In the morning, the relatives of the lovers came to the garden, called by the gardeners who discovered the corpses.
They were filled with embarrassment, surprise and grief, and so stood there for long, not knowing what to do. After all,
कष्टाः कुलखलीकारहेतवो बत कुस्त्रियः|| – Women who are wayward cause dishonor to their own families.
तावच् च ताम्रलिप्तीतः स तस्याः पतिर् आगमत् ।
सोत्कण्ठो ऽनङ्गमञ्जर्या मणिवर्मा पितुर् गृहात् ॥ १२,२८.८२ ॥
स श्वाशुरं गृहं प्राप्य यथातत्त्वम् अवेत्य तत् ।
बाष्पान्धलोचनो ध्यायंस् तद् एवोद्यानम् आययौ ॥ १२,२८.८३ ॥
तत्र भार्यां गतासुं तां दृष्ट्वान्यसहिताम् अपि ।
शोकाग्निज्वलितो रागी सद्यः सो ऽपि जहाव् असून् ॥ १२,२८.८४ ॥
ततः क्रन्दति तत्रस्थे जने कोलाहलाकुलाः ।
आययुर् ज्ञातवृत्तान्ताः पौराः सर्वे ऽत्र विस्मिताः ॥ १२,२८.८५ ॥
अथात्रानङ्गमञ्जर्याः पित्रा पूर्वावतारिता ।
देवी संनिहिता चण्डी विज्ञप्ताभून् निजैर् गणैः ॥ १२,२८.८६ ॥
त्वदाकारप्रतिष्ठाकृद् अर्थदत्तः सदैष ते ।
भक्तो वणिक् तद् अस्यास्मिन् दुःखे देवि दयां कुरु ॥ १२,२८.८७
At this very moment, Maṇivarman, Anaṅgamañjarī’s husband, arrived at the house, after traveling from Tāmraliptī the night before. He was longing to see his wife.
When he heard what had happened, he rushed to the garden, his eyes blinded with tears.
There, was his wife lying dead beside another man, embracing him tightly…intense grief overcame Maṇivarman when he saw this, and he fell dead right then and there.
The people who had gathered at the garden started lamenting even more loudly, shocked at what had happened.
Devi Caṇḍī, whose temple had been built in the garden by Anaṅgamañjarī’s father, and who resided in that temple and was a witness to all that had happened, heard her Gaṇas crying out to her…they said…
“Oh Devi, Arthadatta, who brought you to this garden and worshipped you every day, has always been devoted to you. Please have mercy on him in this difficult time…”
एतद् गणेभ्यः श्रुत्वा सा शरण्या शङ्करप्रिया ।
शान्तानङ्गास् त्रयो ऽप्य् एते जीवन्त्व् इति समादिशत् ॥ १२,२८.८८ ॥
अथ सर्वे ऽपि ते सुप्तप्रतिबुद्धा इव क्षणात् ।
तत्प्रसादात् समुत्तस्थुर् जीवन्तो वीतमन्मथाः ॥ १२,२८.८९ ॥
ततो दृष्ट्वा तद् आश्चर्यं सानन्दे सकले जने ।
लज्जानतमुखः प्रायात् स्वगृहं कमलाकरः ॥ १२,२८.९० ॥
अर्थदत्तो ऽपि तां ह्रीताम् आदायानङ्गमञ्जरीम् ।
सुतां स्वभर्तृसहितां ययौ बद्धोत्सवो गृहान् ॥ १२,२८.९१ ॥
And when Devi Caṇḍī, the beloved wife of Śiva, the protector of the distressed, heard this prayer from her Gaṇas, she said…
“Let these three return to life, but free from the passion and longing of love.”
And so, by this boon of the Devi, the three arose, as if awakened from a long sleep. They were now free from the throes of love and passion.
The people gathered there rejoiced at the miracle that they had just witnessed.
Kamalākara slowly walked back home, his head bowed down in shame.
Arthadatta held his daughter Anaṅgamañjarī’s hand, and with her own head bent in shame and embarrassment, she walked back home with her husband…
इति कथयित्वा तस्यां रात्रौ मार्गे कथां स वेतालः ।
निजगाद तं त्रिविक्रमसेनं क्षोणीपतिं भूयः ॥ १२,२८.९२ ॥
राजन् कस्य वदैतेष्व् अधिको मोहो ऽनुरागमूढेषु ।
सो ऽत्र च पूर्वोक्तस् ते शापो जानन् न चेद् वदसि ॥ १२,२८.९३ ॥
The Vetāla finished his story, and then addressed King Vikram and said…
“So tell me, o King, who among the three was more blinded with passion? Who was the most infatuated?”
“Remember, if you know the answer, and don’t tell me the truth, your head will burst into a hundred pieces!“
King Vikram replied…
to be continued…