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A. CHAKRAVARTI :
seated in one corner, Kõvalan took out the vīņā from the hands of Madhavī and began to play some fine tunes of love. Madhavī gently suspected that his attachment to her was waning. But when she took the vīņā from his hand and began to play her own tunes, that aroused his suspicion that she was secretly attached to some other person. This mutual suspicion resulted in a break-off, and Kõvalan returned home in a state of complete poverty with a noble resolution of starting life again as an honourable householder. His chaste wife, instead of rebuking him for his past waywardness, consoled him with that kindness characteristic of of a chaste wife and encouraged him in his resolve to start life again by reviving his business. He was practically penniless, since he had lost everything when he was associated with his mistress Mādhavī. But his wife had two anklets still remaining. She was willing to part with these if he would care to sell these and have the sale proceeds as the capital for reviving his business. But he was not willing to stay in his own capital any longer. Hence he decided to go to the Pāņdyan capital, Madurai, for the purpose of disposing off these anklets. Without the knowledge of anybody, he left the Coļa capital the same night accompanied by his wife and started for Madurai”. On his way he reached an asrama of the Jaina ascetics on the northern banks of the Cauvery. In that āśrama he met the female ascetic Kaundhi who was quite willing to
1, Ibid., Canto 7: Käşalvari, The sea shore song'.
2. Ibid., Canto 9: Kaņāttiram-uraitta-kadai, 'The tale of the dream'.
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