________________
Prelude
105
I am Rathanemi, O beauteous one, gracious and charming! Accept me, O thou shapely one! Thou wilt suffer no harm.36
Though she perceived that Rathanemi was overpowered by his senses and had lost all self-control, Rājimati was not shaken. She put on her garments and, faithful to her vows, this daughter of the best of princes saved the honour of her clan, her family and her virtue by addressing Rathanemi, proceeding to tell him that even if he were Kubera, the god of riches, or Indra himself, she wanted none of him, that he should be ashamed and would do better to die rather than revert to that which he had for ever abandoned. 37 After recalling to him their noble ancestry, 38 she went on:
If at sight of a woman these sentiments arise in thee, thou wilt be a wavering ātman fixed nowhere, like hadha, seaweed driven by the wind.39
Just as the cow-herd is not master of the herd, nor the steward of [his lord's] merchandise,so neither wilt thou be master of thy condition of śramana.40
36 Rahanemi ahaṁ bhadde! surúve! cărupehiņi!
manaṁ bhayāhi sutanu! na te pilā bhavissai. US XXII, 37.
37 Cf. US XXII, 41-42.
38 Cf. US XXII, 43.
39 jai tam kāhisi bhāvam jā jā dacchasi nārio
våyaiddho va hadho atthiyappā bhavissasi. US XXII, 44.
40 govālo bhamdapālo vă jahā taddavv'aņisaro
evaṁ anisaro taṁ pi samannassa bhavissasi. US XXII, 45; davva: (dravya), lit. objects, things, property, and hence: the flock, merchandise.
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