2023-02-26 04:07:28 by ambuda-bot
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12
AVANTISUNDARI KATHA SÄRA
them and said, 'You have got a valuable present to the
Goddesss. I know the sacred rules of offering a sacrifice.'
When they asked me what the rules were, I said, 'Keep the child
free from any injury. Decorate him and leave him before the
Goddess at night praying for the removal of thepestilence.
When the Goddess says, "I am pleased, no more evil", you
should return to your houses without turning back even once.'
To this procedure, the Sabaras agreed. At dead of
night after the priest had gone I stole into the temple like a
thief and with a heavy heart hid myself behind the image.
[The old śabara whom I had seen beside the caitya tree
brought the child, decorated with red flowers and ointment,
laid him down before the image and uttered his prayers. But
lo! from long habit he raised his knife to strike him.] Suddenly
I acted as the Goddess and uttering in a solemn serious tone
the words: Begone! your evils are ended,' took hold of the
child. [The old man ran away with satisfaction without
looking back. I also took to my heels praying to the Goddess;
and avoiding the sight of villagers in the interest of the child,
I traversed a long distance by the same night]. I have now
taken the helpless child to the king, the guardian of all his
subjects. [Under your protection, the child will grow a well-
disciplined boy and a joy to his parents]." The king felt
happy that inscrutable fate had favoured him with
the unexpected recovery of the two sons of his friend and
wished he heard the good news of his other friends, Ratnod-
bhava, Kāmapāla and Satyaśarman. The queen asked who
these friends were and the king began the Story of his father.
(Av. Sāra III. 107-18; Av. pp. 173-75)
(
CHAPTER IV
Story of Potapa
"My father," said the king, "had three ministers, Mati-
Sarman, Dharmapāla and Padmodbhava. The first two were
Brahmans and the third a Vaiśya with a long story behind him.
Vaivasvata Manu had two sons, Ikṣvāku and Nābbānediştha.
The latter was a Vaisya by profession, and his son Hälandana
became the chief of the Vaisya community. In the line of
Halandana was born a famous merchant named Potapa.
When (my father Ripuñjaya lived many hundred years in this
forest by the power of his penance) and Candragupta Maurya
was placed on the throne of the Nandas by Çāṇakya, the
(6
4₂
AVANTISUNDARI KATHA SÄRA
them and said, 'You have got a valuable present to the
Goddesss. I know the sacred rules of offering a sacrifice.'
When they asked me what the rules were, I said, 'Keep the child
free from any injury. Decorate him and leave him before the
Goddess at night praying for the removal of thepestilence.
When the Goddess says, "I am pleased, no more evil", you
should return to your houses without turning back even once.'
To this procedure, the Sabaras agreed. At dead of
night after the priest had gone I stole into the temple like a
thief and with a heavy heart hid myself behind the image.
[The old śabara whom I had seen beside the caitya tree
brought the child, decorated with red flowers and ointment,
laid him down before the image and uttered his prayers. But
lo! from long habit he raised his knife to strike him.] Suddenly
I acted as the Goddess and uttering in a solemn serious tone
the words: Begone! your evils are ended,' took hold of the
child. [The old man ran away with satisfaction without
looking back. I also took to my heels praying to the Goddess;
and avoiding the sight of villagers in the interest of the child,
I traversed a long distance by the same night]. I have now
taken the helpless child to the king, the guardian of all his
subjects. [Under your protection, the child will grow a well-
disciplined boy and a joy to his parents]." The king felt
happy that inscrutable fate had favoured him with
the unexpected recovery of the two sons of his friend and
wished he heard the good news of his other friends, Ratnod-
bhava, Kāmapāla and Satyaśarman. The queen asked who
these friends were and the king began the Story of his father.
(Av. Sāra III. 107-18; Av. pp. 173-75)
(
CHAPTER IV
Story of Potapa
"My father," said the king, "had three ministers, Mati-
Sarman, Dharmapāla and Padmodbhava. The first two were
Brahmans and the third a Vaiśya with a long story behind him.
Vaivasvata Manu had two sons, Ikṣvāku and Nābbānediştha.
The latter was a Vaisya by profession, and his son Hälandana
became the chief of the Vaisya community. In the line of
Halandana was born a famous merchant named Potapa.
When (my father Ripuñjaya lived many hundred years in this
forest by the power of his penance) and Candragupta Maurya
was placed on the throne of the Nandas by Çāṇakya, the
(6
4₂