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In the Harivamsha Purana, while traveling by sea, I lost everything in a shipwreck. I was left with nothing but the clothes on my back. I was fortunate to find a piece of driftwood and, with great difficulty, I managed to swim to shore. After reaching the shore, I arrived at the city of Rajapura, where I saw a wandering ascetic.
I was exhausted, so the ascetic, who was dressed in simple robes, offered me rest. He then lured me into a dense forest, promising me delicious fruit.
I was naive and trusting, so the ascetic lowered me into a deep pit using a rope and a bucket. He told me that the pit was filled with delicious fruit, and I, driven by my hunger, eagerly descended.
Once I reached the bottom of the pit, I secured myself to the rope and began to fill the bucket with fruit. Suddenly, a man appeared and stopped me.
He said, "Don't touch this fruit, my friend! If you want to live, stay away from it. If you touch it, it will kill you, just like a fatal disease."
I was shocked and immediately asked, "Who are you, and why are you here?"
He replied, "I am a merchant from Ujjayini. My ship was wrecked, and a wicked ascetic threw me into this pit, which is filled with a monstrous, poisonous fruit."
"I have been eating this fruit, and only my skin and bones remain. There is no escape for me, my friend. I can only leave this place when I die."
He then asked me, "Who are you?"
I replied, "I am a merchant named Charudatta. The same wicked ascetic who threw you into this pit also threw me in."
"He is a deceiver, a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is a master of deception, and he lures people to their doom. It is no surprise that you have fallen into this trap."
The ascetic then pulled up the rope with the bucket of fruit, leaving me stranded at the bottom of the pit. He cut the rope that was attached to the bucket, leaving me with no way to escape. He then left, satisfied with his evil deed.
When I reached the shore, a kind man saw my plight and helped me escape.