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and felt terribly infatuated. When Räjimati saw that another person was present there she covered her breasts by her arms that she held tightly across them and quickly huddled herself into a sitting position to save further exposure. But she did not lose the presence of her mind. When Rathanemi again made his proposal and went on expatiating how the human body was a precious achievement which one earned after an accummulation of much merit in earlier lives and how terribly unfair it would be not to enjoy all the pleasure the body has been meant to provide.
Räjimati once again spoke bluntly: Even if he were as handsome as Kūbera, as accomplished as Nalakūbara, why, even as great as Indra himself she would not care to look at him, much less entertain any desire for him. She said she was the daughter of king Bhoja, came from a great family and her sense of honour was like that of the serpents of the Agandhana family. They would willingly enter fire and burn themselves to death but not suck back the poison they have once injected whatever the medicine-man's pressure. She reminded him that he too came from an equally honourable family of the Vrsnis and it was a shame that he should behave with women in such a despicable manner. He was once
ain desiring to eat up vomit like a low and mean snake of the Gandana class. She further pointed out that if he was still subject to such wild desires for women he would one of these days completely be uprooted like a tree hit by a storm. If he did not learn to control his desires and bodily organs he would be no more a master of them all than the cowherd boys are the masters of the cattle they tend. Death would be a better fate for such a man. The hypocrite, most inglorious hypocrite who has chosen the path of renunciation and yet can't renounce any thing.
'Please, sir, control yourself, your mind, your desires, your sense organs. Be a master of yourself and save yourself from this disgrace.
Rathanemi felt himself like a wild elephant that was being brought under control by the sharp and strong goad of a firm-minded mahout. Räjimati's words of reproach were equally
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