Mallikamakarandanatakam

Author(s): Ramchandra Mahakavi, Punyavijay
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 21

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Mallikamak aranda
addition sent his message to you : “ You are my husband. You, however, protect yourself by becoming small. Even Hari in his incarnation as Krsoa) became an insignificant cowherd (boy) and killed Kamsa (his powerful enemy)." After delivering this message she adds that he should remain in the Siddhāyatana as no misfortunes overtake a person during his stay there. And if he feels dull and uninterested from the longings of love he might divert himself by visiting the pleasure-lake in the garden. With these words she goes away.
Being oppressed by the scorching heat of the sun, Makaranda takes a walk along the bank of the pleasure-lake in the garden. After a while he comes across the camp of Citrāngada. He therefore goes in another direction. He chances to see a secluded mansion. As soon as he enters, he hears a voice advising him not to enter the mansion which is the abode of great sins. Makaranda then notices a parrot, kept in a cage in the courtyard, talking in human voice. Makaranda desires to know the parrot's account. The parrot then narrates his account thus; There was a seatrader, Vaigravaņa by name and a resident of Vaibhala-nagara. He had a wife called Manorama. Once both of them got into a ship filled with precious goods of various kinds. On their way they got down to observe the beautiful trees in the forest. In the course of their wandering they came across a middle-aged ( lit. aged ) lady. She welcomed them both to her own mansion. They stayed there for quite a few days. Once while Vaigravana was seated on a couch in a room on the top of the mansion, which was all bathed in moon-light, Candralekha, overcome by passion, invited him for amorous dalliance with her. He being a devout Jain and being devoted to abstinence from sexual intercourse with another's wife rejected her invitation. This infuriated her. Using magical powder she transformed him into a parrot and kept him imprisoned in a cage. That Vaisravana is my own self; Candralekhā made Manoramā, my wife, work as a female servant with her own daughter Mallikā, who was transformed into a male (Tāpasakumāra). Candralekhā herself, with her retinue, now resides in the hemitage of Gandhamūşikā, who had come there from Vaibhala-nagara. Makaranda asks the parrot whether there is some way to get out of the wretched condition. He informs him that the touch of a human hand would restore him to his original form. Makaranda pulls him out of the cage and he is restored to his origioal form. Makaranda asks him to go to the Siddhāyatana for his own safety and that there is every chance of his meeting his wife Manorama there. The parrot (of course, now Vaisravana) leaves for the Siddhāyatana. Makaranda then overhears a converasation from behind the scenes. It is a conversation between Citrāngada and Kapiñjala. As directed by his master Citrāngada Kapiñjala carries with him pomogranate and other fruits for the parrot.