________________ Siri Sirivalakaha that if he would go in they will be interrupted in their worship, and therefore he remained outside. After a time they got up carefully to avoid any kind of 'hinga.' Then Abhayakumara went in and with the devotion of a co-religio. nist he folded his hands to them, and asked them who they were. The harlot, pretending to be a great Shrayika told that she was the widow of a rich Shravaka of the city of Avanti, and that the two girls with her were also the widows of her son who was also dead, and added that all this was the working of their evil karmas, and also told that all of them were to take Diksha (initiation) in a few daye, and that they had for the present started on their pilgrimage-journeys to various pilgrim-places such as S'atrunjaya, Sametas'ikhara oto. Abhayakumara, * great Shravaka as he was, was greatly delighted to hear this, and invited them to the royal house for entertainment. In return, after some days, the harlot invited Abhayakumara to her temporary residence in Rajagrina for the same. In order to please his religious sister, Abhayakumara accepted the invitation and went to her place. He was given an excellent dinner, but in drink he was given Chandrahasa' wine which after some time threw him into
