Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 5

SR No.: 001005
Original Sutra Author: Hemchandracharya
Author: Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra
Publication Year: 1962
Total Pages: 507
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Mythology, & Story
File Size: 11 MB

Page 52

PREVIOUS INCARNATIONS OF ARISTANEMI 21 and they both remained comfortably in Kośala's house.
One day the King of Kośala joyfully gave his daughter Kanakamālā to Hariņandin's son. After he had remained several days, one day, with the idea, “ May there be no obstacle to (my) leaving," he left in the night with his friend without saying anything about it. As he was going along, not far from the temple of the godess Kālikā, he heard a cry in the night, “Oh! Oh! The earth is lacking in men.”
Thinking, “A woman is crying, " the hero, an ocean of compassion, followed the sound like an arrow that strikes merely from sound.29 He saw a woman riding an elephant near a blazing fire and a man with a sharp sword drawn. “Some one, who is a man, protect me from this base Vidyādhara,” she cried again, like a goat in the presence of a butcher.
The prince reviled him, saying, “Stand up for battle, villain. Is this courage of yours (only) against a woman, basest of men ?" The Khecara advanced for battle with a drawn sword, saying, “Shall I not hurl my courage against you?” After they had fought sword against sword for a long time, both, expert, escaping each other's blows, they fought handto-hand eagerly. Realizing that Aparājita could not be conquered in a hand-to-hand fight, the elephant of Vidyādharas bound him with a magic noose.30Prince Aparājita broke the noose, like a rogue-elephant the rope of the tying-post, with great anger. By the power of magic arts the Vidyādhara attacked the prince with many weapons, angry like an Asurakumāra.31 By the power of the prince's former merit and the strength of his body, his blows had no effect at all on the prince.
Just then the sun rose on the eastern peak and the prince struck the Khecara on his head with a sword. Unconscious * 29 295. The target is located merely by sound.
30 301. Nāgapāśa, here with a play on the meaning elephant' of nāga. Usually the play is on its meaning serpent.'
31 303. For the Asurakumaras, see II, p. 106.