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FIVE PREVIOUS INCARNATIONS
219 Now King Srivijaya halted at a point outside Camaracañcă and sent a messenger to Aśanighosa. The messenger went and spoke fearlessly to Ašanighosa: "Shame on this shameless deed that you, like a crow, have done. Verily, manhood is only a pretense on the part of people lacking in courage and strength. Of such people you are the foremost, kidnaping the queen in this way. Shame on the behavior, never witnessed before, of you wearing a beard,280 making the vidyā Pratāraṇi appear to Srivijaya then. Do you not know at all Śrīvijaya, a sun in splendor? The tricks of such people as you are effective with a person lac.zing in splendor. Just as he has come here, after making the vidyā powerless, so he will take away Sutārā by force. So surrender her yourself, wise sir. If you surrender the queen yourself and make submission, your life will prosper. Otherwise, Kināśa (Yama) is ready."
Asanighosa said in a voice terrible as thunder: "Oh! it is a good thing I have seen you, messenger. I have nowhere seen such a person. If Srivijaya comes here, then what about the poor wretch ? Birds go to Sumeru. Is there manliness in them? By a single atom of effort on my part he will go away, his power destroyed. The current of a river does not tolerate a temple of sand. Let him depart to his own home by the road by which he has come; but if he asks for Sutārā, he will go to the home of Yama. Let him go or let him stay now, after considering the two possibilities. You go now and report to him what I say."
The messenger, thus instructed by him, quickly left his city and reported the base creature's message to Triprstha's son. When he had heard his message that was like a wind to the fire of anger, King Śrīvijaya made ready his army, though (already) ready. Knowing that Srivijaya's soldiers were eager for battle, Aśanighosa instructed his sons for hospitality to battle. Aśvaghosa,
280 311. Though bearded, his conduct was not manly.
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