विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

57 charm ; when he became sufficiently versed in it to answer present purposes, they were each of them transformed : Vickramadetea became a brahmin, and the brahmin a parrot. This bird was delivered into the hands of Prince Duntsain, who, together with the bird and the newly-created brahmin, proceeded to the gate of the princess' subterranean dwelling. Having reached it, the prince and the parrot remained outside, while the brahmin entered alone, and did not stop till he had reached the magnificent palace, situated in the centre of a vast enclosure. He perceived near the palace, in an opposite direction, the whole of the machinery which had been represented to him. He went on till he came up to a number of slaves loitering about. He desired one of them to go instantly and inform his mistress Pudmavuntty that a stranger had arrived, willing to win her hand on the stipulated terms. The slave having reported the arrival of the brahmin to his mistress, introduced him by her sanction into her appartment, which was constructed in a most magnificent style, and at enormous cost, by the most skilful architect of the time. The walls and massive pillars were covered with numerous beautiful representations of beasts and birds, in paintings of gold, with trees of verdant enamel ; then, passing a hall, he was agreeably surprised to see one of the finest orchards a man can well conceive but rarely sees, in which the wonderful and tasteful arrangement of the trees and shrubs, their luxuriant growth, the diversity of the fruits, some few of which he had never before seen or heard of, their freshness and delicacy, and the sweet perfume wafted along by the gentle play of the breeze that was then blowing, all conspired to overpower him with a sensation of unalloyed pleasure for the time. The flower-garden was not less extraordinary in its kind : it was, as in the case of the orchard, arranged with much tasteful skill, and the fragrance issuing from a thousand different sources was a luxury vouchsafed to few. The sweet warblings of a number of birds added to the grandeur and attractions of the place. In short, whoever entered this domicile could not help being I