Chapter 263

Kotika said, “Excellent lady, who art thou that standest alone, leaningon a branch of the Kadamva tree at this hermitage and looking grand likea flame of fire blazing at night time, and fanned by the wind?Exquisitely beautiful as thou art, how is it that thou feelest not anyfear in these forests? Methinks thou art a goddess, or a Yakshi, or aDanavi, or an excellent Apsara, or the wife of a Daitya, or a daughter ofthe Naga king, or a Rakshasi or the wife of Varuna, or of Yama, or ofSoma, or of Kuvera, who, having assumed a human form, wanderest in theseforests. Or, hast thou come from the mansions of Dhatri, or of Vidhatri,or of Savitri, or of Vibhu, or of Sakra? Thou dost not ask us who we are,nor do we know who protects thee here! Respectfully do we ask thee, goodlady, who is thy powerful father, and, O, do tell us truly the names ofthy husband, thy relatives, and thy race, and tell us also what thou dosthere. As for us, I am king Suratha’s son whom people know by the name ofKotika, and that man with eyes large as the petals of the lotus, sittingon a chariot of gold, like the sacrificial fire on the altar, is thewarrior known by the name of Kshemankara, king of Trigarta. And behindhim is the famous son of the king of Pulinda, who is even now gazing onthee. Armed with a mighty bow and endued with large eyes, and decoratedwith floral wreaths, he always liveth on the breasts of mountains. Thedark and handsome young man, the scourge of his enemies, standing at theedge of that tank, is the son of Suvala of the race of Ikshwaku. And if,O excellent lady, thou hast ever heard the name of Jayadratha, the kingof Sauviras, even he is there at the head of six thousand chariots, withhorses and elephants and infantry, and followed by twelve Sauvira princesas his standard-bearers, named Angaraka, Kunjara, Guptaka, Satrunjaya,Srinjaya, Suprabiddha, Prabhankara, Bhramara, Ravi, Sura, Pratapa andKuhana, all mounted on chariots drawn by chestnut horses and every one ofthem looking like the fire on the sacrificial altar. The brothers also ofthe king, viz., the powerful Valahaka, Anika, Vidarana and others, areamong his followers. These strong-limbed and noble youths are the flowersof the Sauvira chivalry. The king is journeying in the company of thesehis friends, like Indra surrounded by the Maruts. O fine-haired lady, dotell us that are unacquainted (with these matters), whose wife and whosedaughter thou art.”