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thrown into prison for a very small fault, so deliver him out of the king's hand. Because I saw by your royal marks, that your majesty was a glorious hero, and destined to be successful, and able i effect this object of mine, I waited on you with devoted attentions. Moreover, I ascended that pyre out of despair of attaining my object, considering that life was useless without that Bráhman's son. When the hetœra said this, the king answered her; " I will accomplish it for you, fair one, do not despair." After saying this, he called to mind his minister's speech, and thought " Anantaguna was right, when ho said that hetœrœ were not to be depended upon. But I must gratify the wish of this miserable creature." Thus resolved, he went with his troops to Ujjayiní, and after getting Śridhara set at liberty, and giving him much wealth, he made Kumudiká happy by uniting her with her beloved there. And after returning to his city, he never disobeyed the advice of his minister, and so in time he came to enjoy the whole earth.
" So yousee,the hearts of hetœrœ are fathomless and hard to understand."
Then Gomukha stopped, after he had told this story. But then Tapantaka said in the presence of Naraváhanadatta— " Prince, you must never repose any confidence at all in women, for they are all light, even those that, being married or unmarried, dwell in their father's house, as well as those that are hetœrœ by profession. I will tell you a wonder which happened in this very place, hear it.
Story of the faithless wife who burnt herself with her husband's body.:—There was a merchant in this very city named Balavarman, and he had a wife named Chandraśrí, and she beheld from a window a handsome merchant's son, of the name of Śílahara, and she sent her female friend to invite him to her house, and there she used to have assignations with him in sec :t. And while she was in the habit of meeting him there every day, her attachment to him was discovered by all her friends and relations. But her husband Balavarman was the only one who did not discover that she was unchaste; very often men blinded by affection do not discover the wickedness of their wives.
Then a burning fever seized Balavarman, and the merchant consequently was soon reduced to a very low state. But, though he was in this state, his wife went every day to her friend's house, to meet her paramour. And the next day, while she was there, her husband died. And on hearing of it she returned, quickly taking leave of her lover. And out of grief for her husband, she ascended the pyre with his body, being firmly resolved, though her attendants, who knew her character, tried to dissuade her.*[1]
- ↑ Ralston remarks (Songs of the Russian people, p. 327.) " The fact that in Slavonic lands, a thousand years ago, widows used to destroy themsolves, in order to
