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CHAPTER FOUR have you reached such an unfortunate state?” When his experiences had been told by Bhanudatta, Dhanadatta said, “Son, first we shall rescue Priyadarśanā from the Bhillas."
Just then the king's armed soldiers came quickly and arrested all the travelers camped there on the suspicion that they were robbers. While Dhanadatta and Bandhudatta were throwing the object into the Yakşa's temple, they were caught by the king's men. “What is this?” questioned by them, they said, “ From fear of you, we hid this object of our own.” The king's soldiers took them with the box and the other travelers before the king's minister.
After examining and releasing the other travelers, the minister questioned the uncle and nephew zealously, “ Where are you from and what is this?” “We have come from Viśālā and now we have started to Lātadeśa, taking this money acquired before.” The minister said, “ If this is your property, in that case tell everything that is in the box with some sign of proof.” Not knowing (what was in the box), terrified, they said, " If the box has been stolen, open it yourself, minister, and let it be examined."
The minister himself opened the box and saw ornaments in it marked with the king's name. Remembering that these objects had been lost for a long time, the minister reflected: “ This has been deposited by these two from objects stolen before. The robbers will be caught through these two being beaten.” With this idea he had the whole caravan seized by his men. He had the two beaten severely by guards like messengers of Yama. Distracted by heavy blows, they said: “We came yesterday with the caravan. If that is not so, we must be killed by you then, after consideration."
A man of the place said in reference to Bandhudatta, “I saw him in this caravan five days ago.” Asked by the minister, “Do you know him?” the caravan-leader said, “ Who, indeed, knows such travelers going in a caravan?” After hearing that, the minister, angered, had the nephew and uncle detained in a prison resembling hell.
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