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The Death of Varruchi - The Chaturmas at Kosha's Place
Thinking deeply, I can only obey your command. The king said, "Think about it today." Upon hearing this, Sthulabhadra went to Ashoka Vana and thought, "A royal servant is like a poor man, he cannot enjoy the comforts of sleep, food, bath, etc. at the right time. Just as there is no room for more water in a full pot, similarly, the mind of a royal servant, who is engrossed in the worries of the kingdom, has no room for even a little bit of space for his beloved life. He dedicates all his personal interests to the service of the king, yet, just as crows peck at a tied animal, wicked people harass him. He, the wise man, exerts himself to the utmost in serving the king by squeezing out his body and wealth, can he not exert himself equally for his soul? Thinking thus, Sthulabhadra became detached from the world. He himself performed the Panchmusti Kesha-Loch and, wearing the robes of a sage, made a Rajoharan of the ten Ratnakambals. He immediately entered the mighty royal court. He requested the king, "I have decided to live in this state, and you will benefit from Dharma." Saying these words of blessing, he left the mighty royal court in the same way a lion emerges from a cave. The king, sitting by the window, saw Sthulabhadra leaving and thought, "Is he pretending to be detached and going to a prostitute's place?" But when the king learned that he was leaving the brothel in the same way a man would wrinkle his nose and walk away from a foul-smelling corpse, he shook his head and thought, "Surely, the Lord has become a renunciate. I made a wrong assumption about him." Thus, he praised Sthulabhadra while self-reproaching. Shri Sthulabhadra also went to Acharya Shri Sambhutivijay and, after reciting the Samayik-path, accepted initiation. After this, Nandraja, with great honor, gave the minister's seal, the responsibility of the entire state administration, into the hands of Shriyak and entrusted him with all the powers of the minister. Shriyak also always maintained the state administration with excellent justice and skill, as if he were Sakatal himself. He went to Kosha's place with humility. Due to the affectionate bond of brotherhood, his beloved also treated him with respect. Kosha, saddened by the separation from Sthulabhadra, cried loudly upon seeing Shriyak. A man who is grieving for his beloved becomes impatient with sorrow. He cannot bear the sorrow in his heart for long. After this, Shriyak said to Kosha, "Arye! Tell me, what can we do about this? The sinner Varruchi had my father murdered. He also caused the untimely separation of Sthulabhadra, like a thunderbolt born in a drought. Therefore, Manasvin! As long as Varruchi has an attachment to your sister Upkosha, think of a way to counter him. Secretly explain to Upkosha and, under any pretext, make Varruchi addicted to drinking alcohol." To avenge the separation of his beloved, he agreed to do this with the cunning of his brother-in-law and quietly explained everything to Upkosha. Following Kosha's advice, her younger sister Upkosha did the same. She forced Varruchi to drink alcohol. What can a woman not make her enslaved man do? After making Varruchi drink alcohol according to her wishes, Upkosha went to her sister Kosha in the morning and told her everything. Kosha informed Shriyak of everything. Hearing this, Shriyak thought, "Today, I have taken revenge for my father's death well." After the death of the great minister Sakatal, Varruchi was eager to serve the king. He was always present in every activity of the royal family. Therefore, the king and the people respected him. Once, remembering the qualities of the minister Sakatal, Nandraja, with a choked voice, said to Shriyak in the gloomy royal court, "Just as Brihaspati is in Indra's court, so was the powerful, wise, and great minister Sakatal in my service. But by the will of fate, he passed away. Truly, without him, this royal court seems empty to me." Shriyak also said, "Dev! Your words are absolutely true. But what can we do about this? All this is the work of the drunken sinner Varruchi Bhatta." The king asked, "Does he also drink alcohol?" Shriyak said, "Dev! I will show you directly tomorrow." To witness this curiosity, all the men came to the royal court the next day. A beautiful lotus was offered to all the members of the assembly, including the king.
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