Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c20.70

v2.c20.70

¹ Especially instructive is the Mārk.-Pur., cxxii, 13 ff. : Prince Avikshita at the Svayamvara carries off many of the kings' daughters, whose choice does not fall on him. So also one day the daughter of Viçāla. First he overcomes all the assembled kings, but on a new attack by vastly greater numbers, who fight unfairly, he is overborne and bound, all before the maiden's own eyes. His heroic mother, as being a true Kshattriyā, praises him for his deed, and prevails on her husband to make war. The young warrior is set free, but in spite of the maiden's love that has been kindled by his manliness, and in spite of the prayers of her father and his he takes his stand that “A man that has been overcome and insulted before a woman's eyes can never show his face before her again, how much less wed her” (see espec. cxxiv, 26-30; cxxv, 31); and he forswears all intercourse with women.