कथासरित्सागरः — षोडशस्तरङ्गः

षोडशस्तरङ्गः ।

ततो गत्वा पुनस्तस्माच्छिंशपापादपान्नृपः ।
स त्रिविक्रमसेनस्तं स्कन्धे वेतालमग्रहीत् ॥

Summary AI King Trivikramasena returned to the śiṃśapā tree and once again placed the Vetāla upon his shoulder.

प्रस्थितश्च ततस्तेन वेतालेनाभ्यधायि सः ।
राजन्क्व राज्यं क्वैतस्मिञ्श्मशाने भ्रमणं निशि ॥

Summary AI As the King set out, the Vetāla spoke to him, questioning why a monarch would wander through a cemetery at night instead of attending to his kingdom.

१२.१६.३

किमेतन्नेक्षसे भूतसंकुलं रात्रिभीषणम् ।
चिताधूमैरिव ध्वान्तैर्निरुद्धं पितृकाननम् ॥

Summary AI The Vetāla asked if the King did not see the terrifying cemetery, crowded with ghosts and choked by darkness as thick as the smoke from funeral pyres.

१२.१६.४

कष्टं कीदृग्ग्रहो ऽयं ते भिक्षोस्तस्यानुरोधतः ।
तदिदं शृणु तावन्मे प्रश्नं मार्गविनोदनम् ॥

Summary AI Remarking on the King's strange obsession to please the mendicant, the Vetāla proposed a riddle to pass the time during their journey.

१२.१६.५

अवन्तिष्वस्ति नगरी युगादौ देवनिर्मिता ।
शैवी तनुरिवोद्दामभोगिभूतिविभूषिता ॥

Summary AI In the land of Avanti lies an ancient city built by the gods, as majestic and richly adorned as the form of Lord Śiva.

१२.१६.६

पद्मावती भोगवती या हिरण्यवतीति च ।
कृतादिषु त्रिषु ख्याता कलावुज्जयिनीति च ॥

Summary AI This city was known as Padmāvatī, Bhogavatī, and Hiraṇyavatī in the first three ages, and is called Ujjayinī in the Kali age.

१२.१६.७

तस्यां च वीरदेवाख्यो राजाभूद्भूभृतां वरः ।
तस्य पद्मरतिर्नाम महादेवी बभूव च ॥

Summary AI In that city lived an excellent king named Vīradeva, whose principal queen was named Padmarati.

१२.१६.८

सो ऽथ राजा तया साकं गत्वा मन्दाकिनीतटे ।
हरमाराधयामास तपसा पुत्रकाम्यया ॥

Summary AI Desiring a son, the King and his queen went to the banks of the Mandākinī to worship Lord Hara through rigorous penance.

१२.१६.९

चिरं तपःस्थितश्चात्र परितुष्टेश्वरोदिताम् ।
कृतस्नानार्चनविधिः शुश्रावेमां गिरं दिवः ॥

Summary AI After long penance and worship, the King heard a divine voice from the heavens uttered by the gratified Lord Śiva.

१२.१६.१०

राजन्नुत्पत्स्यते पुत्रः शूरस्तव कुलोद्भवः ।
कन्या चानन्यसामान्यलावण्यन्यक्कृताप्सराः ॥

Summary AI The voice promised the King a brave son to continue his lineage and a daughter whose peerless beauty would put the apsarases to shame.

१२.१६.११

श्रुत्वैतां नाभसीं वाणीं सिद्धाभीष्टः स भूपतिः ।
वीरदेवः स्वनगरीमाययौ महिषीसखः ॥

Summary AI Having received this divine assurance, King Vīradeva, his heart's desire fulfilled, returned to his capital with his queen.

१२.१६.१२

तत्रास्य शूरदेवाख्ये जाते प्रथममात्मजे ।
तस्यां पद्मरतौ देव्यां क्रमादजनि कन्यका ॥

Summary AI After a son named Śūradeva was first born to Queen Padmarati, a daughter was born to her in due course.

१२.१६.१३

अनङ्गस्यापि रूपेण रतिमुत्पादयेदियम् ।
इत्यनङ्गरतिर्नाम्ना पित्रा तेन व्यधायि सा ॥

Summary AI Thinking that her beauty could inspire love even in Anaṅga, her father named her Anaṅgarati.

