaraba, too, without perceptibly diminishing the 
 stock she had in hand, showered upon him all the 
 blessings the occasion demanded. Poor Subrahmanya, 
 weeping that the time had now come for him to leave 
 them, kissed his little sister slipping one of the rupees 
 his father had given him into her hand as he did so 
 took leave of them all, and trudged off with many 
 lingering looks behind. 
 
 CIIAPTEE X. 
 
 Friendship with Sobhanadri-rajah Preparations for Sita's Wedding 
 News of Ranamurti's Death Difference with Ramarajah Raja- 
 sekhara is Thrown into Prison The Abduction of Sita. 
 
 ABOUT eight o'clock one Sunday morning Eajasekhara 
 was on his way to Peddapuram, when Sobhanadri-rajah, 
 who was sitting upon an elevated seat in the street pial, 
 caught sight of him, and directed his servant to ' go and 
 fetch the Brahman who was passing along the road.' 
 This person at once came running up at the top of his 
 speed and informed Eajasekhara that 'the Eajah had 
 given permission for him to approach.' Eajasekhara's 
 one great desire was to ingratiate himself with the Eajah 
 at any cost ; so without waiting for a second invitation 
 he crossed over and took his seat upon the bench which 
 the Eajah pointed out to him. 
 
 ' You're the person, are you not/ asked Sobhanadri- 
 rajah, ' who came from Bhimavaram lately, and is now 
 living in Somabhatlu's house ?' 
 
 ' I am. I visited you once before.' 
 
 ' We remember. We were then engaged in the trans- 
 action of very important business and became angry 
 with you. Besides, we did not know at the time that 
 you were the newcomer. What number of a family 
 have you dependent upon you for a living ? It's re- 
 ported, too, I think, that you have a marriageable 
 daughter ?' 
 
 ' I have at present but one daughter eligible for mar-
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 127 
 
 riage. My eldest daughter died on the road when we 
 were attacked by the robbers. I sent my son to Pita- 
 puram just after coming here, to find employment of 
 some sort.' 
 
 While this conversation was in progress a number of 
 the leading men of the place dropped in and seated 
 themselves on the bench in the pial. To these the 
 Eajah bragged incessantly of his wonderful exploits ; 
 and as his utterances were wholly devoid of wit, his 
 auditors supplied the deficiency with excessive laughter. 
 Thinking it might give offence if he alone remained 
 quiet when the whole company was roaring, Eajasekhara, 
 too, though seeing nothing worth even so much as a 
 smile, got into the habit of pretending to laugh when- 
 ever the rest did. At first the Rajah touched lightly on 
 the various topics introduced, in such a way as to lead 
 Rajasekhara to think him a well-informed man ; but he 
 soon began to conduct himself as though he knew every- 
 thing. When he could think of nothing more to say, 
 he would gaze into the faces of those present and laugh 
 vacantly. This led the assembly to incessantly eulogize 
 his learning. Had not some musicians come up in the 
 meantime and begun to sing a song, it is safe to say that 
 their flatteries would not have ceased until the gathering 
 dispersed. As soon as the musicians began to sing, the 
 thoughts of all turned towards home ; but, fearful of the 
 Rajah's displeasure should they leave so abruptly, they 
 managed, not without much difficulty and muttering to 
 themselves, to keep their seats for a little longer. At 
 last one of the principal auditors, unable longer to endure 
 the interminable song, broke in with ' It's not right for 
 these people to trouble his honour as though eulogizing 
 him were their special business. So you may now order 
 them to stop singing.' The company unanimously pro- 
 nounced this the proper thing, and at once the gathering 
 broke up. While the company were dispersing the 
 Rajah asked Rajasekhara if he would not come occa- 
 sionally and visit him. He replied that he would be 
 delighted to do so; and, as it was then near midday,
 
 128 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 abandoned his trip to Peddapuram for the time and re- 
 turned home. 
 
 From that time forward Eajasekhara paid daily visits 
 to Sobhanadri-rajah both morning and evening. The 
 Eajah invariably received him with marked favour, and 
 put him at ease with suave words. Even when he was 
 engaged in the transaction of state business, Eajasekhara 
 stood near and looked on. When the clerks read peti- 
 tions written by the residents of the surrounding villages, 
 he observed that while the real petition was crowded 
 into the last two or three lines, the title alone com- 
 pletely filled the first two pages ; and he began to derive 
 great pleasure from the thought that his honour the 
 Eajah boasted far more honorary titles than the residents 
 of these villages. State business over, the Eajah would 
 begin to chat with the company. It mattered not to 
 what length he spun it out, his own prowess formed the 
 one theme of his discourse. Although these same yarns 
 had been listened to a dozen times before, the whole 
 company would laugh each time they were repeated, 
 precisely as they had laughed the first time. Some 
 would gratify the Eajah's vanity by reciting eulogistic 
 verses which they had prepared. It seemed hardly 
 right to Eajasekhara to be the only one silent where all 
 were so loud in their eulogiums. Since, however, he 
 was without experience in the art of flattery, and was, 
 moreover, fearful of uttering what was untrue, he praised 
 the Eajah for the fine clothes he wore, since he was 
 worthy of praise in no other particular. Even though 
 he failed to gain anything else by thus conducting him- 
 self at court, he at least learned the secret of raising a 
 general laugh in company, for he soon acquired the 
 habit of laughing first of all at his own utterances, seeing 
 which the others would laugh too. Occasionally the 
 Eajah would deliver a lecture on virtue. No matter 
 how hard one toiled in this world, he said, 'twas simply 
 for his food ; and so, do what one would in that respect, 
 'twas no harm. It was owing to this maxim being so 
 deeply rooted in his own mind, perhaps, that the Eajah
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 129 
 
 spent his time daily from the moment he awoke until 
 eleven o'clock solely in making provision for his break- 
 fast ; from breakfast-time his one anxiety was whether 
 he should succeed in getting any lunch ; while no sooner 
 was lunch over than he began to consider what relishes 
 there were for dinner. 
 
 By these constant comings and goings, Eajasekhara 
 became exceedingly intimate with the Eajah. Learn- 
 ing this, the Brahmans would go to his house and chat 
 over various matters, and some of them ask, in the 
 course of conversation, whether he had thought of 
 giving Sita to anyone in marriage. To this he would 
 reply, that having no money on hand at present, he 
 hadn't bothered his head about betrothing her. One 
 day while Eajasekhara was taking his ease after his 
 meal, Bommaganti Subbarayadu the astrologer came in, 
 and began vaunting his endless learning in astrology, 
 and the celebrity he had attained thereby. He stated 
 that all the dlite of the Telugu country sent their horos- 
 copes to him to ascertain the issues, and in proof of 
 this, produced a pile of calculations of nativities, pur- 
 porting to have been written for the Eajahs of Viziana- 
 gram and other distant territories. He then asked 
 Eajasekhara to fetch the record of his nativity in order 
 that he might tell him its issue. 
 
 ' My confidence in astrology is all gone/ replied 
 Eajasekhara ; ' not a single forecast of all the horos- 
 copes our people had written, and for which my wealth 
 was plundered from me ever came true. When we set 
 out on the Benares pilgrimage, we left home at what 
 had been fixed upon as a lucky time, yet we encountered 
 great dangers on the way. Through that I lost my 
 faith in astrology. And so for the same reason, when 
 I came here from Peddapuram the other day, I started 
 without fixing any time whatever.' 
 
 But mine is no common astrology. No divination of 
 mine or time that I fixed ever yet missed. Whatever 
 number of symbols I write in a nativity, just so many 
 symbols must come true.' 
 
 9
 
 130 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 1 Even though the result be as you say, I want 
 nothing to do with it. Should you declare beforehand 
 that the result will be good, 'twould be very dishearten- 
 ing if what I had anticipated failed to come; while 
 should it really come, I could not obtain any very 
 great amount of pleasure from it because of having 
 anticipated it so long. If you declare that evil will 
 result, I shall not only be under the necessity of griev- 
 ing when it comes, but shall be a prey to anxiety from 
 this very moment. If, on the other hand, it shouldn't 
 come at all, then I'll have had all this fool's sorrow for 
 nothing. From such needless anxiety evil is sure to 
 spring, while from rejoicing good alone can never 
 come.' 
 
 ' It is very unbecoming for you, a pandit, to go on 
 in this style. We must never lose our confidence in 
 sastras written by the ancients. But let that go. It 
 seems that your daughter has reached marriageable age. 
 Why do you longer neglect making some attempt to 
 get her married ?' 
 
 * I am myself cogitating on that very matter. I've 
 seen no suitable match besides that, I see no money 
 in hand. There isn't a good alliance anywhere to your 
 knowledge, is there ?' 
 
 'Al-li-ance? There is but they're great folk. It's 
 doubtful whether they'd marry into your family. If 
 you could manage it, 'twould be a capital union for you 
 in every respect.' 
 
 ' Where do they reside ? and what must we do to 
 bring about the match ?' 
 
 ' Their place of residence is Peddapuram. Their 
 family name is Manchirajah. They have lands that 
 yield them an annual income of two thousand rupees, 
 and they're reported to have plenty of cash besides. 
 The young fellow is the first of the family to marry, 
 and he's handsome. He has an elder brother, but he's 
 also without family. This same young fellow will 
 presently fall heir to the whole property. The bride- 
 groom's name is Padmarajah. If we could only secure
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 131 
 
 Sobhanadri-rajah's aid, the match would certainly take 
 place on the strength of your good luck. But in no 
 other way is it possible.' 
 
 ' If that's the case, won't you first approach the Kajah 
 on the subject and ascertain his views ?' 
 
 ' I'll go ahead and find a seat. Afterwards do you 
 come too. I'll take care in the course of our talk to 
 bring up the subject of your daughter's marriage while 
 you are there. At that you must join in and make 
 known your wish to the Rajah.' 
 
 With these words astrologer Subbarayadu started off 
 to Sobhanadri-rajah's house, where he seated himself. 
 A few moments later Rajasekhara also came in. After 
 conversing for a short time on various topics, the 
 astrologer adroitly introduced the matter of Rajasekhara's 
 daughter. 
 
 ' Is your honour, 1 asked he, ' acquainted with the 
 fact that Rajasekhara has a daughter desirous of marry- 
 ing?' 
 
 ' We are aware of the fact,' replied Sobhanadri-rajah ; 
 ' we heard but recently. Is the girl of marriageable 
 age?' 
 
 ' I saw her at noon this very day. It won't do to 
 keep her any longer. A younger girl than this one 
 attained to puberty in my relative's village the other 
 day.' 
 
 ' Have you thought of any particular alliance ?' 
 
 'There's Manchirajah. Padmarajah in Peddapuram. 
 If you would but help, a match might be arranged 
 there.' 
 
 ' True, it's a capital connection. But would he be 
 willing to marry this girl ?' 
 
 * It will never do,' broke in Rajasekhara, ' for your 
 honour to fail to make some effort to secure us this 
 favour. Once you have made known your wishes, 
 they won't act in opposition to them.' 
 
 ' Padmarajah came in this morning,' replied Sobhanadri- 
 rajah. ' We'll speak to him about it while you are 
 here. Ho ! Swamiga ! Manchirajah Padmarajah is 
 
 92
 
 132 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 probably talking with our brother-in-law. Go and tell 
 him we said he was to look in for a moment before he 
 leaves without fail.' 
 
 A short time after the departure of the servant, there 
 walked in a dark man of thirty years of age, wearing 
 white bleached clothes, rings on his ten fingers, bracelets 
 on his arms, and a gold necklace on his neck. Sobhanadri- 
 rajah politely invited him to be seated, and motioned 
 him to a place at his side. 
 
 ' Swamigardu,' remarked the newcomer, ' informed 
 me that your honour wanted me, and so I returned at 
 once, although already on my way. Have you any- 
 thing that you wish to communicate to me ?' 
 
 ' This gentleman,' replied Sobhanadri-rajah, ' has 
 been living in our village for some time. He is a very 
 respectable man. His name is Eajasekhara. He has 
 heard that you are thinking of marriage. He has a 
 daughter why shouldn't you marry her ? The girl is 
 very beautiful ; while their family is good, and has long 
 been a right orthodox one/ 
 
 ' There are a lot of people about who say they'll give 
 their girls. Hitherto I've had no desire whatever to 
 enter into matrimony. Had I had, I'd have been 
 married in my early youth and been blessed with a 
 family by this time. But when people in your position 
 wring one's neck, one must consent whether or no. 
 However, I'll inform my elder brother what your 
 honour's wish is in regard to the matter, and let you 
 know to-morrow whatever his decision may be.' 
 
 ' Be sure and tell your brother that we directed you 
 to say that, in case he should not listen to us now, this 
 is the conclusion of our friendship with him.' 
 
 'Very good. He'll not act contrary to your com- 
 mand. I shall take leave.' 
 
 After Padmarajah had taken his departure, Eajase- 
 khara implored Sobhanadri-rajah again and again to 
 make a special effort to compass so desirable an alliance. 
 The Eajah gave his word that he would do everything 
 in his power to bring about the match, and confidently
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 133 
 
 asserted that, could the union but be accomplished, 
 Rajasekhara would enjoy greater respectability and 
 renown than ever before. As it was now sunset the 
 Rajah rose for dinner, and the remaining company made 
 their salaams and departed to their homes. 
 
 The sun was but two hours high on the following 
 day when Rajasekhara came in ; but Sobhanadri-rajah 
 immediately left his room to receive him. 
 
 ' Do you know/ said he smiling gleefully, ' the answer 
 to the message we sent yesterday actually came last 
 night V 
 
 1 What was the answer ? What was the answer ?' 
 eagerly asked Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' After I had sent so pressing an invitation, do you 
 think they would decline it ? They wrote a note saying 
 they'd marry her,' replied he, putting a palm-leaf roll 
 into Rajasekhara's hand. 
 
 Rajasekhara received it with every manifestation of 
 delight ; and the Rajah sent him at once to call astro- 
 loger Subbarayadu to determine a suitable time for the 
 wedding. After referring to the panchanga and reflect- 
 ing for a moment, the savant fixed the time in the sign 
 Aries and constellation Punarvassu, at six and one half 
 minutes after twelve o'clock on the night of Thursday 
 the seventh of the wane of the month Vaisakha, Sobha- 
 nadri-rajah observed that it would be necessary to com- 
 mence the preparations for the wedding immediately ; 
 and, adding that if Rajasekhara was in want of money, 
 he might take this amount for the present and repay it 
 when convenient, opened his box and handed him one 
 hundred rupees. He then called a servant and placed 
 him at Rajasekhara's disposal, with directions to remain 
 in attendance for a week, and to do whatever he was 
 told. Accepting this assistance gladly, Rajasekhara 
 returned home. 
 
 From that day forward Rajasekhara was constantly 
 trotting back and forth to Peddapuram, buying dhal and 
 other articles of the kind, and fetching pot-herbs from 
 the Sunday fair. They finished all preparations for the
 
 134 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 wedding, and got Sita ready* for that event on the 
 fifth. When it wanted yet a night of the time fixed for 
 the wedding ceremony, that is, on the night of the sixth, 
 just at dark there came a cooly carrying a stick in his 
 hand, and closely wrapped in a blanket, who handed 
 Sita a palm-leaf roll he had brought a letter, he said, 
 from Eajahmundry. Manikyamba came out just then 
 and took the letter from Sita's hand. Eajasekhara had 
 gone to Peddapuram and hadn't yet returned ; but as 
 it was now past the usual time of his arrival, the cooly 
 was to wait in the street until he came, she said, and 
 disappeared in the house. As Eajasekhara was rather 
 late that evening the cooly grew impatient ; so Maniky- 
 amba gave him a pint of rice and some coppers and sent 
 him off. A moment later Sita went to the door to see 
 whether her father was coming, and found there a staff, 
 which they, supposing the cooly who had just gone to 
 have dropped, placed in a corner of the bedroom to be 
 returned to him should he come back for it. 
 
 In a little while Eajasekhara arrived. As soon as his 
 wife told him a letter had come from Eajahmundry, and 
 gave it into his hand, he took it to the light ; but he had 
 not read it half through when the letter fell from his 
 trembling hands to the floor and tears began to stream 
 from his eyes. Manikyamba was standing by to hear 
 what the epistle contained. Alarmed at her husband's 
 gestures, and unable to account for his sudden grief, she 
 begged him to tell her what the trouble was. In choked 
 accents he replied that their relative, Eamamurti, had 
 breathed his last at noon the day previous, of cholera ; 
 and over this sad intelligence they grieved long in 
 concert. 
 
 Early on the morning of the next day, Eajasekhara 
 proceeded to Sobhauadri-rajah's house, and informed 
 him of the misfortune which had befallen them in the 
 death of his cousin Eamamurti ; and, after expressing 
 
 * Literally, 'Made her bride' i.e., by bathing and anointing. A 
 similar ceremony is performed on the same day by the parents of the 
 bridegroom.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 135 
 
 his sorrow at the loss and delay to the wedding which 
 must inevitably occur through the time for that event 
 falling just when they were in defilement for the dead, 
 he begged that a messenger might be sent to the bride- 
 groom's people immediately so as to prevent their start- 
 ing. Sobhanadri-rajah consoled him as far as it lay in 
 his power, and at once despatched a messenger to Pedda- 
 puram. Eajasekhara then returned home. 
 
