32
CHAPTER VI.
Then that Mályaván wandering about in the wood in human form, passing under the name of Gunádhya, having served the king Sátaváhana, and having, in accordance with a vow, abandoned in his presence the use of Sanskrit and two other languages, with sorrowful mind came to pay a visit to Durgá, the dweller in the Vindhya hills; and by her orders he went and beheld Kánabhúti. Then he remembered his origin and suddenly, as it were, awoke from sleep; and making use of the Paiśácha language, which was different from the three languages he had sworn to forsake, he said to Kánabhúti, after telling him his own name; "Quickly tell me that tale which you heard from Pushpadanta, in order that you and I together, my friend, may escape from our curse." Hearing that, Kánabhúti bowed before him, and said to him in joyful mood, "I will tell you the story, but great curiosity possesses me, my lord, first tell me all your adventures from your birth, do me this favour." Thus being entreated by him, Gunádhya proceeded to relate as follows :
In Pratishthána*[1] there is a city named Supratishthita; in it there dwelt once upon a time an excellent Bráhman named Somasárman, and he, my friend, had two sons Vatsa and Gulmaka, and he had also born to him a third child, a daughter named 'S'rutárthá. Now in course of time, that Bráhman and his wife died, and those two sons of his remained taking care of their sister. And she suddenly became pregnant. Then Vatsa and Gulma began to suspect one another, because no other man came in their sister's way: thereupon S'rutárthá, who saw what was in their minds, said to those brothers,— "Do not entertain evil suspicions, listen, I will tell you the truth; there is a prince of the name of Kirtisena, brother's son to Vásuki, the king of the Nágas; †[2] he saw me when I was going to bathe, thereupon he was overcome with love, and after telling me his lineage and his name, made me his wife by the Gándharva marriage; he belongs to the Bráhman race, and it is by him that I am pregnant." When they heard this speech of their sister's, Vatsa and Gulma said, " What confidence can we repose in all this?" Then she silently called to mind that Nága prince,
- ↑ * Pratishthána according to Wilson is celebrated as the capital of Śaliváhana. It is identifiable with Peytan on the Godávari. the Bathana or Paithana of Ptolemy, the capital of Siripolemaios. Wilson identifies this name with Śaliváhana, but Dr. Rost remarks that Lassen more correctly identifies it with that of Śri Pullmán of the Andhra dynasty who reigned at Pratishthána after the overthrow of the house of Salivahaná about 130 A. D.
- ↑ † Fabulous serpent-demons having the head of a man with the tail of a serpent. (Monier Williams, i.e)
