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34
AVANTISUNDARI KATHĀ SĀRA
fiery chariot (agniratha). Then a divine damsel of infinite
beauty approached the man in the chariot, cast a loving look at
him and thanked the prince for his kindness. She then took
them to her palace and related her story.
(Av. Sāra V. 82-94; Av. portion lost)
Story of Mandakini
'I am Mandākinī, daughter of Namuci. After my
father's death I was brought up by Naraka along with his
daughter Yajñavatī; and we had a loving friend in Tilottamā.
Once Yajñavati became distracted with love and said, 'In my
former birth I had the happiness of being the consort of
Dharmadeva, son of god Purușottama. At the instance of our
parents my husband went abroad and I gave up my mortal
frame in fire in the Badarī forest. The memories of my
former life now make me sad.' Then Tilottamā brought her
an young man resembling her lover and said, Friend, here is
Samba son of god Kṛṣṇa by Jämbavati and he is the object of
your love.' He came here for protecting the sages; and
seeing this forest, he cried out, 'Ah, my love, Yajñavati,'
and fainted. The loving couple recognised each other and spent
many happy days. When the Asuras carried away Yajnavati,
Samba proceeded to Prāgjyotişa in search of her and then to
Dvārakā and there recovered her. When Naraka was slain
god Kṛṣṇa took me to this city to be a friend of Yajñavati,
his daughter-in-law. Mahāśvetā and other Gandharva
maidens were also my friends. Once on my way to worship
god Vişņu, I saw an young man and fell in love with him.
He at once plunged into the sea and turned into a horse. The
god seeing me in sorrow said that the young man would cer-
tainly become my husband. Mahāśveta and her husband paid a
visit to me and she cheered me up by telling me the long tale of
her life. Then as desired by her, her husband told me the
story of his life and also that of Kādambari.
(Av. Sāra V. 95-111; Av. pp. 241-42, full of lacunae.)
Story of Kadambarī
'I was born as the only child of a pair of parrots' said Pun-
darīka 'that lived in an old Sälmali tree in the Vindhya forest.
As soon as I was born my mother died, and my father fostered
me tenderly. When one day hunters killed him I fell down
from the tree and an young hermit took me to the hermitage
AVANTISUNDARI KATHĀ SĀRA
fiery chariot (agniratha). Then a divine damsel of infinite
beauty approached the man in the chariot, cast a loving look at
him and thanked the prince for his kindness. She then took
them to her palace and related her story.
(Av. Sāra V. 82-94; Av. portion lost)
Story of Mandakini
'I am Mandākinī, daughter of Namuci. After my
father's death I was brought up by Naraka along with his
daughter Yajñavatī; and we had a loving friend in Tilottamā.
Once Yajñavati became distracted with love and said, 'In my
former birth I had the happiness of being the consort of
Dharmadeva, son of god Purușottama. At the instance of our
parents my husband went abroad and I gave up my mortal
frame in fire in the Badarī forest. The memories of my
former life now make me sad.' Then Tilottamā brought her
an young man resembling her lover and said, Friend, here is
Samba son of god Kṛṣṇa by Jämbavati and he is the object of
your love.' He came here for protecting the sages; and
seeing this forest, he cried out, 'Ah, my love, Yajñavati,'
and fainted. The loving couple recognised each other and spent
many happy days. When the Asuras carried away Yajnavati,
Samba proceeded to Prāgjyotişa in search of her and then to
Dvārakā and there recovered her. When Naraka was slain
god Kṛṣṇa took me to this city to be a friend of Yajñavati,
his daughter-in-law. Mahāśvetā and other Gandharva
maidens were also my friends. Once on my way to worship
god Vişņu, I saw an young man and fell in love with him.
He at once plunged into the sea and turned into a horse. The
god seeing me in sorrow said that the young man would cer-
tainly become my husband. Mahāśveta and her husband paid a
visit to me and she cheered me up by telling me the long tale of
her life. Then as desired by her, her husband told me the
story of his life and also that of Kādambari.
(Av. Sāra V. 95-111; Av. pp. 241-42, full of lacunae.)
Story of Kadambarī
'I was born as the only child of a pair of parrots' said Pun-
darīka 'that lived in an old Sälmali tree in the Vindhya forest.
As soon as I was born my mother died, and my father fostered
me tenderly. When one day hunters killed him I fell down
from the tree and an young hermit took me to the hermitage