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VASUDEVA'S MARRIAGE WITH KANAKAVATI: 93 once, as well as the women of the family the customary parched rice. Then the wedding-festival of Vasudeva and Kanakavati took place, opening out the one umbrella of joy.
Kanakavati's birth as Viramati (216–243) The scion of the Yadus bowed to Srida and announced: "I am curious to know why you came here.” Srida replied joyfully to Sauri wearing the wedding-ribbon: 101 “ Prince, hear the reason for my coming. In the country Bharata of this same Jambūdvipa there is a city, named Sangara, in the vicinity of Așțāpada. The king was Mammaņa and his wife was Viramati. One day he went outside the city with his wife to hunt. He, cruel-hearted like a Rakşas, saw an ascetic, who was very dirty, who had come with a caravan. Thinking, * This is a bad omen, hindering my hunting entertainment,' he had the sādhu carried away from the caravan, like an elephant from the herd. The king and his wife went back to the palace and he spent twelve ghaţikās 102 talking to the sage. Then the husband and wife in whom compassion was born, asked the muni, 'Whence have you come and where are you going? Tell.'
The muni related: 'I started from Rohitakapura with a caravan to worship the images of the Arhats on Aștāpada. I was separated from the caravan by you, honored sir and lady. I did not go to Aștāpada. There are many obstacles to pious actions.” Because of light karma the husband and wife talked with the muni and quickly forgot their anger like a bad dream. Knowing that they were tender-hearted, the muni with the idea of service to others told them about the Arhats' religion which is pre-eminent in compassion to living creatures. The husband and wife, whose ears had not been penetrated by the words of religion from birth, little by little became acquainted with religion from that time. They presented him with food, drink,
101 217. Cf. I, p. 145 and n. 188. 102 222. Twenty-four minutes.
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