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TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MANIPATI-CARITA 286. He remained in a sorry plight bound to a tethering post and accepted sweetmeats but then begging for his former food ate different kinds of grass.
287. That sal tree torments the elephant who has left the Vindhya mountain and tethered to a post he takes grass, his eyes filled with tears.
288. The ascetics coming there to the city addressed him mockingly Secanaka, how pitiful your plight is now.'
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289. Breaking the tethering rope under the influence of rage the elephant ran off. He killed the ascetics and then went to the bank of the Ganges.
290. Accompanied by his army King Śreņika at once pursued him. Then the elephant's tutelary divinity spoke these words to him:
"
291. My son in a former existence this karma was imposed on you that you must of necessity become the riding animal of this king
292. Therefore go yourself and adorn the tethering rope so that you may be greatly honoured by the king and may obtain a diadem.
293. Then he at once put into effect this advice of the divinity and going to Rajagṛha himself stood over the tethering post
294. There abiding by the command of his divinity he was established by King Śreņika as lord of the elephants and received abundant food of the best.
295. The rest of the story has been told incidentally. Just as the elephant ended by killing those ascetics who had sheltered and reared it,
296. so you, reverent sir, an intelligent being, have become devoid of intelligence and have now therefore given way to greed for my money.'
297. The muni said: 'It is not fitting for munis to commit theft. Have you not heard of the munis Siva, Suvrata, Dhanada, Yaunaka and Susthita ?.
