Thereupon Vāna, of great prowess, began to drink delightedly Asava wine in the company of Daitya and Danava damsels (74). Beholding those portends and filled with anxiety Kumbhānda entered into the king's palace; and thinking of those evil omens, he said:—"The wicked and careless Asura king Vāna, elated with the pride of success, is desiring for a battle. He does not see his weakness out of ignorance. The evil omens that are being seen now, may not be true for the present but the fear consequent thereon can never be otherwise (75–77). The lotus-eyed Sivā and the powerful Kārtikeya live here and so these evil omen's may be destroyed. But methinks our sins will never be dissipated. A great destruction, begotten by our pride, is drawing near. Alas, by the oppressions of this king all the Dānavas have been touched by sin and this will lead to their destruction (78–80). Hara, the lord of three worlds, the master of gods and Dānavas and the divine Kārtikeya live in our city. Guha is loved by Bhava more than his life. But Vāna is still a greater favourite. On account of his excessive pride, Vāna, for his own destruction, prayed for a battle to Bhava. And that too he has obtained. But it does not appear that a battle will take place. If however an encounter comes off with Indra and other gods headed by Vishnu it must be regarded as a creation of Bhava. If Bhava and Kumāra are willing to help Vāna nobody will be able to fight with them. The words of the three-eyed deity never prove untrue. Forsooth a great Daitya-destroying battle will soon take place." Thus thinking the considerate and right-seeing Asura Kumbhānda directed his understanding towards good and said "Those who fight with the virtuous gods meet with destruction as Bali has been suppressed" (81-88).
CHAPTER CCLXIV. BHAVA'S SPORT AND VANA'S DAUGHTER OBTAINS A BOON.
Vaishampāyana said:—Once on a time Lord Bhava was sporting on the bank of a charming river. In that picturesque forest where all the seasons flourish the Gandharvas, with hundreds of Apsaras, were sporting on all sides. The river bank was fragrant like sky with the scent of Pārijāta and Santānaka flowers (1–3). Shankara heard the Apsaras sing in accompaniment with the music of flute, Vinā, Mridanga and Panava. Like bards and panegyrists the beautiful Apsaras pleased Umā and the beautiful-bodied Hara, the god of gods, and the giver of boons who was clad in a red raiment and adorned with garlands, singing various songs in their honor. At that time assuming the form of the goddess, the leading Apsarā, Chitralekhā pleased Bhava. The goddess laughed at it. And seeing her please Ishāna other Apsarās also laughed (4–7). With the permission of the goddess, the highly powerful and divine follower of Bhava, assuming various forms, began to play on all sides. Thereupon assuming the form of Mahādeva marked with signs those frolic-some attendants began to play. And the Apsarās too, assuming the form of the goddess, sported there. Seeing it the goddesss smiled. There arose on all sides sounds of laughter and Bhava attained to an excess of delight. By an accident the beautiful daughter of Vāna, by name Ushā, saw the three-eyed deity sport with Pārvati in the river. Beholding Mahādeva, effulgent like twelve suns, assume various forms and sport with the goddess, for pleasing her, Ushā thought in her mind:—"The lucky women thus sport in the company of their husbands." And she spoke out her resolution to her friends (8-14). Informed of Ushā's desire Pārvati said slowly with joy:—"O Ushā, as the Lord Shankara, the slayer of his enemies, is sporting with me so you will soon enjoy the company of your husband" (15–16). Thus spoken to by the goddess Ushā, with anxiety-stricken eyes, thought in her mind:—"When shall I sport with my husband?" Thereat the goddess Haimavati, smilingly said:—"O Ushā! Hear when you will be united with your husband. The person, whom you will see in a dream in the night of the twelfth day of the month of Vaishāka while sleeping on the terrace of your palace, will be your husband" (17–19). Thus addressed the Daitya maiden, encircled by her friends, went away, playing happily, from that place. Then clapping their hands her friends began to ridicule Ushā whose eyes were expanded with joy (20–21). Daughters of Yakshas, Nāgas, Daityas and many Kinnaris and Apsaras were Ushā's friends. They jokingly said:—"O fair lady, in no time you will have your husband as described by the goddess. You will have a husband, beautiful and of good birth as you have wished. The words of the goddess never prove untrue" (22–24). Receiving in good grace all those words of her friends Ushā began to spend her days in anticipation of the realization of the desire conferred by the goddess. The highly wonderful ladies, who had come there, sported for a few days with Umā happily and then returned to their respective habitations. The goddess too disappeared. Amongst the females, some on horse back, some in conveyances, and some in elephants, entered into the city. And some rose up into the sky (25–28).
