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Exercise 39 The story of an inauspicious man or human being.
There was an inauspicious foolish man in a certain city. He was such that any body who looks at his face in the morning did not get even food. The resident of city never looked at his face in the morning. The matter concerning the inauspicious man was heard by the king. Once he was called by the king in the morning for verification. His face was seen by the king. As soon as the king sat for taking food and put the morsel of food in his mouth, all of a sudden there occurred a noise in the whole city, on account of the fear of attack by the enemy. Then even the king, leaving the food and getting up immediately, went outside the city with an army.
He came back because of not seeing any danger. The egoistic king thought - the nature of this inauspicious man has (now) been witnessed by me. So he should be killed. Having thought in this way and having called the inauspicious man, the king handed him over to an outcaste for being killed. Weeping and criticizing his own action when he was going with the outcaste, then knowing the reason, one kind and an intelligent person having seen him for being killed spoke to him in the ear some method for his protection. He rejoiced. When he was asked to stand on the pillar of killing then the outcaste asked him : If you have any desire except the protection of life, it should be demanded. He said, my desire is to see the face of the king, then he was brought before the king. The king asked what is the purpose of your coming here.
Apabhrarnsa Exercise Book
159
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