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
accord brought him his weapons, and then he mounted the female elephant
with Vasantaka. And then Vásavadattá mounted the same elephant with
her friend and confidante Kánchanamálá; then the king of Vatsa went
out from Ujjayiní with five persons in all, including himself and
the elephant-driver, by a path which the infuriated elephant clove
through the rampart.
And the king attacked and slew the two warriors who guarded that point,
the Rájpúts Vírabáhu and Tálabhata. Then the monarch set out rapidly
on his journey in high spirits, mounted on the female elephant,
together with his beloved, Áshádhaka holding the elephant-hook; in
the meanwhile in Ujjayiní the city-patrol beheld those guards of the
rampart lying dead, and in consternation reported the news to the
king at night. Chandamahásena enquired into the matter, and found
out at last that the king of Vatsa had escaped, taking Vásavadattá
with him. Then the alarm spread through the city, and one of his
sons named Pálaka mounted Nadágiri and pursued the king of Vatsa. The
king of Vatsa for his part, combated him with arrows as he advanced,
and Nadágiri, seeing that female elephant, would not attack her. Then
Pálaka, who was ready to listen to reason, was induced to desist from
the pursuit by his brother Gopálaka, who had his father's interests
at heart; then the king of Vatsa boldly continued his journey,
and as he journeyed, the night gradually came to an end. So by the
middle of the day the king had reached the Vindhya forest, and his
elephant having journeyed sixty-three yojanas, was thirsty. So the
king and his wife dismounted, and the female elephant having drunk
water, owing to its being bad, fell dead on the spot. Then the king
of Vatsa and Vásavadattá, in their despair, heard this voice coming
from the air--"I, O king, am a female Vidyádhara named Máyávatí, and
for this long time I have been a female elephant in consequence of
a curse; and to-day, O lord of Vatsa, I have done you a good turn,
and I will do another to your son that is to be: and this queen of
yours Vásavadattá is not a mere mortal; she is a goddess for a certain
cause incarnate on the earth." Then the king regained his spirits,
and sent on Vasantaka to the plateau of the Vindhya hills to announce
his arrival to his ally Pulindaka; and as he was himself journeying
along slowly on foot with his beloved, he was surrounded by brigands,
who sprang out from an ambuscade. And the king, with only his bow
to help him, slew one hundred and five of them before the eyes of
Vásavadattá. And immediately the king's ally Pulindaka came up,
together with Yaugandharáyana, Vasantaka shewing them the way. The
king of the Bheels ordered the surviving brigands [178] to desist,
and after prostrating himself before the king of Vatsa, conducted
him with his beloved to his own village. The king rested there that
night with Vásavadattá, whose foot had been cut with a blade of forest
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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