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CHAPTER ONE in love, though unaccompanied by sacred verses. Sporting with her tenderly with varied conversation, he passed three watches like one.
Then at dawn Brahmadatta heard the sound in the air of Khecara-women like that of ospreys.
“What is this noise that takes place suddenly in the air like rain without a cloud ?”. Questioned so by him, Puşpavati replied in confusion:“ Two sisters of Nātyonmatta, your enemy, Vidyādhara-maidens, named Khaņdā and Viśākhā, have come. The reason is that they have come uselessly, bringing weddinggear. Action is planned one way; fate performs it another way. Go away for a moment until I find out by praises of your virtues their state of mind toward you, whether they are friendly or hostile. In case of friendliness, I shall wave a red pennant and you should come. In case of hostility, I shall wave a white pennant and then you should go elsewhere."
Then Brahmadatta said: “Do not be afraid, timid lady. I am truly Brahman's son. What will these two, pleased or displeased, do to me?”
Puşpavati said: “I do not speak of fear on your part because of these two girls. But may their relatives, Vidyādharas, not be obstructive.” In accordance with her wish, he stayed in the same place at one side. Then Puspavati waved a white pennant. When the prince saw that, he left that place very slowly at his wife's insistence. For there is no fear on the part of such men.
After crossing a forest difficult to cross like the sky, at the end of the day he arrived at a large lake, like the sun arriving at the ocean. After entering it quickly, like a celestial elephant entering Mānasa, and bathing, he drank its water freely like nectar. After Brahman's son left the water, he approached the northwest bank which was asking, if the bath were successful, as it were, by the sounds of the bees buzzing in the creepers. There he saw a fair maiden, like the goddess of the forest in person, gathering flowers in an arbor of trees and creepers.
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