Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/553

 works; though thou art the support of the world, thou art thyself without support; who is he that knows thy real nature? The gods have obtained various stages of prosperity by being looked upon by thee with a favourable eye; so be propitious, and look upon me, thy suppliant, with an eye melting with love."

When Naraváhanadatta had in these words praised Vishnu, the god looked upon him with a favourable eye, and said to Nárada: " Go and demand back from Indra in my name those lovely Apsarases of mine, who long ago sprang from the sea of milk, and whom I deposited in his hand, and make them mount the chariot of Indra, and quickly bring them here." When Nárada received this command from Hari, he said " So be it," and with Mátali he brought the Apsarases from Indra in his chariot, and then bowing he presented the Apsarases to Vishnu, and the Holy one spake thus to the son of the king of Vatsa— " Naraváhanadatta, I give these Apsarases to thee, the future emperor of the kings of the Vidyádharas. Thou art a fitting husband for them, and they are fitting wives for thee, for thou hast been created by Śiva as an incarnation of the god of Love." When Vishnu said that, the son of the king of Vatsa fell at his feet, delighted at having obtained favour, and Vishnu thus commanded Mátali,— " Let this Naraváhanadatta, together with the Apsarases, be taken back by thee to his palace, by whatever path he desires."

When the Holy one gave this command, Naraváhanadatta, with the Apsarases and those sons of gods who invited him, mounted the chariot which was driven by Mátali, and went to the island of Nárikela, being envied even by gods. There the successful hero, honoured by those four sons of gods, Rúpasiddhi and his brethren, and accompanied by Indra's chariot, sported in succession on those four mountains on which they dwelt, Maináka, Vrishabha, and the others, that vied with heaven, in the company of those Apsarases. And he roamed, full of joy, in the thickets of their pleasure-grounds, the various splendid trees of which were in blossom on. account of the arrival of the month of spring. And those sons of gods said to him: " See ! these clusters on the trees seem to be regarding with the expanded eyes of their open flowers their beloved spring that has arrived. See ! the full-blown lotuses shield the lake, as if to prevent their place of birth from being afflicted by the warmth of the sun's rays. See ! the bees, after resorting to a Karnikára splendid with blossoms, leave it again, finding it destitute of perfume, as good men leave a rich man of mean character. See ! a concert is being held in honour of spring, the king of the seasons, with the songs of the Kinnarís, the notes of the cuckoos, and the humming of bees." With such words those sons of gods shewed Naraváhanadatta the range of their pleasure-grounds. And the son of the king of Vatsa amused himself also in their cities, beholding the merry-