Then the heroic prince, accompanied by his ministers, again crossed various stretches of woodland, which contained many hundreds of lakes, and were black with tamala-trees [459] throughout their whole expanse, looking like nights in the rainy season, when the clouds collect; and others which had their canes broken by terrible infuriated elephants roaming through them, in which the arjuna-trees formed a strong contrast to the tamala-trees, [460] and which thus resembled so many cities of king Virata; and ravines of mighty mountains, which were pure, though strewn with flowers, and though frequented by subdued hermits, were haunted by fierce beasts; and at last came near the city of Ujjayini.

Then he reached the river Gandhavati, and dispelled his fatigue by bathing in it, and after crossing it, he arrived with his companions in that cemetery of Mahakala. There he beheld the image of mighty Bhairava, black with the smoke from neighbouring pyres, surrounded with many fragments of bones and skulls, terrible with the skeletons of men which it held in its grasp, worshipped by heroes, frequented by many troops of demons, dear to sporting witches.

And after crossing the cemetery, he beheld the city of Ujjayini, a yuga old, ruled by king Karmasena. Its streets were watched by guards with various weapons, who were themselves begirt by many brave high-born Rajputs; it was surrounded with ramparts resembling the peaks of mighty mountains; it was crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, and hard for strangers to enter.

When Mrigankadatta beheld that city, which was thus inaccessible on every side, he turned his face away in despondency, and said to his ministers, "Alas! ill-starred man that I am! though it has cost me hundreds of hardships to reach this city, I cannot even enter it; what chance then have I of obtaining my beloved?" When they heard this, they said to him, "What! do you suppose, prince, that this great city could ever be stormed by us, who are so few in number? We must think of some expedient to serve in this emergency, and an expedient will certainly be found; how comes it that you have forgotten that this expedition has frequently been enjoined by the G.o.ds?"

When Mrigankadatta had been thus addressed by his ministers, he remained for some days roaming about outside the city.

Then his minister Vikramakesarin called to mind that Vetala, which he had long ago won over, intending to employ him to fetch the prince's love from her dwelling-house. And the Vetala came, black in hue, tall, with a neck like a camel, elephant-faced, with legs like a bull, eyes like an owl, and the ears of an a.s.s. But finding that he could not enter the city, he departed; the favour of Siva secures that city against being invaded by such creatures.

Then the Brahman Srutadhi, who was versed in policy, said to Mrigankadatta, as he was sitting in gloom, surrounded by his ministers, longing in his heart to enter the city; "Why, prince, though you know the true principles of policy, do you remain bewildered, like one ignorant of them? Who will ever be victorious in this world by disregarding the difference between himself and his foe? For at every one of the four gates of this city, two thousand elephants, twenty-five thousand horses, ten thousand chariots, and a hundred thousand footmen remain harnessed and ready, day and night, to guard it; and they are hard to conquer, being commanded by heroes. So, as for a handful of men, like ourselves, entering it by force, that is a mere chimerical fancy, [461] not a measure calculated to ensure success. Moreover, this city cannot be overthrown by a small force; and a contest with an overwhelming force is like fighting on foot against an elephant. So join with your friend Mayavatu the king of the Pulindas, whom you delivered from the terrible danger of the water-monsters in the Narmada, and with his friend Durgapisacha the very powerful king of the Matangas, who is attached to you on account of his alliance with him, [462] and with that king of the Kiratas, named Saktiraks.h.i.ta, who is famous for his valour and has observed a vow of strict chast.i.ty from his youth upwards, and let them all bring their forces, and then do you, thus strengthened by allies, fill every quarter with your hosts, and so accomplish the object you have in view. Moreover, the king of the Kiratas is awaiting your coming from a distance in accordance with your agreement; how have you come to forget this? And no doubt, Mayavatu is ready awaiting your arrival, in the territory of [463]

the king of the Matangas, for you made this agreement with him. So let us go to the castle named Karabhagriva, on the southern slope of the Vindhyas, in which that chief of the Matangas dwells. And let us summon there Saktiraks.h.i.ta, the king of the Kiratas, and united with them all make a fortunate expedition with every chance of success.

