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conceived idea. Silavati repliedky O Ārya-putra ! (son of an honourable man ). Do you remember the advice given by my father, the other day! Kumāra said"I do not quite remember it.” Šilavati said:-My father told you like this-This, my only daughter, is an excellent repose of my confidence; you, there. fore, act in such a way that she may become your sonstant companion like the shadow of your body." Kumāra replied:ā 0 beloved I yes yes, I now perfectly remember those words, Sbe said–Then, why do you prevent me from accompanying your Kumāra said-1 prevent you from coming with me on account of exertion of bad roads. If, however, you are really disirous of coming with me, you make yourself ready. Leave aside all ideas of living in palaces and abandon tenderness." Śilavatt replied:- “Perfectly desirous of suffering pleasure and pain equally I am ready." Equipped with a bow in his hand and an arrowcare full of arrows on his back- accompained by Silavatt aad two young princes, the citizens sleeping happily-the sound of music having been stopped-the body-guards lying in their usual places- the watch-gaurds becoming careless and while sending away his domestic servants in various directions, Nara-Vikrama Kumăra went out of the town and by constant journeying, he reached foreign territories.
On hearing the news of the Kumāra's going to foreign countries, the citizens began to lament bitterly. Even the ministers left off all administrative work and becoming bewildered as if all their belonglags had been stolen away, they went to the king and began to reproach him:-Even for a very trivial business you used to consult us before doing it, but you did not even ask us anglog in this serfous work of tremendous significance. O great king! Is it praise-worthy on your part to act thus | For an insignicant affair, you banished the prlace who was very clever in bearing the burden of governing our entire kingdom | Has any king treated his son-who was dear to him as bisown life-so meanly, only for the sake of a wicked elephant? Or Is it that all the elephants living in the vicinity of Vindhya Mountains have been stolen away by robbers that you
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