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“oO —:00:—— NCE upon a time there was a mighty son of Brahma, of high austerities, named Kuga. And he was cognizant of duty, and ever engaged in observing vows and honoring good men. And that high-souled one begat on Vaidarbhi, sprung from a respectable line, and endowed with all noble qualities, four sons like unto himself, .and possessed of extraordinary prowess—Kugamva, and Kuganabha, and Asurtarajas, and Vasu, resplendent and breathing exhaust. less spirits. And with the deisre of enhancing Kshetrya merit, Kuga said unto his truthful and virtuous sons,—‘Ye sons! do ye engage in the task of governing,—and thereby acquire immense merit.’ Hearing Kuga’s words, those four Il

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foremost of men and best of sons addressed themselves to founding seats for their government. And the highly energetic Kugamva founded the city of Kaugamvi; and the righteous Kuganabha, the metropolis of Mahodaya; and the magnanimous Asurtarajas, Dharmaranya; and king Vasu, Girivraja, best of capitals. This city with these five mighty mountains shining around (otherwise) called Vasumati belongs to the high-souled Vasu. And the river known by the name of Sumagadhi flows through the Magadhas. Ard in the midst of the five foremost of hills, it looks like a garland. And this Magadhi, O Rama, belongs unto the highsouled Vasu, taking, O Rama, an easterly course, and flowing through fertile fields furnished with corn. And, O descendant of Raghu, the virtuous-souled Rajarshi Kuganabha begat an hundred peerless daughters on Ghritachi. And it came to pass that they endowed with youth, beautiful, and like unto the lightning in the rainy season, decked in excellent ornaments, coming to their garden, were merrily singing and dancing and playing on musical instruments, O Raghava! And as they perfect in every limb, and unparalleled on earth in beauty, and endowed with all qualities, and furnished with youth and grace, were in the garden, like unto stars embosomed among clouds, that life of all, the air, beheld them and said,— ‘I seek for ye : do ye become my wives. Do ye renounce this human guise, and attain long lives. Youth verily is unstable, specially with the human beings: do ye attaining unfading youth, become immortal :’ Hearing this speech of the Air of ever fresh energy, the damsels ridiculing it, said —‘Thou rangest the hearts of all creatures, O foremost of celestials, and we also know thy influence. Wherefore, then, dost thou dishonor us? O foremost: of celestials, we are the daughters of Kuganabha, O divine one. And god as thou art, we can dislodge thee from thy place; but we refrain from doing so, lest thereby we lose our ascetic merit. May, O foolish one, that time never come, when disregarding

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our truthful sire, we following our inclination, shall resort to self choice. Our father verily is our lord and prime god. Of him even shall we become the wives unto whom our father giveth us away.’ At these words of theirs, that lord and adorable one, the Air, exceedingly enraged, then entered into their bodies, and broke all their limbs. Their bodies being thus broken by Air, those damsels, exceedingly agitated and overwhelmed with shame, with tears in their eyes entered the residence of the king. And finding his supremely beautiful and favorite daughters with their limbs broken, and woebegone, the king bewildered, spake,—Ye daughters, what is this? Who is it that thus disregards virtue? By whom have ye all come by this crooked form? And why demonstrating your grief, do ye not answer me?’ Having said this, the king heaved a deep sigh and became eager to hear all about it.”