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p. 642-871.)
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my warriors deserted; being killed by him in battle and having died in vindictive reflections, I had to descend to hell. My wife mounted the funeral pyre in order to be united with me in her next existence; accordingly she too had to descend to the same hell. 660, 8. We were reborn as very poor people and became husband and wifo. Once a nun collected alms in our house; we asked her where her u pasraya was, and went there regularly in the evening. The ganini instructed us in the Law, and we worshipped the images of the Tirthakaras. Thus we became pious Srāvakas and on our death we ascended to the Brah. maloka. Most of my sins had been atoned for in hell; for the rest of them we had to suffer in our human birth.--
This account of my former births, Vijayadharma concluded, made such an impression on me, that I became a monk. 685.10.
(Main story continued.) All hearers were greatly moved by the saint's tale. Gunaoandra begged to be given the vows of laymen, and Vigraha also became a Śrāvaka. Vijayadharma then disappeared, after promising to see the princo ngain in AyodhyĂ. 865, 7.
Meanwhile Vanamantara had spread in Ayodhvi a rumour of Gunacandra's death. Ratnavati upon hearing this report desired to enter the firo; but the king comforted her in some degree by denouncing this rumour as an intentional lie set on foot by an enemy of the prince; he would send a swift messenger to the army who would, within five days, bring back news about Guņacandra. In the interval Ratnavati abstained from food and performed expiatory rites. She asked the ganini Susamgata to come to her house and made her deliver religious instruction to her and her people. The nun explained that all creatures in the world continually undergo suffering in one way or other ; but as some sick persons following the advice of a clever physician get over their pains and do not feel ill, so those who keenly feeling the misery of worldly existence conduct themselver according to the advice of a saintly master, are greatly relieved, though they are still exposed to the ills of human existence.-Shr then assured Ratnavati that her husband was still alive; for her voice was not that of a widow. Her present grief, she said,
