This page has been fully proofread once and needs a second look.

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 Vişņṣṇu is pleased with you. May the story [of Raāja-

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 Dandṇḍin 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
ī
[ending with the lotus changing into a Vidyaādhara.]

(Av. Sāra I. 47-63; Av. pp. 14-17)
 

 
CHAPTER II
 

 
Story of King Rajahamsa
 
Rājahaṁsa
 
Rājaha
msa was the king of the Magadha country

with his capital at Kusumapura. He had a noble queen in

Vasumatiī, (the princess of the Pundra country[^¹]). He
entrusted the affairs of the state in the hands of his faithful

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 Mäālava 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]. Paindṇḍua, called Firuzubad in later times, in Bengal.

According to Keśavasvāmin's Nānārthārnava, Pundra is the
ṇḍra is the
country called Varendrī, (Varendra in Bengal).