The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of StorySomadeva Bhatta, active 11th century
General
The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
Somadeva Bhatta, active 11th century
Folk literature -- Themes, motives; Hindu mythology; India -- Social life and customs; Tales -- India
Meanwhile the princess woke up when the night came to an end, and not
seeing her husband, was immediately plunged in despair. So she got
up and went with tottering steps to her mother, all trembling, with
her eyes flooded with gushing tears. And she told her mother that
her husband had gone away somewhere in the night, and was full of
self-reproach, fearing that she had been guilty of some fault. Then
her mother was distracted owing to her love for her daughter, and
so in course of time the king heard of it, and came there, and fell
into a state of the utmost anxiety. When his daughter said to him--"I
know my husband has gone to the temple of the goddess outside the
cemetery"--the king went there in person. But he was not able to find
Vidúshaka there in spite of all his searching, for he was concealed
by virtue of the magic science of the Vidyádharí. Then the king
returned, and his daughter in despair determined to leave the body,
but while she was thus minded, some wise man came to her and said
this to her; "Do not fear any misfortune, for that husband of thine
is living in the enjoyment of heavenly felicity, and will return to
thee shortly." When she heard that, the princess retained her life,
which was kept in her by the hope of her husband's return, that had
taken deep root in her heart.
Then, while Vidúshaka was living there, a certain friend of
his beloved, named Yogesvarí, came to Bhadrá, and said to her in
secret--"My friend, the Vidyádharas are angry with you because you live
with a man, and they seek to do you an injury, therefore leave this
place. There is a city called Kárkotaka on the shore of the eastern
sea, and beyond that there is a sanctifying stream named Sítodá,
and after you cross that, there is a great mountain named Udaya,
[259] the land of the Siddhas, [260] which the Vidyádharas may not
invade; go there immediately, and do not be anxious about the beloved
mortal whom you leave here, for before you start you can tell all this
to him, so that he shall be able afterwards to journey there with
speed." When her friend said this to her, Bhadrá was overcome with
fear, and though attached to Vidúshaka, she consented to do as her
friend advised. So she told her scheme to Vidúshaka, and providently
gave him her ring, and then disappeared at the close of the night. And
Vidúshaka immediately found himself in the empty temple of the goddess,
in which he had been before, and no Bhadrá and no palace. Remembering
the delusion produced by Bhadrá's magic skill, and beholding the ring,
Vidúshaka was overpowered by a paroxysm of despair and wonder. And
remembering her speech as if it were a dream, he reflected,--"Before
she left, she assigned as a place of meeting the mountain of the
sun-rising; so I must quickly go there to find her: but if I am seen
by the people in this state, the king will not let me go: so I will
employ a stratagem in this matter, in order that I may accomplish my
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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