Tales from the Hindu Dramatists | Page 7

person of the Parivrajaka, and continues the story of their
flight. Sumati joined a caravan bound to Vidisa On their way to the
Vindhya mountains, they were attacked by the foresters, who were
armed with bows and arrows, and decorated with peacock's plumes: in
the affray Sumati was slain and Malavika was lost.
Kausika, left alone, committed her brother's body to the flames, and
then resumed her route to Vidisa, where she assumed the character of a
female ascetic The Raja observes she did wisely. Kausika soon found
out Malavika, but forebore to discover herself, confiding in the
prophecy of a sage, who had foretold that the princess, after passing
through a period of servitude, would meet with a suitable match.

It thus finally turns out that Malavika is by birth a princess, who had
only come to be an attendant at Agnimitra's court through having fallen
into the hands of robbers.
The king issues his orders respecting the terms to be granted to
Yajnasena, the king of Viderbha, the half of whose territory he assigns
to Madhavasena, the brother of Malavika.
A letter arrives from the general Pushpamitra, giving an account of
some transactions that have occurred upon the southern bank of the
Indus.
On his own behalf, or that of his son, he had undertaken to celebrate an
aswamedha, or horse-sacrifice, for which it was essential that the steed
should have a free range for twelve months, being attended only by a
guard to secure him. This guard had been placed by Pushpamitra under
the command of Agnimitra's son, Vasumitra. Whilst following the
victim along the Indus, a party of Yavana horse attempted to carry off
the courser, but they were encountered by the young prince, and after a
sharp conflict, defeated.
Pushpamitra concludes with inviting his son to come with his family to
complete the sacrifice.
The queen, Dharini, overjoyed with the news of her son's success and
safety, distributes rich presents to all her train and the females of
Agnimitra's establishment, whilst to him she presents Malavika. Iravati
communicates her concurrence in this arrangement, and the Raja
obtains a bride, whom his queens accept as their sister. The difficulty of
conciliating his queens is thus removed. The king now marries
Malavika and all ends happily.

THE VIRA CHARITA OR THE MAHAVIRA CHARITA
OR
THE LIFE OF THE GREAT HERO.

Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya (Oudh), is the father of four sons Rama,
Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna. Rama and Lakshmana visit
Viswamitra's hermitage. Kusadhwaja, the king of Sankasya and the
brother of Janaka, the king of Mithila, accompanied by his two nieces,
Sita and Urmila, enters the hermitage of Viswamitra on the borders of
the Kausiki (Cosi), having been invited by the sage to his sacrifice. He
is met by the sage with the two youths Rama and Lakshmana, and the
young couples become mutually enamoured. Meanwhile Ahalya--the
cursed wife of Gautama--gets cleared of her guilt through the purifying
influence of Rama.
A messenger from Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, arrives, who has
followed them from Mithila, and comes to demand Sita as a wife for
his master.
They are further disturbed by Taraka, a female fiend, the daughter of
Suketu, wife of Sunda and mother of Maricha. Rama, by command of
Viswamitra slays her. Viswamitra is exceedingly pleased with the deed
and invokes and gives to Rama the heavenly weapons with all their
secrets of discharge and dissolution. The sage recommends
Kusadhwaja to invite the bow of Siva for Rama's present trial, and
consequent obtaining of Sita. The bow arrives, self-conveyed, being, as
the weapon of so great a deity, pregnant with intelligence. Rama snaps
it asunder, in consequence of which feat it is agreed that Sita shall be
wedded to him; Urmila her sister, to Lakshmana; and Mandavi and
Srutakirti, the daughters of Kusadhwaja, to Bharata and Satrughna
respectively. The party is again disturbed by Suvahu and Maricha, the
first of whom is killed and the second, thrown at a distance by Rama.
The messenger of Ravana then goes away mortified to represent the
matter to the minister of Ravana. The saint and his visitors then retire
into the hermitage.
Malyavan, the minister and maternal grandfather of Ravana and the
king's sister Surpanakha have heard the news of Rama's wedding with
Sita from Siddhasrama and discuss the consequences with some
apprehension. The minister takes the marriage as an insult to his
master.

A letter arrives from Parasurama partly requesting and partly
commanding Ravana to call off some of his imps, who are molesting
the sages in Dandakaranya. He writes from Mahendra Dwipa.
Malyavan takes advantage of this opportunity to instigate a quarrel
between the two Ramas, anticipating that Parasurama, who is the pupil
of Siva, will be highly incensed when he hears of Rama's breaking the