The Meeting of Usa and Aniruddha 57
disgrace to the family, and so the caretaker cautiously informed his master
that Usa was developing symptoms indicating a disgraceful association. The
servants informed their master that they were not at all neglectful in
guarding the house, being alert day and night against any young man who
might enter. They were so careful that a male could not even see what was
going on there, and so they were surprised that she had become contami-
nated. Since they could not trace out the reason for it, they submitted the
whole situation before their master.

Banasura was shocked to understand that his daughter Usa was no
longer a virgin maiden. This weighed heavily on his heart, and without
delay he rushed towards the palace where Usa was living. There he saw that
Usa and Aniruddha were sitting together and talking. Usa and Aniruddha
looked very beautiful together, Aniruddha being the son of Pradyumna,
who was Cupid himself. Bandsura saw his daughter and Aniruddha as a
suitable match, yet for family prestige, he did not like the combination at
all. Banasura could not understand who the boy actually was. He appre-
ciated the fact that Usa could not have selected anyone in the three
worlds more beautiful. Aniruddha’s complexion was brilliant and swarthy.
He was dressed in yellow garments and had eyes just like lotus petals. His
arms were very long, and he had nice, curling, bluish hair. The glaring rays
of his glittering earrings and the beautiful smile on his lips were certainly
captivating. Still, Bandsura was very angry.

When Banasura saw him, Aniruddha was engaged in playing with Usa.
Aniruddha was nicely dressed, and Usa had garlanded him with various
beautiful flowers. The reddish kuikuma powder put on the breasts of
women was spotted here and there on the garland, indicating that Usa had
embraced him. Bandsura was struck with wonder that, even in his presence,
Aniruddha was peacefully sitting in front of Usa. Aniruddha knew, how-
ever, that his would-be father-in-law was not at all pleased and that he was
gathering many soldiers in the palace to attack him.

Thus, not finding any other weapon, Aniruddha took hold of a big iron
rod and stood up before Banasura and his soldiers. He firmly took a posture
indicating that if he were attacked he would strike all of the soldiers down
to the ground with the iron rod. Banasura and his company of soldiers saw
that the boy was standing before them just like the superintendent of
death with his invincible rod. Now, under the order of Bandsura, the
soldiers from all sides attempted to capture and arrest him. When they
dared to come before him, Aniruddha struck them with the rod, breaking
their heads, legs, arms and thighs, and one after another, they began to fall
to the ground. He killed them just as the leader of a flock of hawks kills
