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medicinal influence, otherwise, they cannot possibly fall into such profound sleep. Whatever it may be, I must now take care of my own body.' With this idea in my mind, I walked slowly forward and concealed myself in a thick forest. The robbers took away every-thing else except the stones and pillars of the house.
At day-break, people of the town woke up. The talk about robbery spread everywhere. When I came to my house with some people and saw at each and every corner, I found that there was not left anything even sufficient for one day's meal, With total loss of wealth, there was no money left with me with which to devise any means even for my maintenance. When there was nothing left for my maintenance, I thought within myself, "Can I not feel ashamed by becoming a wandering mendicant after leading the life of a very prominent citizen in the town? I was taking my meals daily after giving alms to poor and helpless needy persons, how can I now look decent by always looking out eagerly for a morsel of bread for filling my cursed belly? I was invariably riding a horse accompanied by a coterie of servants, how can I now wander about on foot, alone in the town? How can I now lead a worthless life without fulfilling the wished-for desires of my fellow-brothern who were my playmates in dust? Having now lost all property, how can I listen to the taunting words of my proud enemies? Should I therefore leave this place and go away to a distant land?"
With this idea in my mind, I walked in the Northern direction and reached a village after some days. There, I went on & begging-tour, and took my meals. I lived in the village for many days One day I met a fret Tridandi,-an ascetic bearing a triple staff. I respectfully bowed down before him and took my seat facing him. We then narrated our mutual experiences of this life and I gave him a short description of my wretched life. The ascetics said, "O child! leave aside your sorrow and adopt fortitude. It is a very common occurrence.
It is said:
It is not a very sad event that wealth does not remain per
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