gan to think of perpetuating his race.
But he saw not a wife worthy of him on whom he himself could take his
birth in the form of a son. The Rishi accordingly, taking those parts
that were regarded as highly beautiful, from creatures possessing them,
created therewith an excellent woman. And the Muni, endued with great
ascetic merit, thereupon gave that girl created for himself to the king
of the Vidharbhas who was then undergoing ascetic penances for obtaining
offspring. And that blessed girl of sweet face (thus disposed of) then
took her birth (in Vidarbha's royal line) and, beautiful as the effulgent
lightning, her limbs began to grow day by day. And as soon as that lord
of earth--the ruler of the Vidarbhas--saw her ushered into life, he
joyfully communicated the intelligence, O Bharata, unto the Brahmanas.
And the Brahmanas thereupon, O lord of earth, blessed the girl and they
bestowed upon her the name Lopamudra. And possessed of great beauty, she
began, O monarch, to grow quickly like unto a lotus in the midst of water
or the effulgent flame of a fire. And when the girl grew and attained to
puberty, a hundred virgins decked in ornaments and a hundred maids waited
in obedience upon her blessed self. And surrounded by those hundred maids
and virgins, she shone in their midst, endued as she was with bright
effulgence, like Rohini in the firmament amid an inferior multitude of
stars. And possessed as she was of good behaviour and excellent manners,
none dared ask for her hand even when she attained to puberty, through
fear of her father, the king of the Vidharbhas. And Lopamudra, devoted to
truth, surpassing the Apsaras even in beauty, gratified her father and
relatives by means of her conduct. And her father, beholding his
daughter-the princess of Vidharbha-attain to puberty, began to reflect in
his mind, saying, 'To whom should I give this daughter of mine?'"

SECTION XCVII

"Lomasa continued, 'When Agastya thought that girl to be competent for
the duties of domesticity, he approached that lord of earth-the ruler of
Vidharbhas-and addressing him, said, 'I solicit thee, O king, to bestow
thy daughter Lopamudra on me.' Thus addressed by the Muni, the king of
the Vidharbhas swooned away. And though unwilling to give the Muni his
daughter, he dared not refuse. And that lord of earth then, approaching
his queen, said, 'This Rishi is endued with great energy. If angry, he
may consume me with the fire of his curse. O t