१२.१६.१४

वृद्धिं गतायास्तस्याश्च स पिता सदृशं वरम् ।
प्रेप्सुरानाययत्पृथ्व्यां पटेषु लिखिथान्नृपान् ॥

Summary AI As she grew, her father, seeking a suitable groom, had portraits of kings from across the earth brought to him for consideration.

१२.१६.१५

तेष्वेको ऽपि न यत्तस्य तत्तुल्यः प्रत्यभासत ।
तेन राजा स वात्सल्यात्तां सुतां प्रत्यभाषत ॥

Summary AI Since no king among the portraits seemed worthy of her, the King spoke affectionately to his daughter regarding her marriage.

१२.१६.१६

अहं तावन्न पश्यामि सदृशं पुत्रि ते वरम् ।
तत्कुरुष्व नृपान्सर्वान्मेलयित्वा स्वयंवरम् ॥

Summary AI The King suggested that since he could find no suitable match, she should choose her own husband in a svayaṃvara ceremony.

१२.१६.१७

एतत्पितृवचः श्रुत्वा राजपुत्री जगाद सा ।
तात स्वयंवरं कर्तुं ह्रेपणान्नाहमुत्सहे ॥

Summary AI Hearing her father's words, the princess replied that she was too modest to venture holding a svayaṃvara.

१२.१६.१८

किं त्वेकं वेत्ति यो ऽपूर्वं विज्ञानं स्वाकृतिर्युवा ।
तस्मै त्वयाहं दातव्या नार्थो ऽन्येनाधिकेन मे ॥

Summary AI She declared that she should only be given to a handsome youth who possessed a unique and extraordinary skill.

१२.१६.१९

इत्यनङ्गरतेस्तस्याः श्रुत्वा स्वदुहितुर्वचः ।
तादृशं तद्वरं यावदन्विष्यति स भूपतिः ॥

Summary AI Having heard the specific requirements of his daughter Anaṅgarati, the King began his search for such a unique groom.

१२.१६.२०

तावत्तल्लोकतो बुद्ध्वा चत्वारस्तमुपाययुः ।
वीरा विज्ञानिनो भव्याः पुरुषा दक्षिणापथात् ॥

Summary AI In the meantime, four brave, noble, and highly skilled men from the Dakṣiṇāpatha arrived, having heard of the matter from the people.

१२.१६.२१

ते राज्ञा पूजितास्तस्मै स्वं स्वं विज्ञानमेकशः ।
शशंसुः संनिधौ तस्या राजपुत्र्यास्तदर्थिनः ॥

Summary AI Honored by the king, those suitors, in the presence of the princess, each declared their respective skills to him.

१२.१६.२२

एको जगाद शूद्रो ऽहमाख्यया पञ्चपट्टिकः ।
पञ्चाग्र्यवस्त्रयुग्मानि करोम्येको ऽहमन्वहम् ॥

Summary AI One of them said, "I am a Śūdra named Pañcapaṭṭika. Working alone, I produce five pairs of excellent garments every day."

१२.१६.२३

तेभ्य एकं प्रयच्छामि देवायैकं द्विजन्मने ।
एकं च परिगृह्णामि वाससोरात्मनः कृते ॥

Summary AI "From those, I offer one pair to the deity, one to a Brāhmaṇa, and I keep one pair for my own clothing."

१२.१६.२४

एकं ददामि भार्यायै यदि सा भवतीह मे ।
एकं विक्रीय चाहारपानादि विदधाम्यहम् ॥

Summary AI "I will give one pair to my wife, should she become mine, and by selling the remaining one, I provide for food, drink, and other needs."

१२.१६.२५

एवं विज्ञानिने ऽनङ्गरतिर्मे दीयतामिति ।
इत्येकेनोदिते तेन द्वितीयः पुरुषो ऽब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI After the first suitor requested that Anaṅgarati be given to him because of his skill, the second man spoke.

१२.१६.२६

भाषाज्ञो नाम वैश्यो ऽहं सर्वेषां मृगपक्षिणाम् ।
रुतं वेद्मि तदेषा मे राजपुत्री प्रदीयताम् ॥

Summary AI "I am a Vaiśya named Bhāṣājña. I understand the language of all animals and birds. Therefore, let this princess be given to me."

१२.१६.२७

एवमुक्ते द्वितीयेन तृतीयः प्रोक्तवांस्ततः ।
अहं खड्गधरो नाम दोःशाली क्षत्रियो नृप ॥

Summary AI When the second had spoken thus, the third said, "O King, I am a powerful Kṣatriya named Khaḍgadhara."

