Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/93

 vices, for kings that fall into them are easily captured by their enemies, even as elephants are taken in pits." When his minister had said this to him, the resolute king of Vatsa sent in return an ambassador to Chandamahásena with the following reply, "If thy daughter desires to become my pupil, then send her here." When he had sent this reply, that king of Vatsa said to his ministers—— "I will march and bring Chandamahásena here in chains." When he heard that, the head minister Yaugandharáyana said ——" That is not a fitting thing to do, my king, nor is it in thy power to do it. For Chandamahásena is a mighty monarch, and not to be subdued by thee. And in proof of this, hear his whole history, which I now proceed to relate to thee."

Story of king Chandamahásena.:—There is in this land a city named Ujjayiní, the ornament of the earth, that, so to speak, laughs to scorn with its palaces of enamelled whiteness* Amarávati, the city of the gods. In that city dwells Śiva himself, the lord of existence, under the form of Mahákála, † when he desists from the kingly vice of absenting himself on the heights of mount Kailása. In that city lived a king named Maheudravarman, best of monarchs, and he had a son like himself, named Jayasena. Then to that Jayasena was born a son named Mahásena, matchless in strength of arm, an elephant among monarchs. And that king, while cherishing his realm, reflected, "I have not a sword worthy of me, nor a wife of good family." Thus reflecting that monarch went to the temple of Durgá, and there he remained without food, propitiating for a long time the goddess. Then he cut off pieces of his own flesh, and offered a burnt-offering with them, whereupon the goddess Durgá being pleased appeared in visible shape, and said to him, "I am pleased with thee, receive from me this excellent sword, by means of its magic power thou shalt be invincible to all thy enemies. Moreover thou shalt soon obtain as a wife Angáravati, the daughter of the Asura Angáraka, the most beautiful maiden in the three worlds. And since thou didst here perform this very cruel penance, therefore thy name shall be Chandamahásena." Having said this and given him the sword, the goddess disappeared. But in the king there appeared joy at the fulfilment of his desire. He now possessed, king, two jewels, his sword and a furious elephant named Nadágiri, which were to him what the thunderbolt and Airávana are to Indra. Then that king, delighting in the power of these two, one day went to a great forest to hunt; and there he