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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
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had the minister named Tetaliputra, adept in peaceful pecuniary and punitive measures.
The king had deep attachment for the throne, so all the princes delivered by the queen were made physically defective by the king with the result that they would not be installed as the king. The reason was that defectless prince only could be installed as the king. The queen condemned severely this conduct of the king but she was helpless. She therefore took in her confidence the minister and resolved to guard her next son at any cost. After sometime she delivered a son. At this very time the minister's wife also delivered a still-child. Both the children were exchanged and prince was named as Kanakadhvaja and was declared as the minister's son. He was being brought up in all comforts. When the prince grew young the king fell a prey to some disease and expired. All the leading members of the assembly assembled and began to worry as to who should be installed as the king on the throne. Then the minister revealed the identity of the prince Kanakadhvaja and the queen also supported the minister's contentions. Prince Kanakadhvaja was installed on the throne as a king.
At this occasion royal mother advised the new king to respect the minister under all circumstances as he was his saviour. Likewise the king always paid high respects to the minister. He would rise up from his seat when the minister entered the royal assembly and he would carry out his instructions. He would never transgress them. Thus the minister was as good as the Royal father who always worried himself for the welfare of the subjects.
Now let us peep into the domestic affairs of the minister. He loved his wife Pottali very dearly. She was in full-bloom youth and very beautiful. But as she advanced in age she lost her beauty. The minister's love for her also receded as this is likely to happen where physical passion is predominant.
A woman can endure all worldly miseries except the aversion of her husband for her. The minister understood her mind and with a view to keep her engaged he said, “Pottila, since today you mind the cooking affairs and keep yourself pleased by offering alms to any monk, ascetic or a Brahmin”. - Pottila agreed to this arrangement and she began giving alms. One day one nun named
