The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
and he made a feast at which all the people of the city rejoiced. And
Súryaprabha remained there in the company of his parents, and his
beloved wives, enjoying delights, consisting of various dainties,
wines, and music.
In the meanwhile an ambassador arrived from Rambha in Vajrarátra,
and in the hall of assembly delivered this message from his master:
"The crown-prince Súryaprabha, confiding in the might of his sciences,
has insulted us by carrying off our daughter. But to-day we have come
to know, that he has undertaken to be reconciled to king Vírabhata,
whose misfortune is the same as ours. If in the same way you agree
to be reconciled to us, come here also quickly, if not, we will in
this matter salve our honour by death." When king Chandraprabha
heard that, he honoured the ambassador, and said to him, "Go to
that Rambha and give him this message from me: 'Why do you afflict
yourself without cause? For Súryaprabha is now appointed by Siva the
future emperor of the Vidyádharas; and inspired sages have declared
that your daughter and others are to be his wives. So your daughter
has attained her proper place, but you being stern were not asked for
her. So be appeased, you are our friend, we will come to your residence
also.'" When Prahasta received this message from the king, he went
through the air, and in a single watch he reached Vajrarátra. There he
told his message to Rambha, and having been gladly received by him,
he returned as he came, and reported it to king Chandraprabha. Then
Chandraprabha sent his minister Prabhása, and had king Rambha's
daughter Tárávalí conducted to him from Sákala. Then he departed in
the air-chariot with Súryaprabha, being dismissed with great honour
by king Vírabhata and all others. And he reached Vajrarátra, which
was full of people awaiting his arrival, and was met by Rambha, and
entered his palace. There Rambha, having performed the great feast of
the marriage ceremony, gave his daughter countless stores of gold,
elephants, horses, jewels, and other valuables. And he gratified
so lavishly his son-in-law Súryaprabha, that he forgot all his own
luxuries. And while they were remaining there delighted with feasts,
an ambassador came from the city of Kánchí to Rambha. Rambha having
heard his message, said to king Chandraprabha--"King, the lord of
Kánchí, named Kumbhíra, is my elder brother; he has to-day sent me a
trustworthy messenger to speak this speech; 'Súryaprabha first carried
off my daughter, then yours. And now you have made friendship with
him and his father, as I hear, so bring about my friendship also with
them. Let them come to my house, that I may with my own hand give
my daughter Varunasená to Súryaprabha.' So grant this request of my
brother's." When Rambha made this request, Chandraprabha granted it,
and sent Prahasta and had Varunasená brought quickly from the city of
Sákala to her father Kumbhíra. And the next day, he and Súryaprabha
and Rambha, and Vírabhata and all, with their attendants, went to the
city of Kánchí. And after they had been met by Kumbhíra, they entered
the city of Kánchí, as it were the girdle of the earth, full of many
jewels and adorned with excellences. [632] There Kumbhíra bestowed
his daughter on Súryaprabha with the usual ceremonies, and gave much
wealth to the young couple.
And when the marriage had taken place, Prahasta, after taking food,
said to Chandraprabha, who was all joyfulness, in the presence of all,
"King, in the country of Sríkantha I had an interview with the king
of that land; there king Kántisena whom I thus happened to see, said
to me--'Let Súryaprabha come to my house with that daughter of mine,
whom he has carried off, I will perform the ceremony for him according
to rule. If he refuses, I will abandon the body, distracted by love
for my daughter.' This is what he then said to me, and I have now
mentioned it on the proper occasion." When Prahasta said this, king
Chandraprabha answered, "Go then, take Kántimatí to him, we will go
there also." When the king said this to him, Prahasta went off that
moment through the air, and did as he had commanded. And next morning
Chandraprabha and all, with Kumbhíra, went to the land of Sríkantha in
the air-travelling chariot. There king Kántisena came to meet them,
and making them enter his palace, performed the auspicious ceremony
of his daughter's marriage. Then he gave to Kántimatí and Súryaprabha
an endless quantity of jewels, which excited the wonder of the kings.
While they were all remaining there, enjoying all kinds of pleasures,
a messenger came from Kausámbí and said--"King Janamejaya sends this
message to your honours, 'My daughter, of the name of Parapushtá,
has been carried off by some one lately. And I have found out to-day,
that she has come into the power of Súryaprabha, so let him come with
her to my house without fear. I will perform the marriage ceremony
according to rule, and so dismiss him with his wife, otherwise you
will be my enemies, and I shall be yours.'" Having thus delivered
his master's message, the ambassador remained silent: then king
Chandraprabha said to them apart--"How can we go to the house of that
king who sends such haughty messages?" When the king's minister named
Siddhártha heard that, he said, "Do not entertain wrong notions,
king, for he is justified in using such language. For that king is
very generous, learned and sprung of a noble race, a hero, one who
has offered the Asvamedha sacrifice, ever unconquered by others. How
can he have spoken anything unbecoming in speaking according to
facts? And as for the enmity which he threatens, he does that now
on account of Indra. So you must go to his house, for he is a king
faithful to his engagements. Nevertheless send some one to find out
his intentions." When they heard this speech of Siddhártha's, they all
approved it. Then king Chandraprabha sent Prahasta to sound Janamejaya,
and honoured his messenger. And Prahasta went, and after making an
agreement with the king of Kausámbí, brought a letter from him, and
satisfied Chandraprabha. The king quickly sent that Prahasta, and had
Parapushtá conducted from Sákala to Janamejaya. Then Chandraprabha and
the other kings, preceded by Súryaprabha, [633] with Kántisena, went to
Kausámbí in the chariot. There the king Janamejaya courteously honoured
his son-in-law, and his connexion and all the others, by advancing
to meet them, and other ceremonies. And after he had performed the
ceremony of the marriage-rite, he gave five thousand elephants and
one hundred thousand excellent horses, and also five thousand camels
laden with full burdens of jewels, gold, precious apparel, camphor
and aloes-wood. And he made such a feast, that even the realm of
Pluto was exclusively engaged in dancing and music, a feast in which
excellent Bráhmans were honoured, and all kings gratified.
