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Life and Stories of Pārçvanātha
Kathās. 123. 130 ff. Vikramāditya, in company with a Vetāla, enters a temple, and beholds there a dance before a Liñga, executed by singers and players. At the end of the spectacle the dancing nymphs disappear in the figures carved on pillars of the temple; in the same way the singers and players go into the figures of men, painted on the walls. The Vetāla says: "Such is this heavenly enchantment produced by Vigvakarman, lasting forever, for this will always take place at both twilights.'
There are next, animated dolls, which are inhabited by more or less divine persons. In Viracarita vii (Ind. Stud. xiv. 108) Çālavāhana hears the cry of a woman, who declares that she is Sāmrājyalaksmi (Royal Fortune'), wailing over the downfall of virtue in the world. She desires to live four days in the body of a beautiful woman. Çālavāhana vows that he will marry all maidens, in order that she may find refuge on his breast. The Brahmans fear that the castes will become confused, and implore Karnakumāri (perhaps, Kanyakumārī= Bhavānī), who promises aid. Brahmā gives a doll made of dough to the Brahman Çamika; she turns into a beautiful maiden. Çālavāhana wishes to wed her, but, as the veil is being drawn from the bride, she proves to be Karnakumārī. Çālavāhana flees horrified, and penetrates thru Abhihrada into hell.
In Vīracarita xi (Ind. Stud. xiv. 116) Pārvatī makes for herself a doll girl, Candanaputrī, so beautiful, that she sees fit to hide her from the sight of her spouse. She hides her away in Malayagiri, where she goes daily to adorn her. Çiva becomes suspicious, dogs her steps, sees the doll, and, when alone with her, caresses her. When the goddess finds out the misdemeanor of her creature, she curses her into a she-jackal, the curse to last until she has born a child to Çiva
Less often than might be expected, animated statues or dolls appear in the role of automatons (Hebrew, Golems). In Ralston. Tibetan Tales, p. 361, a mechanician sends an artificial maiden to wait upon a guest. She washes his feet, and then stands still. Desiring to enjoy her, he seizes her by the hand, whereupon she collapses and turns into a heap of chips. In Jülg, Mongolische Märchen, pp. 235 ff., one of four shepherd boys fashions a woman out of wood; the second of them paints her yellow; the third gives her characteristic marks '; and the fourth breathes into her the
