The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
both consented in their hearts that it should be so. Then the prime
minister returned to his house, and the king, in the company of his
wife, spent the day happily, in drinking and other enjoyments.
Then, as time went on, that daughter of Kalingasená, who had lost
her recollection of her former state through illusion, gradually
grew up, and her dower of beauty grew with her; and her mother and
her attendants gave her the name of Madanamanchuká, because she was
the daughter of Madanavega, saying, "Surely the beauty of all other
lovely women has fled to her; else how could they have become ugly
before her?" And the queen Vásavadattá, hearing she was beautiful,
one day had her brought into her presence out of curiosity. Then the
king and Yaugandharáyana and his fellows beheld her clinging to the
face of her nurse, as the candle-flame clings to the wick. And there
was no one present, who did not think that she was an incarnation
of Rati, when they beheld her matchless body, which was like nectar
to their eyes. And then the queen Vásavadattá brought there her son
Naraváhanadatta, who was a feast to the eyes of the world. He beheld,
with the lotus of his face expanded, the gleaming Madanamanchuká, as
the bed of water-lilies beholds the young splendour of the sun. The
girl gazed with dilated countenance upon that gladdener of the eyes,
and could not gaze enough, as the female partridge can never be sated
with gazing on the moon. Henceforth these two children could not
remain apart even for a moment, being, as it were, fastened together
with the nooses of glances.
But, in course of time, the king of Vatsa came to the conclusion
that that marriage was made in heaven, [509] and turned his mind
to the solemnization of the nuptials. When Kalingasená heard that,
she rejoiced, and fixed her affection upon Naraváhanadatta out
of love for her daughter's future husband. And then the king of
Vatsa, after deliberating with his ministers, had made for his son
a separate palace like his own. Then that king, who could discern
times and seasons, collected the necessary utensils, and anointed
his son as crown-prince, since it was apparent that he possessed all
praiseworthy qualities. First there fell on his head the water of his
father's tears, and then the water of holy bathing-places, purified by
Vaidik spells of mickle might. When the lotus of his face was washed
with the water of inauguration, wonderful to say, the faces of the
cardinal points became also clear. When his mothers threw on him the
flowers of the auspicious garlands, the heaven immediately shed a
rain of many celestial wreaths. As if in emulation of the thunder
of the drums of the gods, the echoes of the sound of the cymbals
of rejoicing floated in the air. Every one there bowed before him,
as soon as he was inaugurated as crown-prince; then by that alone he
was exalted, without his own power.
Then the king of Vatsa summoned the good sons of the ministers, who
were the playfellows of his son, and appointed them to their offices
as servants to the crown-prince. He appointed to the office of prime
minister Marubhúti the son of Yaugandharáyana, and then Harisikha the
son of Rumanvat to the office of commander-in-chief, and he appointed
Tapantaka the son of Vasantaka as the companion of his lighter hours,
and Gomukha the son of Ityaka to the duty of chamberlain and warder,
and to the office of domestic chaplains the two sons of Pingaliká,
Vaisvánara and Sántisoma, the nephews of the king's family priest. When
these men had been appointed by the king servants to his son, there
was heard from heaven a voice preceded by a rain of flowers: "These
ministers shall accomplish all things prosperously for the prince,
and Gomukha shall be his inseparable companion." When the heavenly
voice had said this, the delighted king of Vatsa honoured them all
with clothes and ornaments; and while that king was showering wealth
upon his dependents, none of them could claim the title of poor on
account of the accumulation of riches. And the city was filled with
dancing girls and minstrels, who seemed to be invited by the rows of
silken streamers fanned and agitated by the wind.
Then Kalingasená came to the feast of her future son-in-law, looking
like the Fortune of the Vidyádhara race which was to attend him,
present in bodily form. Then Vásavadattá and Padmávatí and she
danced, all three of them, for joy, like the three powers [510] of
a king united together. And all the trees there seemed to dance,
as their creepers waved in the wind, much more did the creatures
possessing sense.
Then the crown-prince Naraváhanadatta, having been inaugurated in
his office, ascended an elephant of victory, and went forth. And
he was sprinkled by the city wives with their upcast eyes, blue,
white and red, resembling offerings of blue lotuses, parched grain
and water-lilies. And after visiting the gods worshipped in that city,
being praised by heralds and minstrels, he entered his palace with his
ministers. Then Kalingasená gave him, to begin with, celestial viands
and drinks far exceeding what his own magnificence could supply, and
she presented to him and his ministers, friends and servants, beautiful
robes and heavenly ornaments, for she was overpowered with love for
her son-in-law. So the day passed in high festivity for all these,
the king of Vatsa and the others, charming as the taste of nectar.