 On the following Sunday Eajasekhara, after his 
 morning meal, transported to Peddapuram by means of 
 coolies a number of kavadies of vegetables for the pur- 
 pose of disposing of them in the fair. While standing 
 about after selling his produce to a shopkeeper at a 
 bargain, an adult, wearing a turban and a long coat, 
 approached and accosted him with 
 
 'Hallo, brother! what defilement have you suffered 
 that you wear that bottu ?' 
 
 Eajasekhara stood stupefied and unable to command 
 a word, gazing into the speaker's face. Again the re- 
 spectable-looking party demanded : 
 
 'You've got on a sandal- wood patch what defile- 
 ment are we under V 
 
 The speaker was no other than Eamamurti himself! 
 
 ' You remember, don't you, my sending you the news 
 of our Eukmini's death ?' replied Eajasekhara after his 
 first transport of joy at again seeing his cousin alive; 
 ' well, we had arranged Sita's wedding for the day before 
 yesterday, Thursday, and were all ready for the event, 
 when on Wednesday evening along came some base 
 wretch when I was out, and handed your sister-in-law 
 a letter stating that you were dead.' 
 
 ' Someone has adopted this wicked device for the 
 purpose of frustrating the marriage." 
 
 ' He was no well-wisher who planned the affair. But 
 come along home with me and see your sister-in-law 
 and Sita.' 
 
 'I've just now got to see the Eajah, and return to 
 Eajahrnundry without delay on state business. But in 
 a month's time I'll come over again and spend a couple
 
 136 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 of days with you,' replied Eamamurti as he turned away 
 towards the Rajah's court for the purpose of transacting 
 his business. 
 
 Rajasekhara went straight to Bhimavaram and told 
 his wife the good news about Eamamurti, cursing copi- 
 ously the villain who had balked the marriage. At that 
 moment Sita brought the staff which the cooly had 
 dropped on his departure, and showed it to her father. 
 No sooner had he taken it in his hand and examined it 
 than he recognised it as Ramarajah's. It was, he 
 declared to his wife, the very one he had shown him 
 but a short time before. On further reflection, they 
 both concluded for a certainty that the fellow who 
 brought the letter could have been none other than 
 Ramarajah. 
 
 ' But why,' mused Rajasekhara, ' why should Rama- 
 jah, who of all people is under obligation to us, do such 
 a thing ?' 
 
 ' 'Twas only the other night/ added Manikyamba, 
 ' that he saved our lives and showed us so much kind- 
 ness. I can guess no reason whatever why he should 
 meditate such a piece of villany as this.' 
 
 ' He may have taken money from our enemies and 
 brought himself to commit this evil deed/ suggested 
 her husband ; ' money makes enemies of even the 
 dearest friends, you know.' 
 
 ' Greed of gain in his present circumstances may 
 have led him to commit this folly. But see! There 
 comes Ramarajah himself! If you ask him about it, 
 all will be plain.' 
 
 ' What, Sir ! Ramarajah !' called out Rajasekhara ; 
 ' considering that we did you so great a kindness, is it 
 charitable in you to balk our plans in this way ?' 
 
 ' How have I balked your plans ?' 
 
 ' Didn'c you trump up a letter to the effect that our 
 Ramamurti was dead, and give it to my people when I 
 was out ?' 
 
 ' I haven't so much as seen the inside of your house 
 while you were out. And I want you to understand
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 137 
 
 that if you impute such base actions to me, you and I'll 
 not get along together.' 
 
 1 If you haven't so much as seen the inside of my 
 house, how did this stick of yours come here ?' 
 
 ' I've been unable to find my stick for five or six 
 days back, and have been looking everywhere for it. 
 Ah, now I see ! You carried off the stick yourself, and 
 now you're laying the blame on me, so's to escape. I 
 always supposed you to be some sort of honest people.' 
 
 ' And pray what dishonesty have you spied out in 
 me ? Do you* never again cross the threshold of my 
 house !' 
 
 4 Don't you nivu me. Who wants anything to do 
 with your house ?' demanded Uamarajah, starting up 
 and leaving them abruptly. 
 
 Immediately after Eajasekhara, too, went out. Pro- 
 ceeding to the house of Sobhanadri-rajah he related to 
 him all that had occurred, and begged him to call the 
 astrologer for the purpose of again fixing a time for the 
 wedding. 
 
 ' The night of the very day on which he fixed the 
 time before in your house,' replied Sobhanadri-rajah, 
 ' the astrologer took the fever. The disease grew so 
 bad that he lost all desire to live ; so at noon on Tues- 
 day they laid him on the ground. t Thereupon all his 
 relatives came together, and thinking such a death an 
 improper one for an educated Brahman to die, adminis- 
 tered extreme unction. From that very night the 
 disease turned, and they say he is now quite conva- 
 lescent. Do you go at once and return here after, ascer- 
 taining at what time this month the marriage should 
 come off.' 
 
 ' Very good. I shall take leave ;' and Rajasekhara, 
 suiting the action to the word, rose and proceeded with- 
 out delay to the house of astrologer Subbarayadu. 
 Finding the astrologer seated on a bench in the porch, 
 
 * Nivu, the second person singular, used only in addressing inferiors, 
 t See also the account of the death of Subbama, p. 82. Brahmins 
 invariably deposit the dying upon the ground.
 
 138 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 leaning against the wall, he saluted him and hoped he 
 was much better. 
 
 ' I am somewhat better,' replied the astrologer ; 
 ' when my complaint was at its worst and I was un- 
 conscious, all my kinsfolk gathered with the intention 
 of making away with my goods, and administered absolu- 
 tion to me. It is but six months since my wife by my 
 second marriage came to live with me. I haven't en- 
 jo ved a single year's unbroken happiness with her yet, 
 and as soon as I get stronger they won't so much as 
 allow me to stay in the house, but will hunt me out of 
 it.' 
 
 ' What's the use of crying over spilt milk ? Banish 
 all thought of domestic felicity from your mind, and 
 pass your remaining time in reflecting upon your 
 approaching dissolution, and in what is more essential 
 in your present state the repetition of the pranava.'* 
 
 ' I have already severed all earthly ties. You must 
 forget and forgive the injury I did you.' 
 
 ' Why, what injury have you ever done me ?' 
 
 ' The ancients say that if past sin be confessed, 'twill 
 be remitted. The fellow to whom you gave Sita in 
 marriage the other day is not a rich man. He's a pimp 
 who procures harlots for Sobhanadri-rajah. The clothes, 
 bracelets, and all the other things he wore, are the 
 liajah's. The Rajah planned the whole affair and sent 
 me to you. I carried out the scheme. It had already 
 been thus foreordained of God, and so the affair passed 
 off successfully. So, as you just said, what's the use of 
 crying over spilt milk V 
 
 ' Is Sobhanadri-rajah such a base wretch ? When I 
 first went to visit him, I guessed what manner of man 
 he was. But when he put the rupees into my hand, I, 
 ignorant of this base deception, supposed he gave them 
 simply out of regard for me. Had the wedding not 
 fallen through by Eamarajab/s charit} 7 , it would have 
 been an accomplished fact. Had it not been for him, 
 
 * The mystic syllable OM, the repetition of which is believed to 
 ensure salvation.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 139 
 
 we would certainly have cut the child's throat without 
 cause.' 
 
 ' The marriage not taken place ? I hear good news ! 
 How did what was as good as done fall through ?' 
 
 ' News of our defilement by the death of a relative 
 reached us ; so the happy event did not come off at the 
 time you fixed. That villain just now sent me to call 
 you for the very purpose of fixing the time anew.' 
 
 ' Don't talk to me any longer about that evil doer. 
 The very day I fixed the date for the wedding in your 
 house at that sinner's direction, this complaint set in ; 
 so, believing that God had brought this affliction upon 
 me as a punishment for the deceit I'd practised upon 
 you, I vowed by ten million gods to make a clean 
 breast of the whole truth, and obtain absolution from 
 my sin, should I recover before the marriage was con- 
 summated. But I didn't recover in time. Then I 
 called to mind the maxim of Sukra : 
 
 ' Of maidens fair and marriage matters grave, 
 
 Of life or wealth or woman's virtue ta'en 
 A herd of cows or Brahmin's life to save 
 Thou mayest lie, O Rajah, without bane,' 
 
 and pacified my conscience somewhat by the reflection 
 that I had only lied about a marriage. Probably it 
 was on the strength of the same maxim that no one 
 else said anything to you about Padmarajah.' 
 
 ' I'll go at once and ask Sobhanadri-rajah about the 
 affair, and say to his very face whatever needs to be 
 said.' 
 
 Suiting the action to the word Rajasekhara started 
 off', and found Sobhanadri-rajah standing in his street- 
 door. ' I believed your words,' cried llajasekhara ' to 
 be those of a man of some honour ; but in that I was 
 deceived. Is it because I have been on friendly terms 
 with you so long, that you attempt to marry my 
 daughter to a worthless wretch V 
 
 With these words he was turning away when 
 Sobhanadri-rajah called out, ' Return the rupees you 
 got from us, and then be off about your business.'
 
 140 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 ' I spent the rupees you gave me, and my own as 
 well in the purchase of articles for the wedding. I 
 have now no money. When I have it in hand I'll repay 
 you,' replied Rajasekhara again turning away. 
 
 Sobhanadri-rajah at once directed his servants to 
 seize him and cast him into prison. 
 
 From the moment Manikyamba heard this news she 
 fell to brooding over the calamity which had befallen 
 her husband, renounced food and sleep, and spent her 
 whole time in religious meditations, interrupted at 
 intervals by pining grief. 
 
 Three days after this occurrence, Sita was standing 
 in the street door just at dawn when two strangers 
 accosted her, stating that her brother had come from 
 Pitapuram and was then in the house of the laranam 
 in the next street, whence he had sent them to fetch 
 her. On this pretence they took Sita to the outskirts 
 of the village, when they lifted her between them and 
 ran off at the top of their speed. Manikyamba no 
 sooner heard this piece of bad news than she fell to the 
 ground in a swoon. After regaining consciousness she 
 would listen to no consolations, but bewailed incessantly 
 with copious floods of tears the hard separation from 
 her husband and her daughter's sad fate. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Subrahmanya reaches Pitapuram A Friend meets him and makes him 
 Welcome to his Home Narrative of Niladri-rajah The Rajah's 
 Money disappears They use the Magic Eyesalve The Lost Trea- 
 sure is found in Niladri -rajah's Yard with a Quantity of other 
 Valuables. 
 
 THE day he left his parents, Subrahmanya lost his way, 
 and after wandering he knew not where, finally reached 
 Pitapuram just at dusk. It happened that at that 
 moment a number of evil-minded persons, who were 
 seated in a certain place, caught sight of him, and 
 observing his forlorn condition, and concluding from his 
 manner that he was a rustic, determined to bully the
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 141 
 
 lad and get what they could out of him. One of the 
 group at once started up, and, advancing into the road 
 by which Subrahmanya was approaching, blocked his 
 advance, and demanded, ' Who comes there V 
 
 1 I'm a Brahman,' replied Subrahmanya ; ' I'm coming 
 from Bhimarvaram.' 
 
 ' What's the reason you enter the place when it is so 
 dark ?' 
 
 ' Had I walked straight on from the time I started, 
 I'd have got here while it was yet daylight ; but I 
 missed the way and took the wrong road, and so I'm late, 
 as you see.' 
 
 ' Have you any relatives in the place ?' 
 
 * I have no relatives here. I've come to wait on the 
 Eajah and obtain work.' 
 
 ' Whose is that bundle on your shoulder V 
 
 ' Mine, of course. What would I be doing with 
 another person's bundle ?' 
 
 ' It is not yours. You seem a suspicious character. 
 I shan't let you off yet awhile. Along with you to the 
 station.' 
 
 ' I'm no thief. I've been most respectable from my 
 very childhood. Let me go/ 
 
 ' The Kajah's order is not to let anyone off who enters 
 the town after dark. But what will you give me if I 
 let you go ?' 
 
 ' I'll give you four annas. Let me go.' 
 
 ' It can't be done under four rupees. You look like 
 the very rascal I'm after. Put the bundle down. If 
 you don't do as I tell you, look out, or you'll get some- 
 thing for yourself.' 
 
 Just then a man who had shortly before gone to the 
 outskirts of the village and was now returning, happened 
 along that very road on his way home, and hearing the 
 row, stopped and asked, ' What are you annoying that 
 man for ?' 
 
 ' See here,' cried Subrahmanya, ' this fellow says that 
 he won't let me go unless I give him four rupees. He's 
 restraining me by force.'
 
 142 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 1 What, Subrahmanya ! is it you ?' cried the stranger. 
 ' I recognized your voice at once. What are you doing 
 here alone at this time of night ? You haven't run 
 away from home secretly, have you ? But come, let us 
 go to the house.' 
 
 ' Why, Umapati, how did you come here ? Had you 
 been a moment later, it's hard to say what that fellow 
 would have done to me.' 
 
 ' What fellow ? Where's the person who was 
 bothering you ? 
 
 ' Seeing us talking he slipped off, and there he is, 
 running away yonder in the distance.' 
 
 ' Let him go. We'll see what can be done about him 
 to-morrow.' 
 
 Conversing with each other thus, the pair in company 
 walked towards the house, and by the time they had 
 arrived there Subrahmanya had related to his companion 
 the misfortunes which, up to that time, had befallen his 
 father and family, their then circumstances, and the 
 reason of his coming to Pitapuram. Umapati, while 
 deeply grieved at this sad intelligence, expressed his 
 astonishment that the abundant wealth which Rajase- 
 khara enjoyed when he studied with him had melted 
 away so entirely, and left its whilom possessor in so 
 poverty-stricken a condition ; and he determined to 
 spare no effort on behalf of the priest who had educated 
 him, but to do him every kindness that lay in his power. 
 He therefore gave Subrahmanya a most hearty welcome, 
 informed him that he was in the enjoyment of a position, 
 under the Pitapuram Eajah, worth twenty rupees a 
 month, and told him that he would endeavour to induce 
 the Piajah to provide him with a situation equally good. 
 Subrahmanya was, he added, to regard his house as his 
 home until he obtained this employment. Accordingly, 
 every day after their meal, Subrahmanya accompanied 
 Umapati to the Piajah's court. His Highness, 
 Vijayarama, Maharajah of Pitapuram, one day observed 
 the strange lad, and asked Umapati who he was. 
 Whereupon Umapati narrated the story of his friend's
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 143 
 
 family from beginning to end, and ended by preferring 
 a request that His Highness might be pleased to grant 
 him some post at court. 
 
 On the road which ran from Umapati's house to the 
 fort, stood a spacious mansion. A rajah had rented 
 this building, and occupied it with his suite for a month 
 past. A few days before he had honoured the 
 Brahmans of the place with a dinner. It comes 
 naturally to everybody to eat to repletion when 
 they get it for nothing ; and these worthy Brahmans, 
 though accustomed to season their food with but 
 a few drops of ghi when at home, for once in their 
 lives, at least, drank this oleaginous delicacy by the 
 quart. This dinner made the rajah famous through- 
 out the town ; so much so, that crowds came daily to 
 court his favour. His name was Niladri-rajah. One day 
 as Niladri-rajah was taking his morning constitutional 
 on the street pial after breakfast, he caught sight of 
 Subrahmanya passing at a distance, and signalled that 
 he wished to speak with him. 
 
 ' It seems to us/ said he, ' that we've seen you some- 
 where before. To what place do you belong ?' 
 
 ' My native place is Dhavalesvaram. Our family 
 name is Khoteti. My name is Subrahmanya/ 
 
 ' Ah, we recollect ! Aren't you Eajasekhara's son ? 
 Where is he at present ?' 
 
 ' He's in Bhimavaram. Where did you know him ?' 
 
 ' It was in Dhavalesvaram that we saw him. A year 
 ago, while on a pilgrimage, we spent ten days in 
 Dhavalesvaram. While there we bathed in the 
 Godaveri, visited Kotiphali and other celebrated shrines, 
 and came here a month ago to visit the shrine of 
 Padagaya. Here we've been ever since. Your worthy 
 father regarded us as his priest. While we were there 
 your good father was never away from our side.' 
 
 ' I have no recollection of seeing you a year ago. 
 Where did you lodge ?' 
 
 ' You don't recollect, but we do very well. Let me 
 see you should have a couple of sisters. Are they well ?'
 
 144 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 ' My elder sister, Rukmini, is dead. The younger one 
 is well.' 
 
 ' You're not very well acquainted with our affairs, I 
 fancy. The Vizianagram Rajah is our maternal uncle's 
 son. She that was married to the Rajah of Mogaliturra 
 is our cousin by our father's joint wife.' 
 
 ' Just now I'm on my way to court. I'll call some 
 other time when I have leisure, and have a talk. Will 
 you grant me leave for the present ?' said Subrahmanya, 
 rising ; and having made his devoir, he proceeded on his 
 way to the Rajah's hall of audience. This was now an 
 everyday business with him ; for he never flagged in his 
 attendance at court, where he struck up an acquaintance 
 with all the officials, and acquired much valuable in- 
 formation about the details of State business. When- 
 ever the clerks had a document to write, they would, 
 without exception, call Subrahmanya, and have him draw 
 it up for them. Whenever an account was to be squared, 
 they would have no one to do it but Subrahmanya. For 
 this he got not an anna of pay ; but, so far as work went, 
 his position was superior to that of the salaried clerks. 
 No matter what or how much work they asked him to 
 do, he was always ready to go at it. By this means he 
 soon won the goodwill of the whole office ; and one day 
 the clerks went in a body and represented to the Rajah 
 that this lad had long been serving and expecting a 
 situation, and begged His Highness to grant him one. 
 To this the Rajah replied that when an opening 
 presented itself, he would confer the post upon him ; in 
 the meantime he was to remain in attendance at the 
 palace. 
 
