CHAPTER XLVII. VERIFICATION OF GÁDHI’S VISION.
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Valmiki and Mitra, Viharilala
40. At last he came to the country of the Bhatas (Bhoteas), a people following their own debased customs; and thought himself to be got amongst a savage people, as a camel is confounded to find itself, fallen in a karanja forest, in quest of thorny thistles. (The camels or cramelas are called kantaka bhojes, from their browsing the brambles).
41. There he saw in its vicinity a city, as what he had seen in his delusion; and resembling in every respect the habitation of the Gandharva race.
42. Proceeding onward, he saw at the further end, the locality of the chandálas, resembling the hell-pit of the infernal region. (The out-castes are always located at the filthy outskirts of towns).
43. It was as spacious a place as what he had seen in his vision, and beheld his own likeness in the dream appearing in the figures of the chandálas, as one sees the shape of a Gandharva or ghost, in his dream or delirium.
44. He saw in that place the habitation of chandálas, as what he had seen before in his delusion, and observed with grief and coldness of his mind (the deserted abodes of his fellow Chandálas).
45. He saw his own residence flooded over by rain water grown with sprouts of barley and brambles; his house was left roofless, and his bedstead was almost indiscernible.
46. His hut presented the picture of poverty and wretchedness, and its compound was a scene of ruin and desolation (as if it was laid waste by the hand of oppression and pillage).
47. Gádhi stood long gazing upon the dry white bones of bulls and cows, buffaloes and horses, which lay strewn over the plains round about his hut; and which he remembered to be the remains of the beasts of his prey and slaughter (lit.:—the bones broken under the teeth and jaws of men and wild beasts).
48. He saw the dry hollow skulls lying on the ground, which had served for his eating and drinking vessels before; and which still lay unmoved on the spot, and were filled with rain water (as if to supply him with drink).
49. He saw strings of the dried entrails of the beasts of his victims, lying like parched plants on the plain, and pining with thirst for the rain-water.
50. Gádhi who was conscious of himself (as Gádhi), the Bráhman looked long at his former house and its environs, resembling the dry and dilapidated skeleton of a human body, lying unburied on the naked land.
51. He stood amazed at what he saw, and then withdrew himself to the adjacent village; as when a traveller repairs to the habitation of the Aryas, from his sojourning in the land of barbarians (Mlech’chas).
52. There he asked some one saying, sir, do you remember anything concerning the former state of yonder village, and the lives of its chandála inhabitants?
53. I have heard all good people say, that knowing men are conversant with the annals of all places, as they know every spot on a globe in their hand.
54. If you recollect aught of the good old chandála that, lived retired at yonder spot, and if you remember his adventures, as every one does the past accidents of his own life:—
55. If you are acquainted with the particulars thereabouts, then please to relate them unto me; for it is said there is great spirit in directing a stranger, and in dispelling the doubts of one hanging in suspense.
56. The village people being one by one importuned in this manner by the strange Bráhman; they were as much surprised at his odd request, as physicians are concerned at the abnormal complaint of a patient.
57. The villagers said:—It is an undeniable truth, O Bráhman! as you say, that there lived a chandála of hideous shape by name of Katanjala at that place.
58. He was beset by a large family, consisting of his sons, grandsons, friends and servants; and had other relatives and kinsmen besides. His children were as many as the fruits of a mango tree.
59. But cruel fate snatched all his family in course of time, as a conflagration burns down a mountain forest with all its fruits and flowers at once.
60. He then deserted his native land and went over to the city of the Kirs, of which he became the king; and reigned there for the space of twice four years.
61. The citizens coming to know his mean birth afterwards, drove him from there at last; as they remove a noxious and poisonous tree from the garden.
62. Gádhi seeing the people immolating themselves on funeral piles entered into a burning pyre, which he had prepared for himself; and was thus purified with others by the sacred fire pávaka.
63. But tell us, O Bráhman, why you are so curiously inquisitive about the chandála, and as to whether he was any friend of yours, or you had contracted any friendship with him.
64. Being accosted in this manner, Gádhi made many more inquiries of them concerning the chandála, and passed a whole month in their several houses on his inquiry.
65. He also told the village people, all that he knew of the chandála in his dream; and they heard him attentively relating the whole story from first to last.
66. Gádhi being informed of all the particulars regarding the chandála, both from the hearsay of the people as well as from his personal observations; returned equally ashamed and astonished to his abode, with the disgraceful reflection of his past vileness, which was stamped like the black spot of the moon upon the tablet of his mind.