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Vol. XXXV, 2012
Rṣidattacaritra-samgrahaḥ
Kanakaratha, the son of King Hemaratha is meritorious and fit to be her husband.
165
The King summoned a messenger and sent him to Kanakaratha. By the order of his father, Kanakaratha started, with is army, towards the city of Kaveri. While going uninterruptedly, he sat under a mango-on way. Then a messenger came there and informed him that the King named Aridamana warns that if he entered the territory of his kingdom, he shall die. Kanakaratha conveyed through the messenger that he was eager to fight out with him. The messenger informed the King Aridamana, who went out prepared for the fight. The prince, too, was ready to fight.
When the army set out for the war, the Sun set. The speedy horses in the army rushed out. There ensued a fierce war between the forces of both. Prince Kanakaratha defeated Aridamana, and caught him alive. After some jaunts, the prince released Aridamana, who was overcome with detachment, and took to asceticism, and attained liberation in the holy path of the Tirthamkara Nemināthā.
While going further in the forest, the spies that had gone in search of water returned and informed the prince of there being a very big lake and of their having seen a divinely beautiful girl in the forest grove. The prince sent away the servants and passed the night. When the bards played the drum as an auspicious starting ceremony, the prince started with his friend and came near the lake and was astonished to see such an uncommonly beautiful girl. Meanwhile, his army, too, arrived. But, the girl disappeared on hearing the bustle.
As he proceeded further, the prince saw a monastery, entered into it, and saw the Lord Nabheya. The prince fetched the flowers etc., and worshipped the Best-of-the-Tithamkaras, and, with his eyes full of the tears of joy, he prayed.
At this juncture, a mendicant having matted hair on his head, came to him along with a girl carrying a basket full of flowers. On seeing that the mendicant was holding her hand, the prince was astonished. The girl entrapped the heart of the prince, and she wondered as to whether the prince was the Moon, the Sun, a god, or the god-of-love himself. The prince bowed down to the mendicant, and the later inquired of the prince as to where form had he come, which family tradition he belonged to etc. The prince informed him about all that, and asked him about the girl. The mendicant asked him
