Chapter LXXI.
Then, as Mṛigánkadatta was journeying to Ujjayiní, with Śrutadhi and Vimalabuddhi, to find Śaśánkavatí, he reached the Narmadá which lay in his path. The fickle stream, when she beheld him, shook her waves like twining arms, and gleamed white with laughing foam, as if she were dancing and smiling because he had so fortunately been reunited with his ministers. And when he had gone down into the bed of the river to bathe, it happened that a king of the Śavaras, named Máyávaṭu, came there for the same purpose. When he had bathed, three water-genii[1] rose up at the same time and seized the Bhilla, whose retinue fled in terror. When Mṛigánkadatta saw that, he went into the water with his sword drawn, and killed those water-genii, and delivered that king of the Bhillas. When the king of the Bhillas was delivered from the danger of those monsters, he came up out of the water and fell at the feet of the prince, and said to him,—“Who are you, that Providence has brought here to save my life on the present occasion? Of what virtuous father do you adorn the family? And what is that country favoured by fortune to which you are going?” When he said this, Śrutadhi told him the prince’s whole story from the beginning, and then the Śavara king shewed him exceeding respect, and said to him; “Then I will be your ally in this undertaking which you have in view, as you were directed by the god, and with me will come my friend Durgapiśácha the king of Mátangas. So do me the favour, my lord, of coming to my palace, since I am your slave.”
Thus he entreated Mṛigánkadatta with various humble speeches, and then took him to his own village. And there he entertained the prince fittingly with all the luxuries he could command, and all the people of the village shewed him respect. And the king of the Mátangas came and honoured him as the saviour of his friend’s life, and placed his head on the ground to shew that he was his slave. Then Mṛigánkadatta remained there some days, to please that Máyávaṭu, the king of the Bhillas.
And one day, while he was staying there, that king of the Śavaras began to gamble with Chaṇḍaketu his own warder. And while he was playing, the clouds began to roar, and the domestic peacocks lifted up their heads and began to dance, and king Máyávaṭu rose up to look at them. Then the warder, who was an enthusiastic gambler, said to his sovereign, “What is the use, my master, of looking at these peacocks which are not skilled in dancing? I have a peacock in my house, to which you would not find an equal in the world. I will show it you to-morrow, if you take pleasure in such things.” When the king heard that, he said to the warder, “You must certainly shew it to me,” and then he set about the duties of the day. And Mṛigánkadatta, when he heard all that, rose up with his companions, and performed his duties such as bathing and eating.