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CHAPTER IV
TENTH INCARNATION AS MEGHARATHA
In the center of the middle division of the broad province, Puşkalāvati, in the East Videhas of this Jambudvipa near the river Sītā there is a city Pundarikiņi, like a lotus in a pool, a unique depository of wealth. Its king was Ghanaratha, whose enemies' wishes were broken, chief of great warriors, like Vasava on earth. Of him there were two wives, Priyamati and Manoramā, like Gangā and Sindhu of the ocean. Vajrayudha's soul fell from Graiveyaka and descended into the womb of Queen Priyamati. Then in the last part of the night she saw in a dream a cloud, raining, thundering, wreathed with lightning, enter her mouth. At dawn she told the king about the dream and he explained it, "You will have a son like a cloud for taking pain away from the earth."
Sahasrayudha's soul fell from Graiveyaka and descended into Queen Manorama's womb. She saw in a dream a chariot, wreathed with golden bells, with a banner, with iron fellies, enter her mouth. When this dream was told to him, the king explained it, "You will have a son, chief of warriors, queen."
At the right time both sons were born in succession, like the sun and moon that had attained other forms. On an auspicious day the king named Priyamati's son Megharatha in accordance with her dream. He gave the second son the name Drdharatha in accordance with the queen's dream. Megharatha and Drḍharatha, possessing firm brotherly feeling, gradually grew up, like Sirin and Särngadhara. They gradually attained youth, the royal abode of Love, a charm for young women, the source of maximum beauty.
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Then the minister of King Nihataśatru, the king of Sumandirapura, came, bowed to Ghanaratha and declared:
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