Page:Kings of Kashmira Vol 1 (Rajatarangini of Kalhana).djvu/20

 KINGS OF KASHMIRA. 11 drums once disturbed your sleep, and incited by the advice of wicked men you have destroyed the monastery. The angry Buddhists sent me to murder you, but our high priest interfered; he told me that you were a powerful monarch, against whom we would not be ,able to cope. He said that if you would listen to me, and "build a monastery with your gold, you would atone for the sins of which you are guilty in destroying the former one. Here I came therefore and tested your heart in disguise." Kriltidevi then returned to her peo- ple after extorting from the king a promise to build a monastery, and agreeably to his promise he caused it to be erected on the very place of their meeting. At Naudikshetra he caused a house of Shiva Bhutesha to be erected and bestowed much wealth on it. It seems his last days were spent in devotion. On the banks of the Kanakavahini there was a holy place named Chira- mochana, Here the king performed his devotions for three nights. At tho time of song and dance, one hundred females of his household rose up to dance before the god Jeshtharudra and he bestowed those women on that god. Ho and his queen died at Chiramochana. Damodara II, then ascended the throne ; it does not ap- pear, whether this prince was of Ashoka's line or of some other dynasty. He was very rich, and a devout Shaiva, and his glory is still remembered. He contracted friend- ship with Kuvera, king of the Yakshas, a neighbouring tribe, and caused the Yakshas to build a bridge crossing a