१२.१६.२८

न खड्गविद्याविज्ञाने प्रतिमल्लो ऽस्ति मे क्षितौ ।
तदेषा तनया राजंस्त्वया मह्यं वितीर्यताम् ॥

Summary AI "O King, there is no rival to me on earth in the science of swordsmanship. Therefore, let this daughter be bestowed upon me by you."

१२.१६.२९

इत्युक्ते तु तृतीयेन चतुर्थ इदमभ्यधात् ।
विप्रो ऽहं जीवदत्ताख्यो विज्ञानं च ममेदृशम् ॥

Summary AI After the third had spoken, the fourth said, "I am a Brāhmaṇa named Jīvadatta, and my skill is as follows."

१२.१६.३०

जन्तूं मृतानप्यानीय दर्शयाम्याशु जीवतः ।
तद्वीरचर्यासिद्धं मां पतिमेषा प्रपद्यताम् ॥

Summary AI "I can bring even dead creatures back to life and show them living instantly. Therefore, let her accept me, perfected through heroic rites, as her husband."

१२.१६.३१

एवं वक्तॄन्स तान्पश्यन्दिव्यवेषाकृतीन्नृपः ।
वीरदेवः सुतायुक्तो दोलारूढ इवाभवत् ॥

Summary AI Seeing those suitors of divine appearance and form speaking thus, King Vīradeva, along with his daughter, became as if mounted on a swing of indecision.

१२.१६.३२

इत्याख्याय कथामेतां वेतालः पृष्टवान्नृपम् ।
स त्रिविक्रमसेनं तं दत्तपूर्वोक्तशापभीः ॥

Summary AI Having narrated this story, the Vetāla, after reminding the King of his previous threat of a curse, questioned King Trivikramasena.

१२.१६.३३

तद्भवान्वक्तु तावन्मे कस्मै देया विशाम्पते ।
तेषां चतुर्णां मध्यात्सा कन्यानङ्गरतिर्भवेत् ॥

Summary AI "O Lord of the people, tell me then: to which of those four should the maiden Anaṅgarati be given?"

१२.१६.३४

एतच्छ्रुत्वा स राजा तं वेतालं प्रत्यभाषत ।
मौनं त्याजयति प्रायः कालक्षेपाय मां भवान् ॥

Summary AI Hearing this, the King replied to the Vetāla, "You are likely making me break my silence just to waste time."

१२.१६.३५

अन्यथा गहनः को ऽयं प्रश्नो योगेश्वरोच्यताम् ।
शूद्राय हि कुविन्दाय क्षत्रिया दीयते कथम् ॥

Summary AI "Otherwise, O Master of Yoga, tell me—how is this a difficult question? How can a Kṣatriya woman be given to a Śūdra weaver?"

१२.१६.३६

वैश्यायापि कथं देया क्षत्रिया यच्च तद्गतम् ।
मृगादिभाषाविज्ञानं कार्ये तत्क्वोपयुज्यते ॥

Summary AI "How could she be given even to a Vaiśya? And as for his knowledge of the languages of animals and the like, where is that of any practical use?"

१२.१६.३७

यो ऽपि विप्रस्तृतीयो ऽत्र तेनापि पतितेन किम् ।
स्वकर्मप्रच्युतेनेन्द्रजालिना वीरमानिना ॥

Summary AI "Even regarding the third suitor who is a Brāhmaṇa, what of him? He is fallen, having strayed from his own duties, being a mere magician who fancies himself a hero."

१२.१६.३८

तस्मात्तस्मै क्षत्रियाय चतुर्थाय समाय सा ।
देया खड्गधरायैव स्वविद्यावीर्यशालिने ॥

Summary AI "Therefore, she must be given to the fourth suitor, the Kṣatriya Khaḍgadhara, who is her equal and distinguished by his own skill and valor."

१२.१६.३९

एतत्तस्य वचो निशम्य नृपतेरंसस्थलात्पूर्वव-
त्वेतालः स जगाम योगबलतः स्वस्थानमेवाशु तत् ।
भूपालो ऽपि स तं तथैव पुनरप्यानेतुमन्वग्ययौ
उत्साहैकघने हि वीरहृदये नाप्नोति खेदो ऽन्तरम् ॥

Summary AI Hearing the King's words, the Vetāla instantly flew back to his place from the King's shoulder via yogic power. The King followed to fetch him again; indeed, weariness finds no place in a heroic heart intent on one great purpose.

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