Srngaramanjari Katha

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

Page 48

A SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
ing that it was hers. This irritated him and he threw her on the ground and like a 'tiger' scratched her whole body and pulled out a lot of her hair. Then he went away. When the bawd and the others came Malayasundari covered herself and lay on the bed.
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Malayasundari was a favourite of the king; so the bawd ran up to him and related the incident. The king was furious and enquired as to who did it. Pratāpasimha said he had done it and would explain why he did it if Malayasundari was brought there. Malayasundari came after much persuasion. Pratāpasimha then said that he bore all her teasing because he loved her very much. But when she said the child was hers he could not tolerate it. All this was done out of extreme attachment, and the king could judge for himself whether he was right or wrong.
The king was pleased with him and gave him presents, while Malayasundari became an object of ridicule for others. Viṣamaśīlā: Thus insulted men leave no means of ridiculing women.
The twelfth tale of Pamaraka
Viṣamaśilā: Without a just cause enmity with dhurtas should not be created.
(The thread of the story is lost because only fragments of folios containing the story are preserved.)
Viṣamaśīlā: Therefore O daughter, try no deceit with a clever man. If you deceive him you must bear the results, otherwise you become an object of ridicule.
The thirteenth tale of Muladeva
Viṣamaśīlā: Moreover daughter, raga should always be protected. It is threefold: one born on hearing, one on seeing and one after union. All the three should be abandoned. For by these even women of good families become objects of ridicule. Therefore śrțiräga and dṛṣṭi-rāga should be kept at a distance like the virulent poison of a snake. Listen about it:
In Ujjayini ruled kind Vikramaditya. Muladeva, the dhurta, stayed with him. He was very dear to the king. One day when the king insistently asked him why he had not married Müladeva replied that women are fickle in their love, and therefore he did not marry. The king persuaded him to believe that women are the chief source of happiness and the main support in a householder's life. Mūladeva was somehow convinced and got married.
After some time Müladeva found out that his wife was carrying on with some other man. Not only that, the king's chief queen,