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DHISTA
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but I couldn't fully exert myself because of the load on my pettycoat and my dance was thus spoiled. This infuriated Indra who cursed me not to go to heaven any more but to live on the earth and suffer for my error At that time, he cut my nose. I was perplexed and couldn't conceive for a moment that I could be in a situation like that I fell at Indra's fit begging pitiously to be forgiven, and humbly sought about the time of my deliverance. At this, Indra took pity on me and prescribed human flesh for my daily intake and said, 'The day a human would tell thee-woman, who did cut thy nose,-that thou shalt attain deliverance.' So I descended on this city, and with the help of these girls and horses, I deceived all the residents here and lived on their flesh I didn't even spare the strangers visiting the city. But none so far did dare to ask me the question you did to-day. None had ever thought of it You did a very right thing, and by dint of it, you are my deliveror grateful to you I now very gladly bestow on you the use of these girls, the horses and the city "
I am
Dhista-"Thank you, madam, for the kind offer; but tell me what shall I do with a deserted city ?"
The lady-"Sir ! With my arts, if I know to kill, I also know to make dead men alive. The kingdom I offer thee cannot be a desert "
The lady now applied her art and the city was back to life again. She handed over the administration to Dhista and disappeared, never to be seen again
Dhista took over the reign of the highest office and gave very high positions in the state to his companions.
One day, an acharya came to that city He gave his sermons, after which King Dhista expressed his inquisitiveness about the devils' traps that were so often laid in the course of his life. So said the monk :
"Oh king! In your previous birth, you were a brahmin named Haridatta in the city of Pratisthanapur The brahmin had six servants His daily hobby was to attract spirits and tease them, 10 which the six servants were his
