Sadyavatsa Kathanakam

Author(s): Pritam Singhvi
Publisher: Parshwa International Shaikshanik aur Shodhnishth Pratishthan

Page 102

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हर्षवर्धन-गणि-कृतं सदयवत्स-कथानकम him. S. declined their offer of magic gifts. So the thieves clandestinely inserted in his shield a jewelled bodice worth a million and promised to go to his help when remembered in a critical situation. S. and Sāvaliṁgā left that place. Proceeding further they came across a deserted city, where the presiding deity of the buried treasures of king Nanda of yore appeared before S. and offered him the treasures. But unwilling to take possession of the treasures without offering ceremonial worship, S. moved on and reached the precincts of Pratisthāna. He left Sävalimgā in charge of a bard there, and proceeded towards Pratişthāna to procure funds through gambling.
As he entered the city gate he chanced to see a fellow with hands, nose and ears maimed. He took this to be an evil omen, but that Thumthā introduced himself as the prince of Simhala. He lost all his money at gambling during his visit to Pratisthāna and having failed to pay dues, he was maimed by the gamblers. S. accepted him as his trusted companion.
The pair arrived at the temple of the Sun-god, where a dispute raged between the Royal Courtesan Kāmasenā and a city merchant. Kāmasenā was demanding five hundred gold coins from the merchant's son Somadatta as the charge for cohabiting with her in her dream! The disputing parties appointed S. as the arbiter. He resolved the dispute by offering to the courtesan's mother the mirror-image of the demanded amount. The amount was piled in front of a mirror. Kāmasenā, receiving report of the arrival of an attractive noble young man, came to the temple. She was lovestriken at the first sight. She gave a dance-performance at the temple with such intensity that she collapsed with exhaustion. The royal physician diagnosed her ailment as love-affliction. Kāmasenā invited S. to stay with her. When S. sought Thumthā's advice in this matter, the latter warned him about the viles of prostitutes. But Kāmasenā won over Thumthā by offering him the services of her younger sister. So they accepted Kāmasenā's proposal which solved