Tilakamanjari

Author(s): Dhanpal, Sudarshankumar Sharma
Publisher: Parimal Publications

Page 54

TILAKAMANJARĪ OF DHANAPĀLA
The same semblance can be traced in the story of Somaprabha, son of Jyotihprabha, king of Ratnākarapura who installed as heir apparent to the throne and started off for the conquest of the quarters in company of huge army battalions and played adjunct to by Priyankara a son of his sire's minister, reached a forest after wading through the entire earth and seeing a Kinnara couple followed it up by his horse and carried to a divine region saw a shrine of Siva (Tryambaka) on the shores of a lake and finding a divine dame therein playing on lute, he happened to face her and listen to her account as to why she had been there given to austerities. Having heard from her that she was Manorathaprabhā the daughter of Padmakūta, a Vidyādhara king, born in Ratnaprabhā, his queen and attained to puberty in due course of time she happened to see a sage boy who responding to her reciprocal call for love through his adviser Buddhadatta questioned by her chaperon Padmalekhā, narrated the tale of his previous birth (verses 196251) etc. in the Brhatkathāmañjarī (XVI Lambaka) which has a better and clearer elaboration in the Tenth Lambaka, third taranga, of Kathāsaritsāgara. There are certain variations in the two texts.
"There was a king Jyotişprabha by name in a town named Ratnākara, who was the overlord of the earth extending up to the ocean, who begot a son in his chief consort Harşavati by the grace of a boon showered upon by the lord of Gaurī i.e., Siva. As the queen had seen the Moon entering into her mouth in a dream ere to her having the germination of the foetus, the king named the son as Somaprabha who grew up becoming a source of joy for the populace. Grown into a budding youth, capable of bearing yoke of kingdom, a chivalrous being, his sire Jyotisprabha installed him to his throne quite pleased over him. He deputed Priyainkara, the son of his minister Prabhākara by name, to the office of a minister to Somaprbha. Anon getting down from the sky having brought a horse, Mātalī spoke to Somaprabha that he was an ally of Indra, a Vidyādhara got down to the earth whom Indra had gifted a horse Āśusravā, son of Ucchaiḥśrvā got upon whom he would become invincible. Having said so and presented the steed to Somaprabha with hospitality done to him Mātali flew to the sky. Overjoyed over that Somaprabha told his sire that it ill became a ksatriya to keep away from the conquest of the quarters and sought his permission to move out for the same. Having heard that his sire pleased over him permitted him to go and arranged for his march. Having bowed before his sire Somaprabha started for the conquest of the quarters, on an auspicious day and conquered the kings with the help of his gem of a horse and brought gems as a recompense for that. He made the heads of his enemies bend down in line with the tips of his bow. His éclat grew up and not the heads of the enemies. Come to the vicinity of Himādri along with his army hosts he