Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 3

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

Page 52

SREYAŃSANATHACARITRA
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else with intelligence, even an animal, who did not wish to die, would interrupt the concert as you did, fool! The king himself, when he comes to the house of a mere householder, enters after announcing himself. That is the custom of the wise. You, splitting open the earth, as it were, came suddenly unannounced. You were wrongly entertained like your master by my father who is naturally artless. Now show that power because of which you are disrespectful. I will show you the fruit of the tree of bad conduct."
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With these words he raised his fist, but before he struck, Muśalapāņi got in front of him and said: O prince, enough of striking this worm of a man! For the lion does not slap jackals even though they are howling. Because he is a messenger, he is not to be killed, even though he does improper things; just as a Brahman, even though he says something monstrous, can not be killed because he is a Brahman. Therefore, restrain your anger against this man even if he is rough. The castor-bean plant 7 is not the place for blows of an elephant's tusk."
Addressed thus by Balabhadra, Tripṛṣṭha quickly withdrew his raised fist like an elephant its trunk, and instructed the soldiers: "Take everything, except life alone, from this villainous messenger who interrupted the show.' At the prince's order the soldiers beat him with clubs and fists like a dog that has entered the house. They took everything, ornaments, et cetera, from him, like guards from a condemned man who has reached the executionplace. Avoiding blows for a long time, in order to save his life, he rolled on the ground like one furnishing amusement for an elephant. His retinue had fled in all directions, avoiding blows, et cetera, saving their lives like crows that have abandoned food. When they had beaten him like a donkey, plucked him like a sparrow, and yelled at him like a rogue, the princes went home.
87 317. A symbol of frailty.
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