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Besides, they have also informed Vijayaséna :-"It is heard that your elder brother has died." On hearing these words, Vijayaséna was much grieved at heart, and he had done all the funeral ceremonies incidental to your death." In this way, all the efforts made by clever Somadatta for obtaining kingdom for me, were chiefly frustrated by cruel Fate.
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Becoming extremely sorry on knowing the real state of affairs, Somadatta, one day, told me :-O worthy man the wicked ministers and feudatory princes have treacherously aunounced your death before Vijayaséna and so it will be better if you remain within the range of sight of Vijayaséna, and make yourself visible to him when he has gone out for a drive. He is anxiously desirous of seeing you." I complied with his request. When, one day, Vijayaséna, riding an excellent elephant had gone out for a drive, I kept sitting on the top of a pinnacle of a temple in such a way that I may be clearly seen by the king. Vijayaséna immediately saw me and when he was uttering the following, words of greeting with his eyes wide open with intense joy :"Welcome! Welcome ! to a brother seen after a long interval !" the ministers and feudatory princes immediately arranged a cloth-screen high up in the sky between the king and myself, and they made a great uproar. The king had to turn back from his intended drive. They informed the king :-O Lord! you have seen a pisaca. It is baneful. Otherwise, can a dead man be ever seen visibly? Let us immediately go back to the palace. Let rites for averting evil be performed. Give offerings of food etc to ghosts. Perform sacrifices. Repeat the mrityamjaya verses (for over-coming death) and give gold coins in charity to Brahmaps, ascetics, and to your kinsmen." By their orders, the elephant-driver turned the elephant back. On reaching the palace the dull-witted Vijayaséna ordered to be performed whatever had been advised by them Becoming destitute of joy and alacrity, and losing patience, I got down from the pplade, and taking my seat in a lonely localily withont informing Somadatta, I thought
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