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CHAPTER ONE
her, my own wife. Abandoning and causing abandonment are suitable for courtesans." Satyabhāmā, angry, said, "If he does not let me go, I shall surely enter either fire or water.” The king said: "Do not make her abandon life. Let your wife remain several days in my house." Kapila agreed to this; and she, given in charge to the queen by the king, continued to practice penance of many kinds.
At that time the King of Kausāmbi, Bala by name, very powerful, sent his daughter, Śrīkāntā, daughter of Queen Srīmati, a beautiful young woman, in great style at her choosing 268 of Indușeņa, son of Śrīşeņa. Indusena and Binduşeņa noticed an extremely beautiful courtesan, Anantamatikā, who had come in attendance on her. Saying, "She is mine," "She is mine," angered, they both went to the garden Devaramaņa. There the two, armed, powerful, fought like untamed bulls, because of the desire to enjoy the peerless beauty.
: The king was not able to prevent their fight. For he had always held conciliation dear, whereas the arrogant must be subdued by assault.264 The king could not prevent their conduct being seen and, after deliberating with Abhinanditā and Sikhinanditā, saying, “The time has come," he smelled a lotus permeated with the poison tālapuța 265 and died immediately. Then both the queens smelled the same lotus and died. High-born women do not live at all without the husband. Satyabhāmā, deprived of protection, considering only evil could come from Kapila, also smelled the lotus and went the way of death.
Second incarnation as a twin (91-93) As these four had died from excessive humility, they were born as twins in the Uttarakuru-country in Jambū
263 82. In such a case a princess who wishes to marry a prince of her own choice may be sent without preliminaries to the prince's town and the marriage takes place there.
264 86. See I, p. 153.
205 88. Occurs elsewhere also as a very deadly poison, but I have not been able to identify it.
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