When Mrigankadatta and his ministers heard this speech of Srutadhi's, which was full of sense and such as the wise would approve, they eagerly accepted it, saying, "So be it." And the next day the prince adored that unresting traveller of the sky, the sun, the friend of the virtuous, that had just arisen, revealing every quarter of the world, [464] and set out for the abode of Durgapisacha king of the Matangas on the southern slope of the Vindhya range. And his ministers Bhimaparakrama, and Vyaghrasena, and Gunakara, and Meghabala with Vimalabuddhi, and Sthulabahu with Vichitrakatha, and Vikramakesarin, and Prachandasakti, and Srutadhi and Dridhamushti followed him. With them he successively crossed forests wide-ranging as his own undertakings, and stretches of woodland profound as his own schemes, with no better refuge at night than the root of a tree [465] on the sh.o.r.e of a lake, and reached and ascended the Vindhya mountain lofty as his own soul.

Then the prince went from the summit of the mountain down its southern slope, and beholding afar off the villages of the Bhillas full of elephants' tusks and deer-skins, he said to himself, "How am I to know where the dwelling of that king of the Matangas is?" While engaged in such reflections, he and his ministers saw a hermit boy come towards them, and after doing obeisance to him, they said, "Fair Sir, do you know in what part of this region the palace of Durgapisacha, the king of the Matangas, is? For we wish to see him."

When that good young ascetic heard this, he said, "Only a kos distant from this place is a spot called Panchavati, and not far from it was the hermitage of the hermit Agastya, who with small effort cast down from heaven the haughty king Nahusha; where Rama, who by command of his father took up his dwelling in a forest, accompanied by Lakshmana and his wife Sita, long waited on that hermit; where Kabandha, [466]

who guided Rama to the slaughter of the Rakshasas, proceeded to attack Rama and Lakshmana, as Rahu does the sun and moon, whose arm a yojana in length Rama felled, so that it resembled Nahusha in his serpent form, come to supplicate Agastya; where even now the Rakshasas hearing the roaring of the clouds at the beginning of the rainy season, call to mind the tw.a.n.ging of the bow of Rama; where the aged deer, that were fed by Sita, beholding the regions deserted in every direction, with eyes filling with tears, reject the mouthful of gra.s.s; where Maricha, who brought about Sita's separation from her husband, a.s.sumed the form of a golden deer and enticed away Rama, as if to save from slaughter those deer, that were still left alive; where, in many a great lake full of the water of the Kaveri, it appears as if Agastya had vomited up in driblets the sea that he swallowed. Not far from that hermitage, on a table-land of the Vindhya, is a stronghold tangled and inaccessible, named Karabhagriva. In it dwells that mighty Durgapisacha of terrible valour, chief of the Matangas, whom kings cannot conquer. And he commands a hundred thousand bowmen of that tribe, every one of whom is followed by five hundred warriors. With the aid of those brigands he robs caravans, destroys his enemies, and enjoys this great forest, caring nought for this or that king. [467]

When Mrigankadatta had heard this from the young hermit, he took leave of him, and went quickly, with his companions, in the direction indicated by him, and in course of time he arrived in the environs of Karabhagriva that stronghold of the king of the Matangas, which were crowded with Bhilla villages. And within them he beheld near at hand on every side crowds of Savaras, adorned with peac.o.c.ks' feathers and elephants' teeth, clothed in tigers' skins, and living on the flesh of deer. When Mrigankadatta saw those Bhillas, he said to his ministers, "See! these men live a wild forest life like animals, and yet, strange to say, they recognise Durgapisacha as their king. There is no race in the world without a king; I do believe the G.o.ds introduced this magical name among men in their alarm, fearing that otherwise the strong would devour the weak, as great fishes eat the little." [468]

And while he was saying this, and trying to find the path that led to the stronghold Karabhagriva, the scouts of Mayavatu, the king of the Savaras, who had already arrived there, recognized him, having seen him before. They immediately went and told that Mayavatu of his arrival; and he with his army went to meet him. And when that king of the Pulindas came near, and saw the prince, he alighted from his horse, and ran forward, and fell at his feet. And he embraced the prince, who asked after his health, and then mounted him and his ministers on horses, and brought them to his own camp. And that king of the Savaras sent his own warder to inform the king of the Matangas of the prince's arrival.

