Note 16 — Chapter XLV

And when the night came, Kalávatí again came to visit him, and he slept secretly within with her, with all his followers sleeping outside. In the meanwhile Mahalliká also came there, eager to see him, accompanied by two confidantes. Then a minister of Súryaprabha’s, named Prajnáḍhya, who happened at that moment to have his eyes forsaken by sleep, saw her attempting to enter. And he, recognising her, rose up and said—“Princess, remain here a moment until I enter and come out again.” She alarmed, said—“Why are we stopped, and why are you outside?” Prajnáḍhya again said to her—“Why do you enter in this sudden way when a man is sleeping at his ease? Besides, my lord sleeps alone to-night on account of a vow.” Then the daughter of Prahláda, being ashamed, said, “So be it, enter,” and Prajnáḍhya went inside. Seeing that Kalávatí was asleep, he woke up Súryaprabha and himself told him that Mahalliká had arrived. And Súryaprabha, hearing of it, gently rose up, and went out, and beholding Mahalliká with two others, he said—“This person has been supremely blessed by your arrival, let this place be blessed also, take a seat.” When Mahalliká heard this, she sat down with her friends, and Súryaprabha also sat down, with Prajnáḍhya by his side. And when he sat down, he said—“Fair one, although you shewed contempt for me by seeming to look on others in the assembly with respect, nevertheless, O rolling-eyed one, my eyes were blessed as soon as they beheld your dancing as well as your beauty.” When Súryaprabha said this, the daughter of Prahláda answered him—“This is not my fault, noble sir,16 he is in fault, who made me ashamed in the hall of assembly by putting me beside my part in the pantomime.” When Súryaprabha heard this, he laughed and said—“I am conquered.” And then that prince seized her hand with his, and it perspired and trembled, as if afraid of the rough seizure. And she said—“Let me go, noble sir, I am a maiden under my father’s control,”—then Prajnáḍhya said to that daughter of the chief of the Asuras, “Is not there not such a thing as the Gándharva marriage of maidens? And your father, who has seen your heart, will not give you to another, moreover he will certainly do some honour to this prince here; so away with timidity! Let not such a meeting be thrown away!” While Prajnáḍhya was saying this to Mahalliká, Kalávatí woke up within. And not seeing Súryaprabha on the bed, after waiting a long time, she was terrified and apprehensive and went out. And seeing her lover in the company of Mahalliká, she was angry and ashamed and terrified. Mahalliká too, when she saw her, was terrified and angry and ashamed, and Súryaprabha stood motionless like a painted picture. Kalávatí came to his side, thinking—“Now that I have been seen, how can I escape, shall I display shame or jealousy?” And she said with a spiteful intonation to Mahalliká—“How are you, my friend, how comes it that you have come here at night?” Then Mahalliká said—“This is my house; as you have arrived here from another mansion of the under-world, you are to-day my guest here.” When Kalávatí heard that, she laughed and said—“Yes, it is clearly the case that you entertain with appropriate hospitality every guest, as soon as he arrives here.” When Kalávatí said this, Mahalliká answered—“When I spoke to you kindly, why do you answer in such an unkind and spiteful way, shameless girl? Am I like you? Did I, without being bestowed in marriage by my parents, come from a distance, and in a strange place sleep in the bed of a strange man alone at night? I came to see my father’s guest, as he was going away, in accordance with the duty of hospitality, a moment ago, accompanied by two female friends. When this minister entered, after first reproaching me, I guessed the real state of the case; you have now of yourself revealed it.” When thus addressed by Mahalliká, Kalávatí departed, looking askance at her beloved with an eye red with anger. Then Mahalliká too said to Súryaprabha in wrath, “Now I will depart, man of many favourites,” and went away. And Súryaprabha remained in heartless despondency, as was reasonable, for his heart, devoted to his loved ones, went with them.