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LXV
ATIVIRYA'S PREDICAMENT
Vijayapur was a beautiful and fascinating city. There were fascinating gardens in and around the city.
The evening was slowly advancing. The sun was slowly declining in the west. At such a time, Shri Ram came to the city of Vijayapur. He halted beneath a huge banyan tree. Since Sita was tired of having travelled throughout the day, she slept. Lakshman was still awake. That was his habit. When Shri Ram and Sita slept he remained awake and kept a vigilant watch.
Mahidhar was the king of Vijayapur. Indrani was the queen and Vanamala was the princess. Vanamala was a damsel of great beauty. She surpassed all the other girls in the city in beauty. In seemed as though the creator Brahma, created Vanamala out of the divine fire torn from the interior of the sun. It seemed as though Brahma had fixed in her face two bright stars for her eyes. Her long dark hair seemed to have been fashioned out of clouds. The Brahma seemed to have made her forehead by means of the radiance of the lightning flashes. Her tender body seemed to have been fashioned out of material torn from the cool and pleasant moon.
Vanamala had heard from her attendants stories relating to Lakshman's fascinating appearance and astounding heroism. So, she decided, "I will marry only Lakshman and none else."
Several years had passed since she made the decision. The wheel of time kept revolving. One day, the king of Vijayapur heard that King Dasarath of Ayodhya had received initiation
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