The ocean of story, being C.H. Tawney's translation of Somadeva's ...

THE DEVOTED COUPLE 97
panied by the rest of his harem, and attended by various
princes of the Vidyadharas, of whom Chandasimha and
and while drinking wine and talk-
Amitagati were the chief ;
ing on various subjects, the sovereign, having observed the
"
The southern
beauty of the season, said to his ministers :
breeze is gentle and soft to the feel ; the horizon is clear ;
the gardens in every corner are full of flowers and fragrant ;
sweet are the strains of the cuckoo, and the joys of the
banquet of wine ; what pleasure is wanting in the spring ?
that season hard
Still, separation from one's beloved is during
to bear. Even animals * find separation from their mates in
the spring a severe affliction. For instance, behold this hencuckoo
here distressed with separation ! For she has been
long searching for her beloved, who has disappeared from her
gaze, with plaintive cries, and not being able to find him she
is now cowering on a mango, mute and like one dead."
When the king had said this, his minister, Gomukha, said
"
to him : It is true, all creatures find separation hard to
bear at this time ; and now listen, King ; I will tell you in
illustration of this something that happened in Sravasti.
167. Story of the Devoted Couple, Surasena and Sushend 2
In that town there dwelt a Rajput, who was in the service
of the monarch, and lived on the proceeds of a village. His
name was Surasena, and he had a wife named Sushena, who
was a native of Malava. She was in every respect well suited
to him, and he loved her more than life. One day the king
summoned him, and he was about to set out for his camp,
"
when his loving wife said to him : My husband, you ought
for I shall not be able to
not to go off and leave me alone ;
exist here for a moment without you." When Surasena's
"
wife said this to him, he : replied How can I help going,
when the king summons me ? Do you not understand my
position, fair one ? You see, I am a Rajput, and a servant,
1 For anyonyasya the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College
MS. read anyasyastam, which means : " Not to speak of other beings, even
animals, etc."
2 This is only another form of the story on pp. 9-10 of Vol. II.
VOL. VIII. G