king, highly rejoicing, acquainted his wife with these auspicious news, performed the ceremonies required to complete his vow, gave rich presents to the Brahmins, and resumed the government.[१]
In due time, the queen bore a beautiful son who, "since he fed the eyes of the king, just as Soma, the moon, feeds the Chakoras," received the name Soma (Somes'vara).[२] The king was, however, not satisfied. Remembering the predictions of the heavenly voice, he anxiously longed for the birth of his second son. At last he saw the cheek of the queen again become pale. He testified his joy by showering gold on the Brahmins and by making other thanks-offerings. During this second pregnancy the queen had wonderful cravings which presaged the future greatness of the child she carried. Sometimes she desired to place her feet on the elephants that guard the points of the horizon; sometimes she called on the nymphs, that are the guardian deities of the quarters of the Universe, to shampoo her feet, and at other times she eyed the swords as if desirous to drink 'the water of their steel.'
Great precautions were taken to ensure the safety of her precious burden. The lying-in chamber was secured by powerful spells and efficacious herbs and carefully guarded by learned Brahmins. At last, in a most auspicious hour and under a most favourable conjunction of the planets, the eagerly desired son was born. Flowers fell from the sky, Indra's
- ↑ II. 25-58. The king's performing penauce for the sake of a son is in harmony with Hindu customs and in itself not in the least incredible. But in this and subsequent portions of Bilhana's narrative there is an evident design of representing Vikrama as the special favourite of the gods and as such entitled to oust his elder brother from the throne. This circumstance ought to be taken into account in considering the credibility of the facts related regarding the internal history of Ahavamalla's family.
- ↑ II, 57-58.
