Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 3

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 231

CHAPTER ONE
whose daughter, debt, enmity, or disease is increasing in size? Yet you sleep heedlessly."
202
Satyaki replied: "That is very true, my dear. All this time I have not found a suitable husband for Satyabhāmā. This Brahman, Kapila, good-looking, foremost among the gifted, young, well-bred, is a suitable husband for Satyabhāmā." Jambukā agreed; and at an auspicious moment Satyaki married Satyabhāmā and Kapila with suitable ceremonies. Honored by the citizens in all the city as much as Satyaki, daily he (Kapila) enjoyed pleasures with good-tempered Satyabhāmā. The people gave him special money, rice, et cetera, on all the festival-days, thinking, "He is more to be honored even than Satyaki." Living in this way, best of living Brahmans, Kapila became well-endowed with money as well as good qualities.
One day during the rains he left his home at night to see a show and stayed there for a long time. When he was half-way home, it rained very hard, causing a darkness that could be pierced by a needle. Then he stripped himself, as there was no one about, put his clothes under his arm, and dressed at the door of his house. Satyabhāmā thought to herself, "My husband's clothes will be wet from the rain," got other clothes, and approached him. Kapila said to his wife, "Foolish woman, my clothes åre not wet from the power of a vidya. There is no need of other clothes." Satyabhāmā perceived that his clothes were dry and his body wet all over and thought to herself, "If he protected his clothes from the rain by the power of a vidyā, why did he not protect his body? He certainly came nude. From that conduct I think my husband is low-born. Because he is very intelligent, he learned the sacred texts just by hearing with the ear.' She reflected thus, and from that time she became indifferent, like a miserable woman who has been taken captive.200
260 60. Vṛnda is to be corrected to vanda, in accordance with MSS. Vanda = banda, a deśi word meaning 'captive,' (PH). Cf. bandi (MW).