अवन्तिसुन्दरीकथासारः /50

32
 
AVAVTISUNDARIĪ KATHAĀ SÄĀRA
 

 
waylay the wayfarers; one day he came upon (an AĀrya) widow

accompanied by a young couple. The widow wept and cried

out, 'Ah! Diīrghadarśin! Ah! my son Nityogra!'. When the

robber asked the woman who she was, she said, 'Dīrghadarśin,

the minister of the Vidarbha country was my husband and

Nityogra and Mahogra, our (twin) sons. An astrologer told

Jaālandhara, the king of Vidarbha, that my son would one day

rule over the country, The king abducted Nityogra even as a

boy. Fearing the safety of Mahogra, the younger son, we

sent him to our uncle's house. The king came to know of this

and sent for Acyutaka, my husband's sister's son and ordered

that Mahogra who was under his custody, should be put to

death. Acyutaka revealed the royal command to his wife

and told her that he would not do the dastardly act. But his

wife asked him to carry out the order without delay. My

husband who happened to be there at that time and overheard

their conversation, suggested to his nephew that he would

avert the disaster by showing the king a head made of clay

resembling the head of Mahogra. Acyutaka agreed to the

proposal and did so. Then seeing that my husband was

disconcerted at his evil act, the king sent for him one

night with a view to putting him to death in secret. When

my husband went to see the king, the king gave out that

my husband tried to kill him and, then had him put to death.
 

 
(Av. Sāra V. 50-65; Av. pp. 238-41; end missing)
 

 
Acyutaka then sent me and my son to my father. On

the way we were attacked by robbers and I missed my son. I

wandered about helpless in search of him; and thinking that the

robbers had killed him, I went to a nearby tree intending to take

my life by means of a noose. Happily for me I saw my son sit-

ting on the tree, and he told me that the robber who carried him

away was bitten by a serpant and that he had climbed up the

tree for fear of the snake. Then with my son I went to my,

father's house but learnt that my father had been killed by

robbers. Having lost all my relatives I sank into a sea of

sorrow and Mahogra was the only prop of my life. He has

now grown into an young man and I got him married to this

girl. Good Sir! We are now passing through the forest and

are frightened by you.' Kolāhalika hearing the tale of the

widow fell at her feet and said, 'Mother, I am your son

Nityogra.' Then he took his mother with him; and with the