पृष्ठम्:हम्मीरमहाकाव्यम्.pdf/४२

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Virama, the brother of Hammira, was with him when Ratipāla paid him the visit, and he expressed his belief to his brother that Ratipala had not spoken the truth, but had been seduced from his allegiance by the enemy. He said he could smell liquor when Ratipala was speaking, and a drunken man was not to be believed. Pride of birth, generosity, discornment, shame, loyalty, love of truth and cleanliness, were qualities, said Virama, that were not to be expected to be the possessions of those that drink. In order to stop the further progress of sedition among his people, he advised his brother to put Ratipala to death. But the king objected to this proposal, saying that his fort was strong enough to resist the enemy under any circumstauces; and if by any unforeseen accident, it should fall into the hands of the enemy after he had killed Ratipāla, people would moralize on the event, and attribute their fall to their wickedness in putting to death an innocent man.

In the meantime, Ratipāla caused a rumour to be spread in the king's Ranawas that 'Alau'd-din only asked for the hand of the king's daughter, and that he was ready to conclude a peace if his desires in this respect were granted, as he wanted nothing else. Hereupon the king's wives induced his daughter to go to her father and express her willingness to bestow her hand on 'Alâu'd-dîn, The girl went where her father was sitting, and implored him to give her to the Muhammadan, to save himself and his kingdom. She said she was as a piece of worthless glass, whilst her father's life and kingdom were like the chintamani, or the wish-granting philosopher's stone; and who solicited him to cast her away to retain them.

The king's feelings quite overcame him as the innocent girl, with clasped hands, thus spoke to him. He told her she was a mere child and was not to be blamed for what she had been taught to speak. But he knew not what punishment they deserved who had the imprudence to put such ideas into her innocent