Srngaramanjari Katha

SR No.: 002914
Original Sutra Author: Bhojdev
Author: Kalpalata K Munshi
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1959
Total Pages: 312
Language: Sanskrit, Hindi
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 21 MB

Page 292

TRANSLATION
silken dresses of variegated flowers and swaying sprouts were slow. ly made to dance by the Malaya wind like a dancing teacher.
83
During (such a spring) on the vernal pilgrimage of the God Kalapriya Deva, the fortunate (VINAYADHARA) who by his beauty and wealth conquered the Fish-bannered God, who was skilful in all the arts came to see the God attired in a charming dress along with his friends of the same age and conduct. While out of curiosity he was moving on the temple grounds, by chance a courtesan came there. She was, it seemed, a conquering missile of the Flower-armoured God, a ray of the moon to the night lotuses in the form of the eyes of the people, a lotus-tank for the bees in the form of the senses, the moving ground for the elephant in the form of Smara, who transformed the sky by the lustre of her moonface even during the day due to the moonlight of her face. On seeing her he thought that Prajapati, the creator of the world cannot be her Creator, (77) for her beauty was quite distinct from that of the other women created by him. Thinking thus he came within her sight. On beholding him she was pierced like a deer by an arrow of the hunter Love, and her body had horripilation like a lotus-stalk in the lake of love. At the sight of each other the tender shoot of love of these two shot up. He assigned the work of making her acquaintance to his clever friend VIDAGDHA and went home. Through her friend TARALIKA, VIDAGHA made her acquaintance and then related the whole thing to VINAYADHARA. VINAYADHARA sent him again to take her promise.
In dalliance with that ANANGAVATI he spent that night as in a moment. Thus enjoying amorous pleasures in her company many days passed. In course of time all his wealth was expended, still to her he was dearer than life. When the bawd came to know that she had turned away all other rich men and was attached to him alone she herself drove him out. But under some pretext he gained entrance again. Scorning him she again and again drove him out. ANAŃGAVATI, however, continued to meet him either at a rented house or at a friend's place. When the bawd saw that ANANGAVATI was still meeting him she admonished her thus: "You meet him again, well do not blame me (afterwards) that I did not warn you."
Now once while VINAYADHARA was coming from his house he saw a recently killed frightful snake. Thinking that it will serve his purpose he hid it in his belt. Going near her house he sent to ANANGAVATI his fees through a good friend and came to sleep. At the middle of the night he entered the next bedroom where the intoxicated bawd was sleeping. He slowly spread the dead serpent