Then the night arrived, and Kalingasená pondering over her daughter's
marriage, called to mind her friend Somaprabhá. No sooner had she
called to mind the daughter of the Asura Maya, than her husband,
the much-knowing Nadakúvara, thus addressed that noble lady, his
wife--"Dear one, Kalingasená is now thinking on thee with longing,
therefore go and make a heavenly garden for her daughter." Having said
this, and revealed the future and the past history of that maiden,
her husband dismissed that instant his wife Somaprabhá. And when she
arrived, her friend Kalingasená threw her arms around her neck, having
missed her so long, and Somaprabhá, after asking after her health,
said to her--"You have been married by a Vidyádhara of great power,
and your daughter is an incarnation of Rati by the favour of Siva, and
she has been brought into the world as the wife, in a previous state
of existence, of an incarnation of Love, that has taken his birth from
the king of Vatsa. He shall be emperor of the Vidyádharas for a kalpa
of the gods; and she shall be honoured above his other wives. But
you have descended into this world, being an Apsaras degraded by the
curse of Indra, and after you have brought your duties to completion,
you shall obtain deliverance from your curse. All this was told me,
my friend, by my wise husband, so you must not be anxious; you will
enjoy every prosperity. And I will now make here for your daughter
a heavenly garden, the like of which does not exist on earth,
in heaven, or in the nether regions." Having said this, Somaprabhá
made a heavenly garden by her magic power, and taking leave of the
regretful Kalingasená, she departed. Then, at the dawn of day, people
beheld that garden, looking like the garden of Nandana suddenly fallen
down from heaven to earth. Then the king of Vatsa heard of it, and
came there with his wives and his ministers, and Naraváhanadatta with
his companions. And they beheld that garden, the trees of which bore
both flowers and fruits all the year round, [511] with many jewelled
pillars, walls, lawns, and tanks; with birds of the colour of gold,
with heavenly perfumed breezes, like a second Svarga descended to
earth from the region of the gods. The lord of Vatsa, when he saw that
wonderful sight, asked Kalingasená, who was intent on hospitality,
what it was. And she thus answered the king in the hearing of all:
"There is a great Asura, Maya by name, an incarnation of Visvakarman,
who made the assembly-hall of Yudhishthira, and the city of Indra:
he has a daughter, Somaprabhá by name, who is a friend of mine. She
came here at night to visit me, and out of love made this heavenly
garden by her magic power, for the sake of my daughter." After saying
this, she told all the past and future fortunes of her daughter,
which Somaprabhá had revealed to her, letting the king know that
she had heard them from her friend. Then all there, perceiving that
the speech of Kalingasená tallied with what they previously knew,
dismissed their doubts and were exceedingly delighted. And the king
of Vatsa, with his wives and his son, spent that day in the garden,
being hospitably entertained by Kalingasená.
The next day, the king went to visit a god in a temple, and he saw
many women well-clothed and with beautiful ornaments. And when he
asked them who they were, they said to him--"We are the sciences,
and these are the accomplishments; and we are come here on account of
your son: we shall now go and enter into him." Having said this they
disappeared, and the king of Vatsa entered his house astonished. There
he told it to the queen Vásavadattá and to the circle of his ministers,
and they rejoiced at that favour of the deity. Then Vásavadattá, by
the direction of the king, took up a lyre as soon as Naraváhanadatta
entered the room. And while his mother was playing, Naraváhanadatta
said modestly to her, "This lyre is out of tune." His father said,
"Take it, and play on it," whereupon he played upon the lyre so as to
astonish even the Gandharvas. When he was thus tested by his father
in all the sciences and the accomplishments, he became endowed with
them all, and of himself knew all knowledge. When the king of Vatsa
beheld his son endowed with all talents, he taught Madanamanchuká,
the daughter of Kalingasená, dancing. As fast as she became perfect
in accomplishments, [512] the heart of the prince Naraváhanadatta was
disturbed. So the sea is disturbed, as fast as the orb of the moon
rounds off its digits. And he delighted in beholding her singing and
dancing, accomplished in all the gestures of the body, so that she
seemed to be reciting the decrees of Love. As for her, if she did not
see for a moment that nectar-like lover, the tears rose to her eyes,
and she was like a bed of white lotuses, wet with dew at the hour
of dawn. [513] And Naraváhanadatta, being unable to live without
continually beholding her face, came to that garden of hers. There
he remained, and Kalingasená out of affection did all she could to
please him, bringing her daughter to him. And Gomukha, who saw into
his master's heart, and wished to bring about his long stay there,
used to tell various tales to Kalingasená. The king was delighted by
his friend's penetrating his intentions, for seeing into one's lord's
soul is the surest way of winning him. And Naraváhanadatta himself
perfected Madanamanchuká in dancing and other accomplishments, giving
her lessons in a concert-hall that stood in the garden, and while his
beloved danced, he played on all instruments so as to put to the blush
the most skilful minstrels. And he conquered also various professors
that came from all quarters, and were skilful in managing elephants,
horses, and chariots, in the use of hand-to-hand and missile weapons,
in painting and modelling. [514] In these amusements passed during
childhood the days of Naraváhanadatta, who was the chosen bridegroom
of Science.
Now, once on a time the prince, with his ministers, and accompanied by
his beloved, went on a pilgrimage to a garden called Nágavana. There a
certain merchant's wife fell in love with Gomukha, and being repulsed,
tried to kill him by offering to him a poisoned drink. But Gomukha
came to hear of it from the lips of her confidante, and did not take
that drink, but broke out into the following denunciation of women:
"Alas! the Creator first created recklessness, and then women in