Kadambari is a Sanskrit romantic book written by Bana (7th century), who was a contemporary of northern Indian monarch Harsha.
The book's complicated narrative includes a love tale
between the main protagonists, a princess called Kadambari and a prince named
Chandripida.
Bana's death left the Kadambari incomplete.
It depicts Indian life at Bana's time in great detail.
In Hindu mythology, Kadru is the sister of Vinata and the
daughter of the celestial sage Daksha.
Kadru's offspring are serpents, but her sister's children
are eagles, the most renowned of which is Garuda.
The well-known animosity between these species may be traced
back to a disagreement between Vinata and Kadru about the color of a heavenly
horse's tail, with Vinata claiming that it is white and Kadru claiming that it
is black.
The argument intensifies until they come to an understanding
that whomever is incorrect will become a slave to the other.
Kadru persuades a few of her snake offspring to hang from
the rear of the horse in order to assure her victory.
The tail seems black from a distance.
(Some of her children are against such deception and refuse
to participate.) In retaliation, Kadru curses them to die in King Janamjeya's
snake-killing ritual.) Vinata feels she has been beaten when she sees the black
snakes, and she serves Kadru for many years under exceedingly difficult
circumstances.
Vinata is ultimately rescued by her son Garuda, who realizes the ruse behind Vinata's loss and begins a never-ending snake-killing campaign.
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