Chandavarma, having now the princess in his power, determined to make her his wife at once:  he therefore treated her father with more consideration than he would otherwise have done, though he put him in confinement, and caused it to be proclaimed throughout the city that the wedding would be celebrated with much splendour the next morning.

Just then a messenger arrived from Kailasa, bringing a letter from Darpasara, in which he had written, “O fool! should there be any pity for the violator of the harem?  If the old king, my father, now in his dotage, was foolish enough to favour the criminal for the sake of his worthless daughter, you had no need of his permission, and ought not to have been influenced by him.  Let that vile seducer be immediately put to death by torture, and his paramour be shut up in prison till I come.”

Chandavarma, who had intended to march against the allies advancing for the assistance of his captive, on receiving these commands, gave orders to his attendants, saying, “To-morrow morning take that vile wretch from his cage, and set him at the palace gate.  Have ready, also, a fierce elephant, suitably equipped, which I shall mount immediately after the wedding, to overtake my army in march against the enemy; and as I set out, I will make the elephant trample the life out of that criminal.”

Accordingly, the next morning, the prince was brought by the guards to the gate of the palace, and the elephant placed near him.

While he stood there, calmly awaiting death, which now seemed inevitable, he suddenly felt his feet free, and a beautiful lady appeared before him.

She humbly bowing down said:  “Let my lord pardon his servant for the injury which she has unconsciously caused.  I am an Apsaras, born from the rays of the moon.  One day, as I was flying through the air, wearing a white dress, a swan, mistaking me for a lotus flower, attacked me.  While struggling to keep off the bird, the string of my necklace broke, and the pearls fell on the grey head of a very holy rishi, bathing, in the clear water of a Himalayan lake.

“In his anger, he cursed me, saying:  ’O wicked one, for this offence you are condemned to be changed into a piece of unconscious metal.’

“When, however, I entreated forgiveness, he was so far appeased, that he modified the curse, and granted that I should still retain consciousness, and remain as a fetter on your feet for two months only.

“The change took place immediately, and I fell to the ground, turned into a silver chain.

“About this time, Virasekhara, a Vidyadhara, partly of human descent, had become acquainted with Darpasara, then performing penance on the great mountain; and thinking he might get assistance from him in a feud in which he was involved, had made an alliance with him, and engaged to marry his sister, the Princess Avantisundari.

“Being desirous of visiting his intended bride, he flew through the air to Avanti.  On his way he saw the silver fetter, descended to the ground, picked it up, and continued his flight.