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them to be his own nephew and niece, he felt the kindly influence of their presence, and said to himself:
How is it that, at the sight of these two, my heart, though heavily tainted by cruel thoughts, has become absolutely calm, as if it had partaken of nectar? And my eyes turn to no other object, as if because they are riveted upon them with the force of thunder? Why is my soul in an ecstasy of joy, as if at the sight of beloved friends who have been long abroad? Why is my heart steeped in joy, as if it were long familiar with them? Are they not possibly my own nephew and niece? Only the other day I heard from one of the elders of my family the amazing story of their religious austerities even in childhood. At the sight of beloved persons, though never seen before, the senses become suffused with youth in an ecstasy of love, like the rays of the morning sun.
Observing the change in the attitude of the king, a nearby bard recited two verses and appealed to him to lay aside his sword:
No enemies are near at hand; none transgresses thy command. Sire, the goddess of prosperity is devoted to thee, and no one is jealous of her. Please, do thou therefore discard thy sword, the companion of thy arm in the sport of war: its blade doth emit its luster under the pressure of thy powerful grip!
Māradatta listened to the verses recited by the bard and laid down his sword at the feet of the goddess. Then imposing silence on the noisy crowd of spectators with his raised hand he offered a seat to the ascetic boy and the girl. The ascetic boy, followed by his companion, praised the king in a series of lyrical verses. Afterward Māradatta questioned them about their native place and origin. The boy promised to satisfy the king's curiosity. The ascetic boy Abhayaruci, addressing Māradatta, now begins the story of his previous births, an autobiographical record. There is a prosperous country named Avanti, hospitable with its fruit
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