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हर्षवर्धन-गणि-कृतं सदयवत्स-कथानकम
and a Kşatriya. The four were looking out for adventures. Hearing about a mystery of the corpse of a merchant's father in the city of Tumba that kept returning every day from the cemetery, the four friends went to the merchant, who was prepared to offer two lakhs to anyone who would accomplish cremation of the corpse. They undertook the task. Incidentally S. exorcized a Brahmin's daughter possessed by a sakrini.
The four friends carried the corpse to the cremation ground and decided to guard it by turn. When the Brahmin was on duty in the first watch of the night, a woman requested him for help to reach the food brought by her to her husband, who was hanged but life was still lingering in him. The Brahmin bent down and the woman mounted on his back. Eventually she was caught gobbling raw flesh from the hanging body. The Brahmin cut off the witch's hand before she escaped. During the second watch, the Vaisya saw a bunch of ghosts cooking their dinner. Nearby twenty-two princes were kept bound for being served as dessert. He assailed the ghosts and released the princes. During the third watch, the Kșatriya saw a Räksasa abducting a princess. He killed him and freed the princess. During the fourth watch, the corpse, occupied by a Vetāla stood up and challenged S. to a gambling match. Extending his arm, he got the game from the royal palace. He was defeated at the game by S. who then cremated the corpse. S. produced four proofs of their carrying out the assigned task successfully to claim the stipulated reward. Incidentally the witch was identified as the queen of that city. S.'s three friends were married to the three girls saved or offered as reward. The four friends returned to Pratișthāna.
Thereafter S. left Pratișthāna, reached the deserted city, which he rehabilitated and governed. Sāvalingā and Lilāvati were called there from Pratisthāna and Dhārā. In course of time each of them gave birth to a son, both of whom grew up as accomplished young men. On receiving news that Ujjayini was surrounded by