And Durgapisacha, the king of the Matangas, quickly came there from his own place, and his appearance justified his name. [469] He seemed like a second Vindhya range, for his body was firm as a rocky peak, his hue was black as tamala, and Pulindas lay at his foot. His face was rendered terrible by a natural three-furrowed frown, and so he appeared as if Durga, the dweller in the Vindhya range, had marked him with the trident, to claim him as her own. Though young, he had seen the death of many "secular birds;" though black, he was not comely; and he crouched to none, though he hugged the foot of a mountain. [470] Like a fresh cloud, he displayed the peac.o.c.k tail and the gay-coloured bow; like Hiranyaksha, [471] his body was scarred by the furious boar; like Ghatotkacha, he was mighty and possessed a haughty and terrible shape; [472] like the Kali age, he allowed those born under his sway to take pleasure in wickedness and break through the bonds of rule. And the ma.s.s of his host came filling the earth, like the stream of the Narmada, when let loose from the embrace of Arjuna. [473] And so the aggregated army of the Chandalas moved on, blackening all the horizon with a dark hue, making those who beheld it say in perplexity to themselves "Can this be a ma.s.s of rock that has rolled down from the Anjana mountain, [474] or is it a premature bank of the clouds of the day of doom, that has descended upon the earth?"

And their chief Durgapisacha came up to Mrigankadatta, placing his head upon the ground even when at a distance, and bowed before him, and said "To-day the G.o.ddess Durga is pleased with me, in that your Highness, of such a n.o.ble race, has come to my house. On that account I consider myself fortunate and successful. When the king of the Matangas had said this, he gave him a present of pearls, musk, and other rarities. And the prince kindly accepted it with the usual courtesies. Then they all encamped there. That great forest was covered all over with elephants fastened to posts, with horses in stables, and tented footmen; and was scarcely able to contain itself, being confused with its good fortune in thus being a.s.similated to a city, which was unprecedented in the course of its existence.

Then, in that wood, when Mrigankadatta had bathed in the river for good fortune, and had taken food, and was sitting at his ease, in a secluded spot, surrounded by his ministers, Mayavatu also being present, Durgapisacha said to Mrigankadatta, in the course of conversation, speaking in a tone softened by affection and regard, "This king Mayavatu came here a long time ago, and has been remaining here with me, my lord, awaiting your orders. So where, my prince, have you all remained so long? And what have you done? Tell me, now, the business that detained you." When the prince heard this speech of his, he said, "After I had left the palace of our friend here Mayavatu, with Vimalabuddhi and Gunakara, and Srutadhi, and Bhimaparakrama, whom I had also recovered, I found on my way this Prachandasakti and Vichitrakatha, and in course of time also this Vikramakesarin. Then these men here found on the borders of a beautiful lake a tree sacred to Ganesa, and climbed up it to pick its fruit, and so were turned into fruits themselves by the curse of the G.o.d. Then I propitiated Ganesa, and not without difficulty set them free, and at the same time I delivered these other four ministers of mine, Dridhamushti and Vyaghrasena and Meghabala and Sthulabahu, who had previously suffered the same transformation. With all these, thus recovered, I went to Ujjayini; but the gates were guarded, and we could not even enter the town; much less could we think of any device for carrying off Sasankavati. And as I had no army with me, I had no locus standi for sending an amba.s.sador. So we deliberated together, and came here to you. Now, my friend, you and your allies have to decide whether we shall attain our end or no."

When Mrigankadatta had related his adventures in these words, Durgapisacha and Mayavatu said, "Be of good courage; this is but a little matter for us to accomplish at once; our lives were originally created for your sake. We will bring here that king Karmasena in chains, and we will carry off his daughter Sasankavati by force."

When the king of the Matangas and Mayavatu said this, Mrigankadatta said lovingly and very respectfully, "What will you not be able to accomplish, for this resolute courage of yours is a sufficient guarantee that you will carry out that furtherance of your friend's interests which you have undertaken. When the Creator made you here, he infused into your composition qualities borrowed from your surroundings, the firmness of the Vindhya hills, the courage of the tigers, and the warm attachment to friends of the forest [475]

lotuses. So deliberate and do what is fitting." While Mrigankadatta was saying this, the sun retired to rest on the summit of the mountain of setting. Then they also rested that night in the royal camp, as was meet, sleeping in booths made by the workmen.

