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INTRODUCTION
ii) STORY OF THE PLAY
The Queen of Manaveda had her aunt married to Candravarman, the king of Angas. Candravarman has a lovely daughter, Candralekha by name. She had auspicious marks on her body; and it was prophesied that she would make her husband a universal monarch. Naturally she was an object of attraction for various kings.
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During spring, one day, the king Sindhunatha sent to Manaveda a pleasure gift of the jewel Cintamani, well-known for its miraculous potency to fulfil any desire. Manaveda accepted the gift. It was one of his ambitions that he should become the monarch of the earth surrounded by seven seas. Knowing from the King that the jewel is presided over by a Deity, namely, Cintamanidevata, who grants any object of desire, Vidūşaka entreated the jewel Cintamani to bring before them the most lovely girl on the earth.
That day Candralekha was sporting in the park at Campā. She was, through the power of that jewel, straight-way brought to the palace of Manaveda. Her identity, however, was not known to any one excepting the Deity. She was so beautiful that her presence was a matter of surprise to all. The Queen welcomed her as a noble-born girl. From the moment the King saw her, he fell in love with her. Candralekha also felt attachment for him. Once he attended her singing entertainment, and a second time he met her in the Plantain Arbour. Their passion for each other reached almost a fatal point. The Queen suspected and came to know about their love; and hearing about their secret meeting, she kept that poor girl under guard: she was not aware of her personal relation with her. The sudden disappearance of Candralekha from Campā was a matter of great concern to the family. Her brother Candraketu came to the court of Manaveda for Vișuvotsava. He gave out the distressing news to the Queen (of Manaveda) how her cousin sister Candralekha, who was destined to be the wife of a Cakravartin and who was betrothed to king Manaveda, had disappeared to their great sorrow. The Queen immediately appealed to Manaveda to inquire from the kings gathered there as to who had kidnapped princess Candralekha. They all solemnly pleaded innocence in the matter.
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King Manaveda, seeing no other way out, prayed to that Cintamani-devata who consequently brought forth the same lovely
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