When the hermit knew that, he sent his pupil Dridhavrata, who had been made by the curse to a.s.sume the form of a bird, to the city of Devasabha. When king Merudhvaja saw him arrive there, he remembered the words of the hermit, and got ready those two heavenly elephants. And he himself mounted the chief one, which was named Kanchanagiri, and the lesser one, which was named Kanchanasekhara, he gave to the younger of his sons. But Muktaphaladhvaja, taking with him the heavenly weapons, mounted the great bird Dridhavrata, and the bards hailed him with songs. Then those three heroes sent their armies on in front, and set forth, mounted on air-going steeds, and blessed by holy Brahmans. And when they reached the hermitage, the hermit, being pleased with them, granted them this boon, that they should be invulnerable by all weapons.

In the meanwhile the army of the Asuras came to impede the sacrifice, and the soldiers of Merudhvaja, when they saw the Asuras, charged them with a shout. Then a battle took place between the Daityas and the men, but the Daityas, being in the air, pressed sore the men who were on the ground. Then Muktaphaladhvaja, mounted on his winged steed, rushed forward, and cut and crushed the Daityas with a shower of arrows. And those Daityas who escaped his destroying hand, seeing him mounted on a bird, and resplendent with brightness, took to flight, supposing that he was Narayana. And all of them fled in fear to Patala, and told what had happened to Trailokyamalin, who was at that time king of the Daityas.

When the king of the Asuras heard that, he quickly enquired into the matter by means of his spies, and found out that Muktaphaladhvaja was a mortal; and unable to endure the disgrace of having been defeated by a man, he collected all the Danavas in Patala, and though warned by omens to desist, he went to that hermitage to fight. But Muktaphaladhvaja and his men, who were on the alert there, rushed to attack the king of the Danavas, as soon as they saw him arrive with his army. Then a second great battle took place between the Asuras and the men; and the G.o.ds, headed by Rudra and Indra, came in their chariots to witness it.

And then Muktaphaladhvaja saw instantly presenting itself before him there a great weapon of Pasupati, of irresistible might, of huge size, with a flame of fire streaming up from it, with three eyes, with four faces, with one leg, and eight arms, looking like the fire which is to burn up the world at the end of the kalpa. The weapon said, "Know that I have come by the command of Siva, to ensure your victory." When the weapon said this, the prince worshipped it and clutched it.

In the meanwhile those Asuras in the air, raining arrows, pressed hard the fainting army of Merudhvaja that was below them. Then Muktaphaladhvaja, who fought in various manners, came to deliver that army and fought with the Asuras, placing a net of arrows between them and his own men.

And when Trailokyamalin, the king of the Asuras, saw him and his father and brother, mounted on their air-going steeds, he sent forth the snake-weapon. Innumerable terrible venomous snakes came out of it, and these Malayadhvaja slew with Garuda-birds, that came out of the Garuda-weapon. Then Muktaphalaketu repelled with case every weapon that the king of the Daityas and his son sent forth.

Then that enemy of the G.o.ds, and his son, and the other Danavas were enraged, and they all at one time launched at him their fiery weapons. But those weapons, seeing the weapon of Pasupati blazing in front of him, were immediately terrified and fled.

Then the Daityas were terrified and tried to escape, but the hero Muktaphaladhvaja perceived their intention, and immediately constructed above them, and on all sides of them, an impenetrable net of arrows, like a cage of adamant. And while the Danavas were circling within this, like birds, Muktaphaladhvaja with the help of his father and brother, smote them with sharp arrows. And the severed hands, feet, bodies, and heads of those Daityas fell on the ground, and streams of blood [711] flowed. Then the G.o.ds exclaimed "Bravo!" and followed up their acclamation with a rain of flowers, and Muktaphaladhvaja used the bewildering weapon against those enemies. That made the Asuras and their king fall senseless on the earth, and then by means of the weapon of Varuna the prince bound them all with nooses.