And the next morning Mrigankadatta sent off Gunakara to bring his friend Saktiraks.h.i.ta, the king of the Kiratas. He went and communicated the state of affairs to that sovereign; and in a very few days the king of the Kiratas returned with him, bringing a very large force. Ten hundred thousand footmen, and two hundred thousand horse, and a myriad of furious elephants on which heroes were mounted, and eighty-eight thousand chariots followed that king, who darkened the heaven with his banners and his umbrella. And Mrigankadatta, with his friends and ministers, went to meet him in high spirits and honoured him and conducted him into the camp. And in the meanwhile other friends and relations of the king of the Matangas, and all those of king Mayavatu, having been summoned by messengers, came in. [476]

And the camp swelled like the ocean, giving joy to the heart of Mrigankadatta: with shouts rising up like the roar of the waves, and hundreds of battalions pouring in like rivers. And Durgapisacha honoured [477] those a.s.sembled kings with musk, and garments, and pieces of flesh, and spirits distilled from fruits. And Mayavatu the king of the Savaras gave them all splendid baths, unguents, food, drink, and beds. And Mrigankadatta sat down to eat with all those kings who were seated in their proper places. [478] He even went so far as to make the king of the Matangas eat in his presence though at a little distance from him: the fact is, it is necessity and place and time that take precedence, not one man of another.

And the next day, when the newly arrived force of Kiratas and others had rested, Mrigankadatta, sitting on a throne of ivory in the a.s.sembly of the kings, where he had been duly honoured, after he had had the place cleared of attendants, said to his friends, the king of the Matangas, and the others, "Why do we now delay? Why do we not quickly march towards Ujjayini with the whole of this force?" When the Brahman Srutadhi heard this, he said to that prince, "Listen prince, I now speak according to the opinion of those who know policy. A king who wishes to be victorious must first see the distinction between what is practicable and what is not practicable. What cannot be accomplished by an expedient, he should reject as impracticable. That is practicable which can be accomplished by an expedient. Now expedients in this matter are of four kinds, and are enumerated as conciliation, gifts, division and force. This order represents their comparative advantages, the first being better than the second, and so on. So, my prince, you ought first to make use of conciliation in this business. For, as king Karmasena is not greedy of gain, gifts are not likely to succeed; nor is division likely to be of any use, for none of his servants are angry, or covetous, or indignant with him, on account of having been treated with neglect. As for force, its employment is risky; as that king lives in a difficult country, has a very formidable army, and has never been conquered by any king before. Moreover even mighty ones cannot always be a.s.sured of having the fortune of victory on their side in battles; besides, it is not becoming in one, who is a suitor for a maiden's hand, to slaughter her relations. So let us send an amba.s.sador to that monarch, adopting the method of conciliation. If that does not succeed, the method of force shall be employed as being unavoidable." All there, when they heard this speech of Srutadhi's, approved it, and praised his statesmanship.

Then Mrigankadatta deliberated with them all, and sent a servant of the king of the Kiratas, a n.o.ble Brahman, Suvigraha by name, who possessed all the requisites of a diplomatist, to king Karmasena, as an amba.s.sador to communicate the result of their deliberations, and he carried with him a letter, and was also entrusted with a verbal message. The amba.s.sador went to Ujjayini, and, being introduced by the warder, entered the king's palace, the interior of which looked very magnificent, as its zones were crowded with splendid horses, and with elephants; and he saw that king Karmasena, sitting on his throne, surrounded by his ministers. He did obeisance to that sovereign, who welcomed him; and after he had sat down, and his health had been enquired after, he proceeded to deliver to him his letter. And the king's minister, named Prajnakosa, took it, and broke the seal, and unfolding the letter, proceeded to read it out to the following effect. "All-Hail! The auspicious Mrigankadatta, ornament of the circle of the earth, son of the great king of kings who is lord of the city of Ayodhya, the fortunate Amaradatta, from the slope of the forest at the foot of the castle of Karabhagriva, where he now is, with kings submissive and obedient to him, sends this plain message to the great king Karmasena in Ujjayini, who is the moon of the sea of his own race, with all due respect; You have a daughter, and you must without fail give her to another, so give her to me; for she has been declared by the G.o.ds a suitable wife for me. In this way we shall become allies, and our former enmity will be at an end; if you do not consent, I will appeal to my own strong arms to give me this object of my desires." When the letter had been thus read by the minister Prajnakosa, king Karmasena, inflamed with rage, said to his ministers, "These people are always hostile to us; and observe, this man, not knowing his place, has on the present occasion worded his communication in an objectionable form. He has put himself first and me last, out of contempt; and at the end the conceited fellow has bragged of the might of his arm. So, I do not consider that I ought to send any reply; as for giving him my daughter, that is out of the question. Depart, amba.s.sador; let your master do what he can." [479]

