English
The history of the Pdi'idavas, and how their mether was reduced by misfortune to profess herself a potter's wife's aunt, are fully explained in the Mahiibhirata. Dtin diwon tah prut harun. The generous person gives and the miser is sorrowful. Ditm dushman chhui nnddn metharah sandih khutah jdn, A wise enemy is better than an unwise friend. Persian. — Dushman i ddnd ki pay e jdn hmcad bihtar az an dost hi 11 ft Jdn buicad. The story is, that there was a prince, who had two ministers, one ^ a friend and the other an enemy. The friend happened to bo most. * weak and stupid, while the enemy was a very cute and wise fellow. One day his friend thought within himself " I will kill the prince and become a great king." Accordingly he ordered some men to dig a ditch and to cover over the top of it with grass. They did so. Then the stupid nuni<ter one day asked the king to go for a walk 48 wifch Wm ; and passing by the way of the ditch he pnshed him into it, and ordered the attendants to cover him over with earth. But the other minister was at hand, and the king saw him. and cried unto him, " O minister, let me not die. The country will be ruined." The wise minister knowing that such would be the case, revoked the order of the other minister, and had the king pulled out. On the following day the stupid friend was executed, and the wise enemy was promoted to very great honour. (This story is evidently taken from the Makbzan i Asrar, a Persian work). Dunah-miran harij'inah-onir barbud. The big fire-place destroyed the great man. There was a Pandit of the name of Nand RArn. and belonging to the Tikli sect. He was indebted to the Pathcin, Az4d Khdn's goverment to the extent of five lakhs of rupees. The goverment wanted this money, but Nand Edm could not pay it, and so soldiers were stationed around his house, and the order was given for his eyes to be taken out. When the man arrived to execute this cruel order, Nand Rdm begged that he would wait, and said, " There is money under the big fire-place. Now Nand Rdm's custom had been to feed two hundred people every day — the poor, the sick jind the distressed, who thronged his house. The soldiers according to directions well searched beneath the fire-plaee, but found nothing. They told the matter to Azad Khan, who sent for Nand Ram and enquired what he meant. He answered " My big fire-place has ruined me. In it has been absorbed all my wealth." Azad Khan then repeated the order for his eyes to be taken out. (Azad Khan, 1783, a.d., is the tyrant of whom it was said that he killed men as though they were birds.) Banah sumbrun chhui hani der surun ; danah sumbrun chhui ruzah sund mul ; Danah du darmas ti chhui larun Sahib gurun din Mho rut. Gathering money is like gathering a heap of stones, gathering money is as the king's property ; {i.e., is appropriated by the state after death). Giving money in alms, you keep it. Remember God day and night. - " There is that scattereth and yet increaseth ; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." — Prov. xi. 24. Dandah hhokhur haminum gaje ; dand truvit lubar paje. O toothless man (your mouth is like) a hammam's fire-place ; go and put your teeth at the bottom of a cow-dung basket. Hindu adults sometimes, but nearly always the children, when a tooth has been extracted, place it at the bottom of a basket of 49 cow-rlung, or else throw it into a rat-holo, sayinp, " Qajan Id ga<jaro chim dand meh tah myon dand tfeh, which lueaus : — " Rat, O brother Kat, yon take my tooth and give me yours." Muhammedans keep their teeth in a little box, which is buried with thom when they die. *' Dnndn phunkiin kiho, zih ckhuk zih mailha chhum,^ *• Chhor kiho zih chhuU zih darhn chhxuny **0 bull, why are you bellowiug?" " I am proud" "0 bull, why have you diarrhwa ?