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CONTENTS.
xxix
growing up in the woods with his father, the hermit. He sent painters to take his likeness, but the portrait awakened in him the desire to have his brother with him. In order to have him brought to the town, he despatched some artful courtesans disguised as Rishis, carrying with them a provision of candied fruits and other dainties. The women found out Valkalacirin and gave him to eat of their sweetmeats, and made him touch their breasts. The boy wondered at all these marvels and believed the sham munis that the sweetmeats were fruits grown in their hermitage Potana, and that by eating them their breasts had become so soft and protuberant. They appointed him a place of meeting, for the lad longed to go to their wonderful hermitage (128-152).
At that time spies placed in huge trees reported that the old ascetic was returning. The women fearing lest he might curse them, fled in great haste. In vam did Valkalacirin search the woods for them, they were gone. At last he met a cartman whom, of course, he mistook for a muni and told him that he wished to go to the hermitage Potana. The cartman said, he was bound for the same place, so they would go together. Valkalacirin's ignorance of the commonest things which he all interpreted from his experience as a hermit, very much amused the cartman and his wife. This strange party was attacked by a robber, but the carter dealt him such a blow that he could rise no more. The robber's treasure was put on the car, and the party pursued their journey. Arrived at Potana the cartman dismissed Valkalacirin, giving him some coins, for, as he said, in that hermitage one must give some of these in exchange for anything one might be in need of (158-178)
The lad walking in the streets and greeting the wondering inhabitants as munis, found himself at last before a courtesan's house. He entered it, saluted the woman as "reverend father" and asked for the "hut," offering all the money he had. The woman consented, but had him first made clean and decently dressed. Then she made him marry her daughter. The lad went through the ceremony, wondering, at the songs of the
| SR No. | 010713 |
| Book Title | Sthaviravali Charitra or Parisista Parva |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Hermann Jacobi |
| Publisher | Asiatic Society |
| Publication Year | 1932 |
| Total Pages | 467 |
| Language | Sanskrit, Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 12 MB |