After reflecting well upon the enjoyment (of bliss) into which he was now initiated, Viduratha remarked thus “Even persons coming to me for aid are accustomed to receive at my hands whatever they long for. Therefore is it sur prising for me to attain any object of my quest at the hands of you both who are like fresh Chinthamani? When shall I be able to resume my former body of Padma ?” To which Saraswati replied thus “You will perish in this war and with your death, you will resume your Padma body.” Here a herald came in with the following announcement to the king.
“An ocean of army is discharging showers of arrows at us, and our town is reduced to ashes through the enemy s flames. Oh puissant king, I have to announce to thee these painful tidings.” While the information was thus being given to the king, his ears were deafened by the terri ble sounds of the enemy s hosts which made the hearts of all in the three worlds to quail. The cries of shrieking rov ing townsman collided with those of the enemy and rent the air like a thunderbolt. The hissing flames which were like Vatava Agni, enveloped the whole welkin with its volumes of smoke.
Thus all eyes and ears ceased to function and the whole town became nothing but a heap of ruins. All these devastations were personally witnessed by Sarasvvati and Lila, the king and his minister. At this time, the queen of the king Viduratha, came to where her husband was with great trepidation and giddiness. Her handmaids who accompanied her, apprised the king of the fact that all the damsels and wealth in the palace were being ravished and ravaged by the foe. Hearing which, he entrusted his wife to the custody of those near him and sallied forth for war.
Now Lila, the spouse of Padma was extremely surprised to find Lila, the spouse of Viduratha, an exact counterpart of herself, like an image reflected in a glass. Thereupon she queried Saraswati as to how it was she was re-duplicated afresh ? The moon-coloured Saraswati cleared her doubts in the following manner “ Actuated by an excessive love towards thee thy husband Padma thought, at the moment of death, of enjoying thy company without being ever separated. Accordingly he was able to get thee here. Whatever is thought of by one at the time of his agonizing death, that will be realized by him afterwards. Will a glass reflect other than that which is placed before it? Inasmuch as death, birth, mental delusion, the waking, dreaming and dreamless states are all one, not being in another as its cause (or each of them not having another as the cause), all things that are and that are not, are of the nature of delusion only and hence increase beyond number.
Now the stainful enjoyments are of two kinds. Please hearken to them. Some experiences arise as the result of former ones. Others arise newly, being entirely different from the previous ones. Hence, as in the former case, the new Lila with all your former form, observances, race and conduct of life, appeared not different from you like your shadow. It was through the thought of the king, that she was molded unto her present form like yourself. Vidti- ratha will perish in this war and then assume the body of Padma.”
So said Saraswati, when the new Lila submitted thus “ Oh thou, who seemest to be fearaswati herself whom i adored in former times, please confer on me the boon that, in the event of my partner perishing in this war, I may live in this body of mine along with him wherever he is.” To which Saraswati nodded assent.
Again the old Lila questioned the Mother of Vedas thus “How was I able to journey to the higher Loka and the supreme Girigrama with the aid of Adibhoutika body only and not with the Adhivahika body (while the new Lila was blessed otherwise) ? * To which the goddess replied thus “ I never give anything (without any cause) k to any person. People get all things according to (or as the result of) their thoughts. You thought of (acquiring) Jnana before and implored me for it and I gave you therefore the Divine Vision longed for by you. This damsel, your shadow, promp ted by excessive desire asked of me another boon which was, as promptly, granted. All men through my grace get what ever their minds long after.”
With a terrible angry face, the valiant Viduratha mount ed his car, marched into the field of battle with his multitu dinous host and attacked his enemies so furiously as to drive them into the path of Death. Both the Lilas of un dying affection for their Lord and yet in anticipation of his death addressed Saraswati thus * Oh mother, how comes it that in spite of our Lord s dauntless courage and your grace, our husband should die so soon in this war ?” Saraswati replied “ As the learned Viduratha longed after the higher spiritual state, he has to merge secondless into the supreme Seat.
This king of Sindhu who has come to oppose him will gain the day over Viduratha in accordance with my mandates at his propitiation of myself and will become a king.” Whilst these were discoursing thus, the day broke and the battle field on both sides became completely void of all its living contents. Then both the kings alone survived and took up their bows and filled the sun, the moon, the quarters and the welkin with showers of arrows.
The arrows hissing flames everywhere, it seemed as if the end of the Yuga was approaching. Then Viduratha was left alone without his car and driver. His bow was unstrung ; his diamond armour was shattered to pieces by his enemy s semi-circular arrows ; all his limbs were rent asunder and thrown promiscuously ; and then Vidiiratha s trunk came flat upon the ground.
Whereupon the new Lila addressed her of the white lotus thus “My husband is about to breathe his last; please allow me to join my husband,” Saraswati having prepared the way for it, the new Lila became light and ascended the Akasa.
Having crossed one after another the Mandalas (spheres) of clouds, Vayu, the hot Surya (Sun)and Nak- shatra (stars) and then Satyaloka and other divine lokas and then breaking open the Mundane egg and piercing through the septenary veils of (Ap) water and others, she reached soon the immeasurable and endless Reality of Chi- dakas at last. There she went into the harem where Padma s dead body was lying, after crossing the Jnana-Akas with its Avarnas (veils) in the midst of the many mundane eggs which are as innumerable as the fig fruits in a fig forest and which are uncrossable even in a long time with the speed of Garuda (eagle). Concluding that the dead body covered up with flowers, was her Lord s and that some how, through Saraswati s grace, she came ahead of him, she sat beside his body and fanned it gently.
While so. the Jiva of king Viduratha was winging its way in the Akasa and without noticing the two ladies of Saraswati and Lila of Divine vision who were going behind it, reached the recess where Padma s body was lying. There these two ladies accompanied it and saw the new Lila before them. In the golden dome, the Jiva of Viduratha was arrested in its progress and prevented by Saraswati from getting ingress into the body of Padma. Then the old Lila look ed about for her former body and not finding it there, asked Saraswati as to what became of it. The goddess re plied thus When you fell into a profound trance of medi tation, the ministers taking you for dead have disposed of it by consigning it to flames.
If you stay on earth with Adivahika body, then it will only revolutionize the world with wonder that the deceased Lila came corporeally here from Devaloka. And as you have divested yourself of all Vasanas in this your Adivahika body, it is but right that you should abandon that Adibhoutika body of yours,” Saras wati then willed in her mind that the new Lila should see her. Whereupon the latter was like one who had dis covered the hidden treasure of a long lost personage and then saluting Saraswati by falling at her two feet, eulogised her.