Then the hermit Tapodhana said to king Merudhvaja, "You must by no means kill those Asura warriors that have escaped the slaughter: but you must win them over and enter Rasatala with them. As for this king of the Daityas, and his son, and his ministers, you must take them with the great Asuras, and the malignant Nagas, and the princ.i.p.al Rakshasas, and imprison them in the cave of Svetasaila in Devasabha." [712] When the hermit had said this to Merudhvaja, he said to the Daitya warriors, "Do not be afraid, we must not slay you, but you must henceforth be subject to the sway of this Muktaphaladhvaja and his brother." When the king said this to the Danavas, they joyfully consented to his proposal. Then the king had Trailokyamalin, the sovereign of the Daityas, with his son and the others, conveyed to Svetasaila. And he placed them in confinement in that cave, and had them guarded by his princ.i.p.al minister, who was backed by a force of many brave warriors.

Then, the battle having come to an end, and the G.o.ds, who were present in their chariots, having departed, after showering mandara flowers, an universal rejoicing took place over the whole world, and the victorious king Merudhvaja said to his two sons, "I will remain here for the present to guard the sacrifice, and do you march to Patala with these soldiers of ours, who have possessed themselves of many chariots belonging to the Daityas, and with those soldiers of the Asura army who have escaped destruction. And conciliate and win over to our allegiance the inhabitants of Patala, and appoint chief governors throughout the territory, and having thus taken possession of it you must return here."

When the heroic Muktaphaladhvaja, who was mounted on his heavenly steed, that went with a wish, and Malayadhvaja heard this, the two brothers, with their forces, entered Rasatala, together with that portion of the army of the Danavas, that had made submission, which marched in front of them. And they killed the guards that opposed them in various places, and proclaimed an amnesty to the others by beat of drum. And, as the people shewed confidence and were submissive, they took possession of the seven Rasatalas, adorned with splendid palaces [713] built of various jewels, and they enjoyed those palaces which were rendered delightful by gardens that gratified every wish, and had in them lakes of heavenly wine with many ladders of precious stone. And there they beheld Danava ladies of wonderful beauty, and their daughters, who by means of magic concealed their forms within trees.

And then Svayamvaraprabha, the wife of Trailokyamalin, began austerities in order to bring about the welfare of her imprisoned husband, and in the same way her daughters, Trailokyaprabha and Tribhuvanaprabha, began austerities for the welfare of their father.

And those princes honoured with various favours all the inhabitants of Patala, who were happy now that they had obtained repose; and they appointed Sangramasinha and others governors, and went to their father in the hermitage of Tapodhana.

And in the meanwhile the sacrifice of the hermit there reached completion, and the G.o.ds and the rishis prepared to go to their own abodes. [714] And as Indra was exceedingly pleased, Merudhvaja said to him, "Come with me to my city, king of heaven, if thou be pleased with me." When Indra heard that, he went, in order to please him, with the king and his son to the city of Devasabha, after taking leave of the hermit. And there the king, who was sovereign of two worlds, entertained Indra so sumptuously, that he forgot his happiness in heaven. Then Indra too, being gratified, took the king and his sons in his own heavenly chariot to his celestial abode, and in that place which was charming with the pleasures of a concert in which Narada, Rambha and others performed, he made Merudhvaja, with Muktaphaladhvaja and Malayadhvaja, forget their toils, and gave them garlands from the Parijata-tree, and celestial diadems, and after honouring them, sent them home.

And they, when they returned, kept going to and fro between the earth and Patala, and though kings of men, bare sway in two worlds. Then Merudhvaja said to Muktaphaladhvaja, "Our enemies are conquered; you two brothers are young men, and I have various princesses who are subject to my sway, and I have sent for some of them: the fitting time has come; so take to yourselves wives."

When Muktaphaladhvaja's father said this to him, he answered, "Father, my mind is not inclined to marriage at present. I will now perform a course of austerities to propitiate [715] Siva; but let this Malayadhvaja my dear younger brother, be married." When his younger brother Malayadhvaja heard this, he said, "n.o.ble brother, is it fitting that I should be married, before you have taken a wife, or that I should hold sway while you are without a kingdom? I follow in your footsteps."

When Malayadhvaja said this, king Merudhvaja said to his eldest son Muktaphaladhvaja, "Your younger brother here has spoken rightly, but what you have just said is not right; it is no time for asceticism in this fresh youth of yours; the present should be to you a time of enjoyment; so abandon, my son, this perverse crotchet of yours, which is most inopportune." Though the king addressed these admonitions to his eldest son, that prince resolutely refused to take a wife: so the king remained silent, to wait for a more favourable time.