 Meanwhile Subrahmanya had one day again called 
 on Niladri -rajah, who greeted him cordially. 
 
 ' Well, Master Subrahmanya, what's the news in 
 town ?' 
 
 ' Nothing of moment. I'm still waiting the Rajah's 
 pleasure for a situation. I haven't got into work yet.' 
 
 ' Why should you wait so long ? Can you undertake 
 a journey to a foreign country ? We'll get you a capital
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 145 
 
 situation, without the slightest difficulty, under the 
 Maharajah of Vizianagram. He's our mother's younger 
 sister's son.' 
 
 This last assertion not agreeing with his former state- 
 ment that this Rajah was the son of his maternal uncle, 
 Subrahmanya inferred that he was lying ; but his 
 proposal was so magnanimous that the lad was pleased, 
 and made no reply. 
 
 'Well,' demanded Niladri-rajah, 'what are you 
 hesitating about ? As sure as you're alive we'll get you 
 a capital situation. Why, the strongest friendship 
 exists between Ramavarma, the Rajah of Kalahasti, and 
 ourselves. When, we were little, he and we rode in the 
 same carriage together. This is a great secret you're 
 not to tell anyone.' 
 
 ' All right. If I don't get into work here, I'll cer- 
 tainly come/ 
 
 ' We'll tell you another secret. In our youth, we and 
 the Kalahasti Rajah used to gamble together. His 
 affairs are nothing to us, of course; but, you see, he 
 kept a dancing-girl at that time.' 
 
 ' Your honour is wearing the rice bottu very early in 
 the morning. Do you perform the pardhiva ?' * 
 
 ' I used to do the pardhiva ; but at present I per- 
 form Siva pujah. Report says, I think, that your 
 Rajah is also very much devoted to the Siva pujah. 
 It is by this means, so we've heard, that he became so 
 rich.' 
 
 'Yes, I too have heard that he's very wealthy.' 
 
 ' How much money is your Rajah reported to have 
 by him ?' 
 
 ' The common report is that it's not less than ten lacs.' 
 
 1 The whole of it is kept in the fort, I suppose ?' 
 
 ' The whole of it is kept in the fort. A corps of old 
 veterans, who have long served faithfully, is on guard 
 there.' 
 
 * Pardhiva, the worship of an earthen linya, performed at early 
 morning. Siva pujah, worship of the stone lin</a, performed usually at 
 mid-day. 
 
 10
 
 
 146 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 ' The Maharajah of Vizianagram thinks of erecting a 
 new fort, and charged us expressly to procure plans of 
 the forts in all the towns we visited. Only the other 
 day we secured a plan of the Peddapuram fort. Couldn't 
 you draw a diagram of this one too, and let us have it ?' 
 
 ' Certainly. Fetch paper and pen ; I'll strike it off 
 and give it you at once,' replied Subrahmanya. 
 
 When paper and pens had been brought in, he drew 
 from memory a plan of all he had seen in the fort, and 
 handed it to Niladrirajah. That worthy took the paper, 
 and began at once to ask questions about the uses to 
 which the various sections were put, and about the 
 solidity of the wall. To these Subrahmanya went on to 
 give suitable replies so far as he knew the particulars. 
 
 ' It's on the north side, next the street, is it not the 
 treasury ?' asked Niladri-rajah. 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
 ' It's all first-rate ; but how high did they build the 
 walls ?' 
 
 ' It's probably about twelve feet.' 
 
 'You must keep the matter dark, and tell no one 
 about our having drawn a plan of the fort. Rajahs 
 don't like the idea of there being another fort similar to 
 their own.' 
 
 With this parting caution Niladri-rajah called for 
 betel and leaf, which he presented to Subrahmanya, and 
 dismissed him with the assurance that when the fort 
 was erected he would not fail to inform his Highness 
 that he was the person who had drawn the plan. 
 Pleased with this promise, Subrahmanya took his 
 departure and wended his way slowly homeward, 
 building all sorts of castles in the air on the strength 
 of the hope that he might, perhaps, obtain a position of 
 emolument. 
 
 Early one morning, several days after the events just 
 narrated, a rumour became current in the town that 
 thieves had broken into the Rajah's palace and carried 
 off the jewels and money from the treasury. A little 
 later the Pu jail's servants began to raise the hue and
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 147 
 
 cry, and to visit all parts of the town, seizing all who 
 were unfriendly to them, and dragging them off to the 
 station, where those in charge locked them up in the 
 cells and proceeded to torture them in various ways to 
 compel them to confess the crime. Large numbers of 
 innocent persons were thus seized and tortured ; but 
 the police were wholly unable to get any clue to the 
 real thieves. On the north side of the fort there were 
 footprints as though the burglars had reared a ladder 
 against the wall and thus effected an entrance. In the 
 stone wall of the treasure-room they had pierced a hole 
 as large as a small doorway. Had three able men 
 undertaken to dig such an opening, it would have taken 
 them at least half a day. There was therefore no room 
 for conjecture as to what had become of the sleep of the 
 thieves who had been up and hard at work so much of 
 the night ; it had, in double measure, fled for refuge to 
 the warders. It was, however, whispered in the town 
 that when the chink of rupees was heard in the vault, 
 the men who stood guard supposed it to be the Goddess 
 of Riches groaning, and rushed in terror into a strong 
 room, where they saved their lives by barricading the 
 door. Which of these hypotheses is correct the Allwise 
 alone knows ; but it is certain at all events that the Diva 
 Pecunia left the fort that night by the new door, 
 mounted upon humau shoulders. Notwithstanding all 
 their efforts, the royal servants could find no trace of 
 the thieves ; so at length, worn out, they went to the 
 captain and gave a detailed report of their strenuous 
 efforts. The captain was greatly perplexed as to what 
 course to pursue ; but after a moment's reflection he 
 concluded to lay the blame upon some one of the royal 
 employes ; for he knew that if he failed to catch the 
 thieves and recover the money, he would incur the 
 Rajah's displeasure. With this object in view he 
 examined all who frequented the court; but fearing 
 that if he charged any of them they would be angry 
 with him, he decided to lay the blame upon one of the 
 subordinates. Considering it improper, however, for 
 
 102
 
 148 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 himself to appear as the accuser, he proceeded to his 
 house, and, alter talking the matter over with certain 
 parties, sent out for a person reported to be skilled in 
 the use of the magic eye-salve. In the course of three 
 hours he put in an appearance. 
 
 ' See, here, Bhimanna/ said he as the diviner entered, 
 'last night some treasure was stolen from the Rajah's 
 palace. If you can name the man who took that money, 
 your fortune's made.' 
 
 ' How long will that take ? If you can bring back 
 the cash, I'll apply the collyrium and tell you the name 
 in a twinkling.' 
 
 'Have you got the collyrium by you now, ready 
 made ?' 
 
 ' I have. But it won't have any effect upon anyone 
 but a cat-eyed man.* You must have some such person 
 called.' 
 
 On hearing this the captain summoned a servant. 
 
 ' Here, you, go and fetch Samigardu the washerman,' 
 3aid he, sending him off. 
 
 The servant started on his errand without delay, and 
 in the course of an hour returned, accompanied by 
 Samigardu. In the meantime the diviner had had ; a 
 servant-maid clean a room with cowdung, in one corner 
 of which he lighted a large oil-lamp. Alter bathing, he 
 entered the room and drew before the lamp a design in 
 flour, in which he placed an image of Anjaneya and a 
 casket of eye-unguent,^ after which he proceeded to 
 make pujah. As soon as the washerman came in the 
 diviner brought his pujah to an end, seated the washer- 
 man in the middle of the drawing, rubbed some of the 
 eye-unguent from the casket in the palm of his right 
 hand, and bade him gaze steadily at it, and describe 
 everything that appeared. 
 
 ' Put your hand close to the light/ said he, ' and look 
 
 * I.e., a blue-eyed man. 
 
 + Katuka or anjana, a mixture of lampblack and oil applied by 
 Hindu women to the eyelids to increase the brilliancy of the eyes. 
 This unguent is believed to possess magic properties.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 149 
 
 at it without winking. Is anything visible to you 
 now?' 
 
 ' No,' replied Samigardu, ' nothing but the lampblack.' 
 
 ' Don't let your sight wander. Do you see anything 
 now ?' 
 
 ' It's showing now. It looks like a big gold plate.' 
 
 ' Is there anything in the centre of the plate ?' 
 
 ' There's an avisi tree.' 
 
 ' It's not an avisi, it's an asoka. See who is in the 
 branches of the tree.' 
 
 ' There's a big monkey.' 
 
 ' Call him not a monkey. 'Tis the blessed Anjaneya ! 
 Make him a salutation in your mind and see what he'll 
 say.' 
 
 'He's moving his lips over something; but I can't 
 catch the words.' 
 
 ' Ask him who made away with the Eajah's money/ 
 
 ' He says without doubt 'twas one of the people who 
 are in attendance on the Rajah.' 
 
 ' Ask his family name.' 
 
 'Koti.' 
 
 ' Ask his other name, too.' 
 
 * Subbama.' 
 
 ' Subrahmanya ? Koteti Subrahmanya !' 
 
 ' You didn't say it that way a little while ago,' pro- 
 tested the washerman. 
 
 ' Is it with Anjaneya you're talking ? Do you mean 
 to say that Anjaneya didn't pronounce it so just now ? 
 That's just what he did say. 'Tvvas you who couldn't 
 get the name into your mouth and pronounced it wrong. 
 That'll do DOW get up. And, look you, keep your 
 mouth shut about this.' 
 
 With this admonition he pushed Samigardu aside, 
 and fell to shouting the name and declaring that the 
 person who had carried off the treasure had been 
 detected. The captain of the guard was convinced that 
 the robbery could have been committed by no one else, 
 and fairly danced with delight at the success of his 
 plan. All the court employes were of the opinion, how-
 
 150 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 over, that these two had laid their heads together and 
 coached the washerman, and that there was not a 
 particle of truth in the report. As for the vulgar herd, 
 they reasoned that if the party named really had not 
 committed the burglary, how should the washerman 
 know his name ? and affirmed stoutly that Subrah- 
 manya was the very scamp who did the business. 
 Everywhere in the village the populace was to be seen 
 in groups discussing the fact that when the magic oint- 
 ment was used it had turned out that Subrahmanya had 
 stolen the money. The Kajah believed not the story. 
 
 When Subrahmanya went home from the court-house 
 that night, the people all along the way pointed their 
 lingers at him with the remark that 'this was the 
 fellow who had committed the burglary.' Ashamed 
 that he had innocently incurred such unjust blame, he 
 went and lay down all alone after eating his meal and 
 began to puzzle his brain over the matter as follows : 
 
 * Who could it be that dug the hole in the wall ? No 
 one would undertake so daring a deed single-handed. 
 There certainly could not have been less than two or 
 three to pierce so strong a wall. Who could those three 
 be ? They must have known the lay of the fort, or 
 they could not have managed so well. When Niladri- 
 rajah got me to draw that plan of the fort a few days 
 ago, he asked two or three times about the treasury. 
 What was his purpose in asking such questions ? He 
 must be connected in some way or other with the 
 burglary. He asked the height of the wall, too. If he 
 had no connection with the robbery, of what use would 
 the height of the wall be to him ? And besides that, 
 before a breath of the matter got abroad in the town, 
 when I was going to the outskirts of the village just at 
 daybreak, he called me and said it was rumoured that 
 burglars had broken into the palace. If he was not 
 one of the gang, how did he know that fact so early in 
 the morning ? When I came home that evening, too, I 
 saw him standing in the street. His conduct then was 
 suspicious. Considering all these coincidences, I have
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 151 
 
 no hesitation in pronouncing him the leader of the 
 gang. To-morrow I'll ask the Rajah for an escort of 
 constables, make a descent upon his house without any- 
 one knowing it, and search all the boxes and other 
 receptacles where money is likely to be found. In this 
 way I shall be sure to get a part of the treasure at 
 least. That will free me from blame, at all events.' 
 
 Hacked by such thoughts as these he dragged wearily 
 through the night, and as soon as it became light paid 
 his respects to the Rajah. He had done nothing, he 
 said, to incur the slightest blame ; but if His Highness 
 would intrust him with a few constables and bid them 
 do as he directed, he would assuredly apprehend the 
 thieves with their booty. The Rajah listened attentively 
 to what he had to say, and at once summoned ten 
 constables and charged them straitly to do whatever 
 Subrahmanya should bid them, and to report the result 
 to him. With these men Subrahmanya proceeded 
 direct to the house of Niladri-rajah, and finding the 
 street door closed, stationed a guard around the build- 
 ing and entered the garden by a wicket, with two con- 
 stables. He found Niladri-rajah in the yard, who, on 
 seeing strangers enter, was much embarrassed. 
 
 ' Pray, Subrahmanya, on what business have you 
 come here so early in the morning ?' asked he. 
 
 Simply to visit your honour. What are you having 
 done in the garden ?' 
 
 ' I've been having the garden dug up with the inten- 
 tion of planting it. I was just considering what seed 
 I should sow when you came in,' replied Niladri-rajah, 
 forgetting in his confusion to apply the plural number 
 to himself, and speaking as became his true standing. 
 Without a word Subrahmanya effected an entrance with 
 his men and opened and examined all the boxes. To 
 his astonishment he found in them along with other 
 things the articles which the byragi had some time 
 before stolen from his father's house. But not a trace 
 was there of the Rajah's property. Having found his 
 own money, Subrahmanya concluded that the thief
 
 152 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 could be none other than Niladri-rajah ; and guessing 
 that he had buried the articles in the ground and dug 
 the whole garden over to hide all trace of the spot, and 
 then lied in saying that it was for the purpose of sowing 
 seed, he had the constables re-dig the entire enclosure. 
 There in a certain spot, waist-deep in the earth, they 
 came upon the whole of the property lost by the Rajah. 
 Not a cowries worth was missing. Appointing consta- 
 bles to fetch the treasure round by means of coolies, 
 and to bring along Niladri-rajah and his servants under 
 arrest without delay, Subrahmanya hurried on the 
 palace where he related fully what had occurred, ordered 
 in the baskets of treasure, and handed over the thieves. 
 Niladri-rajah and his accomplices confessed their guilt 
 and begged to be let off. So pleased was the Rajah 
 that he at once rewarded Subrahmanya handsomely ; 
 and since, being a tributary vassal of the Peddapuram 
 Eajah, he did not possess the power to try the prisoners, 
 he made them over to the custody of the royal police, 
 appointed Subrahmanya captain of the corps, and 
 despatched them to H. H. Krishna Jagapati, the 
 Maharajah of Peddapuram, for trial. 
 
 When Subrahmanya was setting out on his journey 
 to Peddapuram, just as he reached the street door, a 
 poor lizard fell upon him from the ceiling. He imme- 
 diately postponed his departure, and summoned the 
 village priest to ascertain the consequences of the 
 lizard's fall. This personage soon bustled in, palm 
 leaf almanac in hand, and announced that as the 
 reptile had not fallen on his head, his life was in no 
 danger ; and further stated that if he would bathe, offer 
 a lighted lamp, and give a little gold to some Brahmaii 
 or other, no ill effects would result from the fall of the 
 lizard. Subrahmanya at once took a full bath, placed 
 a few coppers in the hands of the priest himself with 
 the remark that copper contained gold, repeated the 
 gayatri* and set out with the determination of reach- 
 ing Peddapuram that day how hot soever it might be. 
 
 * The chief Brahminical mantra or incantation, which is supposed 
 to possess peculiar efficacy.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 153 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Ratnarajah, with the assistance of Subbarayadu, brings back Sita 
 Ramarajah finds Rajasekhara in Prison Rajasekhara's Release from 
 Confinement Sobhanadri-rajah is Punished Subbarayadu proves 
 to be Rukmini, and relates her Adventures. 
 
 AT a distance of ten or twelve miles from Peddapuram 
 is a village called Jaggampeta. At high noon of the 
 day on which Sita was abducted, two persons came to 
 the house of the karanam of this village and shouted 
 to the inmates to open the door. At the summons a 
 strikingly handsome lad of fourteen summers, who for 
 some reason wore his hair long came from within, and, 
 opening the door, demanded on what errand they had 
 come. One of the two men at the door replied by 
 asking whether they would for money give some food 
 to a Brahman girl. On coming out the lad beheld a 
 child of about eight years sitting on thepial with down- 
 cast eyes, sobbing convulsively. One of the men stood 
 close beside her trying to terrify her into silence. 
 Observing the lad who had just come from the house 
 examining their countenances in a peculiar manner, 
 the men asked him his name. 
 
 ' Subbarayadu/ he replied ; and after studying the 
 child's face closely for a few moments, asked ' Who is 
 this little girl ? Where did you bring her from ? and 
 where are you taking her to ?' 
 
 ' We live in Cocanada. This child is the daughter of 
 our village karanam. Her name's Sitama. She's been 
 staying with her sister in Peddapuram, and we're 
 taking her home to her father's. She's setting up her 
 tune because she doesn't want to come with us.' 
 
 ' No, no,' interrupted Sita, ' these men are carrying 
 me off/ 
 
 ' This is certainly not the road from Peddapuram to 
 Cocanada,' remarked Subbarayadu ; ' it looks as though 
 what the little girl says is the truth.' 
 
