And, O king, Vyushitaswa had for his dear wife, Bhadra, the daughter of
Kakshivat, unrivalled for beauty on earth. And it hath been heard by us
that the couple loved each other deeply. King Vyushitaswa was seldom
separated from his wife. Sexual excess, however, brought on an attack of
phthisis and the king died within a few days, sinking like the Sun in his
glory. Then Bhadra, his beautiful queen, was plunged into woe, and as she
was sonless, O tiger among men, she wept in great affliction. Listen to me,
O king, as I narrate to you all that Bhadra said with bitter tears
trickling down her cheeks. 'O virtuous one', she said, 'Women serve no
purpose when their husbands are dead. She who liveth after her husband is
dead, draggeth on a miserable existence that can hardly be called life. O
bull of the Kshatriya order, death is a blessing to women without husbands.
I wish to follow the way thou hast gone. Be kind and take me with thee. In
thy absence, I am unable to bear life even for a moment. Be kind to me, O
king and take me hence pretty soon. O tiger among men, I shall follow thee
over the even and uneven ground. Thou hast gone away, O lord, never to
return. I shall follow thee, O king, as thy own shadow. O tiger among men,
I will obey thee (as thy slave) and will ever do what is agreeable to thee
and what is for thy good. O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, without thee,
from this day, mental agonies will overwhelm me and eat into my heart.
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