Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/482

 heroes. That Chandasinha slew Varáha the general of Devamáya, as he fought in the front rank, was in truth by no means wonderful; but it was strange that Naraváhanadatta, without employing any magic power, took captive Devamáya himself, when exhausted by the wounds he received from him in the combat. And when he was captured, his army was broken, and fled, together with the great champions Vajramushți, Mahábáhu, Tikshnadanshțra and their fellows. Then the gods in their chariots exclaimed, "Bravo! Bravo!" and all present congratulated the victorious emperor. Then that mighty monarch consoled Devamáya, who was brought before him bound, and welcomed him kindly, and set him at liberty. But he, having been subdued by the emperor's arm, humbly submitted to him, together with Vajramushți and the others.

Then, the battle having come to an end, that day passed away, and next morning Devamáya came to the place of audience, and stood by the side of the emperor, and when questioned by him about the cave of Triśíraha, which he wished to enter, related the following true history of it.

History of the cave of Trisírsha.:—In old time, my liege, the two sides of mount Kailása, the north and south side, formed different kingdoms, having been assigned to distinguished Vidyádharas. Then one, Rishabha by name, propitiated Śiva with austerities, and was appointed by that god emperor over both of them. But one day he was passing over Kailása to go to the northern side, and lost his magic science owing to the anger of Śiva, who happened to be below, and so fell from the sky. Rishabha again propitiated Śiva with severe asceticism, and the god again appointed him Supreme Sovereign of both sides; so he thus humbly addressed the god, " I am not permitted to pass over Kailása, so by what path am I to travel in order to be able to exercise my prerogatives on both sides of the mountain?" When Śiva, the trident bearing god, heard this, he cleft asunder Kailása, and made this cave-like opening for Rishabha to pass to the northern side. Then mount Kailása, having been pierced, was despondent, and addressed this petition to Śiva, " Holy one, this north side of me used to be inaccessible to mortals, but it has now been made accessible to them by this cave-passage; so provide that this law of exclusion be not broken." When Śiva had been thus supplicated by the mountain, he placed in the cave as guards, elephants of the quarters, mighty basilisks,* and Guhyakas; and at its southern opening he placed Mahámáya the Vidyádhara chief, and at its northern opening Kálarátri the invincible Chandiká-†