 While this dialogue was going on, someone suddenly 
 ran up behind and seized the fellow who stood by Sita's
 
 154 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 side by t\\e juttu, pulling him down and showering a 
 rattling fusilade of blows upon his back. The second 
 man seeing this, deserted Sita and his comrade and 
 displayed all the agility he possessed in running away. 
 The individual who had just arrived shouted ' Don't 
 let him escape ! Don't let him escape !' and released 
 the fellow he had hold of to pursue him who was run- 
 ning away. The second one perceiving this to be his 
 chance fled in the opposite direction, and showed him- 
 self to be the better man of the two. After he had 
 pursued this man for some distance the stranger re- 
 turned to the place where Sita sat. No sooner did she 
 see him than she cried out, 
 
 ' Oh, Eamarajah ! How good of you to deliver me 
 from the hands of those thieves. Won't you take me 
 home to my mother, too ?' 
 
 ' Don't cry, dear; I'll set you down at home ere sun- 
 down.' 
 
 ' Eajah,' asked Subbarayadu, ' where are this little 
 one's parents ? They long regarded me as their own 
 child ? 
 
 ' If that's so, do you know this little girl ?' 
 
 ' I do. She's Kajasekhara's second daughter. This 
 little girl, myself, and her elder brother used to regard 
 one another as brothers and sisters. Her elder sister 
 and I, especially, were so intimate that we scarcely 
 knew each other apart. This little one has forgotten 
 me, I think.' 
 
 1 The child's parents are now in Bhimavaram. If you 
 are so deeply indebted to their kindness, why not come 
 along with me and take the girl to her people ?' 
 
 ' I'll come at all odds. Stay here a moment until I 
 run into the house and tell our people of my intention 
 and return,' said Subbarayadu, as he disappeared within. 
 There he related the whole story, saying that he would 
 set the child down safely in Bhimavaram and return as 
 quickly as possible. Although the whole family pro- 
 tested strongly against this, he refused to listen to 
 them ; whereupon they accompanied him to the street
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 155 
 
 door and saw him off, with many affectionate charges 
 that he was to hurry back. Ramarajah, astonished at 
 the lad's beauty, thought within himself how delightful 
 it would be were such loveliness only found in woman. 
 As soon as the ol>ject of his thoughts appeared, 
 Ramarajah lifted the little girl upon his shoulder and 
 took the road for Bhimavaram, conversing with Sub- 
 barayadu. 
 
 ' It's very singular,' said he, ' that you, a Brahman, 
 wear your hair so long.' 
 
 ' I'm under a vow to Venkatesvara. On the strength 
 of that vow I do not remove the coat and other 
 garments I have on, even at meal times. When my 
 clothes get soiled I put on clean ones in some room, 
 with the utmost secrecy, without anyone knowing it. 
 By the help of God I've kept this vow unbroken up to 
 the present moment.' 
 
 'Your vow is a most singular one. I never heard of 
 or saw one like it before.' 
 
 Chatting in this manner, they reached a small village, 
 near Bhimavaram, a couple of hours after lamplight. 
 As the road beyond was in a bad condition, and they 
 heard that a large tiger had carried off a man just out- 
 side the village a couple of days before, Ratnarajah 
 concluded that it would not be judicious to take them 
 farther in the dark, and found them a lodging for the 
 night at the house of a farmer in the place. There were 
 no Brahmans in the village, so they got no dinner that 
 night. But Ramarajah went to the house of a merchant 
 and procured some parched rice ; and as the people at 
 whose house they lay kept cows, he begged of them a 
 dish of thick buttermilk, and gave it to his companions. 
 After appeasing their hunger somewhat with this frugal 
 fare, they lay down upon a rush mat supplied by their 
 host, and were soon wrapped in profound slumber. 
 Rousing them a good three hours before daylight, 
 Ramajarah conducted the party on their way to Bhima- 
 varam ; but just as they reached the outskirts of the 
 village, he pretended to have suddenly recollected some
 
 156 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 business of importance that he had up to that moment 
 entirely forgotten, and informing his companions that 
 he had some work on hand that must be attended to ut 
 once, showed them the road, and hurried off by a side 
 path. 
 
 The pair inquired the way for some little distance 
 together ; but as soon as Sita reached a street that she 
 knew, she started on a run, leaving Subbarayadu behind, 
 and, turning into an alley, made straight for home. 
 Unable in the dark to discover which alley Sita had 
 entered, Subbarayadu walked straight on to the main 
 street and wandered about the town, unable to find the 
 house. On reaching the street door of her father's 
 house, Sita called to those within, and Manikyainba, 
 who was lying awake upon her couch, unable to sleep for 
 sorrow, started up and came running to open the door. 
 Immediately Sita rushed into her mother's arms and 
 burst into tears. Manikyainba, too, unable to restrain 
 her tears, wept for a while ; then wiped away the drops 
 from her daughter's eyes with the end of her cloth, and 
 asked where she had been since yesterday, and how she 
 had been able to return alone in the dark. Sita told 
 her how, early the previous morning, two kidnappers had 
 carried her off; how Eamarajah and another young man 
 had rescued her and brought her back ; and how 
 Rarnarajah had left them, just at the entrance to the 
 village, on the plea of having some business to attend to. 
 But what, asked Manikyamba anxiously, had become of 
 the other young man ? The daughter replied that he 
 had accompanied her as far as the next street ; that he 
 was a person who had known them all before ; and that 
 he would be along shortly. While Manikyamba was 
 thus talking with Sita, who was perched upon her knee, 
 it became daylight. Just then someone at the street 
 door asked ' where Eajasekhara's house was.' Manik- 
 yamba overheard the inquiry, and thinking the voice 
 sounded like Rukmini's, she put Sita down from her lap, 
 reached the street door at a bound, and cried out, ' Who's 
 there ?' The moment Subbarayadu caught sight of
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 157 
 
 her, he cried ' mother !' and falling on her neck, began 
 to sob aloud. A moment later the three disappeared 
 within. 
 
 While Rajesekhara, the same day he was thrown into 
 prison, was sitting sorrowfully apart, a convict, past the 
 prime of life, shuffled by in his fetters, and, after gazing 
 a moment into Rajasekhara's face, approached him and 
 sat down. 
 
 * What's your name ?' asked Rajasekhara. 
 
 ' My name's Papayya,' replied the convict ; ' our 
 family name is Manchirajah. Have you any recollec- 
 tion of ever seeing me before ?' 
 
 ' Your face certainly does look as though I had seen 
 it somewhere before ; but I can't for the life of me 
 think where it was. What relation is Manchirajab 
 Padraarajah to you ?' 
 
 ' You saw me under thejuvvi tree at Black Lake. I 
 was then disguised as a byragi, and so you have failed 
 to recognize me. Padmarajah is my son.' 
 
 ' By what turn of fortune have you been reduced from 
 your former position to such a state as this, and in so 
 short a time ?' 
 
 'Through the mistake of making friends with this 
 Sobhanadri-rajah I fell into 'his power. This Rajah gave 
 me four mates and made me their captain, and sent us 
 to the Black Lake to plunder the roads. After the 
 hillsman, Ramareddi, and his gang were captured and 
 hanged to the branches of the trees by the Rajah, we 
 had it all to ourselves, and for two months were famous 
 for our highway robberies. Sobhanadri-rajah got half the 
 booty ; half of the remaining half fell to my share ; while a 
 quarter of the sum total was divided among themselves 
 by the four other fellows. I palmed myself off as a 
 yogi. My companions spent the day at a distance in 
 the jungle, and came in at night to get their instruc- 
 tions. When it was necessary to send them any 
 message by day, I despatched the mountaineer who lived 
 in the hut. I paid him myself, independent of the 
 others/
 
 158 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 ' He's the one, isn't he, who took his bow and arrows 
 and came with me that day ?' 
 
 ' Yes ; the pot-bellied chap's the very one. On the 
 very night I sent them after you, one of the four was 
 killed. The Rajah got wind of it somehow, and the 
 next morning, before daylight, along came the Royal 
 police, and, first of all, seized me and the mountaineer. 
 Then they beat the hillsman, and he disclosed where the 
 others were hid ; so they captured them, too, and brought 
 the whole lot of us to the Rajah. He threw us all into 
 prison. There we were punished, of course ; but we 
 didn't split on our Eajah for all that. So he allows us 
 to go about as we please in prison here, and regards us 
 with special favour.' 
 
 ' In that case Sobhanadri-rajah is doing you a great 
 kindness.' 
 
 ' What kindness ? It is through this villain that we 
 are suffering here in goal. But, sooner or later, the 
 Maharajah will discover his villany, and consign him to 
 this beautiful abode to keep us company. Then, when 
 another gaolor comes, the Lord only knows what we'll 
 have to undergo.' 
 
 ' 'Twas for no other reason than because I wouldn't 
 give my daughter to your son, I'd have you know, that 
 he put me in here.' 
 
 ' Yes ; I know all about it. Padmarajah was here 
 with me that time the Rajah sent to call him when you 
 were with him. The whole thing was a plan arranged 
 by me, my son, the Rajah, and the astrologer together. 
 But your days are lucky, and so our little plan didn't 
 succeed. Sobhanadri-rajah intended taking the chains 
 off two of the fellows who used to be with me at Black 
 Lake, and send them somewhere this morning.' 
 
 ' Did you not learn where to ?' 
 
 ' No ; I didn't find out. This morning the Rajah 
 came here to consult me about something, but his younger 
 brother happened in, and so he moved oft', saying he'd tell 
 me to-night. A while ago I did you a great wrong; now 
 I'll make it even by doing you a right. The Maharajah
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 159 
 
 of Peddapuram is a most excellent man. If you were 
 to write a petition to the effect that Sobhanadri-rajah 
 is keeping you confined in this way, he'd release you 
 instanter. I'll fetch you paper and that ;' and Papayya, 
 as good as his word, soon returned with the necessary 
 writing materials. Without delay Eajasekhara wrote 
 a petition, which he folded and gummed and handed to 
 Papayya, who sent it by a special messenger to the 
 Maharajah. Two or three days passed away, but no 
 order nor any sign that he would grant Eajasekhara a 
 trial and justice came from the Eajah. Eajasekhara 
 concluded that, as it was a charge against a relative of 
 the Eajah's, no reply would be forthcoming, and dis- 
 missed the matter from his thoughts. 
 
 Early on the morning of the day after Sita was kid- 
 napped, a rumour got afloat in the prison that the Maha- 
 rajah was coming to inspect the premises. A little later 
 Eamarajah came into the cell where Eajasekhara was 
 confined. 
 
 'Eamarajah,' cried Eajasekhara, 'you must forgive 
 my blunder. Your bringing the letter that night proved 
 a blessing in disguise to us. 1 was unable to see through 
 the affair at the time, and abused you unjustly.' 
 
 ' It's time you said so in return for the service I did 
 you. You evinced such good sense as almost to pre- 
 vent me ever doing a charitable deed again !' 
 
 ' Be merciful to me and forget that matter, I beg. I 
 was beside myself at the time at the thought that we 
 had missed a capital match, and said I know not what. 
 Forgive me.' 
 
 ' They say the Maharajah is on his way here to 
 inspect the prison, so I must be off at once,' said Eama- 
 rajah as he took his departure. 
 
 About an hour later a be-badged attendant entered 
 the cell, and bade Eajasekhara follow him, saying that 
 the Maharajah was holding court, and had summoned 
 Eajasekhara because of a certain petition he had written. 
 Arrived at the hall, Rajasekhara beheld the Maharajah 
 seated upon a jewelled throne, decked in all his regalia.
 
 ibo FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 In the royal presence stood the lictors, bearing in their 
 hands golden fasces. At the sides of the throne were 
 two attendants waving rich chowries or fans ; and a 
 bodyguard fully armed. On one side stood Sobhanadri- 
 rajah, with clasped hands ; on the other, two other men, 
 whose hands were bound. When Eajasekhara at last 
 stood before him, the Maharajah Krishna Jagapati asked 
 if he had not written a petition in the royal name 
 against Sobhanadri-rajah, there present. Eajasekhara, 
 fearful of the consequences of his act, and trembling in 
 every limb, remained mute, unable to answer a word. 
 
 ' Sobhanadri - rajah/ proceeded his Highness, ' we 
 happen to know of the many injustices you have done 
 Eajasekhara here. Simply because he refused to sacri- 
 fice his daughter to a base wretch, one of your familiars, 
 you not only cast him into prison, but called to your 
 aid, and instigated two men from the prison to abduct 
 the child. 
 
 ' I know nothing whatever about the persons who 
 abducted the child your Highness speaks of/ replied 
 Sobhanadri-rajah. 
 
 ' If you have no knowledge of the matter, how did 
 these men, who were yesterday in the prison, succeed 
 in getting out ?' 
 
 1 Yesterday morning these fellows scaled the wall, 
 and escaped. Ever since then I have been sending 
 men in all directions for their apprehension.' 
 
 ' What you, Guravu ! Did this man send you any- 
 where, or did you effect your escape yourselves by 
 scaling the wall ?' 
 
 'Most gracious master, yesterday his honour the 
 Rajah, here, summoned us, and bade us carry off the 
 girl to Eavanakkapeta, and there deliver her to Padma- 
 rajah. Padrnarajah went on ahead, and was waiting 
 there to rnarry the girl underhanded as soon as she 
 arrived.' 
 
 'No, no/ broke in Sobhanadri-rajah; 'these low-born 
 thieves ran off, and are lying in this way to shield them- 
 selves/
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 161 
 
 ' This Eajah's the ringleader of the thieves !' pro- 
 ceeded Guravu excitedly ; ' he used to get us to rob the 
 roads, and then wouldn't give us our pay properly, and 
 got us into all sorts of scrapes. It grieves me merely 
 to think of what we suffered the night we tried to rob 
 this brahman.' 
 
 ' Did you use to rob the roads as he says ?' demanded 
 the Maharajah, turning to Sobhanadri-rajah. 
 
 ' Never, never ! These sons of widows are lying.' 
 
 'Call Papayya, and see whether what we've said 
 isn't true. He's close by in the prison here/ 
 
 ' Call Papayya there,' commanded the Rajah. 
 
 After a little, in came Papayya, and on the Maharajah 
 giving his word that his punishment would be materi- 
 ally diminished if he spake the truth, he narrated the 
 whole affair, from the very beginning. Sobhanadri- 
 rajah gazed at the floor in silence, unable to utter a 
 word in reply. Rajasekhara, observing that the Maha- 
 rajah's features and form bore a remarkable resemblance 
 to those of Ramarajah, broke into a cold sweat, and 
 gazed about him, pale and bewildered. His Highness 
 marked his pallor and agitation, and descending from 
 the throne took him graciously by the hand, and 
 explained that he who had so often come to their house 
 to inquire after their welfare was no other than himself, 
 and that although well able to help them, he had 
 delayed doing so for a while in order to put their 
 character to the test He then turned to his attendants 
 and ordered Rajasekhara's immediate release. For a 
 few moments Rajasekhara was unable to collect his 
 thoughts sufficiently to reply ; but as his fear wore off 
 he gradually found voice, and prayed in quavering 
 accents, and with deep humility, that ' His lord would 
 forgive him for regarding him as a common man, and 
 treating him with disrespect through ignorance of his 
 real estate, and for uttering abusive words when angry 
 that Sita's marriage had been frustrated.' His High- 
 ness replied that the matter had never presented itself 
 to him in any other light than that, and after graciously
 
 162 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 inviting Rajasekhara to visit him the next day in Pedda- 
 purani, sent him home. 
 
 After Rajasekhara's departure, the Maharajah sum- 
 moned Sobhanadri-rajah, recounted at length his evil 
 deeds, and reprimanded him severely. Although for 
 his crimes he should have been condemned to a punish- 
 ment of unusual rigour, the Rajah with excessive leni- 
 ency assigned him only a month's imprisonment, and 
 handed him over to the custody of the constables. 
 Besides this, since he had promised the two men who 
 carried Sita off, when he had himself captured and 
 brought them back, that their punishment should be 
 somewhat lessened if they would tell the whole truth, 
 he not only diminished their sentence by half, but was 
 equally lenient to Padmarajah. Having disposed of 
 this business, Sri Krishna Jagapati Maharajah mounted 
 a superb elephant, and, amid the panegyrics and plaudits 
 of his heralds and bards, the rolling of drums and 
 tabrets, and the braying of wind instruments, proceeded 
 in state to his capital, attended by all his regal retinue. 
 When Rajasekhara reached home, Manikyamba was 
 sitting leaning against the wall of the west room, talking 
 to Subbarayadu, with downcast head. On reaching the 
 street-door, Rajasekhara perceived with astonishment 
 that the lad's features, as well as his voice, resembled 
 those of Rukinini; but, observing the lad to be in male 
 attire, he knew not what to think, and instead of enter- 
 ing the house, stood rooted to the spot, gazing fixedly in 
 his perplexity at the lad's face. Just then Sita peeped 
 out of doors, and shouting, ' Oh, mother ! papa's come,' 
 ran to her father and embraced him. 
 
 Filled with the utmost delight at the news, Maniky- 
 amba rose immediately, and brought water and laved 
 her husband's feet, wiped them dry with the end of her 
 cloth, and placed a stool near the wall for him to sit 
 upon. Seating himself on this, Rajasekhara kissed 
 Sita, and took her upon his knee. Then Manikyamba 
 tuld him how kidnappers had carried Sita off, and how 
 Rainarajah and another lad had rescued her and brought
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 163 
 
 her back. Eajasekhara in turn told them that Rama- 
 rajah was the Maharajah Krishna Jagapati, sovereign 
 ruler of Peddapuram ; that he was in the habit of going 
 about in disguise to acquaint himself with the condition 
 of his subjects; and that, coming to them under the 
 name Ramarajah, he had done them a great kindness, 
 and had, to crown all, just released him from prison. 
 Then he related the events which had led to his deliver- 
 ance, and expatiated at length on the admirable quali- 
 ties of their sovereign lord. Manikyamba's astonish- 
 ment knew no bounds when she heard that Ramarajah 
 was their Rajah ; and she lauded his lack of pride and 
 magnanimity of disposition to the skies. 
 
