2023-02-26 04:07:35 by ambuda-bot
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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
27
within the sanctuary came out, fell at his feet and said, 'My
lord! I was carried away by the current and was rescused by
a cowherd maid. Soon after she died, being bitten by a
snake; and most likely it was her body that you cremated.
I took refuge in this hermitage and I was taught dis-
ciplines by this ascetic woman.' In the meanwhile, the king of
(Tri) garta, angry at the impersonation played on him, drove
the Kosala ruler out of his kingdom. Saunaka helped his
father-in-law in recovering his kingdom and obtained half the
Kosala country as reward. He then married Hamsavati and
Vedimati, and a courtesan maid and dallied with them by his
magical powers.
(Av. Sāra IV. 162-74; Av. portion lost)
Story of Sudraka
'In his ripe old age Saunaka died and was born in the
Aśmaka country¹ as the Brahman of the name of Indrāṇīgupta
whom the poets called Sūdraka. He disregarded the glory of the
Brahman (Brahmaśrī) and was cursed to suffer severe hardships
before he got the glory of a ruler (Rājaśrī). He was brought
up along with the prince Svāti (of the Andhra dynasty) and
their playful quarrel grew into bitter enmity in later life. Ram-
bling in a forest with Bandhudatta and other friends, he lifted
up a heavy stone that none else could do. The Buddhist Sanghi-
laka took him in a cave with a view to utting an end to him;
but he killed the Buddhist and got out of the cave after under-
going many reverses. A woman was devouring his friend
Viśvalaka in the Vindhya forest at night. When he caught
hold of her, she got deliverance from a curse and vanished in
the sky. A female ascetic of the Buddhist order (Sakya-
bhikṣuṇī) plotted to murder him in her house, but an ominious
dream indicating danger, he left the place for the Vidiśā
country. He gathered his friends and released Bandhudatta
from prison and in his company proceeded to Ujjain. In the
house of Bandhudatta in Ujjain, he fell in love with an
actress named Rangapatākā.
(Av. Sāra IV. 175-85; Av. p. 200)
1. M. Venkataramayya locates the Aśmaka country in
the Nizāmabād and the adjacent districts of the Nizam's dominions
with its capital Pōtana represented by the modern Bōdhan. (J.O.R.
Vol. XII. pp. 260-5). Cf. also V. Raghavan, Annals of Ori,
Res., Uni. of Madras, V, ii.
27
within the sanctuary came out, fell at his feet and said, 'My
lord! I was carried away by the current and was rescused by
a cowherd maid. Soon after she died, being bitten by a
snake; and most likely it was her body that you cremated.
I took refuge in this hermitage and I was taught dis-
ciplines by this ascetic woman.' In the meanwhile, the king of
(Tri) garta, angry at the impersonation played on him, drove
the Kosala ruler out of his kingdom. Saunaka helped his
father-in-law in recovering his kingdom and obtained half the
Kosala country as reward. He then married Hamsavati and
Vedimati, and a courtesan maid and dallied with them by his
magical powers.
(Av. Sāra IV. 162-74; Av. portion lost)
Story of Sudraka
'In his ripe old age Saunaka died and was born in the
Aśmaka country¹ as the Brahman of the name of Indrāṇīgupta
whom the poets called Sūdraka. He disregarded the glory of the
Brahman (Brahmaśrī) and was cursed to suffer severe hardships
before he got the glory of a ruler (Rājaśrī). He was brought
up along with the prince Svāti (of the Andhra dynasty) and
their playful quarrel grew into bitter enmity in later life. Ram-
bling in a forest with Bandhudatta and other friends, he lifted
up a heavy stone that none else could do. The Buddhist Sanghi-
laka took him in a cave with a view to utting an end to him;
but he killed the Buddhist and got out of the cave after under-
going many reverses. A woman was devouring his friend
Viśvalaka in the Vindhya forest at night. When he caught
hold of her, she got deliverance from a curse and vanished in
the sky. A female ascetic of the Buddhist order (Sakya-
bhikṣuṇī) plotted to murder him in her house, but an ominious
dream indicating danger, he left the place for the Vidiśā
country. He gathered his friends and released Bandhudatta
from prison and in his company proceeded to Ujjain. In the
house of Bandhudatta in Ujjain, he fell in love with an
actress named Rangapatākā.
(Av. Sāra IV. 175-85; Av. p. 200)
1. M. Venkataramayya locates the Aśmaka country in
the Nizāmabād and the adjacent districts of the Nizam's dominions
with its capital Pōtana represented by the modern Bōdhan. (J.O.R.
Vol. XII. pp. 260-5). Cf. also V. Raghavan, Annals of Ori,
Res., Uni. of Madras, V, ii.