2023-02-26 04:07:30 by ambuda-bot
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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
13
merchant Potapa brought to his court precious jewels for sale.
The king took fancy for a pearl necklace (which flooded
the apartment with its effulgence; and with a view to consult
his preceptor, Cāņakya), he asked the merchant to bring it
on an another occasion. Potapa on his way home fell down
and fainted in the heat of the sun. A kind courtesan (going
to the palace for duty took him to her house and) restored
him to consciousness. As a token of gratitude, Potapa pre-
sented her with the necklace; and, she adorning herself with
the ornament attended on the king. Candragupta recognising
the necklace on the person of his servant asked the merchant
[Yavana-yatrika] to show him the necklace he had selected.
Potapa said that he had given it away to a woman who had
saved his life and that he had other equally valuable jewels
worthy of his Majesty. Candragupta, however, was angry
[and threatened him with punishment. The merchant kept
calm and told the king with a smile that he had made too
small a gift to the woman who saved his life and that good
men would not make mention of the gifts they had made.
The king insisted on knowing about his charity. The
merchant said: Years ago, I had a long voyage over the
Mahodadhi and landed at Andhakachha with a merchandise of
precious stones. In the Mahendra forest] I saw a man
hanging himself by noose. I cut the rope and asked
him the reason of his affliction. 'Death is a festival,' said
he, for those afflicted with poverty.' I gave him all the
wealth I had; (and he learnt from me my name and left
me with a grateful heart. I then went to Dramilapattana),
made a large fortune and have approached you.' Hearing this,
Candragupta recognised Potapa as his saviour for, he was the
person who was trying to take his life in the Mahendra forest.
(He hugged him to his bosom with joy and in memory of the
merchant's noble deeds and services, granted eightcen boons
to the merchant community all over the world by virtue of
which they enjoyed various honours, privileges and immunity
from punishment.)¹ Potapa was childless; he emptied all his
66
"
1. Later on, in Apahāravarman's adventure, Dandin refers to
one of these boons conferred by Maurya (Candragupta) on the
merchant community, viz., immunity from capital punishment in
theft: "मोर्यदत्त एष वरो वणिजाम् ईदृशेष्वपराधेष्वसुभिरवियोगः" Cf. also
V. Raghavan, Mudrārākṣasa-nāṭka-kathāsāra, 2nd edn., 1948, Notes,
Pp. xvii-xviii,
"
13
merchant Potapa brought to his court precious jewels for sale.
The king took fancy for a pearl necklace (which flooded
the apartment with its effulgence; and with a view to consult
his preceptor, Cāņakya), he asked the merchant to bring it
on an another occasion. Potapa on his way home fell down
and fainted in the heat of the sun. A kind courtesan (going
to the palace for duty took him to her house and) restored
him to consciousness. As a token of gratitude, Potapa pre-
sented her with the necklace; and, she adorning herself with
the ornament attended on the king. Candragupta recognising
the necklace on the person of his servant asked the merchant
[Yavana-yatrika] to show him the necklace he had selected.
Potapa said that he had given it away to a woman who had
saved his life and that he had other equally valuable jewels
worthy of his Majesty. Candragupta, however, was angry
[and threatened him with punishment. The merchant kept
calm and told the king with a smile that he had made too
small a gift to the woman who saved his life and that good
men would not make mention of the gifts they had made.
The king insisted on knowing about his charity. The
merchant said: Years ago, I had a long voyage over the
Mahodadhi and landed at Andhakachha with a merchandise of
precious stones. In the Mahendra forest] I saw a man
hanging himself by noose. I cut the rope and asked
him the reason of his affliction. 'Death is a festival,' said
he, for those afflicted with poverty.' I gave him all the
wealth I had; (and he learnt from me my name and left
me with a grateful heart. I then went to Dramilapattana),
made a large fortune and have approached you.' Hearing this,
Candragupta recognised Potapa as his saviour for, he was the
person who was trying to take his life in the Mahendra forest.
(He hugged him to his bosom with joy and in memory of the
merchant's noble deeds and services, granted eightcen boons
to the merchant community all over the world by virtue of
which they enjoyed various honours, privileges and immunity
from punishment.)¹ Potapa was childless; he emptied all his
66
"
1. Later on, in Apahāravarman's adventure, Dandin refers to
one of these boons conferred by Maurya (Candragupta) on the
merchant community, viz., immunity from capital punishment in
theft: "मोर्यदत्त एष वरो वणिजाम् ईदृशेष्वपराधेष्वसुभिरवियोगः" Cf. also
V. Raghavan, Mudrārākṣasa-nāṭka-kathāsāra, 2nd edn., 1948, Notes,
Pp. xvii-xviii,
"