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...... EMANCIPATION OF PĀRŚVANĀTHA 415 Now Candasena, after wandering for a long time through the forest Padma without finding Bandhudatta, went home, ashamed. Before Priyadarśanā he promised: “I will bring your husband within six months, or I will enter the fire." After making this promise the village-chief sent spies to Kaušāmbi and Nāgapuri to find Bandhudatta. After some days they returned and said to Caņdasena, “We, roaming about, have not seen Bandhudatta.”
Candasena reflected: “Miserable from separation from his wife, surely he is dead by leaping from a precipice or entering a fire. Four months have passed from the limit of my promise. Now I shall enter the fire. Bandhudatta is hard to find. Or rather, I will stay until Priyadarśanā gives birth. After taking her son to Kaušāmbi, I shall enter the fire.”
While he was reflecting thus, the door-keeper came and said: “By good fortune you prosper today. Priyadarśanā has borne a son.” Delighted, the village-chief gave him a gratuity and said to the goddess of the forest Padma, named Caņdasenā: “If my sister and her son are well for one month, I will give you an offering of ten men.” When twenty-five days had passed safely, he sent men in every direction to bring men for the sacrifice.
Now Bandhudatta and his maternal uncle passed six months in that prison resembling hell. Then a great thief was found by the guards at night-a mendicant with money—and they arrested him and handed him over to the same minister. “Mendicants do not have such money. So he must be a robber.” After this decision, the minister ordered him to be killed. As he was being led out for execution, thinking, “The muni's speech is not false,” he said with remorse: “No one, except me, robbed the city. All the loot is in the mountains, rivers, gardens, et cetera. The goods should be returned to those from whom it was stolen. It is deposited like a treasure. Then kill me.”
The guards told the minister and the minister saw all the goods in the places described, except one box. The minister
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