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EMANCIPATION OF THE FEMALES
101
'Are you aware of the occurrences in the capital ?'
'I am aware of the occurrence of the entire state and beyond'
'It is your ego that says so Facts are different Do you happen to know the whereabouts of Lord Mahavira ?'
'I do not know but I am eager to know' 'The Lord happens to be there in this town itself'
'If Lord happens to be there in this town itself, it should please you rather than annoy you'
'His presence certainly pleases me but the thought of his four-month-long starvation saddens my heart'
'It should be an ascetic vow, I presume'
'If it were a vow he would not have gone out abegging He visits many a home everyday and returns without accepting offered victuals'
'Why should my spies fail to report it to me?' he commented unhappily Shatanık the king also seems to be unaware of it and so is his queen Mrigavati I must probe it'
The attendant Vijaya entered the chamber of the queen She said, 'I came across a strange news at Nanda's place P'haps you would like to know of it'
'What does it pertain to ?' 'Lord Mahavira' 'Then I must know about it'
Vijaya recounted what she had heard at Nanda's place The queen was pained to learn of it Shortly the king visited the inner apartments and he also became a sharer of her anguish
King Shatanık and the counsellor Sugupta conferred with each other on the issue They also invited Upadhaya Tathyavadı He was a mature thinker and a teleologist The king lay his problem before him He failed to offer any solution
The king grew pensive He arrogantly said, 'It seems, counsellor, our spies have grown defunct I must fix up the responsibilities How is it that my counsellor fails in keeping me informed of so significant an event? Do not my officers
