on every side of his dominions were bent down with the weight. Then Indra sent Mátali, and brought to heaven that Sahasráníka, as being the son of his friend, that he might be present at the great feast which he was holding to celebrate his victory over his foes. There the king saw the gods, attended by their fair ones, sporting in the garden of Nandana, and desiring for himself a suitable wife, fell into low spirits. Then Indra, perceiving this desire of his, said to him; "King, away with despondency, this desire of thine shall be accomplished. For there has been born upon the earth one, who was long ago ordained a suitable match for thee. For listen to the following history, which I now proceed to relate to thee. "Long ago I went to the court of Brahmá in order to visit him, and a certain Vasu named Vidhúma followed me. While we were there, an Apsaras [116] named Alambushá came to see Brahmá, and her robe was blown aside by the wind. And the Vasu, when he beheld her, was overpowered by love, and the Apsaras too had her eyes immediately attracted by his form. The lotus-sprung god, [117] when he beheld that, looked me full in the face, and I, knowing his meaning, in wrath cursed those two, 'Be born, you two, shameless creatures, into the world of mortals, and there become man and wife.' That Vasu has been born as thou, Sahasráníka, the son of Satáníka, an ornament to the race of the moon. And that Apsaras too has been born in Ayodhyá as the daughter of king Kritavarman, Mrigávatí by name, she shall be thy wife." By these words of Indra the flame of love was fanned in the passionate [118] heart of the king and burst out into full blaze; as a fire when fanned by the wind. Indra then dismissed the king from heaven with all due honour in his own chariot, and he set out with Mátali [119] for his capital. But as he was starting, the Apsaras Tilottamá said to him out of affection, "King I have somewhat to say to thee, wait a moment." But he, thinking on Mrigávatí, went off without hearing what she said, then Tilottamá in her rage cursed him; "King, thou shalt be separated for fourteen years from her who has so engrossed thy mind that thou dost not hear my speech." Now Mátali heard that curse, but the king, yearning for his beloved, did not. In the chariot he went to Kausámbí but in spirit he went to Ayodhyá. Then the king told with longing heart, all that he had heard from Indra with reference to Mrigávatí, to his ministers, Yogandhara and the others: and not being able to endure delay, he sent an ambassador to Ayodhyá to ask her father Kritavarman for the hand of that maiden. And Kritavarman having heard from the ambassador his commission, told in his joy the queen Kalávatí, and then she said to him--"King we ought certainly to give Mrigávatí to Sahasráníka, and, I remember, a certain Bráhman told me this very thing in a dream"; then in his delight the king showed to the ambassador Mrigávatí's wonderful skill in dancing, singing,