 In the very midst of this conversation, Subbarayadu 
 approached and fell at Rajasekhara's feet with the 
 exclamation, ' I am Rukmini.' Unable for a moment 
 to speak for excessive joy, he at length calmed himself 
 and arose and embraced his long lost daughter. The 
 parents' joy at the restoration of one whom they had 
 mourned as dead was too great for description. At 
 such a moment they were wholly unable to restrain 
 their feelings ; but after the vehemence of their emotion 
 had somewhat subsided, they begged Rukmini to relate 
 to them all that had befallen her from the day she left 
 them up to that moment. The story of her adventures 
 Rukmini then proceeded to tell as follows : 
 
 ' When I came to myself and looked about me the 
 night the robbers attacked us, the moon was shining 
 brightly, and the whole surface of the clearing shone as 
 though flour had been spread over it to dry but, to 
 my horror, I lay stretched upon the bare earth in the 
 midst of the jungle. Peer about me as I would on 
 every hand, not a human form could I discern any- 
 where. Not a trace of man was to be seen, and only 
 the roaring of wild beasts fell upon my ears. Just 
 then a tiger sprang from the thicket close beside me, 
 but without seeing me, and dragged off the trunk of a 
 man which lay near. At the sight I fainted away, but 
 after I had partially regained consciousness, I noticed 
 
 112
 
 164 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 that none of you were near, and believing that if you 
 were alive you would not leave me alone in such a 
 place, I concluded that you had been killed by the 
 robbers, and that the wild beasts had made away with 
 your bodies ; and having no friend to whom to look 
 nor god to whom to pray, I resolved to seek death. 
 Then the thought occurred to me that self-destruction 
 is sin ; and thinking that perhaps some of you might 
 still be alive and that I might again be blessed with a 
 sight of you, I abandoned the attempt to take my life, 
 and rose to my feet and walked a few steps. Just then 
 I caught sight of a head lying near smeared with gore, 
 and a bundle of clothes close beside it. Although in 
 such imminent peril of my life I was tormented by an 
 unendurable hunger, and, picking up the bundle, I 
 opened it and examined the contents in hope of finding 
 something to eat. But it contained only clothes such as 
 men wear. No sooner did I see these than it occurred 
 to me that it was unsafe for a good-looking woman 
 to go about alone undisguised, and that I might reach 
 some village in safety by assuming man's dress. So I 
 put on the clothes, including the coat, and soon stood 
 in complete male costume. My own clothes I tied in 
 a bundle with what remained in the one I had found, 
 took off all the jewelry I had upon my person, tied it in 
 a corner of my cloth, and started. After following a 
 footpath until daybreak, I reached a village. Here I 
 remained a day, obtained a little money by selling my 
 jewels, and then, though in terrible agony from the 
 wound in my head, went on to another village near. 
 In this place I stopped several days for the sake of 
 medical assistance. After getting a little better I 
 started again, and after wandering about in all the 
 villages of that vicinity and taking my meals at inns, 
 about ten days ago I reached Jaggampeta. The karanam 
 of the place was old and without a son. He took a 
 fancy to rue as soon as he saw me, and thinking that I 
 might be helpful to him in his work, he made me wel- 
 come to his home. He was greatly pleased with niy
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 165 
 
 behaviour, and inquired my caste and family with the 
 intention of marrying his only daughter to me and of 
 keeping me permanently by him. I assumed the name 
 of Subbarayadu, and while there remained faithful to 
 my benefactors and assisted in the writing of accounts 
 and other papers by means of the education you had 
 given me. I told them that iny people had made me 
 wear my hair long because of a vow to Venkatesvara 
 that I must not anoint my head until that vow was ful- 
 filled and that I was not to change the clothes I wore 
 in the presence of others. I got them to agree to help 
 me preserve my vow inviolate, and exercised the great- 
 est caution that my disguise might not be penetrated. 
 
 ' While things were moving on in this way, one day 
 at noon a couple of men brought Sita to the house where 
 I lived and asked us to give them a meal. Just then 
 the Rajah to whom we gave water and saved his life, 
 came up and beat them and drove them away. So I 
 took leave of the people of the house, and, with the 
 .Rajah, brought Sita back home. All along the road I 
 thought I wouldn't tell any of you that I was Rukmini 
 until you recognised me and found it out for yourselves. 
 But when I saw mother I couldn't restrain myself. 
 My grief overflowed, and I clasped her in my arms and 
 let the whole secret out.' 
 
 When Rukmini had finished this narrative, Rajasek- 
 hara, vastly pleased at his daughter's sense and bravery, 
 took her to his heart and caressed her fondly. 
 
 Let none who read this story of Rukmini declare it 
 impossible to believe the statement that a mere girl of 
 fourteen summers, who had lived so dutiful a daughter 
 as never to cross the threshold of her home nor set foot 
 even in the next street of her own village, could resort 
 to a device so indicative of courage and good sense, 
 assume so impenetrable a disguise, and maintain her 
 incognito in a manner most difficult, even for women 
 of mature age and long experience in the ways of the 
 world. Let who will believe, or disbelieve ; since it is 
 the duty of the historian to speak the truth without
 
 166 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 qualification, I narrate the event as it occurred. This 
 book contains no impossible tales of men assuming the 
 forms of deer, or of their being completely metamor- 
 phosed into women, as in the puranic fables. Her 
 preceptress in such extraordinary conduct was none 
 other than Sarasvati* herself whose protection she 
 sought. And who that knows the power of education, 
 will express surprise at this as being a remarkable 
 performance ? 
 
 CHAPTEE XIII. 
 
 Sankarayya arrives with the Coin Necklace He relates his Father's 
 Misadventure Procession of the Vaishnava gurus The Return of 
 Xrusimhaswami He relates his Story. 
 
 WHILE Eukmini and her parents were conversing in 
 the manner related above, a lad of some fourteen 
 summers came in, and throwing aside the bundle of 
 cloths he carried on his shoulder, fell at Eajasekhara's 
 feet with the exclamation ' Alas, father-in-law !' and 
 burst into tears. 
 
 1 What, Sankarayya/ remonstrated Eajasekhara ; 
 ' crying like a girl ! Shut up/ 
 
 ' My father died fifteen years ago,' sobbed the lad, 
 ' and I wasn't at home at the time, either.' 
 
 ' What did he die of ? and where were you that you 
 were not in the place then ?' 
 
 ' He did not die a natural death. He came to his end 
 through the burning down of the house. As much as 
 ten days before it happened I had taken my stepmother 
 to Ellore. While I was there I got the news of his 
 death.' 
 
 ' Tell me fully how the house was burned, and why 
 he was unable to leave it.' 
 
 ' While you were still in the village, my father was 
 celebrated for his witch-doctoring, you remember. 
 Afterwards his fame spread in the surrounding villages 
 as well. If in any house anyone so much as got a 
 
 * The Goddess of Wisdom.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 167 
 
 little fever, they'd call my father to administer holy 
 water. If anyone but had a twinge in his toe, he'd get 
 father to apply an amulet. If any person was thought 
 possessed, father was called in. If anyone but got 
 afraid, he'd have father apply sacred ashes. In short, 
 it mattered not what the complaint was, among all the 
 villages of the vicinity there wasn't a single one to 
 which they didn't summon father. For this reason 
 people brought all sorts of articles to our house and 
 presented them to father with the most implicit faith 
 in his healing powers. ISTo matter in whose house any 
 festivity took place, the first gift was always father's. 
 
 ' Things moved on in this way for some time. One 
 morning, while father was walking along the street, he 
 saw by a toddy-drawer's door a cocoa-nut tree loaded 
 with bunches of green fruit. He called the owner of 
 the house and asked him to send around a few tender 
 nuts in the husk. The fellow was an impudent prig, 
 and replied that when father fetched the money for the 
 nuts he'd get them. At this father flew into a terrible 
 rage, and abused the fellow right roundly because he 
 wouldn't give him the nuts. " I'll give you no nuts ; 
 but I'll look out for what you'll do to me in your 
 spite," declared the toddy-drawer, not yielding an inch. 
 " Look out for your tree see what'll happen to it by 
 this time to-morrow," cried father, with a significant 
 shake of his head as he turned away and walked home. 
 " Oh," replied the other, as he went into the house, " I'll 
 not forget your threat to raise fiends and kill it." 
 
 ' About twelve o'clock that night my father woke me 
 out of a sound sleep, and bidding me tie up a gill of 
 rice in the end of my cloth and fetch the washing cup 
 along in my hand, he started out into the dark and 
 bade me follow him. It was the dead of night, and so 
 dark that you couldn't see your hand before you. But 
 by feeling our way along we at last reached the toddy- 
 drawer's house, where we stopped. Telling me to stay 
 there a moment, my father fastened a strap to his feet, 
 and speeling up the cocoa-nut tree, smashed open the
 
 168 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 3'oung shoot with a stick, poured into it the rice and 
 water I had brought, and came down as noiselessly as 
 he went up. When we reached home again it was mid- 
 night, and my father laid down and enjoyed a sound 
 sleep. The next day he began to announce to every- 
 body who came to the house " that he had bewitched 
 the toddy-man's cocoa-nut tree, because he had refused 
 him some nuts." To support his assertion, from that 
 very day the root shrivelled, the leaves withered, and in 
 five or six days the tree died. The toddy-drawer then 
 began to raise a row, and to inform everybody " that the 
 Brahman had got mad at him because he wouldn't give 
 him some green nuts, and had, without any reason 
 whatever, bewitched his tree and killed it." In a very 
 short time this report spread to the adjacent villages, 
 and on the strength of it all the people began to regard 
 my father with suspicion. 
 
 ' A little later someone in the place fell sick, and 
 some suspected that my father had bewitched him. 
 So, when the townsfolk had any sickness in their 
 houses, they ceased calling my father as frequently as 
 before. Yet in their hearts they feared what he might 
 do if they didn't call him. In the meantime a 
 merchant's child fell ill, and his mother and great 
 grandmother went and consulted an oracle. The Pariah 
 woman, who had charge of the Temple of Parantala, 
 thereupon declared that someone in the place had 
 bewitched the child. So the two of them came home 
 crying and told the men the whole story. They at 
 once came to the conclusion that the person who had 
 bewitched the child was, without doubt, my father, and 
 called in witch doctors, and did their very best to cure 
 the young one. But they didn't happen to hit upon the 
 right prescription for the disease under treatment ; and, 
 besides, the witch doctors took to giving the child 
 frequent baths while the fever was at its height, and so 
 the lad gave up the ghost and paid the debt of nature. 
 From that time all the villagers were possessed with 
 the notion that my father was bewitching and killing
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 169 
 
 everybody. As an aid to the spread of this illusion, 
 two old widows of the place took to impersonating those 
 who had before died in the village, and shrieking that 
 they had come to their end through witchcraft, and 
 that their folk, unable to discover the true state of their 
 case, had been deceived into thinking them sick, and so 
 had lost them. Besides this, Kamesvara and other 
 household gods inspired the widows of several families, 
 who began to declare when anyone fell ill that it 
 was the effect of enchantment. For these reasons, no 
 matter who was taken down with disease in the place, 
 the people were deluded into believing the whole thing 
 to be simply the result of my father's incantations. It 
 mattered not that father averred again and again upon 
 his oath that he was wholly innocent of any fault ; there 
 was not one who credited his asseverations. It was 
 simply impossible to describe the craze that took 
 possession of the people ! They believed for a certainty 
 that all who died in the place came to their end by my 
 father's enchantments. All the invalids, they thought, 
 were suffering from no other cause than my father's 
 magic power. In consequence, the villagers in a little 
 while came to regard father as a sort of local death-god. 
 Whenever he showed his face, the females of the place 
 fell to reviling him and snapping their fingers at him 
 in derision. The men, with angry looks, gave him the 
 cold shoulder, and, as soon as he appeared, got out of 
 the way and slipped down the back alleys. The neigh- 
 bours even stopped giving him live coals with which to 
 start his fires. If he went to borrow anything, they 
 replied they hadn't got it. Those who lived next door, 
 absolutely declined to allow him to draw water from 
 their well. Living thus in the very midst of the enemy 
 became most trying to poor father ; but knowing that the 
 whole affair was undoubtedly the evil fruit of his assum- 
 ing the guise of a witch doctor, he bore it all without 
 the least sign of regret, or grumbling at the consequence 
 of his own guilt. One day, while matters were in this 
 condition, rny stepmother fell sick ; and, notwithstanding
 
 170 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 our most earnest entreaties, not one was there in 
 the place who would come to give her nourishment and 
 drink, or to stand by and talk to her to prevent her 
 tailing asleep. None of the villagers would so much as 
 allow us to fetch water from their wells for cooking and 
 drinking. It was only the fourth day after you left the 
 place that Nambi Varudacharya, who had so long acted 
 as village doctor, died. You remember after you 
 dismissed Nati Ramayya for stealing the two copper 
 drinking cups and giving them to the prostitute while 
 working as Brahman cook in our house, that he lived by 
 keeping school, since he was good for nothing else in 
 the world ? Well, no sooner did Varudacharya die, than 
 this fellow began the practice of medicine as well, and 
 he's now the most celebrated physician in the place. 
 When he first began to practice he was a new hand, so 
 he used to get my father himself to write down for him 
 the names of diseases and of drugs. He would sort 
 the latter into red and black vials and fetch them to 
 father, to ascertain what colour belonged to a certain 
 medicine, when he would label them " Rise of the Full 
 Moon," " Rheumatic Eradicator," and the like. In our 
 house, too, he prepared his pills, mixing red lead with 
 such substances as cummin, fennel, and black pepper, 
 and reducing them with lime juice. It mattered not 
 what medicine you wanted ; he'd never say he hadn't it 
 in stock, but would hand it over at the modest charge 
 of from one to twenty rupees per ounce. Of the money 
 he made at the commencement of his practice, he gave 
 my father a share ; but after he had acquired the re- 
 putation of being a great physician, when my father fell 
 out with the people of the place, he ceased giving this. 
 Though father afterwards went in person and begged 
 him to come and see his sick wife, he was so mean a 
 fellow that, through fear of the populace, he wouldn't 
 call even once. The truth is, the villagers gave all the 
 trouble that lay in their power. They began to shower 
 clods of earth upon the roof after dark. Leaving me 
 to look after his wife, father would go to the tank, and,
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 171 
 
 after having his bath, fetch the water, prepare the food, 
 and give her some nourishment by midday, worrying 
 himself nearly to death in the meantime over the 
 kindnesses you had done him, and the fact that, were 
 you in the place, he would certainly not suffer such 
 persecution. After prolonged sufferings mother-in-law 
 got somewhat better, but for some reason did not seem 
 to regain her proper strength. The opposition of the 
 villagers grew worse and worse. By the time we looked 
 out of a morning, our doorway was usually heaped with 
 dirty rubbish and human skulls. These my father 
 would remove, bathing two or three times a day. And 
 as his wife hadn't proper attention there, he placed her 
 under my care and sent her to her home in Hailpurarn 
 iii a palanquin, remaining behind himself to look after 
 the house. 
 
 ' On the night of the day after we started, about two 
 hours after dark, we arrived safely in Ellore. Here the 
 food and cooking agreed with my mother. Her parents, 
 too, showed her every kindness; and in a very short 
 time she became convalescent. One day my step- 
 mother's brother and I were sitting on a pial t some two 
 feet high, built in the form of a circle about a ravi tree 
 in the street my stepmother's father had married a 
 ravi and a margosa, you see, and had built this great 
 pial around them the village karanam always trans- 
 acted his business on this pial in the shade of the tree. 
 Well, one morning while we were sitting here cleaning 
 our teeth, up came a dark-complexioned Sudra, about 
 thirty years of age, dressed in white clothes, and with a 
 bundle stuck under his arm, and asked, " would we buy 
 a coin necklace ?" Where is it ?" asked my uncle ; " let 
 us see it." The Sudra sat down on the pial, and, 
 opening his bundle, produced a necklace, which he 
 handed to my uncle. After examining it, he asked the 
 price, and handed it over to me to see whether it was 
 of value or not. No sooner had I taken it in my hand 
 and examined it, than I recognized it as Rukrnini's by 
 the big gem. " Where did you get this ?" I asked.
 
 172 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 lf I am a trader," he replied, " and had a workman in 
 my native place weave it with silk." At that I asserted 
 that the necklace belonged to a relative of mine ; " and 
 as you have stolen goods on you, I'll hand you over to 
 the police," I added, to frighten him. But he manifested 
 not the slightest fear. He dashed the necklace down at 
 our feet, and went off crying that " he'd go to the station 
 and enter a complaint against us, and bring the 
 constables and have us arrested." I stayed in the place 
 two whole days longer, but I saw nothing more of 
 him. 
 
