Srngaramanjari Katha

Author(s): Bhojdev, Kalpalata K Munshi
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 251

ŚṚNGĀRAMANJARIKATHA
Once, when only a quarter of the night had passed, when the friend of Kumudini (the Moon) rose, when clusters of Kumuda bloomed, when the directions were again lighted by the vanishing of darkness, when the living beings had all rested
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(The king and DEVADATTA were conversing on the top of the palace. The king asked her how her class of persons can win over by talking, loving etc. She knitted her eyebrows and exhibited her aversion to the king's enquiries. But to entertain him, she said that she will only tell him of a wonderful thing she experienced the other day. While going some distance from the main palacegate she saw a gem horse which by its beauty mocked Ucchaiśravas. He (horse) had beautiful parts (kalā) like the moon <which possesses digits»; he had a lovely frontal bone with a lock of curls falling backwards like the sea «which has lovely conchshells opening on the right; he quickly stood on the ground.
(37) His hoofs were as dark as the indranila jewels; whose body was rocamāna «possessed of a tuft of hair on the neck» though virocamāna «very resplendent»; he was handsome as Uccaihsravas yet was anuccaiḥśravas «his neigh was not loud», he was a tärkṣya garuda, horse» yet was a hooded serpent «had a wide girth»; he was white as the moon yet as beautiful as coral possessed of beautiful long hair»; he was Suktiman «possessed a curl on the breast though Śriparvata «the residential mountain of Lakśmi»; he was, it seemed wind incarnate; the mind embodied; fame incarnate of the class of horses. He had not much flesh on the face like the emaciated shoulder of Visņu with whom Laksmi had a love quarrel; he was broad in chest like garuda; prominent in shoulders, not in stupidity; small in ears, not in form; hard in hoofs, not in face; deep in mind, not dull in spirit; soft in hair on the body, not in bearing lashes of whips; precise in its pace like the blade of the sword; shining in its complexion and eyes; bent in the neck and the pacings; quick in speed and understanding; he was made of all the seasons being fragrant in breath (Vasanta), pure in conduct (Summer), a fortunate acquisition of all the riches gained in conquests (Monsoon), very powerful in conquering others (month of Kārtika), huge in form (Hemanta) and cold in all excuses (Siśira); he was white as the moon yet was Kāla «black, the God of death. He was the terrible. . . to the circle of enemies. on the borders of battle fields; his greatness was wide-spread; he was skilful in Catuska; superior in speed; first amongst the fastest; foremost on pathways; his movements were unobstructed in making rounds;