My lord, your friends being convinced that you had gone on some
expedition with the brahman, and knowing nothing of the direction
which you had taken, were greatly perplexed. At last we agreed to
separate, each going a different way, and I, like the rest, set out by
myself. One day, being unable to bear the heat of the noonday sun, I
sat down in the shade of a tree at the bottom of a mountain. Happening
to look up, I saw a man falling from the rock above, and he came to
the ground very near me.
On going up to him, I found that he was still alive, and having
revived him by throwing cold water over him, and by other means, I
found that he had no bone broken, and did not appear to have received
any serious injury.
When he was sufficiently recovered, I asked him who he was and how he
came to fall from the precipice. With tears in his eyes, and a feeble
voice, he said: "My name is Ratnodbhava; I am the son of a minister of
the King of Magadha; travelling about as a merchant, I came, many
years ago, to the island of Kâlayavana. There I married a merchant's
daughter, and going with her by sea to visit my relations, was
overtaken by a violent storm, during which the ship sank, and I was
the only person saved.
"After reaching the shore, I wandered about for some time in a strange
country, and, unable to bear my misery, was about to put an end to my
life, when I was stopped by a Siddha, who assured me that after
sixteen years I should find my wife. Trusting to this promise, I have
endured life through all these years; but the appointed time having
passed without any sign of the fulfilment of the prophecy, I could
hold out no longer, and threw myself from the top of this precipice."
At that moment the voice of a woman in distress was heard not far off,
and saying to him whom I recognised as my father, "Take courage, I
have good news for you; only wait a moment," I ran off in the
direction of the place whence the voice had proceeded, and soon came
in sight of a large fire and two women near it, the one trying to
throw herself into the flames, the other struggling to prevent her.
Going to the help of the latter, I soon got the lady away, and
brought her and her companion to the place where my father was lying.
I then said to the old woman, "Pray tell me what all this means? How
came you to be in such a place, and why did the lady wish to destroy
herself?"
With a voice broken by sobs, she answered me: "This lady, whose name
is Suvritta, is the daughter of a merchant in the island of
Kâlayavana, and the wife of Ratnodbhava. While crossing the sea with
her husband, there was a great storm, the ship sank, and this lady and
I, her nurse, were the only persons saved. A few days afterwards she
gave birth to a son in the forest; but through my ill-fortune the
child was lost, having been seized by a wild elephant. Afterwards we
two wandered about in great misery, and she would have put an end to
her life had we not met with a holy man, who comforted her with the
assurance that after sixteen years she would be reunited with her
husband and son. Relying on this prophecy, she consented to wait, and
we have spent all these years living near his hermitage; but the
sixteen years were ended some time ago, and having lost all hope, she
was about to end her wretched life by throwing herself into a fire
which she had made, when you so opportunely came to my assistance."
Hearing this story, my father was unable to speak from astonishment. I
made him known to my mother, and myself to both of them, to their very
great joy; and my mother seemed as if she would never weary of kissing
and embracing me.
After a time, when we were all more composed, my father began to
inquire about the king and his own relations, for during all these
years he had heard nothing of them. I told him everything--how the
king had been defeated, and had been living in the forest; your birth,
and the wonderful preservation of myself and my companions; how we had
all set out together; how we had lost you, and how I was now searching
for you.
As soon as my father was able to walk, I placed him and my mother
under the care of a certain muni, not very far off, and set out again
on my travels. Just at this time I had heard that under the ruins of
an ancient city, overgrown by trees, a great treasure was supposed to
be concealed; and as I possessed a magic ointment which, when applied
to the eyes, enabled me to see through the ground, I determined to
try to dig it up. I therefore got together some strong young men with
the promise of good pay, went to the place, and succeeded in finding a
large quantity of gold and silver coin. While I was thus engaged, a
caravan of merchants came to that neighbourhood, and halted there for
a day or two. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I purchased of
them sacks for holding the coin, and some strong oxen to carry them. I
then dismissed my men, well satisfied with their share, and joined the
caravan, where I soon made friends with the leader, the son of a
merchant at Oujein, to which place he was then going.
On our arrival at the city, he introduced me to his father,
Bandhupâla, by whose means I obtained permission from the King of
Mâlwa to reside there. When I had taken a house, safely deposited the
money, and established my parents in it, I was anxious to set out
again in search of you.
Bandhupâla, seeing this, said to me: "You have already spent much time
in searching for your friend, and may spend much more in the same
manner to no purpose, if you have no clue to guide you. Now I am
skilled in augury and the language of birds; it is probable that I may
obtain some indications for you; wait, therefore, patiently for the
present. Meanwhile, my house is always open to you."
To this I agreed, and having great pleasure in his society, was much
with him, and soon had other attractions there, for I fell in love
with his beautiful daughter, Bâlachandrika.
Though I had not declared my passion, I was convinced, from her looks
and from many things which I observed, that she was equally in love
with me, and therefore anxiously sought an opportunity of speaking to
her in private.
One day, Bandhupâla, wishing to obtain information about you by
listening to the voices of birds, went with me into a park near the
city, and while he waited under the trees, hearing the birds, I walked
on, and had the good fortune to see my beloved alone, in another part
of the park.
