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35
DHANNA AND SHALIBHADRA
n ne day a certain merchant visited the court of King
Shrenik of Magadh. He was dealing in costly shawls studded with gems. The king examined them and found them as light as feathers. Therefore, he exclaimed, “How wonderful!” Hearing this, the merchant added, “Your Majesty, these are wonderful shawls. They protect one both from cold and heat."
Then the king sent one of them into his harem. Here it was examined by his chief Queen, Chelana. She asked one of her maid- servants to tell the king that she would be glad to have it.
But as the king found the shawls costly, he did not buy them. In fact he had not the necessary amount of money in his royal treasury, He, therefore, told the merchant, “I am sorry, I can't buy your goods."
Then the merchant walked up and down the royal road to sell them. At last, he stopped at the house of Shalibhadra, a rich citizen of Rajgrihi. The vendor exclaimed in despair, “What a grand palace I saw! But then it is strange that there is nobody to buy my goods." 112
