Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/373

 fickle, but not always, for even hetœrœ are seen to be rich in good qualities, much more others; in proof of this, king, hear this famous tale."

Story of king Vikramáditya and the hetœra:— There was in Pátaliputra a king named Vikramáditya; he had two cherished friends the king Hayapati,* and the king Gajapati, † who had large armies of horse and elephants. And that proud sovereign had a mighty enemy named Narasinha ‡ the lord of Pratishthána, a king who had a large force of infantry. Being angry with that enemy, and puffed upon account of the power of his allies, Vikramáditya rashly mad* th is vow " I will so completely conquer that king, the lord of men, that the heralds and bards shall proclaim him at the door as my slave." Having made this vow,— he summoned those allies, Hayapati and Gajapati, and accompanied with a large force, shaking the earth with elephants and horses, marched with them to make a fierce attack on the lord of men, Narasinha. When he arrived near Pratishthána, Narasinha, the lord of men, put on his armour and went out to meet him. Then there took place between the two kings a battle that excited wonder, in which footmen fought with elephants and horses. And at last the army of Vikramáditya was routed by the forces of Narasinha, the lord of men, which contained many crores of footmen. And Vikramáditya, being routed, fled to his city Pátaliputra, and his two allies fled to their own countries. And Narasinha, the lord of men, entered his own city Pratishthána, accompanied by heralds who praised his might.

Then Vikramáditya, not having gained his end, thought— " Well ! as that enemy is not to be conquered by arms, I will conquer him by policy; let some blame me if they like, but let not my oath be made void." Thus reflecting, he entrusted his kingdom to suitable ministers, and secretly went out of the city with one chief minister, named Buddhivara, and with five hundred well-born and brave Rájpúts and in the disguise of a candidate for service,§ went to Pratishthána, the city of his enemy. There he entered the splendid mansion of a beautiful hetœra named Madanamálá, that resembled the palace of a king. It seemed to invite him with the silk of its banners, hoisted on the pinnacles of high ramparts, the points of which waved to and fro in the soft breeze. It was guarded at the principal entrance, the east door, day and night, by twenty thousand footmen, equipped with all kinds of weapons. At each of the other three doors, looking towards the other cardinal points, it was defended by ten thousand