________________
314 TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MAŅIPATI-CARITA 307. So spoke she : then I said to her : Dear lady, do not
say this. In quality of virtue there is no conduct to
equal hers.' 308. Realising that I was extremely infatuated with her and
aware of my intention Magadhasenā at once grew
silent on that subject. 309. As she talked she fastened on my head a cūdāmani saying:
'Let us go into the city, there is a festival going on
there.' 310. Then she set out with me, mounted on a chariot, whilst
all the quarters of the heavens, filled with the sounds
and echoes of various musical instruments, resounded. : 311. from the hubbub of the people coming in. Then a great
elephant whose rage was terrible to behold, having uprooted a tree, came scaring the crowd of men and
women. 312. Through my skill in elephant lore I overpowered it in a
trice and won unstinted acclamation from that crowd. 313. Rejoicing in mind the people praised me with manifold
voices and I arrived at her house which was as delightful
as an aerial palace of the gods. 314. Almost at once she said to me: 'Now, my good sir,
I must make a special effort in dancing before king
Sreņika, 315. so come along, you too, darling.' Then I replied : ' You
go, I shall stay here as sleep is coming over me.' 316. So saying she went off and began to dance before the
king and I too went there in order to get the flesh
of the fat-tailed sheep. 317. As the men on guard were busy at the spectacle I attained
my aim and got the flesh and hid it there. 318. Whilst I was about to slip away unobserved the guar
dians somehow learned of the stealing of the flesh and
informed the king. 319. The king held the view that there should be no inter
ruption of the spectacle, but as nothing was said I was unafraid.
