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Shri Jaina Confertnce Herald.
thing. Vis'akha said, “ what need is there of investigation ? Speak to the two women thus: ' As we do not know to which of you two the boy belongs, let her who is the strongest take the boy, 'When each of them has taken hold of one of the boy's hands, and he begins to cry out on account of the pain, the real mother will let go, being full of compassion for him, and knowing that if her child remains alive she will be able to see it again; but the other, who has no compassion for him, will not let go. Then beat her with a switch, and she will thereupon confess the truth as to the whole matter. That is the proper test."
Mrigadhara told this to the ministers, and so forth, as is written above, down to the words, " The king said, "The Champa maiden is wise.”
Nobody who knows the above-given Jaina version will doubt that, especially in its main feature, this North Bud. dhist version is sorely mangled. But the South Buddhist of this story is still more so. It reads as follows:1
पुत्तोति । एका इत्थि पुत्तं आदाय मुखधोवनत्थाय पण्डितस्स पोक्खरणिं गन्त्वा पुत्तं नहापेत्वा अत्तनो साटके निसीदापेत्वा मुखं धोवित्वा नहायितुं ओतरि। तस्मि खणे एका यक्खिनी नं दारकं दिस्वा खादितुकामा हुत्वा इथिवेसं गहेत्वा सहायिक सोभति वतायं दारको तवेसो पुत्तोति पुच्छित्वा आम अम्माति वुत्ते पायेमिनन्त वत्वा पायेहीति बुत्ता तं गहेत्वाथोकं कीळापेन्वा तं आदाय पलायितुं आरभि। इतरातं दिस्वा धावित्वा कुहिं मे पुत्तं नसीति गहि । यक्खिनी कुतो तया पुत्तो लद्भो ममेसो पुत्तोति आह । ता कलहं करोन्तियो सालद्वारेन गच्छन्ति । पण्डितो कलहसई सुत्वा ता पक्कोसित्वा किमेतन्ति पुच्छित्वा अर्ट सुत्वा अक्खीनं अनिमिसताय चेव रत्तताय च यक्खिनि यक्खिनीति गत्वापि मम विनिच्छये ठस्सथाति वत्वा आम ठस्सामाति वृत्ते लेखं कड्डित्वा लेखामझे दारकं निपज्जापेत्वा यक्खिनिया हत्थेसु मातरा पादेसु गाहापेत्वा द्वेपि आकड्डित्वा गण्हथ । कतुिं सक्कोन्तिया एव पुत्तोति आह । ता उभोपि कड्रिंसु । दारको कड़ियमानो दुक्खप्पत्तो हुत्या विरवि ।
- 1. The Jataka......edited in the original Pali by V. Fausboll, vol. V1, p. 336 1. 31.
