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And he immediately thought— " This may he the success of our enterprise incarnate in bodily form," but while he was thinking thus, that beautiful lady, receiving him graciously, rose with limbs on which the ornaments rang as if to welcome him, and seated him on her own sofa. And she said to him, " Illustrious sir, I am the maiden daughter of a king of the Yakshas, named Ratnavarsha, and I am known by the name of Vidyutprabhá; and this great ascetic Jálapáda was endeavouring to gain my favour, to him I will give the attainment of his ends, but you are the lord of my life. So, as you see my affection, marry me." When she said this, Devadatta consented, and did so. And he remained there some time, but when she became pregnant, he went to the great ascetic with the intention of returning, and in a state of terror lie told him all that had happened, and the ascetic, desiring his own success, said to him, " My good sir, you have acted quite rightly, but go and cut open that Yakshi and taking out the embryo, bring it quickly here." The ascetic said this to him, and then reminded him of his previous promise, and being dismissed by him, the Bráhman returned to his beloved, and while he stood there despondent with reflecting on what he had to do, the Yakshi Vidyutprabhá of her own accord said to him;— " My husband, why are you cast down? I know, Jálapáda has ordered you to cut me open, so cut me open and take out this child, and if you refuse, I will do it myself, for there is an object in it." Though she said this to him, the Brahman could not bring himself to do it, then she cut herself open and took out the child, and flung it down before him and said, " Take this, which will enable him who consumes it, to obtain the rank of a Vidyádhara. But I, though properly a Vidyádharí, have been born as a Yakshi owing to a curse, and this is the appointed end of my curse, strange as it is, for I remember my former existence. Now I depart to my proper home, but' we two shall meet again in that place." Saying this Vidyutprabhá vanished from his eyes. And Devadatta took the child with sorrowful mind, and went to that ascetic Jálapáda, and gave. it to him, as that which would ensure the success of his incantations, for good men do not even in calamity give way to selfishness. The great ascetic divided the child's flesh, and sent Devadatta to the wood to worship Durgá in her terrific form. And when the Bráhman came back after presenting an oblation, he saw that the ascetic had made away with all the flesh. And while he said "What, have you consumed it all?" the treacherous Jálapáda, having become a Vidyádhara, ascended to heaven. When he hail flown up, with sword blue as the sky, adorned with necklace and bracelet, Devadatta reflected, " Alas ! how I have been deceived by this evil-minded one! Or rather on whom does not excessive compliance entail misfortune? So how can 1 revenge myself on him for this ill turn, and how can 1 reach
