Thursday, February 2, 2012

from The Baital Pachisi; or Twenty-five Tales of a Demon, 1855

(page 503)

The monarch's spiritual preceptor was named Devasami, who had a son named Hariswami, who was handsome as Kamdev, as deeply-read in the Shastras as Brihaspati, and rich as Kuver. He was married to a brahman's daughter named Lavanyavati, and they were deeply attached to each other.

One on occasion, during the hot season, they were sleeping at night on the roof of a shed. It chanced that the veil was blown aside from the woman's face, and at that moment a Gandharb was passing through the air in his chariot. Suddenly his look fell upon her, and bringing his chariot down, he took her up while yet asleep, and placing her in the car, flew off.



Definition of "Gandharb" from The Popular Dictionary in two parts: English and Hindustani, 1889:

Gandharb: an aerial minstrel, a kind of celestial musician.

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