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RÄVAŅA'S EXPEDITION OF CONQUEST. 153 own city with her and she, young and beautiful, was seen by Prabhava. Tormented by love at first sight of her, he became thinner day by day like the moon in the dark fortnight. The king, realizing that he who was not susceptible to charms and spells had become very thin, said, "What is troubling you? Tell me fully, friend." Prabhava replied, “This can not be spoken which even in my mind amounts to a family disgrace." Questioned persistently by the king, the well-born youth said, “Love for Vanamālā is the cause of my bodily weakness." The king said, "For your sake, I would abandon even a kingdom, to say nothing of a mere woman. Take her this very day." With these words he dismissed him and sent her after him, like a messenger, to his house at nightfall.
She said: “The king has given me, a life-giving herb, to you, suffering. Therefore, command me. The husband's command is very powerful for me. For your sake my husband would give up his life, to say nothing of a slave like me. Why do you seem indifferent?”.
Prabhava said, “Alas! alas for me shameless! He indeed is noble whose friendship for me is such a kind. Even life is given for another, but not a wife. So an evil thing has been done today by him for my sake. There is nothing unaskable, like the improper speech of slanderers, for people like me; and nothing ungivable for people like him, like wishing-trees. By all means, go. You are "(like) a mother. Henceforth do not look at this person (me) nor speak to such a heap of evil even at your husband's command.”
The king had come there secretly and had heard his speech, and was greatly delighted at seeing his friend's virtue. After bowing to Vanamālā and dismissing her, Prabhava took a cruel sword and started to cut off his own head. Sumitra showed himself and took the sword from his hand, saying, "Do not do anything rash.” Prabhava, his head bowed from shame, as if wishing to enter the earth,
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