विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

3 King Vickramadetea, it must be said, was an incarnation of Virbhudru, son of the god Shiva.* It was in this wise :— In Kailas† lived Shiva, who, with his consort Girja, was once engaged in playing at chess. At the end of the game Girja was the winner, but Shiva jestingly denied it, and persisted, against all truth and reason, that the game was his. For some time they warmly disputed the point, till at length it was decided that they should play it over again in the presence of a third person, and abide by the issue ; Virbhudru was accordingly selected as the umpire. They began the game, and fortune again favored Girja. Shiva nevertheless stoutly maintained that he was the winner also the second time, and so exasperated his consort that in a fit of rage she appealed to Virbhudru, calling upon him to declare the truth. Virbhudru seemed unwilling to give his opinion, lest by so doing he should irritate his father Shiva, and bring down his curse, whilst on the other hand he was afraid that by siding with his father he should enrage his mother, and provoke her to inflict some severe injury upon him. However, after communing with himself, he came to the conclusion that it would be safer to have the strongest party on his side, and so, with an utter disregard to truth, he faltered out to his mother that “ Shiva had won the game.” Scarcely had he expressed himself thus than she launched forth a curse upon him, exclaiming fiercely, “ Go, wretch ! and be transformed to a mortal, and henceforth live with mortals on the earth below !” Virbhudru on this immediately began to entreat her, and with tears in his eyes conjured his mother to recal her malediction, and to restore him to his position. After some hours spent in supplica- tion he made an impression on Girja, when her anger was cooled down. Availing himself of this favorable turn in his case he redoubled his entreaties and tears, until she was

• One of the three principal Hindoo gods, to whom the power of destruction is attributed. He is represented in different characters. † The paradise of Shiva.