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AVANTISUNDARI KATHA SARA
 
- son.
 
"I roamed about and saw the daughter of the king of
Päriyātra in the camp by the side of a mountain. At the
sight of her I was smitten with love; but I had no time to
think of love. After a little reflection, I cried aloud with
uplifted hands, Please! set free Mānapala, the minister's
It was I that killed Prakaṇṭaka and not Mänapāla.'
Hearing this the five thieves fell upon the soldiers who were
taking Manapala for execution and slew them. We then fled
to the women's camp near the mountain, killed the guards
and rescued the princess from the hands of the enemy. As
she was trembling with fear I approached her and said:
Princess, we are the thieves and seek your protection.' She
blushed in reply and casting down her face bashfully looked
at me. And Manapala's wife standing near, said, 'Sir, I have
told the princess all about your noble deeds and she has been
captivated by your handsomeness, valour and deeds.' Just
then, Mänapälä joined us with reinforcement. The Lata
king was in a fury at the murder of the commander's son.
He fell upon us with a large force and a scuffle followed. I
mounted a swift elephant, destroyed the foes and despatched
Mattakala to the abode of death. Matipāla, the minister, sent
a message of our victory to king Viraketu, and the latter, with
a joyful heart, invited me to his court and gave his daughter
to me in marriage..
 
46
 
(Av. Sāra VII. 35-43)
 
"Soon I was attacked with a disease and the minister
disclosed to me a strange story: 'My good child', said he,
long ago an occasion took us to the temple of Mahākāla at
Ujjain; and our queen Mälävati worshipped the god for a
long time and prayed for a daughter. The god granting her
request said that the man who married her daughter would
die of a disease if he did not worship him for six months
without break. It was because of this word of god that,
when the Lāṭa king sought the hand of the princess, the king
sent her away to his camp thinking he could thereby destroy
his inveterate enemy by exposing him to Siva's fury. Now
that you are taken ill, we shall lose no time in worshipping
the god." "Having said this", continued Somadatta, the
minister took me to the temple along with the princess. And
now in the joy of seeing your majesty my disease seems to
have left me for good."