Having thus related his wonderful history, the eloquent Saktivega went on to say to the king of Vatsa, "Know me, O lord of Vatsa, ornament of the lunar race, to be that very Saktideva come here, full of desire to behold the two feet of your son who is just born, and is destined to be our new emperor. Thus I have obtained, though originally a man, the rank of sovereign among the Vidyádharas by the favour of Siva: and now, O king, I return to my own home; I have seen our future lord; may you enjoy unfailing felicity." After finishing his tale, Saktivega said this with clasped hands, and receiving permission to depart, immediately flew up into the sky like the moon in brightness, and then the king of Vatsa in the company of his wives, surrounded by his ministers, and with his young son, enjoyed, in his own capital a state of indescribable felicity. BOOK VI. CHAPTER XXVII. May the god with the face of an elephant, [429] who appears, with his head bowed down and then raised, to be continually threatening the hosts of obstacles, protect you. I adore the god of Love, pierced with the showers of whose arrows even the body of Siva seems to bristle with dense thorns, when embraced by Umá. Now hear the heavenly adventures which Naraváhanadatta, speaking of himself in the third person, told from the very beginning, after he had obtained the sovereignty of the Vidyádharas, and had been questioned about the story of his life on some occasion or other by the seven Rishis and their wives. Then that Naraváhanadatta being carefully brought up by his father, passed his eighth year. The prince lived at that time with the sons of the ministers, being instructed in sciences, and sporting in gardens. And the queen Vásavadattá and Padmávatí also on account of their exceeding affection were devoted to him day and night. He was distinguished by a body which was sprung from a noble stock, and bent under the weight of his growing virtues, and gradually filled out, as also by a bow which was made of a good bamboo, which bent as the string rose, and slowly arched itself into a crescent. [430] And his father the king of Vatsa spent his time in wishes for his marriage and other happiness, delightful because so soon to bear fruit. Now hear what happened at this point of the story. Story of the merchant's son in Takshasilá.