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46 AVANTISUNDARIĪ KATHAĀ SAĀRA
 
- son.
 

 
 
"I roamed about and saw the daughter of the king of

Päriyāriyātra 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 Mānapaāla, the minister's

son.
It was I that killed Prakaṇṭaka and not Mäānapāla.'

Hearing this the five thieves fell upon the soldiers who were

taking Manapaānapāla 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 Manapaānapāla'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, Mänapäläānapāla joined us with reinforcement. The Lata
āṭa
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 Viīraketu, 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 Mäläālāvati worshipped the god for a
ī 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 g

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 go
od." "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."