Thus the princess, listening with delight and astonishment to the
sweet and eloquent words of her husband, and he never tired of
contemplating her beauty and enjoying her caresses, lived for some
time in the greatest happiness, without care or anxiety for the
future.
One night, when both were sleeping, the prince had a remarkable dream.
He seemed to see an old swan, whose legs were tied together with lotus
fibre, approach the bedside; at that moment he awoke with a feeling of
pressure on his feet, and found himself bound with a slender silver
chain, bright as the rays of the moon. The princess awoke at the same
time, and seeing her husband thus fettered, screamed out loudly in her
fright. The attendants in the adjoining apartments, hearing the
scream, thought something dreadful must have happened. They rushed
into the room, added their cries to hers, and forgetting all their
former precautions, left the doors open, so that the guards outside,
hearing the clamour, entered and saw the prince.
When about to seize him, they were awed by his dignity, and contented
themselves with giving information to the regent, Chandavarma, who, on
receiving it, came immediately to the place.
Looking at the prince with eyes burning with the fire of anger, he
began to recollect him, and said, "So! this is that conceited brahman
who has been deceiving the people; making them believe that he is
wonderfully clever; the friend of that fellow the husband of the
wicked Bâlachandrika, the cause of my brother's death. How is it
possible that the princess should have fallen in love with such a
paltry wretch, overlooking a man like me? She is a disgrace to her
family, and shall soon see her husband impaled on a stake."
Then, with his forehead disfigured by a fearful frown, he continued to
abuse the prince; and having tied his hands behind him, dragged him
from the room.
Râjavâhana, naturally brave, and encouraged by belief in that former
existence the remembrance of which had so wonderfully arisen in his
mind, bore all the insults with firmness, and saying to the princess,
"Remember that speech of the swan, have patience for two months, and
all will be well," submitted quietly to the imprisonment.
When the ex-king and queen were informed of what had happened, they
were greatly distressed on their daughter's account, and exerted
themselves to save the life of their son-in-law; but the regent, in
whom all authority was vested, resisted their entreaties; and only on
condition of their resigning some of the few privileges which still
remained to them did he consent to defer the execution till he had
communicated with Darpasâra, and learned his pleasure on the subject.
He confiscated the property of Pushpodbhava, and threw him and his
family into prison; and being about to march against the King of Anga,
and unwilling to leave the prince behind, lest he should be liberated
by the old king, he caused a wooden cage to be made, in which his
prisoner was shut up and carried with the army.
Treated thus like some wild beast, roughly shaken and neglected,
Râjavâhana would have suffered greatly had he not been protected by
the magic jewel given to him in Pâtâla, and which he had contrived to
conceal in his hair.
Chandavarma had some time before this asked in marriage Ambâlika, the
daughter of Sinhavarma, King of Anga, and, indignant at a refusal, was
now marching against him, to take vengeance for the insult, and get
possession of the princess. Advancing therefore with a large army, he
prepared to besiege Champa, the capital city.
Sinhavarma, being of a very impatient and impetuous disposition, would
not wait for the arrival of the allies who had been summoned to his
assistance, and were then on the march; but throwing open the gates,
went forth to meet the enemy.
A terrible battle ensued, in which both kings performed prodigies of
valour. At last Sinhavarma was taken prisoner, and his army so
completely defeated, that the conqueror entered and took possession of
the city without opposition.
Chandavarma, having now the princess in his power, determined to make
her his wife at once: he therefore treated her father with more
consideration than he would otherwise have done, though he put him in
confinement, and caused it to be proclaimed throughout the city that
the wedding would be celebrated with much splendour the next morning.
Just then a messenger arrived from Kailâsa, bringing a letter from
Darpasâra, in which he had written, "O fool! should there be any pity
for the violator of the harem? If the old king, my father, now in his
dotage, was foolish enough to favour the criminal for the sake of his
worthless daughter, you had no need of his permission, and ought not
to have been influenced by him. Let that vile seducer be immediately
put to death by torture, and his paramour be shut up in prison till I
come."
Chandavarma, who had intended to march against the allies advancing
for the assistance of his captive, on receiving these commands, gave
orders to his attendants, saying, "To-morrow morning take that vile
wretch from his cage, and set him at the palace gate. Have ready,
also, a fierce elephant, suitably equipped, which I shall mount
immediately after the wedding, to overtake my army in march against
the enemy; and as I set out, I will make the elephant trample the
life out of that criminal."
Accordingly, the next morning, the prince was brought by the guards to
the gate of the palace, and the elephant placed near him.
While he stood there, calmly awaiting death, which now seemed
inevitable, he suddenly felt his feet free, and a beautiful lady
appeared before him.