In the meanwhile, in Patala, the two daughters of Trailokyamalin's wife, Svayamprabha, who were engaged in austerities, said to their mother, "Mother, when one of us was seven and the other eight years old, owing to our want of merits, [716] our father was imprisoned, and we were hurled from the royal rank. It is now the eighth year, that we have been engaged in austerities, and yet Siva is not pleased with us, and our father has not, as yet, been released from his imprisonment. So let us even consume these unlucky bodies in the fire, before we also are imprisoned, or experience some other insult at the hands of our enemy."

When Svayamprabha's daughters said this to her, she answered them, "Wait a while, my daughters, we shall regain our former glory. For I know that, while I was engaged in austerities, the G.o.d Siva said to me in a dream, 'My child, be of good courage; thy husband shall recover his kingdom, and the princes Muktaphaladhvaja and Malayadhvaja shall be the husbands of thy two daughters. And do not suppose that they are men; for one of them is a n.o.ble Vidyadhara, and the other is a Gana of mine.' When I had received this revelation from Siva, I woke up at the close of night; and supported by this hope I have borne great suffering. So I will inform the king your father of this matter, and with his consent, I will endeavour to bring about your marriage."

When the queen Svayamprabha had in these words comforted her daughters, she said to Indumati, an old woman of the harem, "Go to my husband in the cave of Svetasaila, and fall at his feet, and say to him from me, 'My husband, the Creator has formed me of such strange wood, that, though the fire of separation from you burns fiercely, I have not yet been consumed by it. But it is because I entertain a hope of seeing you again that I have not abandoned life.' When you have said this, tell him the revelation that Siva made to me in a dream, then ask him about the marriage of our daughters, and come back, and tell me what he says; I will then act accordingly."

When she had said this, she sent off Indumati; and she left Patala and reached the well-guarded entrance of that mountain-cave. She entreated the guards and entered, and seeing Trailokyamalin there a prisoner, she burst into tears, and embraced his feet; and when he asked her how she was, she slowly told him all his wife's message; then that king said, "As for what Siva says about my restoration to my kingdom, may that turn out as the G.o.d announced, but the idea of my giving my daughters to the sons of Merudhvaja is preposterous. I would rather perish here than give my daughters as a present to enemies and men too, while myself a prisoner."

When Indumati had been sent away by the king with this message, she went and delivered it to his wife Svayamprabha. And when Trailokyaprabha and Tribhuvanaprabha the daughters of the Daitya sovereign heard it, they said to their mother Svayamprabha, "Anxiety lest our youthful purity should be outraged makes the fire seem our only place of safety, so we will enter it, mother, on the fourteenth day, that is now approaching." When they had thus resolved, their mother and her suite also made up their minds to die. And when the fourteenth day arrived, they all worshipped Hatakesvara, and made pyres in a holy bathing-place called Paparipu.

Now it happened that on that very day king Merudhvaja, with his son, and his wife, was coming there to worship Hatakesvara. And as he was going to the holy water of Paparipu, with his suite, to bathe, he saw smoke rising from the midst of a grove on its bank. And when the king asked, "How comes smoke to be rising here?" those governors he had set over Patala, Sangramasinha and the others, said to him, "Great king, Svayamprabha, the wife of Trailokyamalin, is engaged in austerities here with her daughters the princesses. Without doubt they are now performing here some sacrificial rite in honour of the fire, or possibly they are wearied out with excessive asceticism, and are immolating themselves by entering it."

When the king heard that, he went to see what was going on, with his sons, and his wife, and those governors of Patala, ordering the rest of his suite to remain behind. And concealing himself there, he beheld those Daitya maidens, with their mother, worshipping the fire of the pyres, which was burning brightly. [717] They seemed with the effulgence of the great beauty of their faces which shone out in all directions, to be creating in the lower world a hundred discs of the moon: and to be installing the G.o.d of love as king after the conquest of the three worlds, with their swiftly-moving necklaces that looked like liquid streams poured down from the golden pitchers of their b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Their broad hips, surrounded with the girdles which they wore, looked like the head of the elephant of love adorned with a girdle of constellations. The long wavy ma.s.ses of hair which they bore, seemed like snakes made by the Creator to guard the treasure of their beauty. When the king saw them, he was astonished, and he said, "The creation of the Maker of All is surprising for the novelty that is ever being manifested in it: [718] for neither Rambha, nor Urvasi, nor Tilottama is equal in beauty to these two daughters of the Asura king."

