Kathakoca or Treasury of Stories

SR No.: 016059
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: C H Tawney
Publisher: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation New Delhi
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 288
Language: English
Classification: Dictionary & Dictionary
File Size: 15 MB

Page 48

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the night a son has been born to me. I left that son in an arbour of plantains, and went to a lake to wash my clothes and to bathe; but while I was thus engaged, a waterelephant, seizing me with the extremity of his trunk, tossed me up into the sky. As I was falling down I was intercepted by you. That child will be killed by some wild beast, or will naturally die for want of nourishment. Do me a favour; bring the child here, or take me to him.' The Vidyadhara said: 'If you accept me as a husband, I will do your bidding. The queen said : Who are you ?' He answered : On the Vaitádhya mountain, in a city named Ratnávaha, there was & Vidyádhara named Maņichúļa ; I am his son, named Maņiprabha; my father placed me upon his throne and took & Vow; now that hermit is in the island of Nandígvara, having gone there to adore the chaityas ; as I was going to see him I beheld you. Moreover, that son of yours was discovered in the forest by Padmaratha, King of Mithila, who had been run away with by his horse. He took the boy and gave him to his wife Pushpamálá, and she cherished him as her own son, and he is there in comfort. All this I have heard from the science named Prajnapti ; now do you adorn my royal throne. When Madanarekhá heard that, she said to herself: "What device shall I adopt to save my honour ?' Then the queen, having reflected in her own mind, said: 'First cause me to perform the pilgrimage to Nandíçvara; afterwards I will do what you say. Then the Vidyadhara Maạiprabha, pleased with her speech, took her to Nandiçvara, and enabled her to worship the everlasting chaityas. There Maņiprabha and Madanarekhá bowed before the great hermit Manichúda, and both of them sat down in front of him. The hermit, knowing by his insight the behaviour of Madanarekhá, expounded the holy religion, and recalled his son Maņiprabha to a sense of his duty. Maniprabha said to Madanarekhá: 'Henceforth you are my sister in the faith, and I am your servant, bound to execute your orders.' So Maniprabha was converted. Then Madanarekhá, asked the hermit for tidings of her son. He