Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/416

 only a few drowsy guards* And then he proceeded to that famous sanctuary of Gaurí, winch was easily discovered by the description which Śrutadhi had given of it It was situated in a great garden called Pushpakaranda, and was just then illuminated by the rays of the moon, which at that time adorned the face of the East.†

In the meanwhile Śaśánkavatí, who remained sleepless, though her companions, worn out by attendance and other fatigues, were sleeping around her, was saying to herself; "Alas! for my sake brave kings and princes and heroes are being slain every day in battle in both these armies. Moreover, that prince, who has appealed to the ordeal of battle for my sake, was long ago designated as my husband by the goddess Durgá in a dream; and the god of love has with unfailing aim cut out my heart with a continual shower ‡ of arrows, and taken it, and presented it to him. But, ill-starred girl that I am, my father will not give me to that prince, on account of the previous enmity between them, and his own pride; so much I gathered from his letter. So what is the use of a sure revelation by a goddess in a dream, when Fate is adverse? The fact is, I see no chance of obtaining my beloved in any way. So, why should I not abandon my hopeless life, before I hear of some misfortune happening to my father or to my lover in battle?§ " With these words she rose up, and in her grief went in front of the image of Gaurí and made a noose with her outer garment, fastening it to an aśoka-tree.

In the meanwhile Mŗigánkadatta, with his companions, entered that garden and fastened his horse to a tree in front of the temple and sanctuary of Gaurí. Then Mŗigánkadatta' s minister Vimalabuddhi, seeing the princess near, said of his own accord to the prince, " Look prince, here is some lovely girl trying to hang herself; now, who can she be? " When the prince heard that, he looked at her and said, " Dear me ! who can this girl be? Is she the goddess Rati? Or is she happiness incarnate in bodily form? Or is she the beauty of the moon, having taken shape, || or the command of Cupid living and walking ? Or is she a nymph of heaven? No, that cannot be. For what can make heavenly nymphs desire to hang themselves? So let us remain here for a time concealed by the trees, until we find out for certain, somehow or other, who she is." When he had said this, he and his ministers remained there in conceal-