And while he was lying by the side of the tank, he
heard certain sweet strains of music, and hearing those strains, he
reflected, "I do not see here the foot-prints of men. Whose and whence
then these strains?" And the king soon beheld a maiden of great beauty
gathering flowers singing all the while, and the maiden soon came before
the king, and the king thereupon asked her, "Blessed one, who art thou
and whose?" And she replied, "I am a maiden." And the king said, "I ask
thee to be mine." And the maiden answered, "Give me a pledge, for then
only I can be thine, else not." And the king then asked about the pledge
and the girl answered, "Thou wilt never make me cast my eyes on water",
and the king saying, "So be it," married her, and king Parikshit having
married her sported (with her) in great joy, and sat with her in
silence, and while the king was staying there, his troops reached the
spot, and those troops beholding the monarch stood surrounding him, and
cheered by the presence of troops, the king entered a handsome vehicle
accompanied by his (newly) wedded wife. And having arrived at his
capital he began to live with her in privacy. And persons that were even
near enough to the king could not obtain any interview with him and the
minister-in-chief enquired of those females that waited upon the king,
asking, "What do ye do here?" And those women replied, "We behold here a
female of unrivalled beauty. And the king sporteth with her, having
married her with a pledge that he would never show her water.
Pages:
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206