When king Karmasena said this, that Brahman amba.s.sador Suvigraha, being a man of spirit, gave him an answer well-suited to the occasion, "Fool, you boast now, because you have not seen that prince; make ready; when be arrives, you will learn the difference between yourself and your opponent." When the amba.s.sador said this, the whole court was in a state of excitement; but the king, though in wrath, said, "Away with you! Your person is inviolable, so what can we do?" Then some of those present, biting their lips, and wringing their hands together, said one to another, "Why do we not follow him and kill him this moment." But others, being masters of themselves, said, "Let the young fool of a Brahman go! why do you trouble yourselves about the speech of this babbler? We will shew what we can do." Others again, appearing to foreshadow by their frowns the speedy bending of their bows, remained silent, with faces red with rage.

The whole court being thus incensed, the amba.s.sador Suvigraha went out, and repaired to Mrigankadatta in his camp. He told him and his friends what Karmasena had said; and the prince, when he heard it, ordered the army to march. Then the sea of soldiers, set in motion by the order of the commander, as by a violent gust of wind, in which men, horses, and elephants moved like bounding sea-monsters, exciting satisfaction in the mind of the allied monarchs, [480] a.s.sumed an agitation terrifying to the minds of timid men. Then Mrigankadatta, making the earth miry with the foam of high-mettled horses, and the frontal ichor of elephants, and deafening the world with the noise of his drums, moved on slowly to Ujjayini to victory.

CHAPTER CIII.

Then Mrigankadatta, accompanied by his friends, crossed the Vindhya range, and with his army ready for battle, reached the frontier of Ujjayini. When the brave king Karmasena heard that, he also made ready for the fight, and with his army moved out from the city to meet him. And when those two armies came to close quarters, and could see one another, a battle took place between them, that gladdened heroes. The battlefield seemed like the dwelling-place of Hiranyakasipu, as it was full of timid demons dispersed in terror by the roar of the Man-lion; [481] the continued dense showers of arrows flying through the air, and cutting one another, descended on brave warriors, like locusts on the tender herb. Dense clouds of pearls gleamed as they sprang from the frontal globes of elephants struck with swords, resembling the necklace of the Fortune of that battle broken in her agitation. That place of combat appeared like the mouth of Death; and the sharp points of spears, that seized on men, horses, and elephants, were like his fangs. The heads of strong-armed warriors, cut off with crescent-headed arrows, flew up to heaven, as if leaping up [482] to kiss the heavenly nymphs; and at every moment trunks of brave heroes danced, as if in delight at the battle of their n.o.ble leader being gloriously illuminated; and so for five days that hero-destroying battle went on, with flowing rivers of blood, rich in mountains of heads.

And in the evening of the fifth day the Brahman Srutadhi came secretly to Mrigankadatta when he was closeted with his ministers, and said to him, "While you were engaged in fighting, I went away from the camp, in the disguise of a mendicant, and entered Ujjayini, the gates of which were almost deserted; and now listen; I will tell you truly what I observed, being myself all the while, though near at hand, unseen in virtue of my knowledge. As soon as king Karmasena went out to battle, Sasankavati with the permission of her mother also left the palace, and repaired to a temple of Gauri in that city, to propitiate the G.o.ddess, in order to ensure her father's success in the combat. And while she was there, she said in secret to a devoted confidante 'My friend, it is for my sake, that my father has become involved in this war. And if he is conquered, he will give me to that prince; for kings disregard love for offspring altogether, when the interests of their kingdoms are at stake. And I do not know whether that prince is a suitable match for me in respect of personal appearance, or not. I would sooner meet my death than marry an ugly husband. I think a good-looking husband, even though poor, is to be preferred to an ugly one, though he be emperor over the whole earth. So you must go to the army and see what he is like, and then return. For, my fortunate friend, Prudence [483]

is your name, and Prudence is your nature.'

