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kingdom in Ujjayiní by way of appanage.* One day, in the month of Mágha, King Chandravatamsaka was performing asceticism in the statuesque posture in his bedroom, and he formed the following resolution : ‘I will not put an end to my painful posture as long as the lamp is burning. Then the chambermaid, after each of the four watches, replenished the lamp with oil. At the dawn of day the king died, owing to the delicacy of his health, and went to the world of gods, and Sagarachandra reigned in his stead. One day he said to his second mother Priyadarçaná: 'Let your sons have the kingdom; I will take a vow.' But Priyadarçaná thought that the government could be carried on by Sagarachandra and by no other, and so she did not accept the kingdom for her sons. Then many days passed. One day Priyadarçaná saw King Ságarachandra adorned with royal splendour going to the amusements of a spring festival ;t then, after the manner of the feminine character, she became angry with the king. She said to herself : Long ago, when he offered me the kingdom for my sons, I would not take it ; now I should be delighted if my sons could obtain the kingdom in any way, so I must kill Ságarachandra by some device or other.' One day Ságarachandra was in a garden outside the city with his younger brothers, and as they all wished to eat something cool and refreshing, he sent a female servant to the cook to fetch sweetmeate. Priyadarçaná said to her: • Why have you come ? She said: 'I have come to get some cool food for the king. In the meanwhile Priyadarçaná smeared her hands with poison and stood in the path. In course of time she saw the female servant coming along with a single simhakevarat sweetmeat. On pretence of examining it, she took it in her hands and rubbed it with her palms, and then gave it back into the hands of the servant impregnated with poison. The servant gave the sweetmeat to King Ságarachandra. The king said to
* Kumárabhuktyai. Literally, for enjoyment as a prince. + Corresponding to the English May-games. I Literally, lion's mane.
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