1 THE ANCIENT HINDUS. 36
2 war elephants and chariots. Their cities were surrounded by brick and
3 stone walls and towers. According to Megasthenes, some of the cities
4 were fortified with broad and deep trenches, filled with water from rivers,
5 The most powerful of these kingdoms was Kashmir, which extended to the
6 land of Abbisara. The country between the upper course of the Vitasta
7 (Bits) and the Asikni (Chinab) was governed by the royal dynasties of the
8 Pauravas.
9 The splendour of the kings and princes is described by the Greeks in
10 glowing terms. They lived in sumptuous palaces, adorned with gardens
11 and terraces, aud were surrounded with women-servants and body-guards.
12 Their robes glittered with gold and jewels. JEven the soles of their shoes
13 were wrought with gold. In their ears they wore rings adorned with jewels
14 of great size and brilliancy. Their necks were encircled with strings of
15 pearls, and they adorned their arms and chests with shining jewels. The
16 golden staff was the symbol of royalty. Their commands were conveyed in
17 writing and stamped with an ivory seal. No one was admitted to an
18 audience of the king without a present. People shewed him the greatest
19 reverence, they knelt before him and even prayed to him, as they did to the
20 Deity. Happy and fortunate events, such as the winning of a batile, the
21 birth of a royal child, the offering of a sacrifice, marriage, visits from
22 illustrious guests, &c., were announced to the citizens by the ringing of bells.
23 On such occasions the streets were thoroughly cleaned, and flowers and
24 garlands hung along them; the roads were sprinkled with sandal water,
25 decked with banners, bunches of flowers and umbrellas, and lined with jars,
26 placed at proper distances, in which frankincense and other perfumes were
27 burnt.
28 The king had a numerous seraglio and the influence of the women was
29 great. Anyone daring to cast a look on the king’s wife was forthwith
30 dispatched. The king took great care of his life and guarded himself
31 against conspiracies, which were common. Only women purchased from
32 their fathers were trusted for this work, and the king was waited upon
33 by this guard of Amazons. They prepared his food, attended his table,
34 brought wine for him and conducted him to the sleeping apartment. He
35 never ventured to sleep during the day and, to defeat plots against his life,
36 constantly changed his bedchamber at night. His wives did not leave
37 him, even while hunting, aud were, in their turn, guarded by the viragos.
38 These argus-eyed women rode, some on chariots, some on elephants and some
39 on horses gorgeously equipped. They were armed with weapons of various
40 kinds, as if they were going to war.* The king hunted in enclosures and
41 discharged arrows from a platform, two or three armed women standing by
42 his side. He was similarly accompanied by women in war. The king never
43 left his palace except to go to war, or to the chase, to offer sacrifice, or to attend
44 a festival. The sight of his equipage was grand and imposing. First,
45 came the kettle-drummers and the blowers of shells. They were followed by
46 elephants with gold and silver trappings, chariots, drawn each by four horses,
47 and some with stout and beautiful oxen yoked to them. Then came the
48 soldiers, handsomely equipped and followed by a procession of trays con-
49 taining the royal robes, gold and silver utensils set with emeralds and
50 precious stones, water-basins, chairs, tables, &c. These were followed
51 by lions, tigers, panthers, buffaloes and other wild beasts, some in large iron
52 cages, others bound and borne in vehicles and wagons. After these were
53 carried, on four-wheeled wagons, live trees, on which were domesticated birds,
54 _, The Sakuntala describes Raji Dushyanta as attended in the chase by Yavana women
55 with bows in their hands and wearing garlands of flowers.—Af’Crindle.
56 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@
57 The splendour of the
58 kings.
59 The profound re-
60 spect paid to the
61 king by the people,
62 His seraglio,
63 His guard of
64 Amazons,
65 His hunting-ground.
66 His equipage.
67 gmail.com