CHAPTER CCLXV. USHA MEETS HER LOVER WHILE ASLEEP AND EXHORTS HER FRIENDS TO BRING HIM.
Vaishampāyana said:—Thereupon on the twelfth day of the light fortnight of the month of Vaishākha fair Ushā was sleeping encircled by her companions. At that time a man, as spoken of, ravished that beautiful maiden in a dream who was excited with the words of the goddess, weeping and motionless. The man so ravished her in the night that she got up bathed in blood all on a sudden (1-3). Thereupon beholding her friend stricken with fear and thus weeping Chitrālekhā gave vent to the following highly wonderful and consoling words:—"Do not fear, O Ushā: why are you weeping and bewailing thus? Being the grand daughter of the celebrated Bali, why are you assailed with fear? O you of fair eye-brows, you have no fear in the three worlds. Besides your father is the destroyer of all the celestials in battle. Why do you fear then? O fair one, there is no fear in such a room, as this. Rise up, rise up, do not be sorry. Do you not know, that Sachi's Lord the king of gods was several times defeated by your father and could not come to this city. Your father, the son of the highly powerful Asura Bali, is the source of fear to all the gods" (4–9). Thus addressed by her friend the immaculate daughter of Vāna described to her what she had seen in a dream. Ushā said:—"Thus contaminated how can a chaste maiden dare keep her life? What shall I say to my father the enemy of the gods and the slayer of his enemies? While I have sullied this powerful family death is preferable to me. There is no happiness in my living. Alas! I have been reduced to such a plight that as if I co-habited, while awake, with a desired-for person. Although I was sleeping in the night, who brought me to this condition as if I was wide awake? When a maiden is reduced to such a condition how can she dare live (in this world)? The woman, who is the foremost of chaste damsels, can long for living but how can a helpless woman, who has sullied her family, desire so (10–15)?" Thus the lotus-eyed Ushā, encircled by her friends and with eyes full of tears, bewailed for some time. The friends, who were there, lost themselves seeing Ushā weep like one having none to look after her. And with eyes full of tears they said to her:—"O you of fair eye-brows, if you had done something with a mad motive your mind would have been contaminated. O auspicious lady, while you have been ravished by force in a dream your vow will not come to an end. Besides, O fair lady, no sin is comitted in a dream in the land of mortals. So you have not transgressed any regulation by such a conduct. The saints, well-read in scriptures, hold that the woman who commits sin by mind, words and especially by deeds, is considered as fallen. O timid girl, you have always observed celibacy and even your mind has not been seen to give way, so how can you be regarded sullied? You are a chaste, pure and noble woman. You were reduced to this plight while you were asleep and so your virtue will not suffer by this. She is called an unchaste woman, whose sinful mind leads her to sinful actions. But, O lady, you are chaste; you are born in a great family and beautiful. You have always observed celibacy still you have been reduced to such a condition. Alas! it is difficult to tide over destiny." Having said this with tearful eyes to weeping Ushā Kumbhānda's daughter again spoke the following precious words:—"O you of large eyes, cast off your grief. O you of a beautiful face, I remember an incident which will prove that you are innocent. Hear I will describe it truly. Remember what the goddess Pārvati, before Mahadeva, said to you when you thought of having a husband. At that time with delight the goddess said to you the following words after your own heart. 'When you will sleep in your palace on the twelfth day of the fortnight of the month of Vaishākha, the man, who will co-habit with you weeping, that hero, that slayer of enemies will be your husband'. O you having a moon-like face, what Pārvati said can never be untrue. Forgetting the truth you are weeping." Hearing the words of her friend and recollecting the words of the goddess Vāna's daughter cast off her sorrow (16–32).
Ushā said:—"O fair lady, I remember now what the goddess said while sporting with Bhava. What she said exactly happened in my room. If the wife of Bhava, the lord of the world, wishes him to be my husband then arrange how I can know his whereabouts" (33-34).
