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44
AVANTISUNDARIĪ KATHAĀ SAĀRA
certain vidyās. As wealth is the chief means of attaining all
pursuits of life, I waited on some kings but found them all
vicious and leading a mean, despicable life. Seeing that these
rulers of men are such I got disgusted with life and began to
kill myself.' The prince cheered him up and said: 'It is true
that the company of wicked people is unbearable. But there
are selfless men whose company is to be desired for. Please
give up your hatred for life and go with us.' While the
prince was talking to the man a palanquin was seen approach-
ing the temple and within it they saw Somadatta afflicted with
illness and attended to by servants of the harem. In the
excitement of joy on meeting his friends Somadatta forgot his
illness; he got down from the palanquin, seated himself with
them in a shady spot, and restraining the effects of his illness
began to narrate to them his tale in sweet words composed of
the twenty-four letters, the five kharas (first five varga
letters), five nasals, four semi-vowels (antasthas) and the ten
vowels withoutr and 1.ṛ and ḷ.[^ ¹
]
(Av. Sāra VII. 1-14)
"My Lord, when we missed you in the Vindhya forest
our friends began to disperse in distress in several directions
in search of you. I reached a land of sea and forest adjoin-
ing the Pāriyātra mountain. There I found a bright gem on
the sand. I took it and had it tied in the skirt of my cloth.
When I went a little further, I saw a miserable-looking
Brahman and asked him why he was wandering in the forest.
He said, 'Good Sir, I am a poor man and live on what little I
get as charity from Mattakaāla, the ruler of the Lăța country.
āṭa country.
He is now proceeding to the king of Päriyāriyātra with a view to
wooing his daughter. I have followed his camp and am roam-
ing about begging.' When I heard this I gave the poor man the
gem I had; and immensely pleased with the gift he went away.
I had hardly closed my eyelids for a while when I saw before
me the Brahman and some men at arms. They surrounded
me and asked me in an angry tone, where my accomplices
were and the gems I had stolen. 'I saw the gem on a sandy
bank and I know nothing more,' said I. By this time five
[^1]. Cf. वर्गाद्यन्तान्तम्स्थैः ऋल ऌ- वर्णविवर्जितैः स्वररैर्मृदुभिः ।
8 agíđaiĝað: zaaſtaazadiqızà
स चतुर्विशतिवर्णैः स्वचरितमनुवर्णयाञ्चक्रे॥
(Av. Sāra VII. 14)
certain vidyās. As wealth is the chief means of attaining all
pursuits of life, I waited on some kings but found them all
vicious and leading a mean, despicable life. Seeing that these
rulers of men are such I got disgusted with life and began to
kill myself.' The prince cheered him up and said: 'It is true
that the company of wicked people is unbearable. But there
are selfless men whose company is to be desired for. Please
give up your hatred for life and go with us.' While the
prince was talking to the man a palanquin was seen approach-
ing the temple and within it they saw Somadatta afflicted with
illness and attended to by servants of the harem. In the
excitement of joy on meeting his friends Somadatta forgot his
illness; he got down from the palanquin, seated himself with
them in a shady spot, and restraining the effects of his illness
began to narrate to them his tale in sweet words composed of
the twenty-four letters, the five kharas (first five varga
letters), five nasals, four semi-vowels (antasthas) and the ten
vowels without
(Av. Sāra VII. 1-14)
"My Lord, when we missed you in the Vindhya forest
our friends began to disperse in distress in several directions
in search of you. I reached a land of sea and forest adjoin-
ing the Pāriyātra mountain. There I found a bright gem on
the sand. I took it and had it tied in the skirt of my cloth.
When I went a little further, I saw a miserable-looking
Brahman and asked him why he was wandering in the forest.
He said, 'Good Sir, I am a poor man and live on what little I
get as charity from Mattak
He is now proceeding to the king of P
wooing his daughter. I have followed his camp and am roam-
ing about begging.' When I heard this I gave the poor man the
gem I had; and immensely pleased with the gift he went away.
I had hardly closed my eyelids for a while when I saw before
me the Brahman and some men at arms. They surrounded
me and asked me in an angry tone, where my accomplices
were and the gems I had stolen. 'I saw the gem on a sandy
bank and I know nothing more,' said I. By this time five
[^1]. Cf. वर्गाद्यन्तान्त
8 agíđaiĝað: zaaſtaazadiqızà
स चतुर्विशतिवर्णैः स्वचरितमनुवर्णयाञ्चक्रे॥
(Av. Sāra VII. 14)