Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/476

 Then Gomukha, seeing the king out of countenance, consoled him, and, in order to ascertain the real sentiments of Váyuvegayaśas, went to her city. There Váyupatha saw him suddenly arrived as if to take a look at the city, and he lovingly entertained him, and taking him aside, said to him, " I have an unmarried sister named Váyuvegayaśas, and holy seers have prophesied that she is destined to be the wife of an emperor. So I am desirous of giving her as a present to the emperor Naraváhanadatta; pray do your best to bring about the accomplishment of my wish. And with this very object in view I was preparing to come to you." When the minister Gomukha had been thus addressed by Váyupatha, he said to him; "Although this prince of ours set out primarily with the object of conquering his enemies, still you have only to make the request, and I will arrange this matter for you." With these words Gomukha took leave of him, and going back informed Naraváhanadatta that he bad gained his object without any solicitation.

And the next day Váyupatha came in person and requested the favour, and the sagacious Gomukha said to the king, " My prince, you must not refuse the request of Váyupatha; he is your faithful ally; your majesty should do whatever he asks." Then the king consented to do it; and Váyupatha himself brought his younger sister, and bestowed her on the emperor against her will. And while the marriage was being performed, she exclaimed, " Ye guardians of the world, I am being bestowed in marriage by my brother by force, and against my will, so I have not committed any sin thereby." When she said this, all the females belonging to Váyupatha's household made such a noise that no outsiders heard what she said. But the king was put out of countenance by her speech, so Gomukha was anxious to find some means of ascertaining its import, and he roamed hither and thither with that object.

And after he had roamed about a while, he saw in a certain retired spot four Vidyádhara maidens preparing to enter the fire at the same time. And when he asked them the cause, those fair ones told him how Váyuvegayaśas had broken her solemn agreement. Then Gomukha went and told it to king Naraváhanadatta in the presence of all there, exactly as he had seen and heard. When the king heard it, he smiled, but Váyuvegayaśas said, ' Arise, my husband, let us two quickly go and save these maidens; afterwards I will tell you the reason of this act of theirs." When she said this to the king, he went with her and with all his followers to the spot where the tragedy was to take place.

And he saw those maidens with a blazing fire in front of them; and Váyuvegayaśas, after dragging them away from it, said to the king, " This first here is Káliká, the daughter of the lord of Kálakúța, and this second is Vidyutpunjá, the daughter of Vidyutpunja; and this third is Matanginí,