Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 4

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 128

ŚRĪ MAHĀPADMACAKRICARITRA
93 the arrival of guests, Mahāpadma decided to stay there like his own house.
Now King Janamejaya in Campã was besieged by King Kāla, fought with him, and perished. The city was breached and the women of the harem scattered like deer in a forest-fire, confused about directions. Nāgavatī, the wife of the King of Campā, fled with her daughter Madanā. vali and came to that hermitage. Padma and Madanāvali, missiles of love for each other, saw each other and love developed immediately. Knowing that she had fallen in love, her mother said: “Daughter, do not do anything rash. Remember the speech of the astrologer. You were told by the astrologer, 'You will be the chief-queen of the lord of six-part Bharata.' Then do not fall in love with just any man. Be restrained. At the right time the cakrin will marry you."
Afraid of misfortune to her, the head of the hermitage said to Padma, "Son, go back where you came from. Peace be with you, good sir."
Hearing (what had been said), the prince thought, "There cannot be two cakrins at the same time. I alone am a future cakrin here. So she will be my wife.” With these reflections, Mahāpadma left the hermitage and came to the town Sindhusadana in his wandering. At that time the women of the town were engaged in various sports in a garden outside at a spring-festival, occupied with the commands of Kandarpa. Hearing the tumult of their sport, King Mahāsena's elephant pulled up his post like à piece of a plantain tree.70 Throwing off the two riders at once like dust clinging to a bed, not enduring the touch of the wind even on his body, his hair erect, freed from the elephant-drivers unable to do anything from a distance, he went instantly to the vicinity of the townswomen. They could not run away but stood rooted to the spot from terror and screamed very loud like marālīs seized by a
70 68.
Noted for its frailta