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proper speech? Women born in a good family do not do such things, even when the world is coming to an end. Have you not heard this, husband? To excellent women husbands are deities: for
'Let my body fade away, let my eyes stream, let my youth disappear, Let my life even go, nevertheless, my lord, I will wait upon thee; Thou art my lord, thou art my friend, my relation, ornament, and
refuge,
Thou art my life, my dearest-what need of much speech in this matter?
My lord, before me such words, appropriate only to vile persons, must not be spoken.' When that Vidyadhara knew that his wife really loved him, he summoned by a thought the goddess that produces various forms. He said: Lady, thou goddess that producest various forms, make me now a palace of pure gold.' Then the goddess produced the palace in half a second. Of what kind was it? Its floor gleamed, inlaid with jewels of five colours; its walls shone, composed of pure crystal; in that palace there were a thousand statues of precious stone, set upon pedestals of gold; moreover,
It was forty stories high; it glittered with a hundred pinnacles and balls;
With its lofty bulk it obstructed the onward advance of the chariothorses of the sun.
The leper beholds himself exalted on a golden throne in the centre of it, resembling a prince of gods. When the people saw that palace, they were astonished; they said: Is this a vimúna of the gods come down from heaven, since it has never been seen by us before, nor read of in books? Surely this palace is very astounding!' Then King Támrachúḍa heard of the palace. Thereupon the king went to see the palace, with a heart full of eager curiosity. When the king, accompanied by his retinue, ascended the palace, he could not find the way on account of the nature of the crystal walls, as it was all full of dazzling brightness. Then, with great difficulty, the king at last found the path. In the highest story of that palace he saw a Vidyadhara sitting on a throne of heavenly beauty, and wearing
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