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HIS AGE, LIFE AND WORKS
[ XXIII Hamsa advised his brother to take refuge with Sirapala, king of a nearby town, who would give him protection; he then fought his enemies of whom he killed a great many, but at last he fell and lied. (94.). Paramahansa went to Surapals who granted him his protection. Soon after the host of pursuers arrived and demanded the delivery of their enemy. The king, however, did not give up his protegè, but proposed that a disputation should be held, and if their speaker should vanquish him, he might do with him as is proper in such cases. The Buddhist agreed under the condition that their opponent should remain behind a curtain, because they would not look at the face of one so infamous. The ensuing disputation was conducted, on the side of the Buddhists, by their S'Asanadevata, who was invisible and spoke from the mouth of a pitcher. When the disputation had gone on for some days Paramahamsa despaired and invokel Ambi, the Sisauadevata of his gana. She told him, who had, all the time, spoken against him, and advised him how to act in the disputation. He was thus enabled to reduce his opponents to silence; then lifting the curtain he smashed the pitcher and charged the opponent with fraudulent behaviour. The king. conscions of the sinister intention of the Buddhists, said to them he who after vanquishing me in battle will take hold of him, may do so without fault. Then he gave Paramahamsa a wink, who guessing his meaning fled as quick as possible; he was, however, closely pursued by horsemen whom he eluded by the following trick. Seeing a washerman at work he persuaded him to get away as a sudden attack was coming, and he himself resumed his work. When a horsemen enquired of him whether he had seen someone on that road, he pointed out the washerman at a great listance. The soldiers made the washerman prisoner and then returned. Paramahamsa having thus put off his pursuers proceeded in his journey and after a few days reached Citrakuta where he met Haribhadra. Ile told him what he and Hamsa had done; but when he had related his brother's death, he was so overcome with grief that his heart burst and died. (122). Haribhadra was deeply afflicted by the loss of his nephews and pupils. He conceived an intense hatred of the Buddhists and resolved to destroy them. (133). He went to Surapala and told him his intention. Confident that Haribhadra would vanquish his opponents the King sent a messenger to the town of the Buddhists and persuaded their leader to sign a contract making it binding on him who should be vanquished in disputation, to plunge into a cauldron filled with boiling oil. (157.). The ensuing disputation turned on the Buddhist proposition of the impermanence of everything existent. Not being able to answer Haribhadra's arguments, the Buddhists had to undergo the punishment agreed upon. Some more Buddhist disputants suffered the same death. (168). The Buddhists reviled the Goddess Tara for having caused their defeat by deserting them; but the goddess explained that it was the just punishment for their having killed Hamsa and Paramahamsa. (179). Jinabhata, who had heard of Haribhadra's cruel revenge, sent him, through two bhiksus, the three gaths which contain the argument of the Samaradityakatha (see p. 6, 1, 2 ff). Haribhadra guessed his meaning; just as Agnis'arman's hatred had lasted through nine births, so his enmity towards the Buddhists would have the most disastrous consequences for him. He, therefore, took leave of the king and went to his guru; full of contrition he asked his forgiveness and did severe penance as ordered by him. (196) The goddess Amba rebuked him for still grieving at his bereavement; it was due to his Karma that he left no successors in his line of teachers; his books would stand in their stead. (203). He composed the Samaradityakatha and according to the three gathas sent him by his guru, and wrote 1,400 prakarana they all exhibit the mark virala in remembrance of his two nephews. (206).
1 The text is corrupt in this place. A similar situation described in Parisista Parvan, 275ff.
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