ng's palace and
entered it without any scruples. The porters forbade him with rough
words. Thereat, Suka, without any anger, stopped and waited. Neither the
sun nor the long distance he had walked had fatigued him in the least.
Neither hunger, nor thirst, nor the exertion he had made, had weakened
him. The heat of the Sun had not scorched or pained or distressed him in
any degree. Among those porters there was one who felt compassion for
him, beholding him staying there like the midday Sun in his effulgence.
Worshipping him in due form and saluting him properly, with joined hands
he led him to the first chamber of the palace. Seated there, Suka, O son,
began to think of Emancipation only. Possessed of equable splendour he
looked with an equal eye upon a shaded spot and one exposed to the Sun's
rays. Very soon after, the king's minister, coming to that place with
joined hands, led him to the second chamber of the palace. That chamber
led to a spacious garden which formed a portion of the inner apartments
of the palace. It looked like a second Chaitraratha. Beautiful pieces of
water occurred here and there at regular intervals. Delightful trees, all
of which were in their flowering season, stood in that garden. Bevies of
damsels, of transcendent beauty, were in attendance. The minister led
Suka from the second chamber to that delightful spot. Ordering those
damsels to give the ascetic a seat, the minister left him there. Those
well-dressed damsels were of beautiful features, possessed of excellent
hips, young in years, clad in red robes of fine texture, and decked with
many ornaments of burnished gold. They were well-skilled in agreeable
conversation and maddening revelry, and thorough mistresses of the arts
of dance and singing. Always opening their lips with smiles, they were
equal to the very Apsaras in beauty. Well-skilled in all the acts of
dalliance, competent to read the thoughts of men upon whom they wait,
possessed of every accomplishment, fifty damsels, of a very superior
order and of easy virtue, surrounded the ascetic. Presenting him with
water for washing his feet, and worshipping him respectfully with the
offer of the usual articles, they gratified him with excellent viands
agreeable to the season. After he had eaten, those damsels then, one
after another, singly led him through the grounds, showing him every
object of interest, O Bharata. Sporting and laughing and singing, those
damsels, conversant with the t