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

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pregnant without the knowledge of a husband. This so
exasperated the king that he summoned her father to his
court, and in a threatening manner bade him declare the
truth regarding his daughter's vile conduct, as he must be
fully aware of the strictness of the laws enacted against
such offenders. The brahmin was thrown into much agita-
tion, and finding it would be of no avail to conceal the truth,
represented to the king what he had learned from his
daughter, and that he himself had witnessed the transforma-
tion in her shape on returning from the river. He begged
his majesty to extend his royal clemency to him, as he was
innocent, and knew nothing more of the affair than what he
had already mentioned. King Somekaunt and his officers
would not believe a word of what the brahmin said, but told
him that they suspected him of being privy to the whole
affair, and sentenced him to be banished from the city
without loss of time. The poor brahmin, his heart torn
with grief and anguish on account of the disgrace brought
on him by his daughter's misconduct, which was now
aggravated by insult and unmerited punishment, returned
to his dwelling, and having packed up his goods and house-
hold materials, departed with his daughter from the city.
He took up his residence outside the fort walls, with some
potters, and spent his time in his usual occupation.
At the completion of nine months, Soometra was safely
delivered of a handsome male child, to the great joy of
herself and likewise of her father. On the twelfth day they
gave him the name of Shalivahan. As the child grew up,
he had no one of his own class to associate with, so was
compelled to choose his companions from among the potters
in the neighbourhood. His sole amusement during his
leisure hours was to form images and puppets of the clay
procured from his companions, and to place them in a row
like an army, with a sword in the hand of each and shields on
their backs. The officers were represented on the backs of
horses, and they carried an additional weapon of defence in
the shape of a long spear. Besides the foot soldiers and