Having no suspicion of treachery, I accompanied him to the palace, where I was most hospitably entertained. After dinner, not having slept the night before, I lay down, and was soon fast asleep, and dreaming of my beloved princess. Presently, I was suddenly awakened, and found my arms bound with an iron chain, and Bhimadhanwa, with angry countenance, standing near me. "Vile wretch!" he said. "You fancied you could plot in safety; and little thought that all which that girl said was overheard, and brought to me by one of my spies, who heard it through the open window. My silly sister, forsooth, is in love with you! You are to marry her, and make me your subject; and you will order me to give up Chandrasena, that she may marry her lover! You are much mistaken. I am not so easily managed as that. We shall soon see how all your fine projects will end." Then calling two strong men, his servants, at his command they lifted me up, carried me down to the sea, and threw me in as I was.
Notwithstanding the chain which confined my arms, I managed to keep afloat, till by a lucky chance I fell in with a piece of wood, and by throwing myself across it, managed to hold on, and was carried out to sea. After floating all night, in the morning I was seen from a ship sailing that way, and taken on board.
The captain, however, who was a foreigner, had not much compassion on me; and only thought, as I was young and strong, how much he could get by selling me as a slave; and did not even release my hands. I had not been long on board, however, when the ship was attacked by pirates, who surrounded it with their boats, and poured in a shower of arrows and other missiles.
Seeing that the crew of the merchant-ship were being defeated, I called out to the captain: "Take off my chain; set me free; and I will soon drive away the enemy."
He did as I asked; and furnished me with a good bow and arrows, which I used so effectually, that a large number of the enemy were killed or wounded; and the boats began to draw off.
Meanwhile, our ship had drifted close to the pirates' galley. I leapt on board, and most of the crew being disabled, took prisoner the captain, who turned out to be Bhimadhanwa, the very man who had so treacherously ill-used me. He was utterly astonished at seeing, me; and hung down his head ashamed, unable to answer a word, when I said to him: "Where are all your threats and boastings? You are now as completely in my power as I was in yours."
Then the sailors, shouting for joy at the victory, bound him with the chain with which I had been confined; and after taking possession of the pirate ship, we continued the voyage; but being driven out of our course by a contrary wind, landed on an uninhabited island, to get water and wild fruits, and attend to the wounded.
The merchant-captain and crew, delighted at my bravery, and the timely assistance I had rendered them, treated me with the greatest respect. While they were engaged, I walked about to explore the island; and came to a large quantity of stones which had fallen from a high rock. These I crossed over, and going round to the other side, found a gentle slope, covered with trees and flowers. Walking slowly among them, admiring the beautiful scenery and enjoying the cool shade, I arrived, almost imperceptibly and without fatigue, at the summit, where I found a small lake, surrounded with ruby-coloured, variegated rocks, and partly covered with bright lotuses. In this I bathed, and pulled up some of the lotus-plants, the young shoots of which were unusually sweet and good.
As I came out of the water, carrying a large root on my shoulder, I saw standing on the bank a terrible Rakshas in human form, who called out, in an angry tone "Who are you? Where do you come from? What are you doing here, destroying my flowers?"
Without showing any sign of fear, I walked boldly up to him, and said: "I am a brahman, who has just escaped many dangers. I was treacherously thrown into the sea, rescued by a merchant-ship, then attacked by pirates; and now, after conquering them, we have put into this island for water. I have much enjoyed my bathe, and wish you good morning."