The Marriage of Anjanasundari and Prince Pavananjaya

At the feet of the same Anantavirya Kevali, Hanuman and Vibhishana took the householder's vows, Hanuman's virtue and right faith being steadier than Mount Sumeru. Hearing Gautama Ganadhara praise them, King Shrenika of Magadha asked whose son Hanuman was and where he was born, and Gautama (Indrabhuti) began his story.

On the southern row of the Vijayardha mountains, ten yojanas above the earth, lay the lovely city of Adityapura, where King Prahlada and Queen Ketumati had a handsome son, Vayukumara, also called Pavanakumara or Pavananjaya, and the king, wishing to continue his line, began to think of his marriage.

In Bharata Kshetra, between the east and south by the ocean, rises Mount Danti, where the Vidyadhara King Mahendra founded the city of Mahendrapura; by Queen Hridayavega he had a hundred virtuous sons headed by Arindama and a daughter, Anjanasundari, lotus-eyed and skilled in music and every art. Seeing her grown to youth as she played with her friends, Mahendra worried for her match, as King Akampana once worried on seeing his daughter Sulochana.

Asked for a worthy groom, the minister Amarasagara proposed Ravana, lord of the Rakshasas and overlord of the Vidyadharas, whose alliance would spread Mahendra's fame to the ocean's shores, or else Ravana's son Indrajit or Meghanada, or a svayamvara (bride's choice ceremony). The learned minister Sumati objected that Ravana had thousands of queens, was very proud and far older than the girl, and that giving her to one of the two sons would set them against each other.

Minister Taradhanya then proposed Saudaminiprabha (Vidyutprabha), son of King Hiranyaprabha and Queen Sumana of Kanakapura, so mighty that all the Vidyadharas together could not defeat him, but minister Sandehaparaga shook his head: this prince ever meditated on detachment and would renounce the world at eighteen, become a monk, attain Kevala Jnana (omniscience) and reach liberation, leaving the bride husbandless like a moonless night. Instead he praised Pavananjaya of Adityapura, whose virtues could not be told in a hundred years, and all rejoiced, Anjanasundari too.

In spring, during the Ashtahnika festival from the eighth to the full moon of bright Phalguna, while the gods went to Nandishvara Dvipa, the Vidyadharas came to worship on Mount Kailasa, sacred for Rishabhadeva's nirvana and for its temples built by Bharata Chakravarti. There Mahendra met Prahlada, poured out his worry over the other suitors and proposed Pavananjaya; Prahlada gladly agreed, the wedding was fixed for the shore of Lake Manasarovara, and the astrologers set the auspicious hour three days later.

Hearing of Anjana's beauty, Pavananjaya could not bear even three days' wait and passed through the ten stages of love-sickness, from longing and sighs to fever, loathing of food, frenzy and swooning. He confided in his trusted friend Prahasta, and at nightfall the two flew by vimana (aerial chariot) to Anjana's palace and hid behind the pearl curtains on its seventh storey.

As Pavananjaya gazed at her moon-like beauty, her friend Vasantamala (here called Vasantatilaka) praised her betrothal to Vayukumara and Anjana looked down shyly; but another friend, Mishrakeshi, sneered that Vidyutprabha and Pavananjaya differed as an ocean from a pond, that her father had refused Vidyutprabha only because he would soon become a monk, and that a moment with him was worth more than a lifetime with a lesser man, while Anjana said nothing.

Enraged that Anjana listened to his disparagement, Pavananjaya drew his sword to behead both women, but Prahasta checked him: his sword was for great warriors, the maid spoke without Anjana's consent, and scripture forbids killing women, children, animals or men. Calmed, Pavananjaya slipped away, convinced that Anjana loved Vidyutprabha, and resolved to shun her like a fearsome river.

At dawn he ordered his army home, saying even the breeze that touched Anjana was unbearable; hearing the march, Anjana cursed Mishrakeshi's bitter tongue, vowed to give up food and life if abandoned and fainted, while puzzled soldiers joked that he was named for outrunning the wind. Mahendra with his brothers hurried to Prahlada, and the two fathers took Pavananjaya by the hand and bade him obey his elders; he returned, privately resolving to marry Anjana and then abandon her so that she would live in sorrow and never know another man.

The wedding was celebrated with great festivity on the shore of Manasarovara, though Anjana's tender hand felt like a flame to the groom. The two families stayed there a month exchanging honours, Mahendra gave lavish gifts, and all went home, Gautama warning Shrenika that those who blame others without understanding are great fools.