Adventure of the witch Śarabhánaná.
‘I went with the witches to visit my master, the god Mahákála,[5] and while I was there, a king of the Vetálas came and reported: “See, O master, the chiefs of the Vidyádharas have killed our commander-in-chief named Agnika, and one named Tejaḥprabha is swiftly carrying off his lovely daughter. But the holy sages have foretold that she shall be the wife of the emperor of the Vidyádharas, so grant us a boon, and have her released before he forcibly carries her off to a distance.” When the god heard this speech of the afflicted Vetála, he said to me—“Go and set her free,” then I went through the air and came up with the maiden. Tejaḥprabha said, “I am carrying off the girl for our rightful emperor Śrutaśarman,” but I paralyzed him by my magic power, and bringing back the maiden, gave her to my master. And he made her over to her own family. I in truth went through this strange adventure. Then I remained there some days, and after taking a reverent farewell of the god I came here.’
“When that witch Śarabhánaná had said this, we said to her—‘Tell us, who is to be the future emperor of the Vidyádharas? You in truth know all.’ She said—‘Súryaprabha will certainly be.’ Whereupon Sinhabala said to us—‘This is untrue, for have not the gods and Indra girded up their loins to support the cause of Śrutaśarman?’ When the noble woman heard that, she said to us—‘If you do not believe this, listen; I tell you that soon there will be war between Súryaprabha and Śrutaśarman, and when this Sinhabala shall be slain before your eyes by a man in battle, you will recognise this token, and will know that this speech of mine is true.’ When that witch had said this, she departed, and those days passed away, and now we have seen with our own eyes, that in truth this Sinhabala has been slain. Relying upon that, we think that you are indeed appointed emperor of all the Vidyádharas, and submitting ourselves to your rule, we have repaired to your two lotus-like feet.” When the Vidyádharas Maháyána and Sumáyaka said this, Súryaprabha, in concert with Maya and the rest, received them into confidence and honoured them, and they rejoiced. When Śrutaśarman heard that, he was in great consternation, but Indra comforted him by a message, sending to him Viśvávasu, and commissioning him to say—“Be of good cheer! To-morrow I will aid thee with all the gods in the van of battle.” This he said to him out of love, to comfort him. And Súryaprabha, having been encouraged by beholding the breaking of his enemies’ line, and having seen in the front of battle the slaughter of his rival’s partisans, again forwent the society of his charmers, and entered his dwelling at night surrounded by his ministers.
[1] The MS. in the Sanskrit College reads jagme.
[2] Possibly an arrow with a head resembling two hands joined.
[3] There is probably a pun here. Kshetra, besides its astrological sense, means a wife on whom issue is begotten by some kinsman or duly appointed person, as in the Jewish law.
[4] Tvashṭṛi is the Vulcan of the Hindus. Bhaga is an Áditya regarded in the Vedas as bestowing wealth, and presiding over marriage, his Nakshatra is the Uttara Phálguní. Aryaman is also an Áditya; Púshan, originally the sun, is in later times an Áditya. The “canopy of arrows” reminds us of the saying of Dieneces, Herodotus, VII. 227, and of Milton, P. L., VI. 666.
[5] An epithet of Śiva in his character of the destroying deity.