Part 3: Pārśva’s parents (king Aśvasena and queen Vāmā)

Aśvasena of the Ikṣvāku-family was king there, by whom other regions on all sides had been made into a court-yard by armies and horses. Śrī^[1] was on his chest, the goddess Vāc in his lotus-mouth, the sword on the couch of his hand, and the earth on his arm. With great ease he conquered his enemies; with great ease he ruled the earth; with great ease he gave wealth; with ease he did everything. A mountain-peak for the river of good conduct, a tree for the bird of virtues, he became the tying-post for the cow-elephant, Lakṣmī, on earth. Kings, even though always ill-behaved like serpents, did not transgress the command of the lotus of kings.

His chief-queen, the crest-jewel of fair-eyed women, without deceit even toward her co-wives, was Queen Vāmā. She wore good conduct like the spotless glory of her husband, like a second Jāhnavī with inherent purity. She became exceedingly dear to her husband because of these various virtues. Yet she did not take the least pride in this favor.