Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/455

 though Vegavatí flung him down on Aginparvata,he did not die of the fall. And you have now been made invisible here by Prabhávatí by means of her magic power; otherwise the followers of that enemy, who are continually moving near you here, would see you, and would not tolerate your presence."

When Naraváhanadatta had been thus addressed by his wife, he, recognising the fact that the proper time for accomplishing his object had not yet arrived, said to her by way of calming her, " This desire of yours shall be fulfilled; I will soon slay that enemy; but first I must acquire the sciences; wait a little, my beloved." With speeches of this kind Naraváhanadatta consoled Madauamanchuká; and remained there in that city of the Vidyádharas.

Then Prabhávatí disappeared herself, and, by the power of her magic science, bestowed in some incomprehensible way on Naraváhanadatta her own shape. And the prince lived happily there in her shape, and without fear of discovery, enjoying pleasures provided by her magic science. And all the people there thought, " This friend of Vegavatí's is attending on Madanamanchuká, partly out of regard for Vegavatí, and partly on account of the friendly feelings which she herself entertains for the captive princess;" for they all supposed that Naraváhanadatta was no other than Prabhávatí, as he was disguised in her shape: and this was the report that they carried to Mánasavega. Then, one day, something caused Madanamanchuká to relate to Naraváhanadatta her adventures in the following words.

Madanamanchuká's account of her treatment while in captivity.:—When Mánasavega first brought me here, he tried to win me to his will by his magic power, endeavouring to alarm me by cruel actions.And then Śiva appeared in a terrible form, with drawn sword and lolling tongue, and making an appalling roar, said to Mánasavega; " How is it that, while I still exist, thou dost presume to treat disrespectfully the wife of him who is destined to be emperor over all the Vidyádhara kings?" When the villain Mánasavega had been thus addressed by Śiva, he fell on the earth vomiting blood from his mouth. Then the god disappeared, and that villain immediately recovered, and went to his own palace, and again began to practise cruelties against me.* Then in my terror, and in the agony of separation, I was thinking of abandoning my life, but the attendants of the harem came to me, and said to me by way of consolation, " Long ago this Mánasavega beheld a certain