अवन्तिसुन्दरीकथासारः /59

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
 
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displeasure, have consented to give me in marriage to him,

but I prefer giving myself to death.'
 

 
(Av. Sāra VI. 57-67)
 

 
'Don't be rash, fair one,' said I. 'We shall have

the man done to death by a device. Let your trustworthy

friend tell the public through your parents that Baāla-

candrikā is possessed of an evil spirit and that the spirit

will kill her husband if he is not of the same caste and status.

If, on hearing this, the ruffian keeps away, so much the better.

If not, let the same friend say that you should be taken to his

palace, lest the spirit should attack your relations also in your

house. If he takes you to his palace, I shall go with you

disguised as a maidservant and kill him in secret.' Her

friend did everything as instructed. In spite of the gossip,
the stupid Daruṇavarman, blind with passion, persisted, and
her father took her to his palace. I accompanied her,
dressed as a maidservant, and entered the chamber of

the stupid Dāruṇavarman, strucblind with passion, persisted, and
her father took him to death. When it was announced
that er to his palace. I accompanied her,
dressed as a maidservant, and entered the chamber of
Dāruṇavarman, struck him to death. When it was announced
that Dāruṇavarman who attempted to defile a virgin was

killed by an evil spirit, the father of Baālacandrikā gave her to

me in marriage with pleasure. And this incident has been a

precursor to the abundant happiness that I now enjoy on

seeing Your Majesty."

(Av. Sāra VI. 68-76)
 

 
Princess Avantisundari
 
ī
 
Having listened to the story, the prince exclaimed,

"Fortunately, we have seen our parents," and at that

moment, the parents of Puşṣpodbhava and Baālacandrikā also

came there. The prince paid his respects to them. Then

they all started in a car and entered the city. Rāja vāhana

put up in the beautiful residence of Ratnodbhava and des-

patched men in search of the other companions. After a

few days, Puşṣpodbhava told the prince that princess Avanti-

sundarī had arranged to celebrate the water festival and

asked his wife to attend the function along with him. They

say the princess is very beautiful. Is it so'?, enquired the
prince.
prince. 'She is of wondrous beauty' replied Baālacandrikā.

'None else is so beautiful as she.' Puspodbhava asking his

wife to draw a likeness of the princess, she said it was not

possible to bring out her beauty in a picture. Then the prince

drew from memory a portrait of the virgin Yajñavatiī. And

Puşṣpodbhava was astonished to find that it was the portrait

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