The Defeated King Hides in an Ashram
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 158
Doha 158 · Movement 1 of 2
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Through the forest Pratapbhanu sees a hermitage and an ascetic figure dwelling within it. The apparent sage is a defeated king whose realm was seized and whose army fled during battle. Shame prevents his return home, while pride prevents him from appearing before the ruler who now commands the earth.
He has buried anger beneath poor clothing and the outward life of a renunciant. Pratapbhanu's age of power is his own season of ruin, and the memory of lost kingship continues to burn under the disguise.
The hermit recognizes Pratapbhanu immediately. The thirsty king does not recognize his former enemy and sees only the noble marks of a great sage. He dismounts, bows with respect, and carefully withholds his own name, unaware that concealment exists on both sides.
A parched emperor bows before the enemy hidden beneath an ascetic's cloth.
Read the passage from the Manas
फिरत बिपिन आश्रम एक देखा। तहँ बस नृपति कपट मुनिबेषा।। जासु देस नृप लीन्ह छड़ाई। समर सेन तजि गयउ पराई।। समय प्रतापभानु कर जानी। आपन अति असमय अनुमानी।। गयउ न गृह मन बहुत गलानी। मिला न राजहि नृप अभिमानी।। रिस उर मारि रंक जिमि राजा। बिपिन बसइ तापस कें साजा।। तासु समीप गवन नृप कीन्हा। यह प्रतापरबि तेहि तब चीन्हा।। राउ तृषित नहि सो पहिचाना। देखि सुबेष महामुनि जाना।। उतरि तुरग तें कीन्ह प्रनामा। परम चतुर न कहेउ निज नामा।।
Wandering through the forest, he came upon a lonely ashrama. There dwelt a king in the disguise of a muni. This was the very ruler whose kingdom Pratapabhanu had seized, who had fled the battlefield and abandoned his army.