अवन्तिसुन्दरीकथासारः /25

7
 
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
 
7
 
 
from all pains. The hearts of the ministers and other

attendants swelled with joy to see the king looking safe and

sound. They at once removed the queen, who could hardly

believe that her lord was alive, from the fire which she was
entering.

entering.
(Av. Sāra II. 98-166; Av. pp. 122-34)
 

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CHAPTER III
 

Story of Raājahamṁsa (contd.)
 

 
Raājahaṁsa related his adventures to the ministers and

added, "In my sad plight, God SŚiva appeared in person;

and when I bowed to him mentally, he consoled me with the

following words: "Dear child, I am pleased with your valour.

It is I that struck you in the battle in the form of a sword;

and to my great joy, you shattered it to pieces. It was at

my dispensation that the horses took you to this safe retreat.

In due time, you shall recover your former position and

beget a son named Raājavāhana of infinite powers, the sole

ruler of Jambūdviīpa; you should live an ascetic life, in a

hermitage and send him out for the conquest of the world

when he is sixteen years old. Your first son Hamsavāhana

is now doing well." Having said this the God disappeared

and I got up as if I was free from all pains." Whilst the

king and his ministers were engaged in talking over what

had happened, the night came to a close.
 

(Av. Saāra III. 1-10;
 
Av. pp. 134-36)
 

 
When experts in AĀyurveda had healed his wounds,

the king followed by his ministers paid a visit to the

hermitage of the sage Vāmadeva on the bank of the river

Narmadā and fell at his feet. The all-knowing sage

received him kindly and with a smile began to narrate the

king's story to the ascetics that sat around him. He traced

the descent of the king from the Creator and mentioned the

names of his ancestors down to his father Ripuñjaya of the

lunar race. "For a long time," added the sage, "Ripuñjaya

was childless. And as desired by me he practised severe

austerities in this Vindhya forest and worshipped the God

Visņṇu (Jalaśāyin). The God said to him in a dream:

'Child! stop this mortifiction. A son will be born to you.
 

He will defeat the king of Ujjain and face bravely the stroke
 
"