अवन्तिसुन्दरीकथासारः /21

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
 
3
 

 
ments in art have deteriorated by long neglect. But it means

little for scholars like you who have mastered the science of

the arts of Brahmā, Indra and Parāśara]. I have however

a request to make. You have seen the image of Visņṣṇu reclin-

ing on his serpent bed on the shore of Mahāmallapuram (the

modern Mahaābalipuram); I found one of the arms of the

image broken and I have refitted it. Please see if my refitting

is worthy of the image which is a work of art of the great

ancient architects". Then [Raṇamalla alias Viīrapatāka,] a

friend of Dandṇḍin and son of a general said, "Sir, let us comply

with the request of the architect. Our friends Mātṛdatta [and

Devaśarman] who have come from Kerala to see you are

now at Mahāmallapuram; we can meet them also."
 

(Av. Sāra I. 37-46; Av. pp. 12-14)
 

 
The next day they started [with Jayantanārāyaṇa and

other friends] to see the image. On the shore, they sighted a

lofty palace, [all in white, and the tumultuous billows dashing

against its base.] Proceeding a little distance, they beheld
They

the image, the sea brushing its feet with gentle ripples.
They
came close to the image but could not discover any trace of

mending in the arms. They asked the architect which of the

arms he had mended. Lalitālaya bowed to them and said that

his labours were amply rewarded.

Origin of the Story
 

By this time, they saw a big red lotus floating over the

sea and moving slowly towards the image. It touched the feet

of the image and suddenly turned into a Vidyaādhara equipped

with arms and ornaments. When Dandin and his friends
ṇḍin and his friends
were looking aghast, the Vidyādhara went round, made

obeisance to the deity and vanished in the sky. [Rāma-

śarman,] one of the party and a native of the Cola

country, asked Dandṇḍin if he could unravel the mystery.
 

"Yes, it is a mystery" said Daṇḍin. "This much, however,
 
Y
can be imagined; a celestial being offended a sage in an
incident connected with flowers and the angry sage cursed
him to change into a lotus flower; and the flower having
floated over the sea for long ages, it is a mystery" said Dandin.
can be imagined; a celestial being offended a sage in an
incident connected with flowers and the angry sage cursed
him to change into a lotus flower; and the flower harecoving
floated over the sea for long agesered its original form, recovered its original form,

at the touch of the image. Let us now go back home."

Filled with wonder, the party returned to Kāñci and
ī and
Daṇḍin's friends pressed him to unravel the mystery. Then

Dandin's friends pressed him to unraṇḍin observel the mystery.
Dandin observed a course of austerities lasting many days
d a course of austerities lasting many days
and worshipped Vișņṣṇu with intense devotion, sleeping on
 
"(