A History of Indian Literature v3.c35.s13.35

v3.c35.s13.35

But Vāsavadattā is to be given in marriage the same day to the king of Vidyādharas according to the decision of her father. So Kandarpaketu runs away with her on his wonderful horse and returns back in a moment into the Vindhya forests. They pass the night in a hiding grove. In the morning they are tired and fall fast asleep. When Kandarpaketu wakes up he finds that Vāsavadattā has already disappeared. He searches for her in vain, and is so much perplexed that he wants to commit suicide. But a heavenly voice, that promises to unite him with her, prevents him from doing this. For many months he lives in the forest. There one day, while strolling about, he sees a stone-bust, that looks like his beloved, embraces it—and Vāsavadattā lovingly stands before him. She has gone away to collect fruits for her beloved and is knocked down by two mutually fighting heroes, who in the fight not only strike one-another but also destroy the hermitage of a sage. The sage mistakes Vāsavadattā to be the cause of the mischief and curses her to be transformed into a slab of stone, but he tones down the curse by saying that she will regain her real form, as soon as she is touched by her lover.