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TRANSLATION
33
moonface was as if created by the Creator for gladdening the eyes of all the people day and night.
She was staying in the house of a merchant by name VASU. DATTA on whom she depended for her livelihood. After having seen her the Prince became very miserable, his heart being pierced by Kandarpa's arrows. He sent his companion PRIYAMVADAKA to her. Going to her according to his (Prince's) instructions he said: "Good lady, on seeing you prince VIKRAMASIMHA has fallen in love with you and is tortured by passion. In consultation with me as to how you could be approached he sent me here. Therefore tell me, (27) what should be done now”? Saying this he became silent. Hearing these words MĂLATIKĀ said, “Since I saw him, I have been tormented with love. But being helpless due to my accepting ineans of livelihood from VASUDATTA I do not know what to do. Such is our contract, and it is shameful and improper to break a contract. What can I do? But, after some days I will make an effort to bring an occasion which will enable me to contact him. This matter is not so much dear to him as to me, and the time of contract is also nearing end". Saying this she sent away PRIYAMVADAKA. Having gone, PRIYAMVADAKA spoke to VIKRAMASIMHA about her love for him and the hope of meeting her.
... When the Kuțaja tree augmented the ocean of love, the surface of the earth was covered with Indragopas as if with the flowing drops of blood of the travellers whose hearts were rent on hearing the roarings of the demon in the form of the rainy season, whose tongue was spreading out in the form of lightning, whose fierce rows of teeth were in the form of lines of cranes, and whose collyrium-like dark body was soiled with heaps of dust rising due to strong wind. When (during the rainy days) at the sight of the watery clouds, out of joy the whole orb of the earth had as it were her hair standing on end in the form of the Kadamba flowers; had as it were flames rising in the form of shooting sprouts due to the contact with the fire of love burning in the hearts of travellers; was as if covered with an umbrella in the form of mushrooms having obtained the water for consecration showered from the clouds; was as if smiling under the guise of the white Kuțajas on seeing the proud women bowing down to their lovers abandoning the show of haughtiness which was (previously) assumed with obstinacy; which had started dancing out of joy in the form of the dancing of the peacocks on hearing the rumbling of the drum in the form of terrific clouds; whose love had as it were increased on seeing the sky with clouds on high in the form of the rows of trees bearing foliage; which was as if in tears in the form of the flowing streams out of compassion for the sweethearts of the travellers tortured by the anguish of passion; and which
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