Hindoo Tales; Or, the Adventures of Ten PrincesDandin, active 7th century
General
Hindoo Tales; Or, the Adventures of Ten Princes
Dandin, active 7th century
Sanskrit literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
When they had been for some time seated there, Dhanamittra returned,
accompanied by Upahâravarma, Pramati, Mitragupta, Mantragupta,
Visruta, Prahâravarma King of Mithila, Kâmapâla lord of Benâres, and
Sinhavarma King of Anga.
The prince, astonished and delighted at such an unexpected meeting,
warmly embraced his young friends, and very respectfully saluted, as a
son, the elder men introduced by them. Many questions were asked on
both sides. After some conversation, Râjavâhana told them his own
adventures, and those of Somadatta and Pushpodbhava, and then begged
his friends to relate theirs.
Apahâravarma spoke first.
* * * * *
ADVENTURES OF APAHÂRAVARMA.
My Lord, when you had gone away with the brahman, and we were unable
to find you, I wandered about searching for you like the rest of your
friends.
One day I heard by chance of a very famous muni, living in a forest on
the banks of the Ganges, not far from Champa, who was said to have
supernatural knowledge of past and future events.
Hoping to obtain some information about you, I determined to seek him
out, and accordingly came here for that purpose. Having found the way
to his dwelling, I saw there a miserable-looking man, very unlike the
holy devotee whom I had pictured to myself. Sitting down, however,
beside this person, I said, "I have come a long way to consult the
celebrated rishi Mâríchi, having heard that he is possessed of very
wonderful knowledge. Can you tell me where to find him?"
Deeply sighing, he answered: "There was, not long ago, such a person
in this place; but he is changed--he is no longer what he was."
"How can that be?" I asked.
"One day," he replied, "while that muni was engaged in prayer and
meditation, he was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a famous
actress and dancer, called Kâmamanjari, who, with dishevelled hair and
eyes full of tears, threw herself at his feet.
"Before he had time to ask the meaning of this, a confused crowd of
her companions came up, headed by an old woman, the mother of
Kâmamanjari, apparently in great agitation and distress.
"When they were all a little quieted, he asked the girl the meaning of
her tears, and for what purpose she had come to him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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