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BUNIPATI
101
"Metarya was now in the home of his low-caste parents when the god came again and repeated his request Metarya was this time in tears Said he 'If you are really my friend, as you say, then why did you stand in the way of my happiness and humiliate me?
"Said the god,
'Why did you decline my suggestion ? I showed you the way to bliss The world is an empty place Ideal is the life of a monk Turn your step towards this life
“But Metarya was not ready Said he,
'Sir, your suggestion is devoid of content to me till I have known the worldly life It may be good, bad or anything, I do not know I must apprehend it first before I decide to give it up'
"Continuing he said,
'You have deprived me of something which was ready for me You have harmed me and humiliated me How can 'I survive so much? If you sincerely desire me to step towards renunciation, you should remedy the two-fold harm done to me I insist that the seth should reaccept me as his
son and that King Srenika should give his daughter in amarriage to me If, to start with, these two conditions are
fulfilled, then I agree to renounce the world and join the -order of monks, But till this two-fold harm done to me is duly repaired, I shall remain downcast and depressed and shall never be mentally prepared for the path of renunciation.'
"These words created an impression on the god who agreed to set the thing right He tied a divine goat at his cottage and this animal gave forth a large quantity of precious gems everyday At the god's suggestion, Mehar carried these gems in a saucer as a gift to King Srenika. This he did for three days to the surprise of all present at the court On the third day, the chief minister, Abhaya
