Thereupon the youth Sudhana touched the Rishi’s feet with his head, and went away in order to seek the remedies, spells, and antidotes indicated to him. When he had obtained all but the monkey, he came back with them to the Rishi. The Rishi gave him a monkey and said, “O youth, why do you trouble yourself so much? Wherefore is Manoharā so necessary to you. Alone, without companions, you will surely lose your life.” The youth replied, “Great Rishi, I shall surely go, and why? Where has the heaven-traversing moon a companion? The king of the beasts, endowed with strength of tusks, and the fire which burns the forest—where are their companions? Wherefore should a strength like mine require a companion? What! shall not men trust themselves to the great ocean wave? Shall not one heal the hand which a snake has bitten? If a vigorous being struggles to the utmost, no blame can be found with the pains taken, even though they may not be successful.” [[71]]
Thereupon the youth Sudhana, provided with the various objects indicated by Manoharā, set forth. He passed in their turn the rivers, the caverns, and the abysses, assisted by the remedies, the spells, and the antidotes, and he came into the neighbourhood of the Kinnarī king, Druma. The youth gazed at the city, which was adorned by a park rich in flowers and fruits of various kinds, the haunt of all sorts of birds, provided with tanks, oblong and square lakes, and surrounded by Kinnarīs. He saw some Kinnarīs coming to draw water, and he said to them, “What are you going to do with all that water?” They replied, “The Kinnarī king has a daughter, Manoharā. As she has fallen into the hands of human beings, the smell of humanity has to be washed off her.” The youth Sudhana said, “Are all these jugs to be emptied over her at once, or one after another?” They replied, “One after another.” He thought, “Here is a good opportunity. I will drop this ring into one of the jugs.” He chose the jug of one of the Kinnarīs, dropped the ring into it, and said to her, “Let your jug be the first to begin Manoharā’s ablutions.” Whereupon she thought, “No doubt he will be wanting something or other.”
When this Kinnarī had been the first to empty her jug over Manoharā’s head, the ring fell into Manoharā’s lap, who said to her, “Has not a man come hither?” She replied, “Yes.” “Go to him, and bring him to some retired spot.” Accordingly the Kinnarī brought him in and took him to a retired spot. Then Manoharā touched her father’s feet and said, “Father, if the youth Sudhana, who was my husband, were to come here, what would you do with him?” He replied, “As he is a man, and I have no need of him, I would cut him into a hundred pieces and scatter him on all four sides.” Manoharā said, “Father, as he is a man, how could he be here? It was only my talk.”
Afterwards, when the wrath of the Kinnarī king, Druma, was assuaged, he said, “If the youth comes, I [[72]]will have you provided with all kinds of ornaments, and with many goods and treasures, and surrounded by Kinnarīs, and will give you to him as his wife.” Thereupon Manoharā, full of great delight, clothed the youth Sudhana in divine array, and showed him to the Kinnarī king, Druma. When the Kinnarī king, Druma, saw the young Sudhana’s stately form and pleasing aspect, his handsome face and brilliant complexion, he was greatly astonished. As he was desirous of having him as his son-in-law, he set in order seven golden stems, seven palms, seven kettledrums, and seven wild boars. Now the youth Sudhana was a Bodisat, and Bodisats are versed in all arts and in every kind of skill. Moreover, the gods take pains to remove all hindrances out of their way. The Bodisat stepped forth, surrounded by many thousands of Kinnarīs, amid dance and song, and to the sound of the harps, kettledrums, cymbals, lutes, drums, and the rest of the instruments of various kinds made by the gods. Before the eyes of the Kinnarī king, Druma, he drew nigh to the golden stems, wielding a sword which looked like the leaf of a blue lotus, and began to cut the stems in pieces as though he were slicing a plantain. Whereupon he broke them into fragments like grains of sesame. Moreover he shot an arrow uninjured through the seven palm-trees, the seven kettledrums, and the seven boars, and remained standing like Sumeru unremoved. Thereupon the heaven-inhabiting gods and many hundreds of thousands of Kinnarīs set up a cry of triumph with noise and shouting. When the Kinnarī king, Druma, saw and heard all this, he marvelled greatly.
After that the king placed Manoharā in the middle of a thousand Kinnarīs exactly like her, and said to the youth Sudhana, “Come hither, O youth, and recognise Manoharā.” Then the youth Sudhana, in order that he might recognise her, uttered these verses, “Thou who art Drama’s daughter, thou art also my beloved Manoharā; let it come to pass, in consequence of this truth, that thou, O [[73]]Manoharā, swiftly steppest to the front.” Thereupon she immediately stepped forward, and the Kinnarīs said, “Your majesty, as this youth Sudhana is of excellent strength, manliness, and courage, and deserves to be Manoharā’s husband, therefore please to be angry no longer, and to give Manoharā to him.”
Then the Kinnarī king summoned the Kinnarī host, and the Kinnarī assembly paid great honour to the youth Sudhana. Holding Manoharā adorned with divine array with his left hand, and a jar full of gold-dust with his right hand, the king went up to the youth Sudhana and said, “O youth, I give you Manoharā as your wife, surrounded by a thousand Kinnarīs. But men are of a fickle nature. Do not on any account desert her.” “I will act, O father, in accordance with your words,” said the youth Sudhana, and proffered obedience to the Kinnarī king, Druma. Then in a palace of the Kinnarī domain he and Manoharā, apart from men, revelled and enjoyed themselves to the sound of the musical instruments.
After a time, remembering his home, and being depressed by the pain arising from his separation from his parents, he informed Manoharā that he was overcome by the anguish caused by his separation from his parents. Thereupon Manoharā gave her father a full account of what had taken place. The king said, “Go with the youth, but act cautiously, seeing that men are deceitful.” Then the Kinnarī king, Druma, let her go, after bestowing upon her jewels, pearls, gold and so forth in profusion.
Sudhana went his way with Manoharā, speeding onwards through the air by Kinnarī power, and at length arrived at the city of Hastināpura. In the city of Hastināpura, after all stones, gravel, and rubble had been swept away, and sandal-wood water had been sprinkled, and floral hangings, standards, and flags had been set up, and exceedingly fragrant incense had been provided, and flowers of all sorts had been strewn about, men gave [[74]]themselves up to rejoicing. Then the youth, accompanied by Manoharā, surrounded by many thousands of leaders of men, made his entry into the city of Hastināpura.
When he had recovered from the fatigue caused by the journey, he took jewels of different kinds and went to his father, and remained standing beside the king, and gave him a full account of his journey to and from the Kinnarī city. As King Dhana had become aware that the prince possessed remarkable strength, manliness, and courage, he invested him with regal power. The youth Sudhana said to himself, “That I have met with Manoharā and obtained the might of kingly power is the special result of earlier deeds. Therefore will I now also bestow gifts and practise virtuous works.”
And during the space of twelve years he without let or hindrance offered sacrifice in the city of Hastināpura. [[75]]