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The Story of Mūladeva
Yogaśāstra, Second Canto, Verse 72: What is the difference? The maidservant also told Mūladeva the same thing. The clever Mūladeva took 5-6 sugarcanes, cut off their roots and tops, and cleaned them. He removed the knots of the festival and made small pieces the size of two fingers, like amṛtakuṇḍikā. Then he perfumed and sanctified them with saffron, cardamom, camphor, and other fragrant substances, and placed them in bowls, piercing them on skewers. Devadattā, seeing this, said to her mother, "Mother, look, Mūladeva is like gold and brass, but there is no difference in the immovable!" The courtesan thought, "Just as a thirsty deer, deluded by the mirage, rushes towards it, so this daughter too, thirsty for passion, is rushing towards this cunning king under the influence of great delusion. Therefore, just as pouring hot water into the hole of a snake makes it come out immediately, I shall devise some such means by which this cunning one may leave the city." The courtesan conspired with Acala to expel Mūladeva from the city. They secretly consulted and decided, and told Acala, "Merchant! You should make a false excuse to go to another village and assure Devadattā that you are going to the village. Thinking you have gone to another village, the cunning Mūladeva will come fearlessly to Devadattā. At the very moment when he is enjoying carefree play with Devadattā, you should come here with all the necessary materials as per my signal and directly enter his chamber and humiliate him in any way, so that he will no longer be able to indulge in sensual pleasures with Devadattā like a partridge." Acala agreed to do so.
According to this plan, one day Acala said to Devadattā, "I am going to such-and-such a village." Saying this, he took the money and left. As soon as he left, Devadattā fearlessly let Mūladeva in. The courtesan summoned Acala with the servants. Hearing of Acala's sudden arrival, Devadattā hid Mūladeva under the bed, just as one hides leaves under a basket. Smiling, Acala sat on the bed and, making an excuse, said, "Devadattā! Today I am very tired, so I will bathe sitting right here with hot water. You get ready." The astonished and perplexed Devadattā, with a forced smile, said, "If you want to bathe, please go to the bathroom." Saying this, she tried to help him up with her hand. But Acala sat firmly on the bed. Meanwhile, the cunning king could neither come out from under the bed nor sit properly there. When the mind is uneasy, the faculties also tend to diminish. Then Acala said again, "Devadattā! I had a dream today that I bathed wearing the clothes I had on, right on the bed. So I have quickly come to fulfill that dream. If I can fulfill this dream, my auspicious prosperity will increase." Hearing this, the courtesan supported him, saying, "Dear, do so! Why don't you obey the command of your lord? Haven't you heard that chaste women act according to their husband's wishes?" Devadattā said to Acala, "Sir, it does not seem appropriate for a wise person like you to spoil this costly silken bedding." Acala said, "My dear, it is not right for you to show such miserliness. When women like you offer their bodies to their husbands, why do you worry about this bedding? What is lacking for one whose lord is Acala? What can lack salt for one whose friend is the ocean?" Thereupon, the Devadattā, who was under the control of wealth, massaged Acala's body with oil and bathed him right there on the bed. While bathing, Mūladeva became soaked with the dirty water, just as Canda, the servant of Mahādeva, became drenched while bathing him. The courtesan signaled the servants of Acala and prompted Acala to pull the cunning one from under the bed. Just as the Kauravas had pulled Draupadī by her hair, Acala angrily pulled Mūladeva by the hair and said, "You scoundrel! You consider yourself a moralist and intelligent, but how did you get trapped today? Now tell me, what punishment should I give you according to your deeds? If you want to indulge in sensual pleasures with a courtesan controlled by wealth, then just as a wealthy landlord buys a village and makes it his estate by giving money, in the same way, I will buy you and make you my slave."