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INTRODUCTION
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gathering of good people assembled at Benares for the yātrā (or annual festivity) of Viśvanātha at the time of summer solstice. The subject matter, full of amorous flavour and with the great king Jaitracandra as the hero, would prove to be of quite absorbing interest. The prabandha to be staged is a Sattaka, Rambhā-mañjarī by name, which is in a way superior to the Karpūra-mañjari of Rājasekhara; its author is Nayacandra who, being blessed by the goddess of learning, is a skilled poet in six languages, and who has described himself by comparing his poetic gifts with those of Amaracandra and Sriharsa. In this Satta king Jaitracandra, who has already seven wives, marries Rambhā as the eighth with a view to become the lord of earth.
The king Jaitracandra, praised by bards in Sanskrit, Prākrit and Marāthī, enters with his queens; and he is greeted by a cuckoo from a mango tree with blossoms. The king and queen greet each other and are greeted by the bard on the advent of spring. There ensues an abusive quarrel between Vidūşaka and Karpūrikā; she laughs at his inheritance of scholarship from his wife's side and slights his poetic skill; both of them present their composition before royalty. Karpūrikā proves superior; Vidūşaka feels insulted and bids good bye to the palace. The queen describes moon-rise etc., and the king is anxious about Nārāyaṇadāsa who was to bring some news about Rambhā. Nārāyaṇadāsa accompanied by Rambhā in her wedding dress is brought in by Vidūşaka. The king received the name Jaitracandra, because, on the day of his birth, his grandfather defeated the Kharpara army which came to the Daśārņa country? Nārāyaṇadāsa has some happy news to convey : it is announced to the king from behind the curtain that Rambhā, born in the Kimmīra varsa, the grand-daughter of Devarāja and the daughter of king Madanavarman of Lāța, who is as beautiful as Pārvatī, was betrothed to (?) Hamsa, but is carried off by her maternal uncle Siva and has been brought here with the wedding kankana on her hand. The king receives her who comes in a palanquin; he begins to describe her limbs with an amorous eye; Vidūşaka and Nārāyaṇadāsa only switch on his appreciation for her; and his passion reaches a higher degree. The bard announces that it is an auspicious moment; the priests mutter the holy mantras; Vidūşaka declares that the king Jaitra and Rambhã are duly
1 The relevant lines stand thus: 4 afin qurta T8 #Carojas, fogo
FATHEUT TEV S a atá 1 I. 43,
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