अवन्तिसुन्दरीकथासारः /55

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
 
37
 

 
Mahāśvetā as a Candaṇḍāla woman.' 'When Jābāli said this much,'

went on the parrot, 'I remembered my former birth. The

sage then asked his pupil to take me to the Caṇḍāla maidan

and tell her as follows: Mahāśvetā! Know that this parrot is

the object of your cherished desire. Take him to Sūdraka,

the king of Malavas, and your desires will be realised. The

king was Nandikeśvara, (the chief attendant of Siva) in his

former life. He was cursed by goddess Bhavaānī to be born

as a king. When he listens to the story of Candrāpīḍa as recited

by the parrot, he will give up his passion for the conquest of

the regions and will follow the path of Trivarga (Dharma,

Artha and Kāma) with his four wives.' The pupil accordingly

took me to the Candṇḍāla maiden; and, she in her turn, to king

Suūdraka; and, as desired by him, I told him my story. Soon

after, there came down through the rays of the moon, my

former body and also that of Mahāśvetaā. We shuffled off

our accursed bodies and assumed our original forms. All our

woes are gone; we have now come to see you.'
 

 
(Av. Sāra V. 142-49)
 

 
'After narrating their story,' Mandaākiniī resumed, 'the

happy pair left me; and I went to worship god Mukunda. The

god said to me, 'Grieve not my child. You will soon join your

husband of divine origin. Once, my son Samba sported on a
āmba sported on a
lake and the sage Jaritāri was also sporting there in the form

of a swan. Samba caught hold of the swan and fettered his
āmba caught hold of the swan and fettered his
feet with the fibres of lotus stalk. The sage inflicted on him
the curse
the curse 'May your feet be fettered in another birth.' Samba
āmba
is born as prince Rājavāhana for the destruction of Asuras.

Your husband has taken many births on earth, and Raāja-

vāhana will deliver him from mortal life. Your husband will

obtain. with his aid, a fiery chariot to ride on, and will be

known as Agniratha. Yajñavatiī, wife of Saāmba, is now born

as princess Avantisundarī. Please, give this crest-jewel to

the prince which gives the wearer immunity from the ills of

man.' With this message of the god, I returned home and was

biding my time. Now by your kindness have come upon this
happiness."
 

happiness.'
 
Mandākinī having related her story took the god-given

gem from a casket and put it on the tuft of hair of the prince.

Mandaākiniī and Agniratha were exceedingly grateful to the