 'Early on the morning of the third day after this 
 event a cooly arrived from Dhavalesvaram with a letter 
 for me, sent by Raniamurti. On opening and reading 
 it I learned the sad news that on that very day father's 
 house had taken fire, and that he had been burned to 
 death. I was to come as quick as possible, the letter 
 added. Heartbroken at this intelligence, for it was sudden 
 as a thunder-clap, I went into the house weeping, and 
 communicated the bad news to my stepmother. No 
 sooner did she hear it than she fell upon the floor and 
 began to roll about with dishevelled hair, thumping her 
 bosom, and shrieking like to lift the roof. After her 
 shrieks and sobs had somewhat abated I consoled her 
 as well as I could, and taking the cooly along with me 
 started at once. I walked so hard until dawn the 
 following morning that I blistered my feet, but finally 
 reached home at midday. Of the house, nothing 
 remained but the bare walls. Strange to say, not one 
 of the adjoining houses had been touched ours alone 
 falling a prey to Parasu Eama. While I was standing 
 gazing at the ruins, some of the neighbours came up 
 and sought to console me. Four days before, they said, 
 the house had suddenly caught fire in the night, and ere 
 assistance could arrive, had burned to the ground. I 
 then went to Narayanamurti's house. Ever since you 
 left the place my father and Naraj'anamurti had been 
 bosom friends. A month after you left Dhavalesvaram 
 thieves broke into Narayanamurti's house and robbed
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 173 
 
 him of his entire fortune in a single night. He was 
 thus again reduced to poverty, and began to court my 
 father's favour. Father sent him about as an assistant 
 in his practice, and gave him in return a small allow- 
 ance for his meals. When the villagers became father's 
 enemies, Narayanamurti alone remained faithful to him. 
 Your brother-in-law now became afraid that the villagers 
 would rob his house ; so one night, bidding me accom- 
 pany him, he carried the box containing his jewels and 
 cash secretly to Narayanamurti's house, where he de- 
 posited it in his friend's bedroom, sealed it up, and, 
 locking it with a padlock, retained the key in his own 
 possession. When Narayanamurti saw me, the thought 
 of my father's terrible fate rushed upon him, and, over- 
 come by emotion, he cried: "And the box of jewels 
 that you deposited with me for safe keeping you even 
 had to go and take that away just before your death !" 
 I went into the bedroom, but no box was to be seen. 
 Neither could I find a trace of it anywhere in the house. 
 When I afterwards asked about my father's disease, 
 Narayanamurti replied that from the time I went to 
 Hailapuram, your brother-in-law, apprehending that 
 someone would do him violence if he went into the 
 street, remained closely indoors ; that after this had 
 gone on for two or three days, a rumour got abroad in 
 the town " that Damodarayya was sitting in his house 
 with the doors shut, performing some mysterious Satanic 
 burnt offering ;" that thereupon the whole body of vil- 
 lagers took the matter into consideration and concluded 
 that he was certainly repeating some diabolical incanta- 
 tion to destroy them all, and called a council on the 
 banks of the Godaveri in the belief that unless they 
 could frustrate the effort they were done for ; and that 
 the holocaust of the house and all the other mysterious 
 circumstances connected with my father's death had 
 occurred on the same night. I remained at his house 
 until the ten days' obsequies were at an end, and as it 
 would not do to start on the 13th, got off on the 14th, 
 and was making my way with the necklace to the
 
 174 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 village where you now live, when the astrologer turned 
 up in the road. He took me aside a little way, aud 
 said he had a secret to tell me. After disclosing the 
 fact that Narayanamurti had concealed our box of 
 jewels in his house, he said that if we gave him a hun- 
 dred rupees he would deliver the box to us instead of 
 to him. He also added that as soon as I returned after 
 seeing my father-in-law, I must enter a charge against 
 Narayanamurti. I replied, "All right," and came on 
 looking for you.' 
 
 When Sankarayya had related his father's sad story 
 as above, he untied his bundle, and taking from it a 
 coin necklace, handed it to Rajasekhara. Receiving 
 this, the latter embraced and consoled his nephew, and 
 shed some tears of sorrow at the death of Damodarayya. 
 Then the whole household wailed in concert for a 
 moment for the dead, after which they had their bath 
 and dined. The remainder of the afternoon was spent 
 in telling and hearing news. 
 
 Shortly after the lamps were lighted the sound of 
 music was heard, and Rajasekhara and the others went 
 into the street to ascertain what was going on. A 
 Vaishnava priest, coated thickly with the twelve up- 
 right marks, and accompanied by two attendants fan- 
 ning him with huge fans, was seated in a palanquin, 
 proceeding in state through the town amid the flaring 
 of numerous torches. Behind him walked several Tela- 
 ganyas, and a solitary Vaishnava, all plastered over with 
 sandal-wood paste, and fanning themselves with palm- 
 leaf fans. The Vaishnava Rajasekhara knew; so he 
 called him over to where he was standing, and began 
 conversing with him. 
 
 ' Aren't you priest to the Guduris down in Dhavales- 
 varam ?' 
 
 * I am. The Avasaralas of this place are disciples of 
 him you see in the palanquin.' 
 
 ' But when I saw you last, weren't you the priest and 
 he the disciple ?' 
 
 ' We don't recognise any such distinction as that
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 175 
 
 among us. We change about, d'ye see. Where I've got 
 disciples, he's my disciple ; and where he's got disciples, 
 I'm his. His grandfather and mine were brothers. 
 His father, Prativadi-bhayankara Gaudabherundacharya, 
 was unrivalled the world over as a pandit. After our 
 grandfathers and fathers had departed to Paradise, we 
 divided the disciples these had made into equal lots. 
 Those in this place fell to me, while those in LJhavales- 
 varam fell to him. Once a year we leave Sri Kurmam, 
 where we reside, and go the rounds among our followers 
 after this fashion.' 
 
 ' You said before, didn't you, that he couldn't read ? 
 How does he instruct his disciples ?' 
 
 ' I haven't a whit more education than he's got. 
 What education is necessary to instruct one's disciples ? 
 We whisper the ashtakshari* in their ears, bid them 
 repeat it one hundred and eight times a day, tell them 
 that if they trust and serve their priest as their only 
 god, heaven is ready won, brand them upon the 
 shoulders, and take our gratuity and go our way. We 
 argue with nobody, so everybody considers us pandits 
 for certain.' 
 
 ' Do you propose remaining several days in the 
 place ?' 
 
 ' We shan't stop. We'll be off to-morrow. But I'll 
 call later on and have a chat at leisure,' said he, as he 
 started off ou the run to catch the palanquin. 
 
 When the procession had passed, the men shut the 
 street door and were about sitting down to their evening 
 meal when some one approached the door and began 
 calling for ' Rajasekhara ! Father-in-law !' On Marii- 
 kyamba's going into the passage and asking who was 
 there, ' I'm Nrusimhaswami,' replied a voice from with- 
 out. No sooner had Manikyamba heard this statement 
 and the name, then she rushed in terror and told 
 her husband. ' Long as Nrusimhaswami has been dead, 
 he has never even so much as appeared to me in my 
 dreams ; what can be the meaning of this enmity now '?' 
 * The ' five-syllabled ' mantra.
 
 176 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 queried she in terrified perplexity. The shouts at the 
 street door were now repeated ; and as Eajasekhara had 
 by this time finished his meal,* he lighted a lamp and 
 started to open the door. When he had done so, sure 
 enough Nrusirnhaswami himself seized his hand with 
 the exclamation ' Father-in-law !' He saw his son-in- 
 law plainly enough ; but the poor man was unable to 
 believe the evidence of his senses, and examined the 
 new comer's person again and again. After making 
 sure from the fact that the feet were in their proper 
 position and not reversed, that it was no wraith, he led 
 the lad inside, where, telling his wife that it was un- 
 doubtedly their Nrusimhaswami come back to them 
 again, he bade them hurry and provide some water for 
 the traveller's feet. Even then it was only after bring- 
 ing the lamp and examining his face closely that 
 Manikyamba exclaimed ' My poor lad !' and embraced 
 him with tears. Seeing her weep, the son-in-law burst 
 into tears also. After this scene Nrusimhaswami 
 washed his feet, and while eating his meal proceeded to 
 relate the story of his pilgrimage to Kasi, of bis friend's 
 deserting him on the way, and other adventures which 
 had befallen him as follows : 
 
 ' I had long cherished the desire to make the pilgrim- 
 age to Kasi, but had abandoned the idea as impracticable 
 for me because of having no suitable companion. But 
 one day the Chamartus boy Seshachalam came along, 
 and after making me give him my word of honour not 
 to tell anyone, confided to me as a secret that he wanted 
 to do penance at the Himalaya mountains and acquire 
 the art of transmuting metals. If I would come along 
 too he would take me with him and teach me the art, 
 and then when the two of us had got the recipe for 
 making gold, we were to return home, manufacture all 
 the gold we wanted, and so become millionaires. Excited 
 by this view of the matter, I conceived a great desire 
 to make at least the attempt ; and decided not only to 
 start, but, if possible, to perform the whole journey into 
 
 * A Brahmin never finishes an interrupted meal.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 177 
 
 the bargain. The two of us talked the matter over 
 secretly in school ; and having agreed as to the day on 
 which we should start, spent the intervening time in 
 collecting our clothes and other articles needed in a 
 safe place. Early one morning after breakfast, on the 
 plea that we were going to the sastri's to repeat our 
 assignment of verses, we got away, and by keeping 
 straight on readied Peddapuram at sunrise the next 
 morning. The day before that on which we started 
 had been my birthday, and my people had made it a 
 holiday and presented me with a gold collar and brace- 
 lets. The same night I had opened my father's chest 
 with a duplicate key and tied up some eighty-four 
 rupees it contained in my pack, and the next day we 
 left the village with these jewels and the cash. Sesha- 
 chalam had brought with him only three rupees ; so all 
 along the way I had to fork out whatever .money was 
 needed for the pair of us. By the time we had passed 
 Jagannadham and reached Kattak all the rupees I had 
 by me were spent. There I disposed of my bracelets 
 for forty-two rupees, and by curtailing expenses some- 
 what managed to make this money do until we reached 
 Kasi. The whole way he kept plaguing me to give him 
 something to spend on his own account, but I would 
 never let him have more than a rupee in his hands at 
 once. At this he became sullen and got down in the 
 mouth and would have nothing to say to me. On the 
 whole he acted very shabbily. When we reached Kasi 
 I still had four rupees left, but in ten days' time this 
 was all gone too. Then I sold my beautiful collar to a 
 trader in Kasi for a hundred and tifty rupees. Instead 
 of making gold as we had at first anticipated, we lost 
 what gold we already possessed. Seshachalam lazied 
 away his time on my money and without the slightest 
 anxiety about his living. But not satisfied with that, 
 even, he came to me one day and said he had occasion 
 for fifty rupees, and would I give them to him ? I 
 unfeelingly replied that I wouldn't. This led to a 
 quarrel, and he went off at noon without even so much 
 
 12
 
 
 173 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 as touching the food ready served for his dinner, and 
 abusing me as an ingrate. I spent four months more 
 in Kasi. Then I got homesick, and set out and worked 
 my way slowly homewards. Yesterday morning I heard 
 in Tuni that you were here.' 
 
 When Nrusimhaswami had made an end of relating 
 his adventures, Eajasekhara told him of the outrageous 
 conduct of Seshachalam,* after which he spread a bed 
 for the weary lad, and, when he had lain down and 
 dropped off to sleep, himself retired to rest. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Subrahmanya comes from Pitapuram on a Visit to his Father The 
 Advent of Sri Sankaracharya Niladri-rajah relates his Adventures 
 before the Council Maharajah Krushna Jagapati redeems and 
 restores Rajasekhara's Lands. 
 
 SUBRAHMANYA set out from Pitapuram and came in 
 company with the Rajah's constables, who escorted 
 Niladri-rajah, with the money, as far as Bhimavaram, 
 where, directing them to proceed to Peddapuram, he 
 \vent alone direct to his father's house. When he 
 arrived there, Rajasekhara was just on the point of 
 going to dinner. No sooner did the son set foot inside 
 the street door, than his father caught sight of him and 
 cried, ' The boy has come !' At this all the inmates of 
 the house came running out together, crying : ' Where is 
 he ? Where is he ?' Sita, however, outran the others, 
 and was first to embrace her brother. Manikyamba 
 next came up and was embraced by her son, who then 
 knelt for his parents 5 blessing. While this was going 
 on Nrusimhaswami also appeared on the scene, and 
 seized Subrahmanya's hand, with the exclamation, 
 * hallo, brother-in-law !' Subrahmanya recognized the 
 voice and gazed into his face stupefied, then looked 
 about from one to another of the group inquiringly. 
 After a moment, however, he threw his arms about his 
 
 * In announcing that his friend had died by the way.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 179 
 
 l>rother-in-]a\v and asked when he had come; then, re- 
 calling his sister's sad fate, exclaimed : ' Alas, that it was 
 not poor Rukmini's lot to have the joy of hearing that 
 her husband lives !' and burst into tears.' Rajasekhara 
 now came forward and consoled the lad, telling him that 
 Rukmini was still alive ; and proceeded to relate what 
 dangers had befallen her after that night when they 
 were attacked by highwaymen, and how she had finally 
 reached home in safety. Long before this account of 
 his sister's adventures was complete, Subrahmanya, 
 unable longer to contain his joy, rushed into the room 
 and embraced his sister, and, on her beginning to weep 
 at sight of him, comforted her in turn. When he 
 returned, Nrusimhaswami gave him along account of his 
 adventures. Then all had their bath and sat down to 
 their meal in new-washed cloths. During the dinner 
 Subrahmanya told the wondering company of the 
 burglary in the Rajah's palace at Pitapuram; how he 
 himself had caught the robbers ; how that among the 
 articles recovered he had discovered their lost treasure 
 carried off along ago by the byragi ; and how he had 
 been put in charge of the thieves who were sent to the 
 Maharajah Krushna Jagapati for trial. He also added 
 that the Pitapuram Rajah had promised him a capital 
 situation as soon as he returned to that place. ' Why !' 
 burst in Rajasekhara, ' the Ramarajah who used to come 
 and go about our house is this very same Maharajah 
 Krushna Jagapati ;' and he proceeded to inform his son of 
 the Rajah's remarkable conduct and of the kindness he 
 had shown him, and spoke of their benefactor in terms of 
 the highest praise. Dinner was now at an end ; so they 
 rose and washed their hands, had their betel and leaf, 
 and put on clean cloths, when Rajasekhara and Subrah- 
 manya took Nrusimhaswami along and set out on their 
 way to Peddapuram. 
 
 On reaching Peddapuram they were just about 
 entering the main street, when, at a little distance, 
 they espied a palanquin, preceded by an elephant, two 
 horses, a huge kettle-drum mounted upon a cart, with 
 
 122
 
 iSo FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 other musical instruments, and, close behind, a multi- 
 tude of followers. Seeing the procession, Eajasekhara 
 supposed there must be some religious pageant in 
 progress that day, and, turning to his son, asked whose 
 feast it was, ' Siva's or Vishnu's ?' 
 
 'This is not a religious festival,' replied Subrah- 
 manya ; ' Sri Saukara Bhagavatpadula is visiting the 
 town. He spent ten days in Peddapuram. Just as I 
 was coming away I noticed that he had bandies and 
 everything ready at the house for the journey to this 
 place.' 
 
 ' Did the contributions amount to much there ?' 
 
 ' They footed up right handsomely. The priest sent 
 pastoral letters to each house and collected money at 
 the rate of a rupee a head. Besides this, lots of widows 
 and rich folk used to go with trays of fruit and rupees 
 and offer them for the sake of the privilege of worship- 
 ping his feet. Whenever they prostrated themselves at 
 full length, the Swami would say " Narayana !" while 
 the disciples who stood near whisked away the contents 
 of the trays and returned them empty to, their owners. 
 The Yaidika Brahmans of the place clubbed together 
 and made two entertainments ; four came off in the 
 houses of the laymen ; and after that again the 
 merchants made another in the house of a Brahman.' 
 
 ' Did you ever go and pay your respects to the 
 throne?' ' 
 
 ' Yes ; two or three times. The throne is about as- 
 high as a man. It is completely covered with all sorts 
 of figures and salagrams. The Swami always sits on a 
 seat of silver filigree work, dressed in silk, and making 
 pugah with saffron. I heard say, too, that the throne 
 contains stri-yantra, and that even in his previous- 
 asrama * the Swami was a most ardent student of the 
 stri-viaya. Whether this be true or not I can't say ; 
 but, at all events, a fellow, who actually saw it happen,, 
 told me in confidence that even now the Swami conceals 
 his face of a dark night and sallies out with one of his 
 
 * For note on this word see chapter vi., page 70.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 181 
 
 people to perform his devotions to the first strl (woman) 
 that he meets.* Besides what a disciple ran away 
 with only the other day, there's still some two 
 thousand rupees' worth of silver decorations about the 
 throne ?' 
 
 ' While in the place, did he take any steps to prevent 
 the intermixture of various castes, or to propagate his 
 religion ?' 
 