And in the meanwhile the heaven there suddenly became red, as if
indicating that it would soon be dyed crimson with blood. And the sky
suddenly became full of confused hurtling noises, as if terrified
at beholding a hostile army coming in the air. And a mighty wind
immediately began to blow, as if exciting the inhabitants of earth
to war against the wanderers of the air. And immediately a great
Vidyádhara army was seen in the air, illuminating with brightness
the circle of the horizon, loud-shouting, impetuous. And in the
midst of it Súryaprabha and the others beheld with astonishment a
very handsome heavenly youth. And at that moment the herald of the
Vidyádharas proclaimed with a loud voice in front of that youth,
whose name was Dámodara: "Victory to the crown-prince Dámodara son
of king Áshádha! O mortal, dweller on the earth, Súryaprabha, fall
at his feet. And do homage, O Janamejaya; why have you given your
daughter to an undeserver? Propitiate, both of you, this god at once,
otherwise he will not be appeased." When Súryaprabha heard this,
and saw that army, he was wroth, and seizing his sword and shield,
he flew up into the heaven by his science. And all his ministers
flew up after him, with their weapons in their hands, Prahasta, and
Prabhása, and Bhása, and Siddhártha, and Prajnádhya, and Sarvadamana,
and Vítabhíti and Subhankara. And the Vidyádharas fought a great fight
with them. And on one side Súryaprabha, and on the other Dámodara
advanced, not slaying their enemies with their swords, but receiving
their weapons on their shields. Those men, few in number, and those
air-roamers, a hundred thousand in number, found equality in battle,
fighting with one another. And all sword-blades there flashed red
with blood, falling on the heads of heroes, like the glances of
the god of death. And the Vidyádharas fell on the earth with their
heads and their bodies, in front of Chandraprabha, as if imploring
protection out of fear. Súryaprabha shone in the world with the glory
of the Vidyádharas which he had seen. The sky was red with blood,
as if with vermilion shed abroad. And Súryaprabha at last reached,
and fought face to face with Dámodara, who was armed with a sword and
a shield. And as he fought, he broke through his enemy's guard by a
skilful management of his weapons, and laid him on the earth, having
cleft his shield with his sword. And while he was preparing to cut off
the head of his struggling foe, Vishnu came and made a threatening
sound in the sky. Then Súryaprabha, having heard that sound, and
having beheld Hari, prostrated himself, and out of respect for the god
spared to slay Dámodara. Hari carried him off somewhere as his votary,
and saved him from death, for the adorable one delivers in this world
and the next his faithful followers. And the troops of Dámodara fled
in different directions. Súryaprabha, for his part, descended from
heaven to his father's side. And his father Chandraprabha welcomed
him, on his returning unwounded with his ministers, and the other
kings praised him, now that his valour had been seen.
And while they were all engaged in joyfully talking over the combat,
another ambassador, belonging to Subhata, arrived there. And he
came and delivered a letter in the presence of Chandraprabha; and
Siddhártha, opening it, read it out in the assembly: It ran as follows,
"The august king Chandraprabha, the pearl-jewel of a noble race,
is thus respectfully solicited by king Subhata in the Concan. We
have learnt that our daughter, who was carried off by some being
in the night, has come into the hands of thy son, and we rejoice
thereat. Make an effort, thou and thy son Súryaprabha, to come with
her to our house, without raising any objection, in order that we
may behold our daughter, returned as it were from the other world,
and perform for her at once the ceremony required for marriage." When
this letter was read by Siddhártha, the king Chandraprabha, consenting,
welcomed the messenger and rejoiced. And he quickly sent Prahasta to
the western border, and had Subhata's daughter Chandrikávatí conducted
into her father's presence. And the next morning they all went, with
Súryaprabha in front, and in company with Janamejaya, in the chariot
to the western border. There king Subhata, pleased at recovering
his daughter, shewed them much honour, and celebrated his daughter's
marriage festival. And he bestowed on Chandrikávatí jewels and other
gifts in such liberal profusion, that Vírabhata and the others were
ashamed at what they had given. Then, while Súryaprabha was remaining
there in the house of his father-in-law, there came from Lávánaka also
an ambassador belonging to king Paurava. He delivered to Chandraprabha
this message from his master, "My daughter Sulochaná has been carried
off by the fortunate prince Súryaprabha: that does not grieve me; but
why should he not be brought with her to my house, in order that we may