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88. THE TWELFTH VOYAGE OF MAKANDI BROTHERS
(A story that can easily find place in the voyage literature of the world. Like Homer's odysseus the two brothers meet a merciless circe and in spite of the fabulous Arabian Nights atmosphere get involved in a terribly haunting scene of temptation. The grim struggle between passion and wisdom is not easy to forget.)
In the city of Campya there lived a merchant called Makandi who was rich and successful in business. Every one respected him. His wife's name was Bhadra and their two sons were called Jinapalita and Jinaraksita. They were young and adventurous and had already crossed the Lavana-Samudra eleven times and come back home successful with plenty of merchandise that earned them great profits. On no occasion did they suffer any loss. Therefore they now felt encouraged to cross the sea for the twelth time but the parents were not quite willing to permit them. The father said that he had accumulated enough wealth to ensure all kinds of pleasures; it also has brought them enough prosperity and honour therefore the twelfth voyage need not be undertaken at all. But the sons persisted in their resolve and repeatedly asked the father to permit them to go. At last, the father, much against his own wish granted them the permission. The two sons loaded their ship with a variety of merchandise and launched on the voyage and thus sailed many hundreds of yojanas on the Lavana-samudra.
At a certain stage in their voyage there appeared many evil omens such as a sudden thunder, roaring of clouds, a terrific gale,
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