"When the princess had given this order to her confidante, that girl managed to come to our camp, and after seeing you, prince, went and said to that princess, 'My friend, I can say nothing but this; even Vasuki [484] himself has not got a tongue able to describe the beauty of that prince. So far however I can give you an idea of it: as there is no woman in the world equal to you in good looks, so there is no man equal to him. But alas! that is but a feeble description of him; I believe in these three worlds there is no Siddha, or Gandharva, or G.o.d like him.' By this speech of her confidante's Sasankavati's heart was fixed on you, and at the same moment it was nailed to you by the G.o.d of love with his arrows. And from that time forth she has remained desiring the welfare of you and also of her father, becoming gradually attenuated by penance and the grief of separation from you."

"So go secretly this very night, and carry off that princess from that sanctuary of Gauri, which is now unfrequented, and bring her here without being observed. Let her be conveyed to the palace of Mayavatu; and then these kings, after securing your rear against the fury of the foe, shall come there with me. Let this fighting be put an end to. Do not allow any further slaughter of soldiers. And ensure the personal safety of yourself and the king your father-in-law. For war, that involves a great waste of human life, is an inexpedient expedient, and sages affirm it to be the worst of all political measures."

When Srutadhi had said this to Mrigankadatta, that prince and his ministers mounted their horses and set out secretly at night. And the prince arrived at the city of Ujjayini, in which only women, and children, and sleepy men were left, and entered it easily, as the gates were kept by only a few drowsy guards. [485] And then he proceeded to that famous sanctuary of Gauri, which was easily discovered by the description which Srutadhi had given of it. It was situated in a great garden called Pushpakarnda, and was just then illuminated by the rays of the moon, which at that time adorned the face of the East. [486]

In the meanwhile Sasankavati, who remained sleepless, though her companions, worn out by attendance and other fatigues, were sleeping around her, was saying to herself; "Alas! for my sake brave kings and princes and heroes are being slain every day in battle in both these armies. Moreover, that prince, who has appealed to the ordeal of battle for my sake, was long ago designated as my husband by the G.o.ddess Durga in a dream; and the G.o.d of love has with unfailing aim cut out my heart with a continual shower [487] of arrows, and taken it, and presented it to him. But, ill-starred girl that I am, my father will not give me to that prince, on account of the previous enmity between them, and his own pride; so much I gathered from his letter. So what is the use of a sure revelation by a G.o.ddess in a dream, when Fate is adverse? The fact is, I see no chance of obtaining my beloved in any way. So, why should I not abandon my hopeless life, before I hear of some misfortune happening to my father or to my lover in battle? [488]" With these words she rose up, and in her grief went in front of the image of Gauri and made a noose with her outer garment, fastening it to an asoka-tree.

In the meanwhile Mrigankadatta, with his companions, entered that garden and fastened his horse to a tree in front of the temple and sanctuary of Gauri. Then Mrigankadatta's minister Vimalabuddhi, seeing the princess near, said of his own accord to the prince, "Look prince, here is some lovely girl trying to hang herself; now, who can she be?" When the prince heard that, he looked at her and said, "Dear me! who can this girl be? Is she the G.o.ddess Rati? Or is she happiness incarnate in bodily form? Or is she the beauty of the moon, having taken shape, [489] or the command of Cupid living and walking? Or is she a nymph of heaven? No, that cannot be. For what can make heavenly nymphs desire to hang themselves? So let us remain here for a time concealed by the trees, until we find out for certain, somehow or other, who she is." When he had said this, he and his ministers remained there in concealment; and in the meanwhile the despondent Sasankavati offered this prayer to the G.o.ddess, "O adorable Gauri that deliverest the afflicted from their pain, grant that, though, owing to my sins in a former state of existence, prince Mrigankadatta has not become my husband in this birth, he may become such in a future life." When the princess had said this, she bowed before the G.o.ddess, and fastened the noose round her neck with eyes moist with tears.

At that moment her companions woke up, and distressed at not seeing her, began to look for her, and quickly came where she was. And they said, "Alas, friend, what is this that you have undertaken? Out on your rashness!" With these words they removed the noose from her neck. So, while the girl was standing there ashamed and despondent, a voice came from the inner shrine of Gauri's temple, "Do not despond, my daughter Sasankavati; that word, fair one, that I spake to thee in a dream, cannot prove false. Here is that husband of thine in a former life, Mrigankadatta, come to thy side; go and enjoy with him the whole earth."

