Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/54

48 a baby daughter. To hide her marriage from the god Indra, she left the baby girl by the banks of a great river, which flowed past the hermitage of the mighty rishi Sthulokesha.

Sthulokesha had a kind heart and he pitied the little baby girl, who lay helpless among the reeds of the river. He lifted her in his arms and took her to live with him in his hermitage. And because she was the daughter of an immortal mother she surpassed in beauty all the daughters of men. But she was not lovely in face alone. Her heart was full of goodness and she loved the rishi Sthulokesha as if he had been her father. And because of her many virtues and of her love for him Sthulokesha named her Pramadvara. One day when Ruru was still a youth he wandered somewhat far into the forest. As he wandered, he suddenly saw in front of him the hermitage of the rishi Sthulokesha. And as he looked at it wondering what mighty sage lived there the beautiful Pramadvara came to the door. Instantly his heart was smitten with love for her. And going back to his father he said, "I have seen the loveliest girl in all the world and unless I wed her I shall die of love for her." Hearing Ruru's words and seeing his son's distress, Pramati went straight to the hermitage of Sthulokesha that stood in the heart of the forest. Bowing respectfully to the great rishi, Pramati addressed him saying, "Venerable Sir, my son Ruru has reached the age for marriage. Wandering through the woods he came to your hermitage and, seeing your daughter Pramadvara, was smitten with love for her. I have therefore come to beg you to give her in marriage to my son."

Sthulokesha received Pramati with all honour and