because of the beauty and attire of that damsel, seemed to be converted
into gold. The sight of that maiden inspired the monarch with a contempt
for all women that he had seen before. By beholding her, the king
regarded his eye-sight truly blessed. Nothing the king had seen from the
day of his birth could equal, he thought, the beauty of that girl. The
king's heart and eyes were captivated by that damsel, as if they were
bound with a cord and he remained rooted to that spot, deprived of his
senses. The monarch thought that the artificer of so much beauty had
created it only after churning the whole world of gods Asuras and human
beings. Entertaining these various thoughts, king Samvarana regarded that
maiden as unrivalled in the three worlds for wealth of beauty.

"And the monarch of pure descent, beholding the beautiful maiden, was
pierced with Kama's (Cupid's) shafts and lost his peace of mind. Burnt
with the strong flame of desire the king asked that charming maiden,
still innocent, though in her full youth, saying, 'Who art thou and
whose? Why also dost thou stay here? O thou of sweet smiles, why dost
thou wander alone in these solitary woods? Of every feature perfectly
faultless, and decked with every ornament, thou seemest to be the coveted
ornament of these ornaments themselves! Thou seemest not to be of
celestial or Asura or Yaksha or Rakshasa or Naga or Gandharva or human
origin. O excellent lady, the best of women that I have ever seen or
heard of would not compare with thee in beauty! O thou of handsome face,
at sight of thee lovelier than the moon and graced with eyes like
lotus-petals, the god of desire is grinding me.'

"King Samvarana thus addressed that damsel in the forest, who however,
spoke not a word unto the monarch burning with desire. Instead, like
lightning in the clouds, that large-eyed maiden quickly disappeared in
the very sight of the monarch. The king then wandered through the whole
forest, like one out of his senses, in search of that girl of eyes like
lotus-petals. Failing to find her, that best of monarchs indulged in
copious lamentations and for a time stood motionless with grief.'"

SECTION CLXXIV

(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

"The Gandharva continued, 'When that maiden disappeared, that feller of
hostile ranks deprived of his senses by Kama (concupiscence) himself fell
down on the earth. And as the monarch fell down, that maiden of sweet
smiles and prominent and round hips a