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Prakrit and Apabhraíśa Studies
to frame the latter (i.e. Yava). Getting the king Gardabha suspect that Yava, fed up with the rigours of monkhood had returned with the intention of dislodging him, Dirghaprstha convinced the former about this by bringing to his notice those dumped arms. Consequently Gardabha and Dirghaprstha 'went at night to the potter's house, and with a view to kill Yava lay in a lurch.
At that time Yava going over the day's incidents in his mind, remembered the doggerels he had heard uttered by different persons in various situations. He fondly recited in a loud voice each of the verses in order. As Gardabha from his nide-out heard the first verse he took it to mean : 'You are hustling now towards this side, now towards that side; you are keeping an eye on me : I have detected your design : 0 Gardabha, you are keen to get at ‘Yava' (i.e. me)'. So he thought that his father with his clairvoyant and telepathic powers acquired during monkhood, had detected their presence and evil designs.
In the mean while Yava uttered the second verse which Gardabha took to mean : 'People think the princess Adoliyā may be here, may be there : but when searched for, she is not found. Only I know that Adoliyā is thrown in a dungeon (agade).'
Gardabha again thought that his father knew about that misdeed also on his part. Immediately he heard him utter a third verse which he understood to mean : 'O you delicate one ! You nightprowler ! To you the danger is not from me, but it is from Dirghaprstha (i.e. the minister)'. Thereupon Gardabha concluded that as Yava had given up his kingship and all the woridly pleasures, there was no qnestion of his desire to deprive him of kingship. All those were surely the minister's intrigues. It was he who wanted to kill him. So he cut off the minister's head, and revealing himself to Yava confessed everything and got pardoned.
Yava pondered over these happenings : Even if some playful, and useless doggerel verses learnt just accidently, can save one's life, how much more fruitful would be the learning of the sacred texts ? Consequently, he returned to his preceptor and devoted himseif single-mindedly to the sacred studies.
