________________
204
partiallty towards one having great strength; but who is powerful enough to achieve such a success í With this idea in his mind, the king said, " Darling ! Do not be obstinate. He is an unique wrestler; ask for some other boon. Silavati then replied :If it be so; any other husband for me is blazing fire. Knowing the firm determination of his daughter, the king sent messengers to a number of klogs with his daughter's message. Their prioces rejecting the terms, began to say :-" Who will awaken the slee ping God of Death ? Or, who will takes a virulent poison ? Who will be prepared to have a fight with the wrestler Kāla-mégha ? We are not, in the least, desirous of having such a kingdom, and we are not looking out for a wife who can be acquired with difficulty-even with much peril to our lives. Without accompilshing their respective mission, the messengers returned disappointedly, and they informed the king about all the princes rejec. ting the proposal of a wrestling contest, King Dévaséna was much grieved. The ministers and feudatory princes, requested the king :-0 Lord! Why do you become 80 spiritless? You may not, perkaps, have heard that Nara-Vikrama Kumāra, gon of the klng of Kuru-déta is very powerful. The king said -He will, also, turn away disappointed in the same way The ministers and the feudatory princes said :-0 Lord I please, do not say so, the superiority of his strength is un-bounded. His exer. tion on battle-field is un-Imaginable, and his skill in the art of Malla-yuddha (pugilistic encounter, boxing match ) is indescrib. able. What more can we say? What description can any one give of the prince given to King Narasimha by the goddess who had been greatly sallsfled by his adventurous deeds ? Only in body he is a human being but all his virtuous qualities are supremely divine.
Being greatly pleased on hearing the admirable qualities of Nara-Vikrama Kumăra, our king has sent me to you. That is O Lordmy only request. The king said :-O good man ! your request creates fear, and joy at the same time, like a lion's den filled with excellent gems or like a gem on the hood of séşanãga (the serpent supporting the earth, and forming the couch
HRM
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org