While the king was making these reflections to himself, Trailokyaprabha, the elder of the two Daitya maidens, after worshipping the G.o.d present in the Fire, addressed this prayer to him, "Since, from the time that my mother told me of the revelation of Siva received by her in a dream, my mind has been fixed upon prince Muktaphaladhvaja, that treasure-house of virtue, as my chosen husband, I pray, holy one, that he may be my husband in a future birth, inasmuch as, though in this birth my mother wishes to give me to him, my haughty father, being a captive, will not consent to it." When Tribhuvanaprabha heard that, she, in the same way, prayed to the Fire-G.o.d that Malayadhvaja might be her husband in a future life.

Then king Merudhvaja, who was delighted at hearing that, and the queen his wife said to one another, "If our two sons could obtain these two maidens for their wives, they would reap fruit from their conquest of the two worlds. So let us go to them and their mother, before they have cast themselves into the fire, as they intend to do in a moment, and dissuade them from doing so." When the king, in consultation with the queen, had made up his mind to this, he went up to them, and said, "Do not act rashly: for I will put a stop to your sorrow." When all the Asura ladies heard this speech of the king's, that seemed like a rain of nectar to their ears, and afterwards saw him, they all bowed before him.

And Svayamprabha said to him, "Before we were concealed by magic, and you did not see us, though we saw you, but now we have been seen here by you, the sovereign of the two worlds. And now that we have been seen by you, our sorrow will soon come to an end; much more since you have bestowed on us by your own mouth a boon we never craved; so take a seat and receive the arghya and water for the feet. [719] For you deserve to be honoured by the three worlds; and this is our hermitage." When she said this, the king answered laughing, "Give the arghya and water for the feet to these your sons-in-law." Then Svayamprabha said, "To them the G.o.d Siva will give the arghya and soon, but do you receive it to-day." Then Merudhvaja said, "I have already received it all; but do you, ladies, immediately give up your intention of committing suicide; and go and dwell in one of your cities where every wish can be gratified; then I will take steps to ensure your welfare."

When the king said this, Svayamprabha said to him, "In accordance with your Majesty's order we have given up our intention of abandoning the body, but while our lord is in prison, how would it be becoming for us to live in our palace? So we will remain here, king, for the present, until your Highness shall perform the promise which you spontaneously made to us, and shall cause our lord to be set free with his servants and ministers. And he will hold sway as your Majesty's zealous officer, and will make over his realm to you if you desire it; indeed he will make a strict agreement [720] with you to this effect. And for this we and all the inhabitants of Patala will be your sureties, so take our jewels from the regions of Patala, and make them your own."

When she said this, king Merudhvaja said to her, "I will see about that, but you must remember your promise." When the king had said this, he bathed and worshipped Hatakesa. And those Daitya princesses, having now seen his sons with their own eyes, had their minds entirely fixed on them. Then all the inhabitants of Rasatala [721] fell at the feet of the virtuous king Merudhvaja, and asked that Trailokyamalin should be set at liberty; and then king Merudhvaja, with his wife, sons, and servants, left the world of the Asuras, and returned to his own city, covering the regions with his umbrellas white as his own glory. There his son Malayadhvaja spent the night in thinking on the younger daughter of the king of the Danavas, being tortured with the fever of love, and though he closed his eyes, he never slept. But that sea of self-control Muktaphaladhvaja, though he thought upon the elder daughter of the Asura monarch who was deeply in love with him, and though he was young, and she was fair enough to shake with love the saintly minds of anchorites, still in virtue of the boon he had craved from the hermit, was no whit disturbed in mind. But Merudhvaja, finding that his elder son was determined not to take a wife, while Malayadhvaja was desperately in love, and that on the other hand that great Asura was averse to giving him his daughters, remained with his mind bewildered as to how to devise an expedient.

CHAPTER CXIX.

