The Raja, Dharini and the Parivrajaka, with Malavika and other
attendants, gather about the _Asoka_ tree, when some presents arrive
from the now submissive monarch of Viderbha, against whom the troops of
Virashena have been successful. Amongst the gifts are two female slaves,
who immediately recognize in Malavika the sister of Madhavasena, the
friend of Agnimitra, whom the armies of the latter have just extricated
from the captivity to which the Viderbha sovereign had consigned him. It
appears that when he was formerly seized by his kinsman, his minister,
Sumati, contrived to effect his own escape, along with his sister and
the young princess. That sister, Kausika, now reveals herself in the
person of the Parivrajaka, and continues the story of their flight.
Sumati joined a caravan bound to Vidisa On their way to the Vindhya
mountains, they were attacked by the foresters, who were armed with bows
and arrows, and decorated with peacock's plumes: in the affray Sumati
was slain and Malavika was lost.
Kausika, left alone, committed her brother's body to the flames, and
then resumed her route to Vidisa, where she assumed the character of a
female ascetic The Raja observes she did wisely. Kausika soon found out
Malavika, but forebore to discover herself, confiding in the prophecy of
a sage, who had foretold that the princess, after passing through a
period of servitude, would meet with a suitable match.
It thus finally turns out that Malavika is by birth a princess, who had
only come to be an attendant at Agnimitra's court through having fallen
into the hands of robbers.
The king issues his orders respecting the terms to be granted to
Yajnasena, the king of Viderbha, the half of whose territory he assigns
to Madhavasena, the brother of Malavika.
A letter arrives from the general Pushpamitra, giving an account of some
transactions that have occurred upon the southern bank of the Indus.
On his own behalf, or that of his son, he had undertaken to celebrate an
_aswamedha_, or horse-sacrifice, for which it was essential that the
steed should have a free range for twelve months, being attended only by
a guard to secure him. This guard had been placed by Pushpamitra under
the command of Agnimitra's son, Vasumitra. Whilst following the victim
along the Indus, a party of Yavana horse attempted to carry off the
courser, but they were encountered by the young prince, and after a
sharp conflict, defeated.
Pushpamitra concludes with inviting his son to come with his family to
complete the sacrifice.
The queen, Dharini, overjoyed with the news of her son's success and
safety, distributes rich presents to all her train and the females of
Agnimitra's establishment, whilst to him she presents Malavika. Iravati
communicates her concurrence in this arrangement, and the Raja obtains a
bride, whom his queens accept as their sister. The difficulty of
conciliating his queens is thus removed. The king now marries Malavika
and all ends happily.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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