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BRAHMADATTACAKRICARITA
351 reflecting, by following the horse's track he came to the entire army which was delighted at the sight of the king. Attended by the army the cakrin went to his own city.
The Nāga-maiden went and tearfully told her husband such a story: 322 “ Brahmadatta, sovereign of the world of mortals, is lustful. Roaming about, he came just now to the forest, Bhūtaramaņa. I, going in attendance on a Yakșiņi, surrounded by women-friends, was seen by him as I emerged from a lotus-pond after a bath. Wounded by Love at sight of me, wishing to dally, he asked me; and beat me, unwilling and weeping, with a whip. Though I told your name, he, intoxicated with power, beat me for a long time and left me for dead."
After hearing that, the Nāga-prince, angered, approached Brahman's son to kill him, entering his house at night. Just then the chief-queen said to Brahmadatta, “ Lord, what did you see when you were carried away by the horse?” The king related the wicked story of the female serpent and the boa constrictor, the punishment administered by himself, and the checking of their evil conduct. The Naga, concealed, heard all that and his anger was allayed instantly, as he had learned by himself his wife's fault.
At that time the king left the house for care of the body and saw the Nāga by whose splendor the sky was lighted up. The Nāga said: “Long live King Brahmadatta, who is the chastiser on earth of the evilly-behaved. The Nāga-maiden whom you beat is my wife. You were described to me by her, 'Lustful for me, he beat me,' though you are a chastiser. Because of her story, king, I came here, eager to burn you. Just now I heard secretly her bad behavior from your mouth. She, a harlot, was properly punished by you devoted to the law. Pardon that I thought of something evil against you because of her story."
The king said, “There is no fault on your part. Truly,
322 531. The Joseph and Potiphar motif. cf. Pārsva., p. 199.
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