Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/188

Rh enquired, who she was, and why she accompanied Manimêkalai to the park. On hearing her reply, he observed “I shall obtain Manimêkalai yet, through Chitrâpati” and left her. As soon as he had gone Manimêkalai came out of the alcove, and said “I was not offended with him, although he seemed to think lightly of me as a common harlot, who has no sense of chastity, who has no regard for caste, and who is ready to sell herself for money: but my heart went after this stranger. Can this be the effect of love?" While they were thus conversing the Goddess Manimêkalai assuming the form of a woman residing in the city, visited the garden, and reverently went round the sacred seat praying to Buddha.

The sun had now set, and the full moon rose in all it effulgence, and shed its soft silvery light on the park. In the bright moonlight, the goddess met Sutamati and Manimêkalai and enquired why they were staying in the park after nightfall. Sutamati related to her the meting between herself and Udayakumâran, and the goddess said, "The prince is deeply in love with Manimêkalai and although he left you here, deeming it improper to press his suit in this park, which is assigned to Buddhist devotees, he will not fail to meet you on the public road outside the park. If you leave this garden by the gate in the western wall, you will find, near the public cemetery, a large monastery where many monks reside; and you will be safe from all danger, even if you stay there during the whole night.” She then gave a long account of the origin of the monastery which was called Chakra-vâlak-kôddam. Sutamati fell asleep during her recital, and watching the opportunity, the goddess took hold of Manimêkalai and lifting her into the air carried her to Manipallavam, an island thirty yojanas south of Kavirip-paddinam.

Meanwhile Prince Udaya-kumaran who returned to his palace from Uva-vanam, remained sleepless, tossing in his bed, thinking of Manimêkalai, and devising plans to obtain possession of her. The goddess Manimêkalai appeared to his startled vision and said, “Thou son of the king! if the king fails in his duty, the planets will not move in their orbits: if the planets do not keep in their usual course, seasonable showers will not fall on the earth: if the