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answered : “After you have fallen from the world of gods, you will become a king in the city of Mithilá, of the name of Prasannachandra, and after you have been admitted to a vow by the lord Malli, the nineteenth Tírthankara, you will attain perfection.” From that time forward I have been devoted to the lord Malli; for this reason I worship his likeness.' He then said to Davadanti : Who are you, my good lady?' She told him her whole story. The lay disciple, who was of the same faith as herself, said: “This leader of the caravan, Dhanadeva, stands to you in the position of a father, therefore you must not be afflicted.' The next morning, at dawn, the leader of the caravan reached Achalapura. The caravan left Davadantí there, and went elsewhere. Then Davadantí, being thirsty, entered the city tank to drink water. All the women of the city there looked upon her as a water-nymph. While she was drinking water, an iguana -laid hold of her left foot, since in affliction fresh affliction ever comes. Then Davadantí repeated the formula of adoration, and it compelled the iguana to let go her foot. When she had drunk and come out of the tank, she sat down near it in a melancholy frame of mind. At that time there was a king named Rituparna in Achalapura ; he had a queen named Chandrayaças; her maids saw Davadanti, and were struck with her beauty; so in their amazement they went and told Chandrayaças. She had Davadantí summoned into her presence, and said to her: 'My good lady, who are you ?' She answered: 'I am the daughter of a merchant, and I have been abandoned in the forest.' Chandrayaças said : You are my daughter, and your name shall be Chandravatí. So remain in comfort in my house.'
Now, after this, Davadantí was in the habit every day of giving gifts to poor and unprotected men in the neighbour hood of the town. One day, when she was in the alms house, she saw a thief being taken along by the police, tied with peacock bonds ;* then Davadantí asked : What has he stolen ?' They answered : “He has stolen a casket
* This is a literal translation.
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