Then king Merudhvaja, seeing that Malayadhvaja was thus overpowered with the fever of love, said to his queen, "If those two daughters of Trailokyamalin, whom I saw in Patala, do not become the wives of my two sons, what advantage shall I have gained? And my son Malayadhvaja is consumed with smouldering flame, because he cannot obtain the younger of the two, though shame makes him conceal the fire of love. It is for this very reason that, though I promised Trailokyamalin's queen that I would set him at liberty, I do not at once make my promise good. For, if he is set free from his imprisonment, his pride as an Asura will prevent his ever giving his daughters to my sons as being men. So it is now advisable to propose this matter to him in a conciliatory manner."

When he had gone through these reflections with the queen, he said to his warder, "Go to the cave of Svetasaila, and say, as from me, in a kind manner to Trailokyamalin, the king of the Daityas, who is imprisoned there, 'King of the Daityas, by the appointment of Destiny you have been long afflicted here, so now do what I advise, and bring your affliction to an end. Give to my two sons your two daughters, who fell in love with them at first sight, and thus procure your release, and rule your kingdom, after you have given security for your fidelity.'"

With this message the king sent off his warder, and he went and delivered it to the Daitya monarch in that cave. The monarch answered, "I will not give my two daughters to two men;" and the warder returned and reported his answer to the king.

Then king Merudhvaja began to look about for some other means of attaining his end, and in the course of some days Svayamprabha heard how he had sped, so she again sent Indumati from Patala to his palace with a message.

And Indumati arrived, and had herself announced by the female warder, and went into the presence of the great queen, who received her graciously. And she bowed before her, and said to her, "Queen, queen Svayamprabha sends you this message, 'Have you forgotten your own promise? The seas and the princ.i.p.al mountains will suffer change at the day of doom, but the promises of people like you will not change even then. Although my husband has not consented to bestow our daughters as you wished, reflect, how could he have given them as a present while himself a prisoner? If you release him in a proper way as an act of kindness, [722] he will certainly make you a return by giving you his daughters. Otherwise Svayamprabha and her daughters will abandon their lives, and in this way you will fail to obtain daughters-in-law, and also to keep your promise? So manage, queen, to make the king set our lord free on the conditions of compact and security and so on, in order that all may turn out well; and accept this ornament sent by Svayamprabha, studded with various gems, that confer the power of becoming a Vidyadhara, and other advantages.'"

When Indumati said this, the queen answered her, "How can I take this from your mistress now that she is in trouble?" But Indumati urged her vehemently to take it, saying, "We shall be quite unhappy if you refuse to accept it, but if you take it, we shall consider our affliction alleviated." Being thus strongly urged by Indumati, the queen took from her that jewelled ornament, to comfort her; and she made her wait there, saying to her, "Remain here, n.o.ble lady, until the king shall come this way."

In the meanwhile the king came there, and Indumati rose up, and having been introduced by the queen, bowed before him, and he received her graciously. And she gave to that king a crest-jewel sent by Svayamprabha, that was a talisman against poison, Rakshasas, old age, and disease. [723] The king said, "I will accept this jewel when I have kept my promise; but the ready-witted Indumati said to him, "A promise made by the king is as good as kept. But, if your Majesty will accept this, we shall be very much comforted." When she made this speech, the queen observed, "Well said," and took that crest-jewel, and fastened it on the king's head.

Then Indumati repeated to the king the message of Svayamprabha, as she had delivered it to the queen; then the king, being entreated to the same effect by the queen, went on to say to Indumati, "Remain here for to-day; to-morrow morning I will give you an answer."

Having said this, king Merudhvaja allowed a night to pa.s.s, and the next morning he summoned his ministers, and said to Indumati, "n.o.ble lady, go with these ministers of mine, and after informing Trailokyamalin, bring from Patala those Asura ladies, Svayamprabha and the others, and all the princ.i.p.al inhabitants of Patala, and the water of ordeal connected with Hatakesvara, in a sealed vessel. And let Svayamprabha and the others touch the feet of Svayamprabha's husband, in the presence of my ministers, and by solemn oaths make themselves sureties for this, namely, that Trailokyamalin, with his friends and servants, shall ever remain firm in his allegiance to me, and that the Nagas shall not injure the crops. And let all the lords in Patala be sureties to the same effect, and let them all, with their king, give their children as hostages, [724] and let them all, with their king, put this in writing, and drink the water of ordeal in which the image of Hatakesvara has been washed: then I will release Trailokyamalin from prison."