*' *' 1 am afraid." A coward. Dondas chhii'i hing gobAn? Are the horns too heavy for the bullock ? (No). No matter how largo the family tho father would not willingly part with one of his children. Dundas hiv tah watjhis getL A good haudful of grass for the bullock, but six liandfuls for the calf. Injustice. Di'mdan hhejik patuj^ panuni kh^gan mandttj. The ox who ate the matting ate hia rump (t>., he got whacked for it). Conseqaonoe of ovil deeds. Dandun mugov tah dupuk ** Amn chhuh" A man with projecting incisors was about to die, aud the people said *' lie is laughing." Ddndih suat wagan dohalih. Ddndih rust Wigiin rtUalih. The owner of an ox ploughs in the day. The man who hasn't an ox ploughs at night (i.e., he plans things in his bed, but forgets them with the morning light). Dangi suh. A tiger in the stable. A tyrant in his house. Dapaha8 ai />ba8 gaUhun gatjthih Jchushhas. Dapahas ai khushkas gatjhun gatjhih abas. If I tell him to go to the water he will go to the land. If I tell him to go to the land he will go to the water. A good-naturod follow, but who invariably misuudeiDtaudB any- thing and ciucutea it accordingly. 7 50 Dapayai hur, hih nahpari rdhat-i-jon ckhahamai Mngri. O kangri, what shall 1 call thee, a celestial virgin or a fairy ! You are the balm of my life. Persian. — Ai Mngri, ai hdngri, qurhdni tu h'&r o pari, harchand wasfat mikunam Icaz wasaf azdn hdld tari. Tu az pari ndzuli tari o az harg i gul ra^nd tari. Haqqd ajd'ih dil tari. Dur yelih dudareh yur gaUhih panas, miUiwis hanas mitsik ialjdi. When the body (lit. wood) becomes old (lit. dry and rotten) the spirit (lit. friend) goes his own way. The place of this earthen pot is under the earth. Daram Ddsini hotri, Daram Das's chamber. A small room. Daram Dds was a very celebrated character among Kashmiri Jogis. He lived in Srinagar near to the entrance of the Lake, and died in 1877 A. d. He built several small houses, the biggest of which was sufficient for only two persons, Darbdr garih ai til melih tah halam gaUMh durun. If from the master's house some oil be given, then one must hold up the skirt, wherein to take it. Although the present may be a mean present, and of as much benefit to the recipient as oil in a cloth, which all runs out and is spoilt, yet it is' the duty of the servant to take it humbly- and readily. Kashmiri beggars receive alms in this way. Dard chheh gard. Love is as dust {i.e.y must show itself), Daryawik malkh ganzrani. To count the waves of the river. An impossible task. Persian. — Mauj i daryd shv/inardmu 'All Mard^n Khdn (cir. 1650 a. d) was a governor under the Emperor of Kashmir Shcih Jahan. He had two especial servants, one a Muhammedan and the other a Hindu. The Muhammedan worked all the day, but the Pandit, who worked only for one hour, received more salary than the Muhammedan. The latter petitioned the king, that he would at least give him an equal salary. The king promised that he would do so if the Muhammedan would go and count the waves of the river and tell him how many they were. The Muhammedan went away at once, but soon found that he could not oblige the king. On his return, when the king asked him how many waves there were, he replied, " I have forgotten." Then the king ordered the Pandit to go and count the waves. The Pandit con- 51 sentml on tho condition that the king would allow him two thousand rniwes and one hundred soldiers for this purpose. Tho king gave him what he asked for, and a%vay went tho Pandit to his task. At every turn or passage of tho river he placed four soldiers and a toll house, and ordered them to take four rupees from each boat which went up or down. The excuse to tho boatmen, when they demurred, was that they had hindered the Pandit in counting the waves of the river, and therefore they were thus fined. In this way he obtained a Idkh of rupees, and then went to the king. In reply to the king's question how many waves there were, the Pandit threw down the bags of rupees at tho ruler's feet, saying " One 14kb, your Majesty." This Pandit was promoted to a very high post, whilst tho Moham- medan was debased. The natives say that *Ali Mard^ Kh&n introdnoed ciistom*hoiiBe0 into Kashmir at this Pandit's advice. Dashtam, dushtam chhuh nah hakar ; durctm^ diram chhuh bahtr. liVhat I had, what I had, is not wanted; but what I have, what I have, is necessary. Quoted to the man who is constantly speaking of his groat rela- tions, or previous wealthier state. Ddsfur chhih gandtm izzatah kMtirah wushnerah hhUirah nah.