Gaudavaho

Author(s): Vakpatiraj, Narhari Govind Suru, P L Vaidya, A N Upadhye, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 36

(xix ) offering in the fire ) by the angry king ( Janamejaya)" ( 483 ). Visit to the famous lake in Kuru-kşetra :
Leaving the place of the serpent-sacrifice, he moves over to the famous lake in Kuru-kşetra, in which he relaxed in the enjoyment of water-sports with his beloveds ( 486). The lake was the scene of the final fight between Bhima and Duryodhana who, as he lay hidden, submerged under water, was dragged out from its bottom like a big fish ( 485), after having reviled him for his folly of attempting to trap and strap Mādhava (Krsna), for his lecherous act of disrobing Draupadi and his obscene gesture of stroking his thigh, 'on which alone lies the strength of cowards' and which was smashed by Bhima ( 489 ). All this the King remembered at this site, as also the last fight between Karna and Arjuna, fought here - of which the princes assembled talked among themselves, praising the magnanimity of Karna
who refused to fix again to his bow the serpent-shaft, which failed to hit the mark on Arjuna and who gifted away to Indra the precious armour that had been as an inseperable part of his bodily skin' (493). It was here that the great Karna met his death when he was engaged in extracting his chariot-wheel that tore into the earth'( 494). Ayodhyā, former city of Hariscandra, bodily lifted and lodged in Heaven :
From the Kuru-kşetra the King goes over to the city of Ayodhyā 'where he built a palatial temple in one day' (508). This was in ancient days the city of the famous king Hariscandra, who accepted a place in heaven on condition that his city also was transported to the heaven. The gods acceded to his request and accordingly