 ' No, nothing of the kind ; but there was one capital 
 thing he did. In that town there lives a wealthy young 
 widow. Some of the chief men of the village panchiat, 
 or local court, on some plea or other, excommunicated 
 her from caste. But when she afterwards made a 
 feast in honour of Jagannahda, some Brahmans who were 
 greedy of gain partook of the good cheer. So it happened 
 that they split into two parties all who went to the 
 dinner on the one side, and all who didn't go on the 
 other. It is money that makes the mare go, the world 
 over ; and the widow was wily enough to perform a 
 number of religious vows that of offering a lac of 
 lighted lamps, among others and to feast the Brahmans 
 now and then ; so the portion of the panchiat that took 
 her part gradually grew so powerful, that the very 
 ones who at first pronounced her sentence of excormmi- 
 cation now stand expelled themselves. Then the 
 Swami came along and reconciled the two parties, got 
 personally some two hundred rupees out of the widow, 
 and had her hair shaved. The day after the grand hair- 
 cutting ceremony, he had an entertainment at her house, 
 when he first took the hastodaka f himself, and then had 
 
 * Sfrl or xekti, the Female Principle or Durga personified energy in 
 the form of a goddess. Stri-vi'Iya, the general knowledge of this 
 principle, its worship and use. Stri-yantra, a talismanic plate endow- 
 ing the possessor with the power of using this energy. The final 
 allusion to xtri (woman) is a pun upon the technical use of the word, 
 such priests being bound to celibacy. 
 
 f When Brahmins sit down to their meal, the host or hostess pours 
 into the hand of each guest the hastodaka, or ' hand-water,' with the 
 grace, ' May this be to you the elixir of life.' To receive this water the 
 right hand is held palm upward, the forefinger elevated, and the thumb 
 laid along inside it. The chief guest first sips the water, after which all 
 the others follow suit.
 
 182 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 it served to all the Brahmans, and restored lier to caste 
 from that very day. 
 
 'Where did this Swami reside during his former 
 asrama ?' 
 
 ' He lived at Mungonda-agrahara. He has four sons. 
 'Twas only a little while after he entered this asrama 
 that he paid off the old debts upon his lands, got his 
 four sons married, and presented each of his daughters- 
 in-law with jewelry worth two hundred rupees. His 
 name is now Sri Chidananda Sankarabharati-swami, so 
 they say/ 
 
 At this stage of the conversation they reached the 
 Rajah's palace. The Maharajah had already arrived, 
 and was seated upon his throne. 
 
 After reading and disposing of the petitions which his 
 chief minister presented for his consideration, he ordered 
 the thieves who had been brought from Pitapuram to 
 be placed before him. Just then Eajasekhara, Subrah- 
 inanya, and Xrusimhaswami entered the court and took 
 their seats in a place befitting their station. The Eoyal 
 constables then conducted the burglars into their lord's 
 presence, and took up a position beside them with drawn 
 swords. The Eajah ran his eyes over the assembly and 
 asked : ' Where are the persons who apprehended these 
 thieves ?' Subrahmanya at once rose in his place and 
 respectfully replied that he was the person. His 
 Highness immediately turned his gaze upon Eajasekhara 
 and asked : ' Is this not your son ?' ' If it please your 
 Highness,' replied Eajasekhara. ' And who,' again asked 
 the Eajah, 'is he at your left ?' Eajasekhara now rose 
 and, with joined hands, related at length how that lie 
 was his son-in-law; how an ill-wisher had, while he 
 was in Benares, brought them a groundless report of 
 his death ; and how, after they had all gone off and left 
 Eukmini, while she was unconscious from a blow 
 inflicted by the highway robbers, she had revived, and 
 afterwards happening to be in the village to which Sita 
 was taken, returned to them in man's dress. The 
 Maharajah manifested his deep interest in the remark-
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 183 
 
 able narrative by repeatedly shaking his head ; and, 
 after a moment's silence, turned towards the prisoners. 
 4 What,' he demanded, ' have you gob to say for your- 
 selves ?' 
 
 ' What remains for us to say,' replied Niladri-rajah, 
 ' in the worshipful presence of a ruler who is cognizant 
 of all things ? We will not profess ourselves to be 
 innocent. Your Highness is ever actuated by the most 
 perfect kindness of heart, and we humbly crave that 
 your indulgence may be extended towards us.' 
 
 ' What is your native country ? Where have you 
 lived since your boyhood ? And what is your history V 
 
 ' My history is a most remarkable one, I confess I 
 should be ashamed to relate it ; but since a person of 
 so exalted a rank desires to hear my story, I will tell 
 it frankly. Whenever I am unemployed my conscience 
 brings to my recollection the many evil deeds I have 
 committed in the past, and torments me in a thousand 
 ways. At night it will not let me sleep. Even in my 
 dreams I start up in a fright thinking the royal consta- 
 bles are carrying me off to punish me for the terrible 
 crimes I have committed. Besides this, old age is now 
 upon me, and I cannot live long. Whenever I think 
 of this my body quakes through fear of the emissaries 
 of Satan. The ancients say that those who receive 
 chastisement from the king are not punished by the 
 devil. So I desire you to punish me for my sins in 
 order that I may enjoy happiness hereafter.' 
 
 ' Very good. Granted that your history is as remark- 
 able as you represent it to be, let us hear it at greater 
 length. All present here will be very glad to listen.' 
 
 ' My native place is Kalahasti. Although my parents 
 were not very rich, they belonged to a most respectable 
 branch of the Sudra caste. As I was their only son I 
 was bred with great indulgence. No matter what I 
 said I wanted, they immediately gave it me. When I 
 was five years of age however, they sent me to school, 
 presenting the master with a web of girdle-cloth at the 
 same time. This master had been unable to get a
 
 184 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 living in any other way, and had entered the profession 
 of corpse-carrying ; when growing old, he at last came 
 to our village and opened a school as a means of sub- 
 sistence, although he had never learned to read when 
 young. Not a single particle of instruction could he 
 impart, but he made up for this unimportant detect by 
 showering upon our unlucky backs a lac of blows for 
 every letter in the alphabet. But he was very good to 
 those who gave him money ; and I used to make over 
 to him half the money my parents allowed me for small 
 feed, and so escaped the beatings, For this reason he 
 became exceedingly fond of me and put me in charge 
 of the school, telling my parents that he knew no boy 
 possessed of such good sense as their son. And from 
 my very childhood I certainly was a most clever and 
 ingenious lad. Although by my ingenuity I never 
 brought my father and mother even so much as a 
 drilled cowrie's worth of gain, but simply loss, yet they, 
 good souls, rejoiced to think me smart. I used to 
 employ my whole stock of cleverness solely in deceiving 
 others. Had I devoted half as much care to the learn- 
 ing of some trade as I did to learning the art of roguery, 
 how rich I might have been by this time ! But let that 
 go. After securing the management of the school I 
 used to threaten the children that I would report them 
 to the master and have them beaten, and in this way 
 possessed myself of their eatables as bribes not to tell. 
 While things were moving on in this way, by my ill 
 luck the master died. At that time a master was 
 counted able in proportion as he beat excessively. An 
 educated master had already established a school in our 
 village, but as he was kind to the children and wouldn't 
 undertake to beat them without some reason, people 
 wouldn't send their children to him at all. But there 
 was now no second master in the village, and so it 
 unluckily became necessary to send all our children 
 there. But I couldn't get off any of my former pranks 
 at all on this new master. About that time my father 
 suddenly contracted heart disease and passed into the
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 185 
 
 other world. And as he breathed his last without any 
 intimation whatever as to where he had buried his 
 money, old Mother Misfortune came all the quicker and 
 took us under her wing. There was at that time study- 
 ing in our school a young fellow, son of one of our rich 
 neighbours. He was excessively fond of study. I 
 struck up a friendship, gave him much of my confidence, 
 and made him my chum generally. Some, when they 
 repose confidence in anyone, are content to give their 
 heart along with it. 1 was a crafty chap and didn't 
 fall into this trap. Though I bestowed a thousand con- 
 fidences, in no case did I reveal my real thoughts, but 
 kept them carefully concealed. By this means I de- 
 ceived him in many ways and obtained money again 
 and again. What jugglery there was in the matter, I 
 don't know ; it mattered not how many frauds I prac- 
 tised upon him to obtain money, I was still poor and he 
 rich. In proportion as he advanced in his education I 
 became skilled in gaming. I abandoned study for the 
 companionship of wicked associates, and began to bet 
 and gamble. So ensnared by this vice did I become 
 that I even carried off things from the house by theft 
 or violence, and disposed of them to the master of the 
 game. But all this time I did not forget my obliga- 
 tions to my neighbour's son. In this way I passed my 
 sixteenth year. My friend now came of age and be- 
 came master of a house of his own ; and having a 
 relish for learning, he spent his whole time in scholarly 
 pursuits. One day I went to him and told him my 
 circumstances how my father had been a trader, and I 
 was desirous of engaging in trade as well and begged 
 him to assist me by advancing some money as capital. 
 Eeplying that he himself would be my partner, he 
 handed me two hundred rupees, binding me at the same 
 time by a compact that I was to do the work, that ho 
 should take no interest, and that each should have half 
 the profits. Miserably small as our profits were, I did 
 all the work, and so 1 soon began to quarrel with my 
 friend for a larger share of the gains. Kings, though
 
 186 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 they have kingdoms to enjoy, fight with one another 
 and die ; while byragis who possess nothing more than 
 a mere clout are content to live without quarrelling. 
 One who is satisfied with what God has given him will 
 have few troubles ; but if once he become dissatisfied 
 and possessed by the devil of desire, his troubles know 
 no end. But my friend was a very fine fellow and 
 generous to a fault. One day he called me in and said: 
 ' " As you have been a trader from the very first, 
 you're naturally fond of money. I, on the other hand, 
 am fond only of this wealth of learning. Provided you 
 are not hard up for creature comforts, the mere posses- 
 sion of money delights you. But as far as I am con- 
 cerned, it is sufficient if I live respectably. So do you 
 take these two hundred rupees/' said he, making over to 
 me the money he had advanced. Overjoyed that I had 
 gotten it into my own hands, I shut up shop and began 
 to gamble day and night with greater assiduity than 
 ever, and in a few months had squandered everything 
 and become a beggar. Then I repented of my rashness. 
 I hadn't even enough to eat. So one day I went to my 
 friend in patched clothes and praised his former kind- 
 ness in various ways, and told him unreservedly the 
 sad plight I was in. When he learned my condition he 
 was deeply grieved ; but knowing that if 1 had money 
 in hand I would waste it, he wrote a note to a friend 
 and sent me off with it. As soon as I had delivered 
 the letter he assigned me a position on a salary of ten 
 rupees per month and told me to come back at noon. 
 By the time I had been a couple of months at that 
 business it became intolerable. And then because I 
 used to make the articles that stuck to me when 1 was 
 alone vanish by sleight of hand, my master exploded 
 right and left and abused me terribly. Besides this, it 
 didn't suit my disposition to be subordinate and always 
 to do just as I was told. I have naturally a desire to 
 be like a Maharajah. So I left that work and came 
 home and sat with one leg over the other and lived 
 happily as long as I could raise a loan by con-
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 187 
 
 tinually borrowing from all who would trust me. 
 While thus living unemployed I would never follow 
 the kind advice of others, but I was exceedingly diligent 
 in asking such advice, and in this way learned a lob of 
 moral axioms; I considered that even though my ethics 
 were never of any use to myself, they might at least 
 benefit others. In this way I got the name of being a 
 great man, and began to grow rich by giving apt 
 counsel to fools. But you see, my own walk was not 
 straight ; and one day along came a man of real piety 
 and asked me if, while I was preaching so much 
 morality, my own conduct was upright. " Of course," 
 replied I as became the occasion; "it is only because 
 morality is of no use to me that I abandon it to you. 
 If it benefited rne in the least, do you think I'd allow a 
 single particle of it to escape my hold ?" I concluded, 
 however, that I could do no further business in my 
 native place ; so I left hastily with the intention of 
 going to foreign parts. Once off, I rested for a day only 
 in each village, did not sleep in the village in which I 
 ate my meals, and travelled incessantly. One day just 
 outside a village I saw a large flock of goats, and 
 wondering how the shepherd could care for so many, 
 out of sheer pity for him I put a couple of kids on my 
 shoulder and walked off, on the principle that to lighten 
 his burden but a little was still to lighten it some. 
 Seeing me carry off her kids the mother came running 
 after me bleating. I thought it would be a sin for the 
 mother to leave the children, so I drove her along too. 
 The shepherd saw how matters stood and came running 
 after me shouting, " Stop thief !" Up to that moment I 
 had been afraid I would be very late in reaching 
 the next village ; but spurred on by his shouts I got 
 there in a twinkling, and turned and looked back, 
 pleased with my success. He had been unable to over- 
 take my pace, and fearing that some one would carry 
 off the remaining goats, had just at that moment 
 turned about. In a neighbouring village I sold the 
 mother and kids and retained the money for my travel-
 
 188 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 ling expenses. A few days later I reached Kondavid, 
 where I turned yogi. Announcing that I had in my 
 possession a Seetarama-yantra* and that all who be- 
 held it would become enormously wealthy, I placed a 
 stone image in my room and began to show it sub rosa 
 at the rate of a penny a head. No matter how vile an 
 object be, 'twill increase immensely in respectability by 
 keeping it concealed. Just as the vulgar herd give 
 alms to the priests for the sake of seeing for themselves 
 what the idols in the temples at the sacred shrines are 
 like, so all the people were fetching me presents, and 
 coming and going in crowds to see that stone image ! 
 Once seen, everybody began to regard it with contempt 
 as only an ordinary stone such as you can see in the 
 street, just as they do those ugly idols carved by awk- 
 ward workmen. It is an undeniable fact that had I 
 shown in the street for a single day the stone I placed 
 in the house and exhibited as a Seetarama-yantra, 
 the next day not one would have had the slightest 
 desire to look at it. During the time I passed as a yogi 
 I attained great celebrity both in magic and in witch- 
 craft. Everybody boasted of my skill. Even my 
 incantations were listened to by all with as much 
 eagerness as were the tales of the demons I undertook 
 to exorcise. But as the former, like the latter, served 
 only the more to increase the fears of those who heard 
 them, the villagers began to be alarmed as to what 
 enchantment I might practise. 
 
 ' While I was making money and living happily by 
 this trick I fell sick, and although formerly I had 
 preached up to any number of people that death was 
 simply union with God, and that they should rejoice to 
 attain to it, I now began to fear that I was going to die. 
 Call any yogi you please, and ask him if he has any 
 fear of death, and he will reply without hesitation that 
 he has not ; but wait until he gets a little sick you 
 may then see by his conduct that he is even a greater 
 coward than the fools about him. While I was thus 
 
 * A talismanic image.
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 189 
 
 palming myself off as a yogi, it mattered not what yogi 
 was praised in my hearing, I'd belittle him for a nobody. 
 Is it not a rule that when the worthy are desirous of 
 gaining a good name the unworthy take every pains to 
 destroy their reputation and make it as mean as their 
 own? 
 
 ' As I have related, I assumed many disguises, and at 
 last became a byragi, when I took these two on as 
 disciples, entered Dhavalesvaram under the name of 
 Chidananda-yogi, fooled even Rajasekhara here with my 
 promises of gold, and carried off these jewels that have 
 just now been brought to your Highness. After leaving 
 there I shaved off my beard and moustache and came to 
 Pitapuram as Niladri-rajah, where, with the help of 
 these fellows, I walked off with the money in the 
 Rajah's treasury. My wonderful exploits in these two 
 places, as well as my conduct, Eajasekhara and his son 
 can well relate ; and besides, it is unseemly to praise 
 oneself ; so with this I shall stop.' 
 
 After hearing this story the Maharajah reflected a 
 moment and turned towards Padmanabhudu and said : 
 * As you seem now to have come to your senses, and 
 repented of your misdeeds, we have decided to imprison 
 you for but one year.' He then wrote an order to the 
 gaoler and despatched the prisoner to Samalkot in the 
 custody of constables. He next bade his chief minister 
 send off at once the money belonging to the Rajah of 
 Pitapuram ; and, after expressing his high appreciation 
 of Subrahmanya's conduct in the detection of the 
 burglars, turned to Rajasekhara and addressed him thus : 
 
 ' Though it has been your lot to undergo so many 
 trials in the past, you have survived all your misfor- 
 tunes, and have now attained to a position such that 
 you may live happily. For this reason I am going to 
 give you some friendly counsel. You will give your 
 full attention to my remarks. To rise after a fall is 
 greatness, but there is nothing great, believe me, in 
 never falling at all. Do you keep this truth in mind 
 and cease to worry about trials which are past for ever.
 
 igo FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 Hereafter do not allow yourself to be puffed up by 
 the flatteries of others. Do not spend more money than 
 your income affords. It is possible for members of the 
 same family to be most affectionate in their behaviour 
 one toward another in the presence of outsiders, and to 
 be deadly enemies the moment they reach home. So 
 you must look after your family with such care that no 
 defect of this kind shall exist in it. The best expedient 
 for overcoming ill-will is undoubtedly the exercise of 
 meekness. If we desire to pay off a grudge against 
 anyone, and feel ourselves unable to do it, we should 
 suppress our anger at least until we become wealthy. 
 And even when we possess the power to gratify our 
 thirst for revenge, if we can forgive the injury, even our 
 enemies will become the wiser and better for our 
 example. The toad that undertakes to bite will meet 
 with just about as much success as will the poor man 
 who undertakes to get the upperhand of a wealthy one. 
 Who cares for anger that ends in empty threats ? Not 
 only are we unable to achieve our object by such anger, 
 but (and this is more important) we are sure to lose by 
 it. It was because you flew into a rage at Sobhanadri- 
 rajah, was it not, that you were incarcerated ? So do 
 you never again get angry with those who are of higher 
 rank than yourself. There are some senseless persons 
 who would persuade one that there is no time like the 
 past, and who would make one unhappy by imputing 
 his faults to the age in which he lives. But on mature 
 reflection it seems to me that the present age is in all 
 respects a better one than the past. Merit and demerit 
 exist in men's conduct, and not in the age that produces 
 them. Do not, therefore, blame the times for your 
 mistakes, but use your best endeavours to rectify your 
 own conduct. If you have sufficient means to enable 
 you to live with respectability, never worry because you 
 have not more. Listen while I relate to you an ancient 
 fable illustrative of this truth. Once upon a time a 
 certain rich man was passing along the street decorated 
 profusely with golden jewelry studded with precious
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 191 
 
 stones. A beggar who happened to catch sight of him 
 followed behind gazing upon the jewels, and saluting 
 humbly again and again. Observing his peculiar con- 
 duct the rich man exclaimed : " What, I haven't given 
 you any of my jewels, have I ? Why do you do that ?" 
 " I do not want your jewels," replied the beggar, " but 
 you allowed me to look at them, and for that reason I 
 urn saluting you. Even you can get no other good from 
 these jewels than the pleasure of looking at them ; and 
 besides, how much pains are you put to to guard them 
 i'rom accident. Now, it is for the very reason that I 
 have no such trouble that I have so much happiness. 
 That is the difference between you and me, in a nutshell." 
 So, although I am able to make you very rich, I shall 
 not, for the reasons 1 have just mentioned ; but shall 
 content myself with merely redeeming your estates and 
 restoring them to you. May you rest content with them 
 and spend the remainder of your days in peace.' 
 
