The Reunion of Anjana and Prince Pavananjaya

After the wedding Pavananjaya forsook Anjana, never once even looking at her; sleepless and weeping, she gave up bathing and adornment and wasted away until her ornaments slipped from her limbs and her pen fell from trembling fingers when she tried to paint his portrait, pleading in her heart that she had done him no wrong as each day passed like a year. Her household grieved, concluding that she must be reaping the karma of having once obstructed another's happiness, with Pavananjaya merely its instrument.

Meanwhile the proud King Varuna refused to obey Ravana, scoffing to his envoy that he was not Indra, Vaishravana, Yama, Sahasrarashmi or Marutta and that Ravana was swollen with pride only because of his divine weapons. Ravana besieged Varuna's city with an ocean-like army, vowing to subdue, kill or bind him without divine weapons, but when Varuna's sons, Rajiva, Pundarika and others, captured Kharadushana alive, he halted the battle lest Kharadushana be killed and, on his ministers' advice, summoned the kings of every land.

A letter reached Prahlada of Adityanagara from Ravana, son of Ratnashrava and grandson of Sumali, encamped near Patalapura, saying that the evil-minded Varuna of Patalanagara had defied him and taken Kharadushana captive, and summoning him at once; Prahlada honoured the messengers, touched the letter to his head and, after consulting his ministers, prepared to march.

Pavananjaya bowed to the ground and begged to go instead, for a son's duty is to serve his father; told that he was still a boy who had never seen battle, he replied that a single spark can burn a forest and that with his father's blessing he could conquer even Indra. His parents blessed him with victory, kissing his head and holding back their tears lest they be inauspicious.

As he set out, right foot first, his right arm throbbing in omen of victory, his eye fell on Anjana at the doorway, clad in red, holding an auspicious full pitcher and leaning on a pillar in tears, hoping for a word of blessing. He snapped that the very sight of her was painful and told her to get out of his way, and when she pleaded that without him only death remained, he said ‘Then die!’ and left her lying senseless on the ground.

Riding an elephant with his vassals, he camped the first day on the shore of Manasarovara, raised a lofty palace there by his vidya (magical science), and from its windows watched a chakavi (ruddy shelduck) parted from her mate at sunset, calling to her own reflection in the water, climbing trees to search every direction and falling back in despair.

Moved to pity and seeing around him the very places of his wedding, he repented bitterly: if this bird could not bear one night apart, how had his blameless queen endured twenty-two years, when the harsh words had been only her maid's? Fearing that she would die if he went to war without seeing her, and he with her, he opened his heart to Prahasta.

Since turning back openly after taking leave would be shameful, Prahasta advised a secret visit and a quick return; leaving the camp in the care of the general Mudgara and pretending to go to worship at Meru, Pavananjaya flew by night with Prahasta to Anjana's palace, where Prahasta had Vasantamala woken and announced his coming to Anjana, who thought she was being mocked.

Pavananjaya entered with tears of joy; Anjana fell at his feet, and he raised her, seated her beside him and begged forgiveness for having blamed her for another's fault, while she answered that even his neglect had seemed like honour to her. The two spent the night together in loving reconciliation.

At dawn Prahasta roused him to reach the camp before anyone knew, for the lord of Rathanupura and of Kinnaragita city was waiting to go to Ravana with him, and Ravana kept asking how far Pavananjaya's camp had come. Anjana, saying it was her fertile season and she would surely conceive, begged him to tell his parents before leaving, but ashamed to face them, he promised to return before the pregnancy showed and gave her his signet ring bearing his name and his bracelets as proof.

Telling Vasantamala to serve Anjana well, he flew off with Prahasta, and Anjana held back her tears to avoid an ill omen; Gautama reminded Shrenika that worldly joy and sorrow are both fleeting, and only the dharma taught by the Jina dispels the darkness of delusion.