2023-02-26 04:07:24 by ambuda-bot
This page has not been fully proofread.
4
AVANTISUNDARĪ KATHĀ SĀRA
a bed of kusa grass [on a twelfth lunar day]. The Goddess
of Learning appeared in his dream and said, "Dear child!
God Vişņu is pleased with you. May the story [of Raja-
vāhana, the lord of men and semidivine beings,] shine bright
within you-[the story bristling with anecdotes on the aims
of life, tales of distant islands, description of arts and creeds,
and traditions of ancient kings, gods and demons.]" The
day dawned; with a thrill of joy Dandin awoke early in the
morning, [and attended to his religious duties with meticulous
attention. He then summoned his friends who were fond of
hearing tales and narrated the story of Avantisundari
[ending with the lotus changing into a Vidyadhara.]
(Av. Sāra I. 47-63; Av. pp. 14-17)
CHAPTER II
Story of King Rajahamsa
Rājahamsa was the king of the Magadha country
with his capital at Kusumapura. He had a noble queen in
Vasumati, (the princess of the Pundra country¹). He
entrusted the affairs of the state in the hands of his faithful
ministers and enjoyed the pleasures of youth as suited the
varying seasons of the year. He had earlier defeated
Mānasāra, the ruler of the Mälava country, in battle, reinstated
him in his kingdom and had set a spy to watch his move-
ments. The spy returned after wandering about the Mālava
country in the guise of an ascetic and said: "Oh Lord,
Mānasāra smarting under humiliation practised severe
penance. But seeing that the penance would not bring
immediate fruit, he propitiated the god (Āmardaka) (Siva)
at Mahākāla (Ujjain) by selling Mahāmāmsa. The god
was pleased and granted him a sword which would give
him an assured victory in battle. Equipped with this divine
weapon he is making preparations to wage war against you."
(Av. Sāra II. 1-37; Av. pp. 17-38)
Hearing the report the Magadha king thought that the
enemy had grown invincible with external aid and that the
only course left to him would be to fight the enemy and face
1. Paindua, called Firuzubad in later times, in Bengal.
According to Keśavasvāmin's Nānārthārnava, Pundra is the
country called Varendrī, (Varendra in Bengal).
AVANTISUNDARĪ KATHĀ SĀRA
a bed of kusa grass [on a twelfth lunar day]. The Goddess
of Learning appeared in his dream and said, "Dear child!
God Vişņu is pleased with you. May the story [of Raja-
vāhana, the lord of men and semidivine beings,] shine bright
within you-[the story bristling with anecdotes on the aims
of life, tales of distant islands, description of arts and creeds,
and traditions of ancient kings, gods and demons.]" The
day dawned; with a thrill of joy Dandin awoke early in the
morning, [and attended to his religious duties with meticulous
attention. He then summoned his friends who were fond of
hearing tales and narrated the story of Avantisundari
[ending with the lotus changing into a Vidyadhara.]
(Av. Sāra I. 47-63; Av. pp. 14-17)
CHAPTER II
Story of King Rajahamsa
Rājahamsa was the king of the Magadha country
with his capital at Kusumapura. He had a noble queen in
Vasumati, (the princess of the Pundra country¹). He
entrusted the affairs of the state in the hands of his faithful
ministers and enjoyed the pleasures of youth as suited the
varying seasons of the year. He had earlier defeated
Mānasāra, the ruler of the Mälava country, in battle, reinstated
him in his kingdom and had set a spy to watch his move-
ments. The spy returned after wandering about the Mālava
country in the guise of an ascetic and said: "Oh Lord,
Mānasāra smarting under humiliation practised severe
penance. But seeing that the penance would not bring
immediate fruit, he propitiated the god (Āmardaka) (Siva)
at Mahākāla (Ujjain) by selling Mahāmāmsa. The god
was pleased and granted him a sword which would give
him an assured victory in battle. Equipped with this divine
weapon he is making preparations to wage war against you."
(Av. Sāra II. 1-37; Av. pp. 17-38)
Hearing the report the Magadha king thought that the
enemy had grown invincible with external aid and that the
only course left to him would be to fight the enemy and face
1. Paindua, called Firuzubad in later times, in Bengal.
According to Keśavasvāmin's Nānārthārnava, Pundra is the
country called Varendrī, (Varendra in Bengal).