Read the previous part here… “My beloved wife! Where have you gone! Did this night, after seeing your beauty as fair as moonlight, get jealous and take you away from me?” “Or did the moon, that was vanquished by your exquisite beauty, comfort me with it’s cool as sandalwood rays earlier, only to take it’s …
Read the previous part here… त्रयोदशो वतेालः The thirteenth story The Brāhman Harisvāmin, who first lost his wife, and then his life अथ गत्वा पुनः प्राप्य शिंशपातस् ततो नृपः ।स त्रिविक्रमसेनस् तं स्कन्धे वेतालम् आददे ॥ १२,२०.१ ॥ आयान्तं च स वेतालो भूयस् तं नृपम् अब्रवीत् ।राजञ् शृणु कथाम् एकां संक्षिप्तां वर्णयामि ते ॥ १२,२०.२ ॥ King Vikram …
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, why did the minister die of a broken heart? That too, on the day when the king had succeeded in his quest?” “Was he disappointed that he did not win Mṛgāṅkavatī himself?” “Or was it that he wanted to rule over the kingdom himself, and …
Read the previous part here… “I wonder how the king managed to obtain this beautiful maiden, one that I caught a short glimpse of, that too in the middle of the ocean, much like one witnesses a flash of lightning. But, as they say…” Whatever is written on a man’s forehead, whatever is written in …
Read the previous part here… “I didn’t know what to do, so I fell at his feet and begged him to lift the curse”, continued Mṛgāṅkavatī. “When he was finally placated, he said…” “In time, Yaśaḥketu, the king of Aṅga, shall become your husband, and shall see you swallowed by the Rākṣasa, and shall kill …
Read the previous part here… The king was taken aback by what he saw, and blood rushed to his head in anger. He unsheathed his sword, and rushing towards the Rākṣasa, jumped high up and cut off his head in one stroke. A stream of blood gushed forth from the trunk of the beheaded Rākṣasa, …
Read the previous part here… When she said this, the king recalled what Kuśanābha had told him, and he brought her close to him and held her affectionately, wanting to give her all the love in the world and even more. Mṛgāṅkavatī too was overpowered by affection, and agreed to accept him as her husband. …
Read the previous part here… The maiden slowly opened her eyes, which fell on the handsome king, a warrior whose wounds spoke of a hundred wars fought and won…and startled, she sprang from the couch, and hid her face in shyness. कृतातिथ्या नतमुखी पूजयन्तीव पादयोः ।फुल्लेक्षणोत्पलन्यासैः शनैर् एतम् उवाच च ॥ १२,१९.१०० ॥ को भवान् …
Read the previous part here… She was his wife in their previous janma (birth), and hence his deep desire to have her. He will return to his kingdom once he has obtained his objective!” This consoled poor Lakṣmīdatta, who bowed with folded hands, and continued on his journey. स राजापि यशःकेतुर् निमग्नो ऽन्तो महोदधौ ।अकस्मान् …
Read the previous part here… Incidentally, Lakṣmīdatta was about to set out to SvarnaDeepa. The merchant greeted Yaśaḥketu, having noticed the signs of royalty that shone beyond the costume of the sadhu that the king had worn. Yaśaḥketu returned the greeting, and then set out by ship, on the sea, towards the island of SvarnaDeepa. …
