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64
Tales from Indian Mythology
brahmans, having slapped me on the cheek with a severity of which only the demons are capable, she threw me into a well. I should have died there if the Emperor Yayati had not rescued me. Father, how do you expect me to see Sarmishra's face once again?" "Devayani, you seem to have learnt nothing from your father. You are angry. You are stubborn. You are vindictive. You have all the qualities of an asura, and none of a brahman."
"Oh, these brahmans! I do not know when they will learn to respect themselves. Why was I born among them?”.
"Do you wish you were born an asura ?”
"No, a kshatriya. Then I would have slaked my thirst with Sarmishta's blood. Father, please do not reject the kshatriyas, too. You have a habit of rejecting everybody except the brahmans. Ah, these brahmans! Perhaps Sarmishta was right about them."
"I do not reject anybody, for your sake. What do you demand now, my precious Devayani?”
"Revenge. This is the only remedy for Sarmishta's stupidi. ty, and please warn her father-and your employer—that the day is not far off when his daughter shall become my slave."
"Devayani, I shall meet Vrisha parva presently and see that his daughter comes to her senses."
"How?”
"I shall tell him that he will have to choose between me and his daughter."
"Oh, my dear father! That is like you!” she prostrated herself before Sukracharya who blessed her, and leaving her there returned to the capital.
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