Having said so much, the king sent off Indumati with his ministers. She went with them, and informed Trailokyamalin of what was being done, and as he approved of her proceedings, she went in the same way to Patala, and she brought there Svayamprabha and the others, and the water of ordeal, [725] and she made them all do in the presence of the king's ministers all that he had prescribed. And when king Trailokyamalin had in this way given security, king Merudhvaja set him free from prison with his suite. And he had brought him to his own palace with his family and his attendants, and courteously entertained him; and then he took possession of all the jewels of the Asuras, and sent Trailokyamalin back to his kingdom. And Trailokyamalin returned to Rasatala his home, and having recovered his kingdom, rejoiced with his servants and relations. And Merudhvaja filled the earth with abundant treasures that came from Patala, as a rain-cloud showers water.

Then Trailokyamalin, the king of the Daityas, took counsel with his wife, desiring to bestow his two beautiful daughters on Merudhvaja's sons, and he invited him to his palace, with his relations, and came himself to escort him there, remembering the benefit conferred on him. So he came to king Merudhvaja, who entertained him, and then he said to him, "On a former occasion, your great joy prevented your seeing Rasatala properly. But now come and see it, while we give ourselves up to attending on you; and accept from me my two beautiful daughters for your sons."

When the Asura king had said this to Merudhvaja, the latter summoned his wife and his two sons. And he told them the speech of the Asura king, and how he proposed to give his two daughters; then his eldest son Muktaphaladhvaja said to him, "I will not marry until I have propitiated Siva; I said this long ago; you must pardon this fault in me. When I have gone, let Malayadhvaja marry; for he will never be happy without that Patala maiden." When the younger son heard this, he said to his elder brother, "n.o.ble sir, while you are alive, I will never perform such a disgraceful and unrighteous act." Then king Merudhvaja earnestly exhorted Muktaphaladhvaja to marry, but he would not consent to do so; and therefore Trailokyamalin took leave of the king, who was in a state of despondency, and went back with his suite to Patala as he had come.

There he told what had taken place and said to his wife and son, "Observe how exclusively bent on humiliating us Fortune is. Those very men, to whom formerly I refused to give my daughters in marriage when they asked for them, now refuse to accept them, though I ask them to do so." When they heard it, they said, "Who can tell how this matter is in the mind of Destiny? Can Siva's promise be falsified?"

While they were saying these things, those maidens, Trailokyaprabha and Tribhuvanaprabha, heard what had happened, and took upon them the following vow, "We will remain without food for twelve days, and if at the end of that time the G.o.d does not shew us favour by bringing about our marriage, we will enter the fire together, and we will not preserve our bodies for insult, or merely for the sake of continuing in life." When the daughters of the Daitya sovereign had made this vow, they remained fasting in front of the G.o.d, engaged in meditation and muttering prayers. And their mother and their father the sovereign of the Daityas, hearing of it, and being very fond of their daughters, remained fasting in the same way.

Then Svayamprabha their mother quickly sent off Indumati once more to Merudhvaja's queen consort, to tell her how matters were going. She went and told that queen the trouble in her master's house, and so Merudhvaja also came to hear of it. Then that couple abandoned food out of regard for the other royal couple, and their sons did so as well, out of regard for their parents.

Thus in two worlds the royal families were in trouble. And Muktaphaladhvaja remained without eating, and meditated on Siva as his refuge. And, after six nights had pa.s.sed, in the morning the prince woke up, and said to his friend Mahabuddhi, who had formerly been Samyataka, "My friend, I remember that last night in a dream I mounted my steed given me by the hermit Tapodhana, that changes its shape at will, and goes where the mind directs, and had become a flying chariot, and, in my despondency I went to a heavenly temple of Siva, very far from here, on the slope of Meru. There I saw a certain celestial maiden emaciated with austerities; and a certain man with matted hair, pointing to her, said to me laughing, 'You have come here in this way to escape from one maiden, and lo! here is another waiting for you.' When I heard this speech of his, I remained gazing at the beauty of that maiden, but found it impossible to gaze my fill, and so at the end of the night I suddenly woke up.

"So I will go there to obtain that heavenly maiden, and if I do not find her there, I will enter the fire. What can Destiny mean, by causing my mind to become attached to this maiden seen in a dream, after rejecting, in the way I did, the Daitya maiden, offered to me a short time ago? At any rate, I am persuaded that, if I go there, good fortune will certainly befall me."