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LECTURE XX.
101
Adoring his feet and keeping him on his right side (he sat down), neither too far off nor too close by, and asked him with his hands clasped : (7)
'Though a young nobleman, you have entered the order; in an age fit for pleasure you exert yourself as a Sramana, O ascetic; I want to hear you explain this.' (8)
"I am without a protector, O great king ; there is nobody to protect me, I know no friend nor any one to have sympathy with me." (9)
Then king Srênika, the ruler of Magadha, laughed : 'How should there be nobody to protect one so accomplished as you ?' (10)
I am the protector of religious men ? ; O monk; enjoy pleasures together with your friends and relations; for it is a rare chance to be born as a human being.' (11)
“You yourself are without a protector, Srênika, ruler of Magadha ; and as you are without a protector, how can you protect anybody else ?” (12)
When the saint had addressed this unprecedented speech to the king, who was greatly moved and astonished, and struck with astonishment, (he answered) 2 : (13)
'I have horses, elephants, and subjects, a town and a seraglio, power and command : enjoy human pleasures. (14)
'In possession of so great means, which permit the owner to enjoy all pleasures, how could he be
i Bhadantânam.
? The verb is wanting in this verse, and there is an apparent tautology in the words as they now stand. This is an obvious mark of a corruption in the text, which, however, I do not know how to remove by a plausible conjecture.