Although she was evidently pleased at seeing me, and did not reject my
suit, I observed that she was distressed and dispirited, and inquired
the cause.
She told me, "Some time ago the old king abdicated in favour of his
son Darpasâra, who is now gone on a pilgrimage to the Himâlaya
Mountains, having first appointed as joint regents the two sons of his
father's sister, Charmavarma and Dâruvarma.
"The former of these two alone has the management of affairs; for the
latter, given up to evil deeds, makes use of his power only for the
indulgence of his licentious passions.
"He has seen me during my attendance on the Princess Avantisundari,
has endeavoured to seduce me, and I am in constant fear of his
violence, for he hesitates at nothing in the indulgence of his wicked
desires."
She told me this reluctantly, and with much agitation; but I comforted
her with the assurance of my love, and the promise of finding some
means to free her from his annoyance.
After some reflection, I said to her, "This is the plan which I
propose. Your friends must give out in public that a certain Siddha
has declared--'Bâlachandrika is guarded by a demon, who will allow no
man to have intercourse with her without his consent. Whoever,
therefore, wishes to marry her, must first pass one night in company
with her and one female friend, and if he comes out uninjured, or is
able to overcome the demon, he may then safely marry her.'
"If Dâruvarma, on hearing this, shall be alarmed, and abstain from
further annoyance, so much the better; if, on the other hand, he
persists in his wicked purpose, do you appear to consent, and say, 'If
you think you can overcome the demon, I am willing to meet you, but it
must be openly, in your own house; and then, whatever happens, no
blame can fall on my family.'
"To this proposal he will be sure to agree, and you may go to his
house without fear, for I will accompany you, disguised as a woman,
and will manage to kill that wretch, without danger to you or myself,
after which there will be no obstacle to our marriage; for, when I ask
your father, he will certainly consent, seeing the great love between
us, for he has shown great regard for me, and knows my property and
connections. But you must tell him now what has been arranged between
us, that he may be induced to spread abroad the report about the
demon, and to consent to your going to Dâruvarma's house."
Bâlachandrika was delighted with my plan, and promised to do her best
to carry it out. She had full confidence in my courage and skill, and
felt sure that I should succeed in what I had undertaken. Then,
reluctantly leaving me, and looking back again and again, she walked
slowly home.
After quitting her I returned to her father, who was well satisfied
with the result of his observations, and told me that he had
ascertained that after thirty days I should meet you; and we walked
together to his house, talking over the matter.
After a few days, Bâlachandrika informed me that Dâruvarma, undeterred
by the report which was now spread about the city, that she was
haunted by a demon, had continued his importunities, and that she had
consented to go to his house that evening.
Meanwhile I had secretly made my preparations, and concealed in a
lonely place everything required for my disguise. At the proper time,
when it was quite dark, I went there, changed my dress, met the lady,
and accompanied her to the house of the prince, who received us with
great respect; and not having the slightest suspicion of my being
other than what I seemed to be, sent away all his attendants, and
conducted us to a room in a small detached building. There he seated
her on a beautiful soft couch, inlaid with jewels, and expressing his
great delight at seeing her, brought forth and offered to us both very
handsome presents of dresses, ornaments, perfumes, &c. After some
conversation--as if no longer able to restrain himself--he sat down
beside her, and, regardless of my presence, threw his arms round her,
and kissed her again and again.
This was more than I could bear; suddenly seizing him by the throat, I
threw him on the ground, and despatched him with blows of hand, foot,
and knee, before he could call out or give an alarm.
Then we both screamed out loudly, and I rushed forth, as if in a
great fright, calling out, "Help! help! the horrible demon is killing
the prince!"
Hearing this, and seeing my apparent agitation, the attendants and
guards hastened in great confusion to the room, where they found the
prince dead, and the lady so agitated that she was unable to give an
account of what had happened; the demon had of course disappeared.
Some police were in attendance, suspicious of fraud, but even they did
not imagine two women to be capable of such an act of violence, and
the general opinion was that the story of the demon was founded on
truth, and that the prince well deserved the fate he had met with.
Bâlachandrika was therefore suffered to leave: I had already escaped
in the first alarm and confusion, had changed my dress, and reached
home in safety.
No further inquiry was made, and no suspicion fell on me; I duly
married my beloved, and as no harm happened to me, the demon was
supposed to have been propitiated.
The day indicated by my wife's father having arrived, I came here,
fully expecting to see you, and now my happiness is complete.
When Râjavâhana had heard this story, he again related his own
adventures; after which he took leave of Somadatta, saying, "Come to
me as soon as possible, when you have paid your devotions at Mahâkâla,
and have taken your wife and her attendants home;" and he then
accompanied Pushpodbhava into the city of Avanti.
There he was hospitably received in the house of his friend, who
introduced him by his real name to Bandhupâla, but gave out in the
city that he was a young brahman, worthy of all honour for his
learning and ability; and the prince remained for some time in that
city, treated with great respect and consideration by all who became
acquainted with him.
* * * * *