________________
225
•
C
has come twenty-five yojanas since the garment fell.' Then Dadhiparna was astonished; but seeing in front of him a vibhitaka-tree, he said to the hunchback: Mark, hunchback, I know the number of fruits on this vibhitaka-tree without counting them.' The hunchback said: Then show the marvel.' The king said: 'I will not show it now, as there would be delay; I will show it to you on the way back.' The hunchback said: King, do not be afraid, there will be no loss of time with me as your charioteer. With one blow of my fist I will lay all the fruits in front of you.' The king answered: Bring all the fruits down and behold a marvel. There are eighteen thousand fruits.' Then the hunchback brought them down with a blow of his fist. Dadhiparna counted them, and there turned out to be exactly as many as he had said. Then the hunchback, being entreated, gave Dadhiparna the art of understanding the dispositions of horses, and himself received from him the art of numbering fruits. The next morning the chariot approached the city of Kundina. The lotus of Dadhiparna's face was expanded with joy. In the meanwhile, Davadantí saw a dream at the end of night.* She told it to her father. She said: 'I saw the revered goddess of happiness. She carried me through the sky to the garden of Koçalá; then, by the command of the goddess, I climbed up a fragrant mango-tree, which was full of fruit and flowers. The goddess put a splendid fruit into my hand. A bird, which had before gone up to guard it, fell down.' Bhímaratha said: 'My daughter, you have seen a most favourable dream. The goddess of happiness is your accumulated merit in active operation. The garden of Koçalá is the kingdom of Koçalá. The climbing up the fragrant mango-tree is the chain of events leading to a meeting between you and Nala. The falling down of the bird, that had previously ascended, is the deposition of Kúvara. As for your seeing the dream in the morning, that means that
*For the belief that dreams seen at this time are sure to prove true, see my translation of the Katha Sarit Ságara,' vol. i., p. 441; and vol. ii., p. 482.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
