________________
204
TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MAŅIPATI-CARITA
855. so that, out of fear, the sādhus would not enter there.
When he learned of this Municandra requested the
Rādhācāryas : Masters, 856. let not these boys be on their way to a city of evil destiny;
I will go and restrain them.' Then with his guru's
permission he went 857. to the abode of the sūris, the guru-bhrātys of his guru
and descended there. Out of affection the munis
washed the feet of the guru. 858. At the time of going abroad for alms he said to the
sādhus : Show me the families of your mothers and others since I am accustomed to consume what I
procure myself. 859. He sent word of this in advance to the court chaplain's
house by an acolyte whom he dismissed before he went
in there. 860. With a loud voice he gave the dharma-lābha to them
The attendants from the women's quarters said:
Go away quickly, reverend sir.' 861. What ?' he shouted, terrifying them by his booming
voice, which was loud because of assumed deafness. Hearing that voice they came down from the upper
floor, 862. the two of them, completely out of hand, were making a
thunderous din; they locked the door and took the
sādhu to the upper storey. 863. As they went up they said : Do you know how to dance,
sādhu ?' He replied: "I do, you both play for me.' 864. When he danced (for he was skilled in the seventy-two
arts) they did not know how to play, being ignorant
of the arts, because they were stupid. 865. he told them, you who belong to noble families do not
know how to play.' Again they replied 'Let us fight
here.' 866. The muni agreed. they closed with him and in a trice,
with his experience in wrestling, he put their limbs out of joint.