After Ushā had said this Kumbhānda's daughter, well-read in the study of words, gave vent to the following reasonable words:–"Why are you so overwhelmed, O lady? Nobody knows the glories of his race and his manliness. How can we know that thief, that unseen and unheard of person whom you saw in dream? O you of red eyes, he, all on a sudden, entered into our inner appartment and ravished you by force although you were weeping. That subduer of enemies, who has been able to enter, by force, this celebrated city of ours, is not an ordinary man (35–39). The Adityas, Rudras and Vasus of dreadful prowess and even the effulgent Ashwinis cannot enter the city of Shonita. So that slayer of enemies, who has entered Shonitpura and kicked Vāna on his head, is indeed a hundred times more powerful than they. O you of fair eyes, of what use are life and objects of enjoyment to that woman who has not got such a heroic husband. When by the favour of the goddess you have obtained such a Cupid-like husband consider yourself as lucky and blessed. Hear, what you shall have to do now. We are to know his name, in what family he has been born and who his father is" (49-44). After Kumbhānda’s daughter had said this Ushā, stricken with love, said: "O friend, how will you be able to know all this? People often find themselves overpowered in their own actions. I cannot therefore find out what reply to give. Find out the measure by which I may keep my life (45–46)." Hearing it, the beautiful daughter of Kumbhānda said again to her weeping friend Ushā:—"O friend, O you having spacious eyes, Apsara Chitralekhā is an expert in the work of making peace and sowing dissensions. Therefore communicate this to her very soon." Thus addressed Ushā was filled with great surprise and delight. And to her friend the Apsarā Chitralekhā poor Ushā, with folded hands, said: (47–50). "O fair lady, hear, I am communicating to you a most important subject. If you do not bring here my beloved, lotus-eyed husband having the gait of an infuriated elephant I will give up my life." Hearing it Chitralekhā, gladdening Ushā, slowly said:—"O you of firm vows, he, of whom you speak, is not known to me. I do not know the family, character, colour and accomplishments of that thief, nor the country where he resides. But hear, now, my friend, the words suited to the time, what I will be able to accomplish with my intelligence and how you will acquire your wished-for object. O friend, I will paint the likenesses of those who are prominent by virtue of their beauty and birth amongst the gods, Dānavas, Yakshas, Uragas and Rākshasas, as well as of those who are leading and well-known in the land of men. O timid girl, within seven nights I will show you their portraits and you will recognise the portrait of your beloved husband and obtain him" (57-60). Thus addressed by Chitralekhā who was anxious to please her Ushā asked her loving friend Chitralekhā to do the same. Saying "So be it" beautiful Chitralekhā too, by virtue of her imagination and clever hand, painted the likenesses of all leading men within seven nights. Thereupon spreading all the portraits painted by her she said to Ushā before all her friends:—"Look here, I have painted the likenesses of all leading persons amongst the gods, Dānavas, Kinnaras, Uragas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Daityas, and of other various Naga families as also of the leading figures amongst mankind. I have painted their likenesses all exactly. Do you now find out that of your husband whom you saw in the dream (61–67)." Thereupon gradually passing from one to another Ushā saw that of Keshava, the Yadu king, amongst the Yadavas. Seeing Aniruddha by him her eyes grew expanded with surprise. She said to Chitralekhā:—"This is the thief who, while I was sleeping on the turret of my palace, ravished me in dream, a chaste lady as I am. I can recognize him by his beauty. He is the thief. O beautiful Chitrālekha, describe to me at length his name, accomplishments, character and family. We should do what is proper afterwards (68-71)".
Chitrālekha said:—"O you of expansive eyes, this your husband, of dreadful prowess, is the grand-son of the intelligent Krishna, the lord of the three worlds and the son of Pradyumna. There is none in the three worlds equal to him in prowess. He uproots the mountains and crushes them. Blessed and favoured you are, O friend, since Bhavāni has selected such a great Yadu prince as your husband (72–74)".
Ushā said:—"O you of large eyes, O you of a beautiful face, you alone are capable of making us a pair. Do find out some refuge for me who am helpless. You are capable of ranging in the sky and assuming various forms. You are also clever in finding out means. Do you soon bring here my love. O friend, O fair one, think of the measure by which you will be able to accomplish this work. The learned speak highly of a friend who helps us in adversity. O you of fair waist, I am stricken with lust. Give me my life. If you do not even to-day bring soon my immortal-like husband I will forsake my life (75-79)".
Hearing Ushā's words Chitralekha said:—"O auspicious and sweet-smiling lady, hear what I say: O timid lady, as Vāna's city is protected so the city of Dwaravati is equally invincible. That city is girt with iron walls and the Vrishni princes and inhabitants of Dwarakā protect it. Around that city constructed by the Celestial Architect Viswakarmā lies a ditch full of water and at the mandate of the lotus-navelled deity great heroes protect it. There are mountain walls around the city and one is to enter there through a fort way. With seven mountains full of metals seven ditches have been made there. A stranger cannot enter that city. Therefore, save me, your self and specially your father" (80–85).