Ibn Batuta Saw In The Possession Of Arya
Chakravarti, A Tamul Chief Ruling At Patlam, A Ruby Bowl As Big As The
Palm Of One's Hand.
Friar Jordanus speaks of two great rubies belonging to
the king of SYLEN, each so large that when grasped in the hand it
projected a finger's breadth at either side.
The fame, at least, of these
survived to the 16th century, for Andrea Corsali (1515) says: "They tell
that the king of this island possesses two rubies of colour so brilliant
and vivid that they look like a flame of fire."
Sir E. Tennent, on this subject, quotes from a Chinese work a statement
that early in the 14th century the Emperor sent an officer to Ceylon to
purchase a carbuncle of unusual lustre. This was fitted as a ball to the
Emperor's cap; it was upwards of an ounce in weight and cost 100,000
strings of cash. Every time a grand levee was held at night the red lustre
filled the palace, and hence it was designated "The Red
Palace-Illuminator." (I.B. IV. 174-175; Cathay, p. clxxvii.; Hayton,
ch. vi.; Jord. p. 30; Ramus. I. 180; Ceylon, I. 568).
["This mountain [Adam's Peak] abounds with rubies of all kinds and other
precious stones. These gems are being continually washed out of the ground
by heavy rains, and are sought for and found in the sand carried down the
hill by the torrents. It is currently reported among the people, that
these precious stones are the congealed tears of Buddha." (Ma-Huan,
transl. by Phillips, p. 213.)
In the Chinese work Cho keng lu, containing notes on different matters
referring to the time of the Mongol Dynasty, in ch. vii. entitled Hwui
hwui shi t'ou ("Precious Stones of the Mohammedans") among the four kinds
of red stones is mentioned the si-la-ni of a dark red colour;
si-la-ni, as Dr. Bretschneider observes (Med. Res. I. p. 174), means
probably "from Ceylon." The name for ruby in China is now-a-days hung pao
shi, "red precious stone." (Ibid. p. 173.) - H.C.]
[1] The old Tamul alphabet has no sibilant.
CHAPTER XV.
THE SAME CONTINUED. THE HISTORY OF SAGAMONI BORCAN AND THE BEGINNING OF
IDOLATRY.
Furthermore you must know that in the Island of Seilan there is an
exceeding high mountain; it rises right up so steep and precipitous that
no one could ascend it, were it not that they have taken and fixed to it
several great and massive iron chains, so disposed that by help of these
men are able to mount to the top. And I tell you they say that on this
mountain is the sepulchre of Adam our first parent; at least that is what
the Saracens say. But the Idolaters say that it is the sepulchre of
SAGAMONI BORCAN, before whose time there were no idols. They hold him to
have been the best of men, a great saint in fact, according to their
fashion, and the first in whose name idols were made.[NOTE 1]
He was the son, as their story goes, of a great and wealthy king. And he
was of such an holy temper that he would never listen to any worldly talk,
nor would he consent to be king. And when the father saw that his son
would not be king, nor yet take any part in affairs, he took it sorely to
heart. And first he tried to tempt him with great promises, offering to
crown him king, and to surrender all authority into his hands. The son,
however, would none of his offers; so the father was in great trouble, and
all the more that he had no other son but him, to whom he might bequeath
the kingdom at his own death. So, after taking thought on the matter, the
King caused a great palace to be built, and placed his son therein, and
caused him to be waited on there by a number of maidens, the most
beautiful that could anywhere be found. And he ordered them to divert
themselves with the prince, night and day, and to sing and dance before
him, so as to draw his heart towards worldly enjoyments. But 'twas all of
no avail, for none of those maidens could ever tempt the king's son to any
wantonness, and he only abode the firmer in his chastity, leading a most
holy life, after their manner thereof. And I assure you he was so staid a
youth that he had never gone out of the palace, and thus he had never seen
a dead man, nor any one who was not hale and sound; for the father never
allowed any man that was aged or infirm to come into his presence. It came
to pass however one day that the young gentleman took a ride, and by the
roadside he beheld a dead man. The sight dismayed him greatly, as he never
had seen such a sight before. Incontinently he demanded of those who were
with him what thing that was? and then they told him it was a dead man.
"How, then," quoth the king's son, "do all men die?" "Yea, forsooth," said
they. Whereupon the young gentleman said never a word, but rode on right
pensively. And after he had ridden a good way he fell in with a very aged
man who could no longer walk, and had not a tooth in his head, having lost
all because of his great age. And when the king's son beheld this old man
he asked what that might mean, and wherefore the man could not walk? Those
who were with him replied that it was through old age the man could walk
no longer, and had lost all his teeth. And so when the king's son had thus
learned about the dead man and about the aged man, he turned back to his
palace and said to himself that he would abide no longer in this evil
world, but would go in search of Him Who dieth not, and Who had created
him.[NOTE 2]
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