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ARAMASOBHA'S PREVIOUS BIRTH
At Champapuri, there lived a very rich merchant Damed Kuladhara Kulananda was the name of his wife. The merchant had seven daughters named as follows: Kamalashri, Kamalavatı, Kamala, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Jayamati and Priyakarini They were as beautiful as they were proficient. They were all married to merchants of very noble birth An eighth daughter was born to Kuladhara but she was less fortunate. The parents were so unhappy at her birth that they did not perform even her naming ceremony. The girl grew up and stepped from childhood into youth But her father as indifferent to her future happiness and did not bother to settle her in life If some member of his housebold drew his attention to this, he would only say that she would be settled as soon as a right groom was available, and he would assure them that he was on the look-out for one
One day, as the merchant was seated at his shop, a stranger youth came up to him His dress was poor and hus hairs were dishevelled and infested with lice
The merchant : “Who are you? Wherefrom do you come? What country you belong to ?
The youth • "Sir, I belong to Koshalapura. Nandi is the name of my father and Soma that of my mother My own name is Nandana I am pennyless I went to Chandadesha to do some business but my ill-luck followed me even there At Chandadesha lives a merchant named Vasantadeva who belongs to this city I am employed 10 his service He has sent me with a letter which is to be delivered at his house but I know not its location It will be a great favour done to me if you could direct me thither"
Kuladbara thought within himself that this would be a right groom for his youngest daughter. “If I settle
