Vasudevahimdi Madhyama Khanda Part 1

Author(s): Dharmdas Gani, H C Bhayani, R M Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Vasudevahithdi : Majjhima-khamda
of similar experiences of his own. Hondiks offered hospitality to Kusala and gave him as gift the costly ornaments and dress formerly presented to him by the king (p. 248 )
When Kušala returned to Kuindinapura and submitted his report, Damadaat was convinced about Hundika being the same person as Nala, transformed under some catastrophic affliction. Bhimaratha devised a strafagom to ascortain whether Hundika was Nala or somebody else. He sent a messenger to Rtuparna, with an invitation to attend Damadanti's second Svayamvara. The messenger was instructed to give as the Svayamvaraday, that day which was next to one on which he would meet Rtuparna. As the latter had shown unusual attraction for Damadaniy at the time of het real Svayamvara he would certaioly rush to this fake Svayamvara, if he could. Now there was a distance of one hundred Yojanas between Sisumarapura and Kundinapura. Only Nala, having the divine gift of a magic charm pertaining to horse driving, can bring Rtoparna to Kundina. pura in one day. The news of the second Svayamvara were to be given to Hundika also. So, if he was really Nala, he would be piqued by this news and would come to Kundinapura along with ķtuparna.
When the mossenger presented the invitation to Rtuparna, Hundika WÁB present. The messenger said he was taken ill on the way, so he wte very late in bringing the message. Rtuparņa expressed his inability to cover the distance in a single day. Nala thought that believing him to be doad, Damadaati might have decided to remarry. He decided to unite again with her (p. 250). So he offered to Rtuparņa to take him to Kundinupura in loss than two Prabaras. The latter accepted tho oker. Nals selected the horses, yoked them to the chariot and along with Rtuparna left the city. The chariot ran with extraordinary speed. Ştupaiņa's upper garment was carried away by the strong gust. Nala somehow stopped the chariot, and told the king that they had moved twetity five Yojanas away from the place where the garment had dropped. The Nipa was impressed by Hundika's power of driving. He demonstrated bis owo power to tell without counting the exact number of leaves. fruite otc, in a tree. He also told Hundika that he knew the magic charm or controlling the throws in a dicegame. He taught this charm to Hundika in exchange for the horse-driving charm. They then resumed the journoy. (p, 252 ).