________________
finding out about Vasudeva's jumping into the fire the members reached the graveyard and seeing the reasons for his doing so written on the tree, they were very sad and worried and completing all the last rites, returned home. Vasudeva felt worldly bonds are unfathomable, mysterious and transient. It is good. People believe I am no more. Hence they will not try to look for me and I can now uninhibitedly and freely move about.
After resting that night Vasudeva left that place and kept wandering about through different places. In the meantime, he learnt many things, undertook the study of various kinds of skills and on many occasions, put his courage and valour to use. This way, wandering about, Vasudeva reached Ari apura, the main city in the Kau ala republic. There he found out that the king of Kau ala, Rudhira, was organising a svayamvara (the woman selecting a groom for her) for his daughter, princess Rohi , for which many great kings like Jar samdha, Damagho a, P mdu, Samudravijaya, Candr bha, Kamsa, etc were to be present. Vasudeva, too, sat with a pa ava musical instrument in his hand in a corner at the svayamvarahall. Accompanied by countless maids, the moment Rohi entered with a garland in her hands, the entire hall looked like a painting with her aura blinding it. The faces of the kings (to whom Rohi would go with the garland) would glow like the sun, but the moment she moved on ahead, their faces would turn pale and dark, losing sheen, just as the sun under the effect of the plant R hu. Vasudeva made a soft, melodious tune with his musical instrument with the sound of which Rohi , like an enchanted peacock, moved towards Vasudeva leaving all the great kings, and reaching him, placed the garland around his neck and went quietly into her chambers.
There was furor in the hall. Many called out aloud, "after all, she chose a musician.” Many kings felt it was not right. One of them said to the king of Kau ala, “If your daughter already likes a singer, what was the necessity for the theatrics of a svayamvara to insult the kings?” To this, king of Kau ala said, "a girl has the right to choose her groom in a svayamvara. She selects the one she finds suitable or her.” Vasudeva said, “Is a k atriya not allowed to sing or play music? Seeing the pa ava in my hands how did you all think I am not a k atriya?”' Hearing this, a king named Damagho a said, “Insulting kings of pure clans by choosing a man of unknown descent is not right." Seeing the conversation take this turn someone suggested that if the singer claims to be a K atriya, ask him to introduce his lineage. Vasudeva said, "What is the use of all this
176
