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INTRODUCTION
xvii name, showing to him his joint hands in an attitude of prayer ; 80 after the council was seperated, the king sent for him and asked him what he meant. Ambada said that from the demeanour of the king he inferred that the king wished to find out whether there was any warrior in the assembly by sending whom he could reduce Mallikārjuna who being vainglorious had assumed false dignity; and that, being himself competent to execute the commission, he had made that silent request. Immediately the king brought together the various sections of his army and his dependents, and despatched them against Mallikārjujia with him. Having made several long and Qo'nsecutive marches Ambada had just crossed the river Kalavini and was pitching tents when Mallikārjuna attacked him and routed his army. Being thus defeated and driven to the other side of the river, he attired himself in black' clothes and, having used black flags in his army, lived in black tents. Kumārapāla, who was in that part of the country, having seen the dismal camp and being informed that it was Ambada's and that the appearance he had assumed was owing to his being unable to bear the disgrace of the defeat he had met with, was struck with the highly sensitive nature of that general and sent another army and some more of his powerful feudatory princes to his aid. Being thus assisted Āmbada again crossed the river Kalaviņi, and after constructing a road, again assailed the army of Mallikārjuna. Directing his attention particularly towards the king and getting up to the head of his elephant, he used his tusks as a ladder, challenged him to a single fight and called upon him to invoke his favourite deity and to be the first to strike. Then Ambada throw him down and out off his head, the feudatory princes who had been sent to his aid being in the meanwhile engaged in plundering the town. Having
