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AMBIKA
159
"Piercing through the silence of the forest, Ambika proceeded steadily with her two sons The way was bad and oppressive, and they were tired The boys who were not accustomed to see a forest were alarmed Already a quarter of the night had passed, and all were hungry and thirsty. They could move no more
“What could Ambica do ? She was no longer a queen living in the palace She looked all around but she saw nothing which they could eat or drink She roamed like this for some time and then sat down beneath a tree
"But she could not rest when the boys were oppressed by hunger and thirst She was looking on and on Suddenly she saw a place where the trees were very thick She felt that near the thick vegetation, there might be a tank Her guess was not wrong There was a tank and mango trees on its bank with ripe fruits on Their immediate needs were thus fulfilled
"At the palace, the queen-mother felt elated at her immediate victory She had been able to abuse the monks and throw out her daughter-in-law Thus happy, she returned to her room To her great surprise she saw piles of gold and gems there she came to the kitchen, and there too the same. She was wondering wherefrom all these bad come, when she heard a voice from above, saying, “This is the outcome of making an offer to the monks Ambika 18 worthy of worship even by the gods'
“This alarmed the old lady She felt that Ambika did nothing which might be called into question. She felt somewhat penitent and asked her son to look for, and bring back, the daughter-in-law and the two children
"Somabhatta moved out in a great hurry in search of his wife Following her footsteps, he proceeded in the right direction At last, he could see them from a great distance and shouted “My dear | Wait Wait for me
“Ambika turned and saw her husband She thought that he had come to kill her at the instigation of his mother.
