________________
INTRODUCTION
his father who bestowed the kingdom on his brother-in-law' and retired to the forest. Kuvalayavali returned to Mahanumati who was shocked to hear all this and who made up her mind that she should better die than live without the prince. Kuvalayavali assured her that the prince is perhaps still alive and they should propitiate Bhavani who would fulfil their wishes. They retired to the forest and began to stay in a hermitage near the SaptaGodavari Bhima.
Due to the absence of the ring Nägäri on his person, prince Madhavanila was secretly carried away to Pātāla and restrained there by terrible serpents.
After the lapse of some time, king Silāmegha had from his queen Saradasri a daughter, Lilavati by name. On the day of her birth a divine voice, as well as astrologers, announced that the beloved chosen by her would be a universal sovereign. When she reached youth, her father got prepared paintings of all the famous kings and placed them in her bed chamber. She fell in love with king Satavahana alias Hala; and since she met him in her dream, she began to pine with pangs of separation. When her parents came to know this, they consented to her going to Hala. On the way, her party camped on the other bank of Godavari, opposite to the hermitage of Mahanumati and Kuvalayavali. One day, after plucking flowers and bathing in Godavari, Lilavati occupied herself with the worship of Bhavani, while her companion Vicitralekha went into the hermitage and introduced the princess to Mahanumati who at once disclosed their mutual relation. Lilavati came to the hermitage; she learnt all about the sad lot of her sister Mahanumati; and out of sympathy for her, she resolved, like a devoted younger sister, to stay with them till Mahanumati met the beloved of her choice. Thus they all stayed there facing the calamities that had befallen them.
23
The king Satavahana, at the zenith of his glory, thought of subjugating Silāmegha of Simhala and despatched against him his army under Vijayānanda, accompanied by the minister Pottisa. On the way were defeated the king of Malayācala [i. e., Viravahana ?] and the ruler of Pandya. And while attempts were being made to cross the ocean, minister Pottisa talked to Vijayananda that Šilāmegha could not be defeated
Jain Education International
1 Can we presume that the name of this brother-in-law was Viravahana, in whose treasury, we are told further, the Necklace presented by Mahanumati to Madhavilata was found and was brought to Satavahana who further sends it through Vijayananda to Lilavati?
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
