"Kotika said, 'Excellent lady, who art thou that standest alone, leaning
on a branch of the _Kadamva_ tree at this hermitage and looking grand
like a flame of fire blazing at night time, and fanned by the wind?
Exquisitely beautiful as thou art, how is it that thou feelest not any
fear in these forests? Methinks thou art a goddess, or a _Yakshi_, or a
_Danavi_, or an excellent _Apsara_, or the wife of a _Daitya_, or a
daughter of the _Naga_ king, or a _Rakshasi_ or the wife of Varuna, or
of Yama, or of Soma, or of Kuvera, who, having assumed a human form,
wanderest in these forests. Or, hast thou come from the mansions of
Dhatri, or of Vidhatri, or of Savitri, or of Vibhu, or of Sakra? Thou
dost not ask us who we are, nor do we know who protects thee here!
Respectfully do we ask thee, good lady, who is thy powerful father, and,
O, do tell us truly the names of thy husband, thy relatives, and thy
race, and tell us also what thou dost here. As for us, I am king
Suratha's son whom people know by the name of Kotika, and that man with
eyes large as the petals of the lotus, sitting on a chariot of gold,
like the sacrificial fire on the altar, is the warrior known by the name
of Kshemankara, king of Trigarta. And behind him is the famous son of
the king of Pulinda, who is even now gazing on thee. Armed with a mighty
bow and endued with large eyes, and decorated with floral wreaths, he
always liveth on the breasts of mountains. The dark and handsome young
man, the scourge of his enemies, standing at the edge of that tank, is
the son of Suvala of the race of Ikshwaku. And if, O excellent lady,
thou hast ever heard the name of Jayadratha, the king of Sauviras, even
he is there at the head of six thousand chariots, with horses and
elephants and infantry, and followed by twelve Sauvira princes as his
standard-bearers, named Angaraka, Kunjara, Guptaka, Satrunjaya,
Srinjaya, Suprabiddha, Prabhankara, Bhramara, Ravi, Sura, Pratapa and
Kuhana, all mounted on chariots drawn by chestnut horses and every one
of them looking like the fire on the sacrificial altar. The brothers
also of the king, viz., the powerful Valahaka, Anika, Vidarana and
others, are among his followers. These strong-limbed and noble youths
are the flowers of the Sauvira chivalry. The king is journeying in the
company of these his friends, like Indra surrounded by the Maruts. O
fine-haired lady, do tell us that are unacquainted (with these matters),
whose wife and whose daughter thou art.'"