When Sasankavati heard this sudden utterance, she slowly looked aside a little confused, and at that moment Vikramakesarin, the minister of Mrigankadatta, came up to her, and pointing out the prince with his finger, said to her, "Princess, Bhavani has told you the truth, for here is the prince, your future husband, come to you, drawn by the cords of love." When the princess heard that, she cast a sidelong glance, and beheld that n.o.ble lover of hers [490] standing in the midst of his companions, looking like the moon having descended from heaven begirt by the planets, like the standard by which beauty is tested in others, raining nectar into the eyes.

Then she remained motionless as a pillar, and every hair stood erect with joy on all her limbs, so that they appeared to be covered with the feathers at the end of Cupid's arrows raining upon her; and at that moment Mrigankadatta came up to her, and in order to dispel her shame, he addressed to her, with a voice raining the honey of love, the following speech appropriate to the occasion, [491] "Fair one, you have made me leave my own country and kingdom and relations, and brought me from a distance, enslaving me and binding me with the chain of your virtues. So now I have gained this fruit of my dwelling in the forest, and of my sleeping on the ground, and of my living on wild fruits, and enduring the fierce heat of the sun, and of my emaciation with asceticism, that I have beheld this form of yours which rains nectar into my eyes. And if you love me enough to care to please me, bestow also, gazelle-eyed one, that feast of the eyes upon the ladies of our city. Let the war cease; let the welfare of both armies be ensured; let my birth be made a success, and let my father's blessing be gained for me at the same time!"

When Mrigankadatta had said this to Sasankavati, she slowly answered with eyes fixed on the ground, "I indeed have been purchased with your virtues and made your slave, so do, my husband, what you think will be for our good." When Mrigankadatta had been refreshed by this nectar-like speech of hers, and saw that his point was gained, he praised the G.o.ddess Gauri and bowed before her, and then he made the princess get up behind him on his horse, and his ten [492] brave ministers mounted and took her ladies-in-waiting up behind them; and then the prince, with his sword drawn, set out from that city at night, accompanied by them sword in hand. And though the city-guards saw those eleven heroes, they did not dare to stop them, for they looked as formidable as so many angry Rudras. And leaving Ujjayini, they went with Sasankavati to the palace of Mayavatu, in accordance with the advice of Srutadhi.

While the guards were exclaiming in their distraction, "Who are these, and whither are they gone?" it gradually became known in Ujjayini that the princess had been carried off. And the queen-consort hurriedly despatched the governor of the city to the camp, to tell king Karmasena what had taken place. But in the meanwhile the head of the scouts came to king Karmasena in the camp there at night, and and said to him, "King, Mrigankadatta and his ministers left the army secretly in the early part of this night, and went on horseback to Ujjayini, to carry off Sasankavati, who is in the temple of Gauri. So much I have discovered for certain; your Highness knows what step it is now desirable to take."

When king Karmasena heard this, he sent for his general, and communicated to him privately the information he had received, and said to him, "Choose five hundred swift horses, and set picked men on them, and go with them secretly and rapidly to Ujjayini, and wherever you find that villain Mrigankadatta, kill him, or make him prisoner: know that I will follow you quickly, leaving my army behind me." When the general received this order from the king, he said, "So be it," and set out by night for Ujjayini with the prescribed force. And on the way he met the governor of the town, from whom he heard that the princess had been carried off by some daring men in another direction. Then he returned with the governor of the town, and told king Karmasena what had taken place. When the king heard it, he thought it impossible, and remained quiet during the night, without making an attack. And in the camp of Mrigankadatta Mayavatu and the other kings pa.s.sed the night under arms, by the advice of Srutadhi.

And next morning the sagacious king Karmasena found out the real state of the case, and sent off an amba.s.sador to the kings in the camp of Mrigankadatta, and he instructed the amba.s.sador to give this message by word of mouth, "Mrigankadatta has carried off my daughter by a stratagem; never mind that; for what other man would be as suitable a match for her? So now let him come to my palace, and do you come too, in order that I may celebrate my daughter's marriage with appropriate ceremonies." [493] And the kings and Srutadhi approved of this proposal, [494] and said to the amba.s.sador, "Then let your master retire to his own city, and we will ourselves go and bring the prince there." When the amba.s.sador heard that proposal, he went and reported it to his master, and Karmasena agreed to it, and left for Ujjayini with his army. When the kings saw that, they went, with Mayavatu at their head, and accompanied by Srutadhi, to Mrigankadatta.