She humbly bowing down said: "Let my lord pardon his servant for the
injury which she has unconsciously caused. I am an Apsaras, born from
the rays of the moon. One day, as I was flying through the air,
wearing a white dress, a swan, mistaking me for a lotus flower,
attacked me. While struggling to keep off the bird, the string of my
necklace broke, and the pearls fell on the grey head of a very holy
rishi, bathing, in the clear water of a Himâlayan lake.
"In his anger, he cursed me, saying: 'O wicked one, for this offence
you are condemned to be changed into a piece of unconscious metal.'
"When, however, I entreated forgiveness, he was so far appeased, that
he modified the curse, and granted that I should still retain
consciousness, and remain as a fetter on your feet for two months
only.
"The change took place immediately, and I fell to the ground, turned
into a silver chain.
"About this time, Vírasekhara, a Vidyâdhara, partly of human descent,
had become acquainted with Darpasâra, then performing penance on the
great mountain; and thinking he might get assistance from him in a
feud in which he was involved, had made an alliance with him, and
engaged to marry his sister, the Princess Avantisundari.
"Being desirous of visiting his intended bride, he flew through the
air to Avanti. On his way he saw the silver fetter, descended to the
ground, picked it up, and continued his flight.
"Having made himself invisible, he entered without difficulty the
apartment of the princess, and was astonished and enraged on finding
her lying in your arms. His first impulse was to kill you; but some
irresistible influence restrained him, so that he contented himself
with putting the silver fetter on your feet, and departed without
otherwise disturbing you.
"You have, in consequence, suffered all this misery. Now my
transformation is ended, and you are so far free; tell me what I can
do for you in atonement for the suffering which I have caused?"
The prince, not thinking of himself, said only, "Go at once to her who
is dearer to me than life, and comfort her with news of me."
At that moment a great clamour was heard, and some persons, rushing
from the interior of the palace, called out, loudly, "Help! help!
Chandavarma is murdered! killed by an assassin, who stabbed him as he
was about to take the hand of the princess; and that man is now moving
about the palace, cutting down all who attempt to seize him."
Râjavâhana, when he heard this, without losing a moment, and before
the guards had perceived his feet to be unfettered, with a sudden
spring leapt on the elephant intended for his destruction; and having
thrust off the driver, urged the beast at a rapid pace, pushing aside
the crowd right and left as he went.
Having got into the courtyard, he shouted with a loud voice, "Who is
the brave man that has done this great deed, hardly to be accomplished
by a mere mortal? Let him come forth and join me; we two united are a
match for a whole army."
The slayer of Chandavarma hearing this, came out of the palace, and
quickly mounting the elephant, who held down his trunk to receive him,
placed himself behind the prince.
Great was their mutual astonishment and joy when they recognised each
other, the prince exclaiming, "Is it possible? Is it really you, my
dear friend Apahâravarma, who have done this deed?" and the other
saying, "Do I indeed see my Lord Râjavâhana?" Having thus recognised
and embraced each other, they turned the elephant round, and passing
through the crowd in the courtyard, went into the main street, now
thronged by soldiers. Through these they forced their way, employing
with good effect the weapons placed on the elephant for the use of
Chandavarma.
Before, however, they had gone far, they heard the noise of battle at
a distance, and saw the soldiers in front of them scattered in all
directions.
Soon they saw coming towards them a very well-dressed, handsome man,
riding on a swift elephant. On reaching them, he made obeisance to the
prince, saying, "I am sure this is my Lord Râjavâhana;" and then
turning to Apahâravarma, said, "I have followed your directions
exactly, and hastened on the advancing allies. We have just now
encountered and utterly defeated the enemy, so that there is no fear
of any further resistance."
Then Apahâravarma introduced the stranger to the prince, saying, "This
is my dear friend Dhanamittra, well worthy of your respect and
consideration; for he is as brave and clever as he is handsome. With
your permission, he will liberate the King of Anga, and re-establish
the former authorities; meanwhile, we will go on to a quiet place, and
wait there for him and the princes who have come so opportunely to our
assistance."
Râjavâhana agreed to this. They went a little further, and dismounted
at a pleasant cool bank, shaded by a large banian tree, and close to
the Ganges.
When they had been for some time seated there, Dhanamittra returned,
accompanied by Upahâravarma, Pramati, Mitragupta, Mantragupta,
Visruta, Prahâravarma King of Mithila, Kâmapâla lord of Benâres, and
Sinhavarma King of Anga.
The prince, astonished and delighted at such an unexpected meeting,
warmly embraced his young friends, and very respectfully saluted, as a
son, the elder men introduced by them. Many questions were asked on
both sides. After some conversation, Râjavâhana told them his own
adventures, and those of Somadatta and Pushpodbhava, and then begged
his friends to relate theirs.
Apahâravarma spoke first.
* * * * *