 Having administered this sound advice the Maharajah 
 asked llajasekhara whether he had any wish he desired 
 to make known. Kajasekhara in reply eulogised the 
 noble character of his lord, recounted the great kindness 
 he had done his family, and begged him to release from 
 imprisonment Manchirajah Papayya, who had rendered 
 him such signal assistance in writing and sending the 
 petition, and in many other ways, while in prison. 
 Commending highly this exhibition of good feeling 
 toward a whilom enemy who had done him injury, the 
 Eajah at once despatched an order for the prisoner's 
 release, and, having brought the proceedings to a close 
 in due form, retired to his chamber. Thereupon 
 llajasekhara and the others present left the court and 
 proceeded to their homes.
 
 192 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 CHAPTEE XV. 
 
 Rajasekhara returns to his Native Place Subrahmanya's Marriage 
 Marriage of Sita Rajasekhara, made wise by trials endured, 
 passes the rest of his days in peace. 
 
 Itf accordance with the Eajah's command Eajasekhara 
 came the next day to court, when the Maharajah 
 Krishna Jagapati called one of his councillors and 
 ordered a bag of rupees to be brought and placed before 
 him. This money he then handed over to the councillor, 
 bidding him take it to Dhavalesvram, and with it 
 redeem Eajasekhara's house and lands, and restore them 
 to him. He then turned to Eajasekhara and handed 
 him four hundred rupees in addition to the amount he 
 had already given. ' With this money,' said he, 'you 
 are to conduct Subrahmanya and Sita's weddings. 
 Never spend more than your income, and may you pass 
 the remainder of your days in peace.' With these 
 parting words the Eajah dismissed him. 
 
 When Eajasekhara returned to Bhirnavaram after 
 taking leave of the Maharajah he learned that someone, 
 a relative, had come from Jaggampeta, and was waiting 
 at the house. On hearing this he hurried on home, 
 where he found an aged brahman seated upon the pial. 
 On Eajasekhara asking him who he was, he replied that 
 his family name was Bhavarajah, and that his own 
 name was Suryanarayana. ' And are you not Eajase- 
 khara ?' he inquired. 
 
 ' I am. On what business have you come ?' 
 
 ' A lad named Subbarayadu came to your house a little 
 while ago. Where is he now ?' 
 
 ' So far as I know no lad of that name has come 
 here.' 
 
 ' When the kidnappers carried off your daughter he 
 brought her back here from our village. He had made 
 a vow to Venkatesvara and grown his hair long. He 
 was a very handsome lad. He told us that he was 
 going to your house along with some Eajah or other. 
 When little, he got his education from you, I think.'
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 193 
 
 ' What business have you with him ?' 
 
 ' He stayed at our place for some time. We were 
 pleased with his ability and good looks, and as I have 
 no male issue we decided to give him my daughter in 
 marriage and keep him with us.' 
 
 Kajasekhara now related to his visitor the story of 
 Kukniini's assuming male attire under the name 
 Subbarayadu, and the other wonderful events connected 
 with their past history, and promised to marry the old 
 Brahman's little girl to his son Subrahmanya. At this 
 Suryanarayana was as delighted as a beggar who has 
 found a magnificent fortune ; and, taking an immediate 
 leave of Kajasekhara, he came back the next day, 
 bringing his wife and daughter along with him. On 
 the same day Kajasekhara had bandies brought and set 
 out in the cool of the evening for Rajahmundry, which 
 place he reached in two or three days in company with 
 his new friend Suryanarayana. After spending a 
 couple of days there at Kamamurti's house he gathered 
 together the brass utensils he had placed in his safe 
 keeping, took his cousin and his family also along to the 
 wedding, and at length reached Dhavalesvaram in 
 safety. 
 
 The Maharajah's councillor who had come down from 
 Peddapuram now released and made over to Kajase- 
 khara his lands and house, and was about to return to 
 his master, when Kajasekhara began to dissuade him 
 with such persistency that he consented to remain until 
 the weddings of his host's son and daughter came off. 
 
 No sooner was it known that Kajasekhara had re- 
 turned to the place rich and redeemed his lands, than 
 all the old friends who had kept out of sight when 
 poverty fastened upon him, began to bestir themselves. 
 A whole host of sycophants, who before would not 
 vouchsafe a reply even when addressed, now began to 
 circumambulate the house a half dozen times a day. 
 The menial herd who formerly were never to be found 
 when most wanted, now crowded the doorway from 
 morning to night, without so much as a hint of cooly or 
 
 13
 
 194 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 wages. Both Eamasastri and the astrologer called, and, 
 as usual, exhibited their learned ability in flattering our 
 hero to his face only with twice as much skill as 
 before. But Eajasekhara had already had a taste of 
 their art ; and these worthies discovered in him but few 
 traces of that liberality and appreciativeness which had 
 of old given them returns at the rate of a lac for each 
 word they uttered. The astrologer, supposing that 
 possibly it was he with whom Eajasekhara was angry, 
 and desiring to be reinstated iii his good graces, brought 
 over, with the aid of a cooly, the box of jewelry belong- 
 ing to Damodarayya, which had been concealed in his 
 house, and delivered it to Eajasekhara. Besides this, 
 he began to praise Eajasekhara in the hearing of 
 relatives and friends who would, he knew, carry his 
 words to the right ears. The very mouth that had 
 declared that he had never seen so bad a horoscope as 
 Subrahmanya's, now that that critical period of the 
 boy's existence was past, fell to lauding it as the most 
 incomparable horoscope in the world. Hearing this, 
 the parties who, in Rajasekhara's poverty, had refused 
 to give their child, now began to revolve about Eajase- 
 khara, and to pester him by all means to marry their 
 daughters to Subrahmanya, even offering to give a 
 dowry of four hundred rupees into the bargain. Though 
 these people were wealthy and in the habit of giving 
 their sons-in-law donations of money and other articles, 
 Eajasekhara would none of their girls, but resolved to 
 unite his son in marriage with Mahalaksmi, the daughter 
 of Suryanarayana. 
 
 So, with due regard to the auspiciousness of the time, 
 Eajasekhara made a wedding for his son. Though there 
 were those who averred that a wedding without music 
 and dancing could not be lucky, he paid no heed to 
 their remarks ; and considering that at a time so well 
 calculated to teach conjugal fidelity they should have 
 nothing to do with dancers, he spent but little for the 
 songs of dancing women, but had some of the finest 
 singers of the place render a number of religious hymns
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 195 
 
 in their most pleasing manner. On the third day, when 
 the time for distributing the gifts came, instead of 
 presenting them to unworthy persons, he bestowed this 
 honour, so far as he was able, upon a few worthy people 
 and pandits only ; and to those people who remonstrated 
 with him that, if he did not give presents to all the 
 Brahmans present, they would feel very mean, he replied 
 that it was certainly better to hang one's head during 
 the five days of the wedding and to hold it high after- 
 wards, than to carry it high for a few days and then, the 
 prey of debt, to hang it for ever in shame ; and managed 
 the whole affair precisely in accordance with his own 
 wishes. On the ground that it was simply a waste of 
 money to fill up the street with a great pandal and' 
 open a choultry for the occasion, he invited and made 
 velcome to dinner only relatives and friends. By con- 
 ducting the wedding in this way, the expense was actually 
 less than he had at first reckoned ; so he took the 
 remainder of the money and had some jewels made for 
 his daughter-in-law. 
 
 Three days after the son's wedding came to an end, 
 Rajasekhara bestowed Sita's hand upon his nephew 
 Sankarayya. This second wedding was in all respects 
 exactly similar to that which had just preceded it. On 
 both of these occasions the promiscuous and surreptitious 
 snatching of plates from one another at dinner, stupid 
 horse-play, and the indecent practice of raising pande- 
 monium at pleasure, without distinction of sex, while 
 sprinkling odiferous powder and scarlet water after the 
 final ceremony, were abandoned. Those who were 
 deprived of the power to earn a living, by such bodily 
 defects as lameness and blindness ; poor people who had 
 fallen into their wretched condition through no fault of 
 their own, but by the act of God ; pandits who were 
 upright in conduct and versed in all branches of learning ; 
 and the confessedly pious : these only were honoured 
 with gifts of money. 
 
 * Pandal, a light shed of open bamboos covered with palmira-leaves. 
 Here dinner is served to all of the same caste who care to partake of it. 
 
 132
 
 196 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 After these two events had passed off in due form, 
 the councillor who had come down from Peddapuram 
 one day approached Eajasekhara and begged that he 
 might be excused, as he had to take his departure with- 
 out delay. 
 
 ' Since you yielded to my entreaty and remained 
 these past ten days, you must please me by staying for 
 the finale as well before you think of leaving.' 
 
 ' You really must excuse me and let me go at once. 
 A letter has just now reached me, which states that 
 Acharya-swami, who had come to our village before we 
 set out for this place, has written a bull of excommuni- 
 cation, or something of that sort, against my nephew, on 
 the plea that when he sent in his pastoral letter, my 
 nephew, instead of immediately forking out the rupees, 
 treated the matter with indifference ; that for the pass 
 three days no one will cross his threshold, and that even 
 now neither will the barber come to shave him nor the 
 washerman to wash the clothes. If his Keverence the 
 Swami excommunicates, the neighbours will neither 
 give fire nor allow one to draw water from their wells.' 
 ' Why, the swamis should abandon all such passions 
 as avarice and desire for revenge, and be the meekest of 
 the meek. Do they inflict such severe punishment for 
 so small a fault ?' 
 
 ' So far as the mere name goes you may call him a 
 Swami ; but the truth is, he's got the worst temper in the 
 world. What you see now is nothing at all. Why, 
 only last year this very swami while in Chicaole cracked 
 a joke of some kind with the wife of the master of a 
 house where he was being entertained, and the man 
 happening to overhear it said nothing, through fear 
 that if he reproved a priest he would be fined, but at the 
 close of the feast merely declined to give a contribution ; 
 when what do you think the swami did ? expelled 
 him for three months and then took fifty rupees from 
 the poor fellow and made him undergo penance before 
 he would receive him into caste again. Unless I go at 
 once and induce my nephew to beg forgiveness on con-
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 197 
 
 dition of paying a fine, the thing will not be hushed up. 
 So do not force me to stay longer, but send me on my 
 way this very day.' 
 
 ' When you represent matters in this light, it certainly 
 would be wrong to detain you longer,' replied Rajasek- 
 hara, as he tied about him some new cloths. So, after 
 doing him every honour that lay in his power, and in- 
 structing him as to the messages he was to convey, with 
 Kajasekhara's deepest gratitude, to the Maharajah, he 
 gave his guest leave. Shortly afterwards the numerous 
 guests who had come in for the wedding returned to 
 their respective homes. 
 
 A few days after hearing that Rajasekhara had re- 
 turned to the place rich, Narayanamurti called one day 
 and informed Rajasekhara as a secret that he and 
 Damodarayya had been bosom friends, that at the time 
 of Damodarayya's death the villagers, for no other 
 reason than that he was the dead man's friend, had 
 stolen all his household stuff, and that he was now hard 
 pressed even for food and clothing, and would not 
 Rajasekhara render him a little assistance ? 
 
 1 It is not possible for me,' replied Rajasekhara, ' to 
 show kindness to such an iugrate and violator of friend- 
 ship as you are. It mattered not how much good I did 
 you, when I got into difficulties and craved your assist- 
 ance you refused it and turned your back upon me even 
 though able to help. Though Damodarayya was your 
 bosom friend you thought to make away with the box 
 which he committed to your care, instead of handing it 
 over to the son of your dead friend. 
 
 ' It was the astrologer himself who first suggested to 
 me that I should hide the box in his house, and who 
 hinted that it would be a very easy matter to make 
 away with it. After I had delivered the cash box to 
 him he quarrelled with me for a half share of the con- 
 tents, and when I, unwilling to see a friend's money 
 come into possession of a stranger, refused to agree to 
 his proposal, he brought the box to you for the sake of 
 your good will.'
 
 198 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 ' Even though the astrologer did urge you to it, you 
 are the guilty party, and in no way can you show your- 
 self to be innocent. It is by your own premeditated 
 crime that this misfortune has come upon you, and 
 there is no way out of it but for you to enjoy the fruit 
 of your foll} r .' 
 
 With these biting words Rajasekhara sent him about 
 his business without rendering him a single anna's 
 assistance. 
 
 From that time onward Rajasekhara, having gained 
 dear experience from the conduct of the astrologer and 
 others of that ilk, took good care never to allow himself 
 to be puffed up by empty adulations, nor to squander 
 his money, and steadily refused to believe anyone his 
 friend who approached him with oily words. Through 
 the base trick which the yogi had practised upon him 
 he was convinced that all of that name were at the best 
 only gluttons. He became, too, a firm disbeliever in 
 mantras and alchemy, with all kindred arts. As for 
 the demons with which Rukmini had but a short time 
 before been possessed, as well as witch-doctoring, divina- 
 tion, and similar impostures since everybody's belief 
 in such deceptions had evaporated, such a thing as 
 demoniacal possession, or symptoms of enchantment, or 
 divine inspiration, was never afterwards known in the 
 family. From the circumstance that the horoscopes of 
 the members of his family, as well as the numerous 
 lucky times determined for various events, invariably 
 turned out in a manner directly opposite to that prog- 
 nosticated, both Rajasekhara and his descendants 
 became disbelievers in astrology as well. On account 
 of the trials he had undergone through debts contracted 
 for gratuities at Rukmini's wedding, Rajasekhara 
 determined never again to go in debt. From that time 
 onward he wasted no money on useless show, but 
 continued most moderate in all his expenditure ; and, 
 content with what God had granted him, bestowed upon 
 the poor alms of what he possessed. Preserving truth 
 and kindheartedness inviolate even in his dreams
 
 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 199 
 
 treasuring ever in his heart the golden maxim that 
 ' Virtue is victory ' and departing not the length of a 
 fly's foot from the path of righteousness, he conducted 
 himself honestly in the sight of all men, gained the 
 reputation in the land of being a good man, and spent 
 the rest of his days in affluence and happiness, sur- 
 rounded by numerous grandsons and granddaughters. 
 While his father was yet alive Subrahmanya attained to 
 a lucrative position in the Pitapuram Court, finally 
 became mantri* and won a name unrivalled for 
 statesmanship and justice. The two sons-in-law obtained 
 employment in the court of the Maharajah of Pedda- 
 puram, and gradually rose to eminence and great 
 celebrity. Besides these particular members of Eajase- 
 khara's family, many of his numerous host of relatives, 
 too, who by dishonest practices had enjoyed the 
 pleasures of sin for a season, learned by Eajasekhara's 
 upright walk that honesty is the only source of enduring 
 good, and finally entered the path he trod so un- 
 erringly. 
 
 Beholding with his own eyes that same astrologer's 
 daughter, who when a girl was said to be haunted by 
 her dead husband, now a woman grown, elope (taking 
 with her all she could lay hands upon in the house) 
 with another woman's living husband, go to the bad, 
 and at last take to walking the streets of the town 
 before her father's very eyes beholding the miseries 
 endured by unfortunate women who had lost their 
 husbands in their early youth beholding such women, 
 unable to withstand the uncontrollable promptings of 
 desire, become entangled in the net of libertines and 
 ruin of both body and soul and beholding others, fear- 
 ful of the anathemas of their caste, surrender them- 
 selves secretly to such horrible crimes as infanticide 
 and abortion Eajasekhara's heart melted with pity, 
 and he set himself to work with the determination to 
 make a strenuous effort to alleviate the crying misery 
 of these wretched child-widows. But, unable to con- 
 
 * I.e., Prime Minister.
 
 200 FORTUNE'S WHEEL. 
 
 vert to his views the consummately ignorant people, 
 and pandits who were really fools through inspiration 
 of the demon of custom, Kajasekhara, unsuccessful in 
 his noble efforts, shortly departed to a better world. 
 Although two hundred years have now passed away 
 since Eajasekhara departed this life, the descendants of 
 those whose condition was ameliorated through his 
 noble efforts still eulogize his sterling worth. Kajase- 
 khara's descendants themselves have spread over the 
 whole country, and have, in many places, attained to 
 great eminence. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Elliot Stock, Paternoster Roii, London.
 
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