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RATNASAR
101
"Regret not, sir. There will be the happy reunion this very day."
Just then a lady stepped ipside the temple. She worshipped and danced before the image Ratnasar saw all this from the window. Slowly he came down to her, bowed before her and enquired who she was and how she came to that dense forest and for what purpose The lady gave the following account :
“There is a city named Kanakpura where reigns King Kanakadhwaja. His wife Kusumshri dreamt one night that two garlands came flying to her. In the morning, when she told the king about the dream, he said,
'It appears that twin girls will be born to you.'
“In course of time, the queen gave birth to two daughters, who were named Asokamanjari and Tilakamanjari. When they stepped into their youth, the king thought of settling them in marriage, preferably with one groom.
"It was now spring, and both the sisters went to the royal garden to enjoy a swing Asokamanjari sat on it and Tilakamanjarı pushed from behind. Just then a Vidyadhara was flying over the garden When he saw Asokamanjari on the swing, he picked her up from there and disappeared in the sky. When Tilakamanjarı saw this, she fell down senseless on the ground
“When the sad news reached the palace, the king, the queen and members of the royal hourehold, leading citizens, all came to the park. But there was nothing to be done and so all returned very sad at the episode,
“Tilakamanjari was now at the palace It was the last quarter of the night when she got up and came to the temple of Goddess Chakreswari to propitiate her for the recovery of her dear sister. The goddess was well pleased at her devotion, and assured her that in a month's time she would not only know the where-about of her sister, but also meet her. When Tilakamanjarı enquired of the goddess when and where she would meet her, the goddess told her that she would meet her in a temple dedicated to the first tirthan