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MUNIPATI
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the monk with his own hands and fell at his feet to beg forgiveness It was a happy union of the father and. the son, one in the holy order, and the other the head of the state Bhadra was banished from the city
"On behalf of his subjects, the king welcomed the monk to his city and prayed for his stay there during the monsoon season Monk Katha could not decline so earnest a request - from a worthy son Tbe king attended his sermons every. day and was greatly inspired This had a great impact on the people, whose spiritual zeal received a great impetus
"But in the world, there are always some low-brows who cannot tolerate other people's good acts or good name They hatched a plot aganist the monk They hired a lowborn, untouchable woman for their vile project As the rains were over, and the monk was preparing to depart, he halted outside the city boundary He was in the midst of his last sermon to the people of that city, when that harlot made her appearance and asked the monk to arrange for the maintenance of herself and his child whom, she said, she was carrying, before he left
"This came like a sudden bomb-shell to the assemblage which was stunned But the monk didn't lose his equanimity and said in a calm and gentle voice 'Woman! you know not what you say and to whom All you say is not only malicious but is an utter lie You should not defile your soul in this manner You should not talk base things - about a monk'
"But the woman would not withdraw, and the monk repeated his words once, twice and several times But they had no effect So, at last, he collected the fiery forces that were within him, and looked at the woman with blood-shot eyes Said he, 'If this child be mine, then, I say, you have a natural delivery right on this spot If, on the contrary, it is not mine, let it come out by piercing your belly' Al
