Kathakoca or Treasury of Stories

Author(s): C H Tawney
Publisher: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation New Delhi

Page 33

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upon you, you should call me to mind. One day the hermit went to a village to break his fast. As he was going along, a cart met him in the road. The hermit would not get out of the way. The driver of the cart spoke to him repeatedly, but he still declined to budge. Thereupon the carter, being angry, got down from his cart and beat the hermit with his cart-whip.* The hermit in wrath struck him back with his staff, and a combat ensued between the two men.t
In Southern Mathurá there lived a merchant named Açokadatta, who STORY OF AÇOKADATTA AND HIS SON CRÍPATI. was lord of a crore. In Northern Mathurá a merchant named Samriddhidatta went on a trading journey with five hundred carts. He struck up a friendship with Acokadatta, and there was great affection on both sides. Samriddhidatta returned to his own city. One day a son was born in the house of Acokadatta. His name was called Cripati. Acokadatta announced to his friend when the ceremony of cutting the umbilical cord would take place. A daughter was born in the house of Samriddhidatta, and he announced the ceremony to his friend in the same manner. The two friends agreed together that they must celebrate the joyful marriage of their two children. The betrothal took place; the auspicious moment was fixed. One day the merchant Acokadatta was suddenly seized with a terrible fever and died. Crípati was appointed in his place, and carried on the weighty business of the house. One day Crípati was sitting down to take his bath, when a golden bowl was spirited away; when he had finished his
* A conjectural translation of piráṇakena.
† It appears that this story is not completed. It resembles the 332nd Játaka. See Fausböll, vol. iii., p. 104. The MSS. here insert a passage which is found again before the twenty-sixth story, to which it forms a suitable introduction. It is out of place here. Two of the MSS. also insert: Here follows the story of Açokadatta, having reference to cheating.'
Vardhápanam. But the word seems to mean in other passages 'good news.' That may be the meaning here.