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RĀVANA'S EXPEDITION OF CONQUEST
sky. Then Parvataka and I explained our respective opinions about the interpretation to the king, saying, "Tell the truth.' The Brahman-elders said: "The decision depends on you. You are their authority, an eye-witness, like the sun of the heaven and earth. The magic instruments,118 the pitcher, et cetera, act from truth, the cloud rains from truth, the gods have power from truth. This world has been founded on truth by you yourself, O king. Why do we speak to you on this subject? Speak in accordance with your vow of truthfulness.'
After hearing their speech, Vasu cast aside his reputation for truthfulness and testified, "The guru explained aja as meṣa.' Angered by that lie, the gods split the crystal base then and there. King Vasu fell to the ground at once, as if announcing in advance his fall into hell. Then King Vasu, destroyed by the gods who were angered by that falsehood, went to a terrible hell. Vasu's sons, Pṛthuvasa, Citravasu, Vasava, Šakra, Vibhāvasu, Viśvāvasu, and the seventh, Śūra, and the eighth, Mahāśūra, seated at their father's feet, were killed by the gods at that time from anger. The ninth son, Suvasu, fled to Nagapura and Vasu's tenth son, Bṛhaddhvaja went to Mathurā.
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Much ridiculed by the citizens, Parvata was banished from the city and was received by the Asura Mahākāla."
Story of Mahākāla (455-502)
Asked by Daśamukha, "Who is this Mahākāla?" Narada related: "There is a city here, Caraṇayugala. Its king was Ayodhana and his wife's name was Diti, and they had a beautiful daughter, Sulasă. Summoned by her father to her svayamvara, all the kings came and King
118 445. When a king had to be chosen from among the people, because there was none by succession, when a suitable person was found, the elephant trumpeted, the horse neighed, the pitcher sprinkled him, the chauri fanned him, and the umbrella stood over him. Cf. Penzer's Ocean of Story, V, 175ff. and the Kathākosa, p. 4.
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