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Story of Indradatta
 
(I come from Kampilya¹ country and) am a student of
Gopālaka. My teacher had a daughter of matchless beauty
who was named Virupa. He made an announcement that he
would marry her to one who had mastered the four Vedas and
the six Angas. She loved me deeply and vowed to give up her
life if she was married to any other man. (Prompted by the
desire of enjoying the fresh bloom of her youth) I went to the
temple of Subrahmanya and prayed for knowledge of Brahma-
vidya. The god similarly asked me to go to Bodhãyana in
the company of a Srutadhara. Good Lady! this will certainly
come true and your child is the fittest to receive Brahmavidya.
Be pleased to send the boy with us and we will return him
safe when the study is completed." The Fire-god had told her
that two Brahmans would take her boy to Upavarșa for study.
However, with a heavy heart, she consented to part with her
child. Then Vararuci was duly invested with the sacred
thread and the two Brahmans carried him (on their shoulders
to the city of Kundina2 in the Vidarbha country). When they
enquired about the residence of Upavarṣa in the city, people
laughed at them asking if there were men who had something
to do even with Upavarṣa (and pointed out a dilapidated
thatched hut). They entered the hut and asked the wife of
Upavarşa where the teacher had gone. She took it for a joke,
wept and scolded them.
Meanwhile Upavarşa returned from
the field with a plough on his shoulders. The pupils prostrated
before him and he greeted them in return. He asked them
who among them was the Srutadhara and was glad to know
that it was the boy Vararuci.
 
(Av. Sāra IV. 37-47; Av. pp. 181-82)
 
AVANTISUNDARIĪ KATHAĀ SAĀRA
 

 
Story of Indradatta
 
'(I come from Kāmpilya[^¹] country and) am a student of
Gopālaka. My teacher had a daughter of matchless beauty
who was named Virūpā. He made an announcement that he
would marry her to one who had mastered the four Vedas and
the six Aṅgas. She loved me deeply and vowed to give up her
life if she was married to any other man. (Prompted by the
desire of enjoying the fresh bloom of her youth) I went to the
temple of Subrahmanya and prayed for knowledge of Brahma-
vidyā. The god similarly asked me to go to Bodhāyana in
the company of a Śrutadhara. Good Lady! this will certainly
come true and your child is the fittest to receive Brahmavidyā.
Be pleased to send the boy with us and we will return him
safe when the study is completed." The Fire-god had told her
that two Brahmans would take her boy to
Upavarşa
 
ṣa for study.
However, with a heavy heart, she consented to part with her
child. Then Vararuci was duly invested with the sacred
thread and the two Brahmans carried him (on their shoulders
to the city of Kuṇḍina[^2] in the Vidarbha country). When they
enquired about the residence of Upavarṣa in the city, people
laughed at them asking if there were men who had something
to do even with Upavarṣa (and pointed out a dilapidated
thatched hut). They entered the hut and asked the wife of
Upavarṣa where the teacher had gone. She took it for a joke,
wept and scolded them. Meanwhile Upavarṣa returned from
the field with a plough on his shoulders. The pupils prostrated
before him and he greeted them in return. He asked them
who among them was the Śrutadhara and was glad to know
that it was the boy Vararuci.
(Av. Sāra IV. 37-47; Av. pp. 181-82)
 
Story of Upavarṣa
 
"After taking rest Upavarşa took the pupils aside and

related to them his own story: ' In this city there were two

sons of Bhaṭṭa (Brahman), Varșa and Upavarşa. Varșa wae
ṣa <error>wae</error>
a great scholar and Upavarşa a peasant. Once Varşa's wife

observed the ceremony known as 'Muūrkhavrata' in order to
 

 
[^
1]. Kampil, twenty-eight miles north-east of Fathgad in the

Farrakhabad district, U.P. (Cunningham, Arch. S. Rep. 1. p. 255).
 

 
[^
2]. The ancient capital of Vidarbha; it is the same as Kuṇḍa-

pur, about forty miles east of Amaraāvatiī in Berar. (Dowson's

Classical Dictionary, 4th ed., p. 171).
 
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