2023-02-26 04:07:46 by ambuda-bot
This page has not been fully proofread.
50
Story of Apahāravarman
Prince! When you disappeared in the Vindhyas, I pro-
ceeded to the hermitage of sage Marici outside the city of
Campā. There I beheld a sorrow striken ascetic sitting under a
tree to whom I intimated my desire to see the great sage Marici
and learn from him ycur whereabouts. There was indeed, a
great sage in this aśrama', said he, and a courtezan named
Kāmamañjarī once approached him and fell at his feet saying
that through him she sought the happiness of the other world.
Her mother who followed her implored the sage to dissuade
the girl from the course she had taken in defiance of her
family tradition. The courtezan was however firm in her
resolve; and the sage therefore sent her mother back saying
that the girl would soon get disgusted with the hard forest
life and return home. The days that followed however belied
his expectations. The sage instead of curing the courtezan of
her desire for forest-life fell a victim to her allurements and
followed her to an assembly of young ladies in the city. There
a beautiful girl stood up and acknowledged defeat at the hands
of the courtezan. When the love-stricken sage asked her
what it all meant, she said, 'Sir, in a contest of superiority
between that beautiful girl and myself, she taunted me
sneeringly that I boasted as if I had won over Marici.
Pledging my freedom, I embarked on this task; and by your
grace, I have won. You may now please resume your penance !'
The sage returned to his aśrama a sadder but wiser man. I
am that unfortunate sage, and I shall soon be in a position
to help you. Meanwhile, you may stay in Campā.'
(Av. Sāra VIII. 1-34)
"Next morning I set out for the city and saw a Jain
weeping bitterly outside a monastery. When asked for the
reason of his sorrow, he said, 'Sir, I am the son of a wealthy
merchant in this city. I am ugly and people call me Virupaka.
There is another young man in the city who is poor, but hand-
some. The rogues of the city created a quarrel between us
in the matter of wealth and beauty and decided that he who was
sought after by Kāmamañjarī, the best of courtezans, was the
superior of the two. Of course the courtezan chose me for her
lover and very soon left me a poor man. I became the butt-end.
of ridicule of the people and took refuge in a Jain monastery
Here too I suffer from severe restraints. It pains me to hear
the blasphemies against our sacred śrutis and smytis. The
AVANTISUNDARI KATHĀ SĀRÁ
66
6
Story of Apahāravarman
Prince! When you disappeared in the Vindhyas, I pro-
ceeded to the hermitage of sage Marici outside the city of
Campā. There I beheld a sorrow striken ascetic sitting under a
tree to whom I intimated my desire to see the great sage Marici
and learn from him ycur whereabouts. There was indeed, a
great sage in this aśrama', said he, and a courtezan named
Kāmamañjarī once approached him and fell at his feet saying
that through him she sought the happiness of the other world.
Her mother who followed her implored the sage to dissuade
the girl from the course she had taken in defiance of her
family tradition. The courtezan was however firm in her
resolve; and the sage therefore sent her mother back saying
that the girl would soon get disgusted with the hard forest
life and return home. The days that followed however belied
his expectations. The sage instead of curing the courtezan of
her desire for forest-life fell a victim to her allurements and
followed her to an assembly of young ladies in the city. There
a beautiful girl stood up and acknowledged defeat at the hands
of the courtezan. When the love-stricken sage asked her
what it all meant, she said, 'Sir, in a contest of superiority
between that beautiful girl and myself, she taunted me
sneeringly that I boasted as if I had won over Marici.
Pledging my freedom, I embarked on this task; and by your
grace, I have won. You may now please resume your penance !'
The sage returned to his aśrama a sadder but wiser man. I
am that unfortunate sage, and I shall soon be in a position
to help you. Meanwhile, you may stay in Campā.'
(Av. Sāra VIII. 1-34)
"Next morning I set out for the city and saw a Jain
weeping bitterly outside a monastery. When asked for the
reason of his sorrow, he said, 'Sir, I am the son of a wealthy
merchant in this city. I am ugly and people call me Virupaka.
There is another young man in the city who is poor, but hand-
some. The rogues of the city created a quarrel between us
in the matter of wealth and beauty and decided that he who was
sought after by Kāmamañjarī, the best of courtezans, was the
superior of the two. Of course the courtezan chose me for her
lover and very soon left me a poor man. I became the butt-end.
of ridicule of the people and took refuge in a Jain monastery
Here too I suffer from severe restraints. It pains me to hear
the blasphemies against our sacred śrutis and smytis. The
AVANTISUNDARI KATHĀ SĀRÁ
66
6