And in the meanwhile Mrigankadatta, with Sasankavati, had reached the palace of Mayavatu in the city of Kanchanapura. There the queens of Mayavatu welcomed him, and his companions, and his beloved, with becoming hospitality, and he rested there with them, having successfully accomplished his object. And the next day the kings came there with Srutadhi; the heroic king of the Kiratas Saktiraks.h.i.ta with his army, and the mighty king Mayavatu leader of the Savaras, and the hero Durgapisacha lord of the host of the Matangas; and all of them, when they beheld Mrigankadatta united to Sasankavati like the white water-lily to the night, rejoiced and congratulated him. And after they had shewn him the honour he deserved, they told him the message of Karmasena, and how he had gone to his own palace.

Then Mrigankadatta, having established there his camp, that was like a moving city, sat down with them all to take counsel. And he said to the kings and to his ministers, "Tell me; shall I go to Ujjayini to be married, or not?" And they with one accord gave the following answer, "That king is a villain; so how can a visit to his palace turn out well? [495] Moreover, there is no need of it, as his daughter has arrived here." Then Mrigankadatta said to the Brahman Srutadhi, "Why do you remain silent, Brahman, like one taking no interest in the proceedings? Tell me, do you approve of this step or not?"

Then Srutadhi said, "If you will listen, I will tell you what I think: my opinion is that you ought to go to the palace of Karmasena. For he sent you this message because he saw no other way out of the difficulty; otherwise, how would a powerful prince like that, when his daughter had been carried off, give up fighting, and go home? Moreover, what could he do to you, when you arrived at his court, since you would take your army with you? On the contrary, if you go there, he will be well-disposed to you, and he will again be one of your chief allies out of love for his daughter. The reason he makes this proposal, which is a perfectly legitimate one, is that he does not wish his daughter to be married in an irregular manner. So I think it advisable that you should go to Ujjayini." When Srutadhi said this, all, who were present, approved his speech, and said, "Bravo! Bravo!"

Then Mrigankadatta said to them, "I admit the truth of all this; but I do not like to marry without my father and mother. So let some one be sent off from this place to summon my father and mother: and when I have learnt their wish, I will do what is proper." When the hero had said this, he took the advice of his friends, and then and there sent off his minister Bhimaparakrama to his parents.

And in the meanwhile his father, king Amaradatta, in the city of Ayodhya, found out in course of time from his subjects that the charge which Vinitamati brought against the prince, and which caused his banishment from his native land, was wholly groundless. Then, in his wrath, he put to death that wicked minister and his family, and fell into a pitiable state, being terribly afflicted on account of the banishment of his son. And he left his capital, and remained in a sanctuary of Siva, outside the city, called Nandigrama; and there he and his wives gave themselves up to severe asceticism.

After he had remained there some time, Bhimaparakrama, whose approach was announced by scouts, arrived, thanks to the speed of his swift horse, at the city of Ayodhya. He beheld that city plunged in despair, on account of the absence of the prince, as if it were once more going through the painful agitation caused by the exile of Rama. Thence he went to Nandigrama, surrounded by citizens who asked him for news of the prince, and hearing from their mouths what had happened to the king. There he beheld king Amaradatta, with his body emaciated by asceticism, surrounded by his queens, eager for news of his beloved son.

Bhimaparakrama went up to him and fell at his feet: and the king embraced him, and asked for news of his son; and thereupon Bhimaparakrama said to him with tears; "Your son Mrigankadatta has won by his valour the princess Sasankavati, the daughter of king Karmasena. But, as he is devoted to his parents, it does not seem at all becoming to him to marry her, unless the king and the queen can be present at the ceremony. So your son, placing his head upon the ground, has sent me to request you to come to him. And he awaits your Highness's arrival, in Kanchanapura, in the palace of king Mayavatu, the monarch of the Savaras. Now hear the story of our adventures." And thereupon Bhimaparakrama began with the banishment of his master, and related all his various and wonderful adventures, involving the long story of the misfortunes of their forest sojourn and their separation, with the war, and winding up with the prince's reconciliation with Karmasena.

When king Amaradatta heard that, he made up his mind that it was well with his son, and in his joy he announced that he would set out that moment. He mounted an elephant, and accompanied by his queen, his subject kings, and his ministers, and followed by a force of elephants and cavalry, he started full of eagerness to join his son. And travelling uninterruptedly, the king reached in a few days his son's camp, that was pitched in the territory of the monarch of the Savaras.