Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

Page 297

DASĀRŅABHADRA, ŠALIBHADRA, DHANYAKA 257 to Sālibhadra's house and Bhadrā took the jeweled blankets at the price asked. At that time Queen Celaņā said to King Śreņika, “ Take one blanket suitable for me at a high price." The king asked the merchants for one blanket at the price and they said, “Bhadrā took all the blankets.” Then Sreņika sent a clever man to Bhadrā to get a blanket by paying the price.
Bhadrā, when he asked her, said: “ After cutting up the jeweled blankets, I made foot-cleansers for sālibhadra's wives. If any thing can be done with worn-out jeweled blankets, after going and asking the king, come and take them.” He went and told the king this. Queen Celaņā said, “Look ! Between me and merchants there is a difference like that between brass and gold.” When sālibhadra had been invited by Śreņika who sent the same man from curiosity, Bhadrā came and explained: “My son truly does not go outside, king. Do me a favor, Your Majesty, by coming to his house." From curiosity Sreņika agreed to that. She went ahead to her house, awaiting the moment (of his coming). She decorated the markets with varied cloths, jewels, and tiger-skins from her house to the palace.
Summoned by her, the king went to Sālibhadra's house, observing the decoration of its markets that looked like it had been made suddenly by the gods. . The house had swinging festoons of sapphire on top of golden pillars; the ground at the door was uneven with rows of pearl-svastikas; it had awnings made of divine cloth; it was filled with incense from fragrant substances, like a duplicate of heavenly palaces that had been placed on the earth. The king entered it, wideeyed from astonishment, and sat down on a lion-throne the fourth story.
Bhadrā went to the seventh story and said to sālibhadra: "Śreņika has come here. Come at once to see him.” He said to Bhadrā: “Mother, attend to the business which you know yourself. What have I to do with that?” Then Bhadrā said, “ This is not goods to be bought; but he is lord 33 M