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334
LILĀVAI
[ 43
many descriptions and digressions, the thread of the narrative would be lost sight of unless sufficient care is taken beforehand. "
THE AUTHOR NARRATES THE KATHA TO HIS WIFE, 43-1333
43-113) ""On this revered earth, rich in jewels and girdled by four oceans, there is a prosperous country, well known as Asmaka, an abode of religion and riches (Described 45-51). In the centre of that country there is the beautiful town called Pratisthäna, full of attraction and pleasure. There the Maharastra ladies wash off their sins, day to day, in the river Godavari, the stream of which is rendered yellowish by the turmeric from their breasts (The town, described 52.63). There ruled a king, Satavahana by name, who was famous, meritorious, invincible and brave. He was an object of love for courtezans and a great patron of poets (The king described 64-72). When that mighty monarch was at the height of his prosperity, there sets in the spring season, the very messenger of cupid, spreading beauty and bloom in the gardens and enkindling passion in the hearts of lovers (Spring scenes described 73-88). Thus when Cupid was capturing one and all, the king came to the Hall of audience and took his seat on the throne, waited upon by feudatories, hailed by eloquent bards and surrounded by courtezans. The king engages himself in a sweet, merry talk with the courtezan Candralekha. He draws her attention to the fact how the whole world is full with Malaya breezes and the pollen of flowers, and asks her why and by whom all her limbs were charmingly decked with various paintings (Details described 89-100). The same old artist (citrakara), she modestly submitted, who had then sketched His Majesty on a leaf, had come back again from Simhala-dvipa and painted her limbs on the occasion of the Cupid's Festival (madana-mahotsava ). While the king was in a happy mood, a minister-prince suggested to him that the artist might be a spy sent by the king of Simhala and staying there as an artist at Candralekha's place; [the king remarks that Vijayananda accompanied by the minister Pottisa, has been sent against the king of Simhala, but so far no authentic information is received from that quarter ]; that he had heard from spies that Vijayananda, along with Pottisa, had reached the shore, and that the king of Simhala was preparing himself to give a fight. The king said that Vijayananda is the best judge of the situation, and that he would attend to the report of the spy after the festivity was over. The king then presented festive gifts to courtezans and bards,
43) is often represented as supporting the world; see also notes on 5 above. 44) The old legend of the Brāhmaṇas concerning the boar which raised the earth from the waters has been appropriated to far. A demon named had dragged the earth to the bottom of the sea. To recover it far assumed the form of a boar, and after a contest of thousand years he slew the emon and raised up the earth.' Metre requires . 45) The gaña escribes
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