Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/536

 mounted on his; and in the meanwhile Airávanah, infuriated and unrestrained by the driver's book, ran after India, trampling and scattering the forces. And the army of the gods left the field of battle and followed Indra; and Bŗihaspati carried off his wife Śachí, who was much alarmed, to the heaven of Brahmá. Then Vidyuddhvaja, having gained the victory, and having found Amarávati empty, entered it, accompanied by his shouting troops. And Indra, having recovered consciousness, and seeing that it was an evil time, entered that heaven of Brahmá with all the gods. And Brahmá comforted him, saying, " Do not grieve; at present this boon of Śiva is predominant; but you will recover your position." And he gave him, to dwell in, a place of his own, furnished with all delights, named Samádhisthala, situated in a region of the world of Brahma. There the king of the gods dwelt, accompanied by Śachi and Airávana. and by his orders the Vidyádhara kings went to the heaven of the Wind-god. And the lords of the Gandharvas went to the inviolable world of the moon; and others went to other worlds, abandoning severally their own dwellings. And Vidyuddhvaja, having taken possession of the territory of the gods with beat of drum, enjoyed sway over heaven,* as an unlimited monarch. At this point of the story, Chandraketu the Vidyádhara king, having remained long in the world of the Wind-god, said to himself, " How long am I to remain here, fallen from my high rank? The asceticism of my enemy Vidyuddhvaja has not even now spent its force; but I have heard that my friend Padmaśekhara, the king of the Gandharvas, has gone from the world of the Moon to the city of Śiva to perform asceticism. I do not know as yet, whether Śiva has bestowed a boon on him, or not; when I have discovered that, I shall know what I myself ought to do."

While he was going through these reflections, his friend, the king of the Gandharvas, came towards him, having obtained a boon. That king of the Gandharvas, having been welcomed with an embrace by Chandraketu, and questioned,† told him his story, " I went to the city of Śiva and propitiated Śiva with asceticism; and he said to me, ' Go, thou shalt have a noble son; and thou shalt recover thy kingdom, and obtain a daughter of transcendent beauty, whose husband shall be the heroic slayer of Vidyuddhvaja.' ‡ Having received this promise from Śiva, I have come here to tell you." When Chandraketu had heard this from the king of the Gandharvas he said, " I too must go and propitiate Śiva in order to put an end to this