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Prakrit and Apabhramśa Studies
(6) On their resumed journey, they get separated as they go out in search of water.
(7) The elder in course of time gets kingship.
(8) The younger during his wanderings reaches a distant city and stays with a courtesan, whose mother cheats him out of the magic female dove.
(9) Learning about his elder brother's fortune, he goes to him. Equipping himself with necessary means and materials he returns to the courtesan and through a confidence trick recovers his female dove and relieves her of all her wealth, in exchange for a false magic power he leads her to believe he possesses.
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7. The substance of the tale of the two brothers Amarasena and Pravarasena from Ratnaprabha's Doghatti commentary on the didactic poem Upadeśamälä ef Dharmadasa is as follows9:
King Kañcanasekhara of Kañcanapura had two sons, the first called Amarasena, the second, Pravarasena. They used to ride the wonder-elephant Jayakuñjara, a favour from the king, and had a pleasant time. Their envious step-mother, most favourite of the king, coastantly incited him to take back the elephant and present it to her own son. The king did not like to ask back what was presented and especially when the princes were quite loyal to him and well-behaved, But ultimately giving way under her relentless pressure, he asked the two princes to return Jayakuñjara and accept in lieu ten ordinary elephants. The princes could at once see who was at the back of this development. The loss of honour was one thing they could never bear, and that very night they secretly left their home and their city to try their fate in the wide world.
On their way they landed into a dense jungle. They camped below a huge banyan tree to spend the night. Amarasena, the elder one, was overpowered with sleep. Pravarasena kept the guard. The presiding Yakṣa of that tree, favourably impressed by their noble and fortunate aspect, was moved to oblige them. He appeared before Pravarasena and presented him with two wonder-gems; one for Amarascna, bringing kingship; the other for Pravarasena, yield
