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206 TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MAŅIPATI-CARITA 879. The king's son reflected : I am fortunate in that I have
been lifted out of the cycle of transmigration by this
my guru. The other, however, bore ill-will. 880. See, by this fate we have made to take the vows, so
that I, a brahmin must fall at the feet of sūdras,'
he thought. 881. Having taken the vows they were reborn as gods in
Saudharma and then came down to the tīrthankara
in order to worship him. 882. After adoring him they asked : ‘Are we easy of enlighten
ment or difficult of enlightenment ?' The Jina said:
Of you two the brahmin's son 883. is difficult of enlightenment; he will be the first to suffer
rebirth and with difficulty will attain to the sacred doctrine.' Then the companion gods after making
obeisance to the Jina went to their heaven. 884. The god who had been a brahmin said to the one who had
been the king's son: You must instruct me in the
sacred doctrine' and the latter agreed. 885. Now in Rājagļha there was a very prosperous merchant
Subhadra whose wife was Suyaśas of spotless repute
in her virtues, conduct and character. 886. In one part of her house there dwelt a meda woman, her
friend; and in retribution for his pride of caste that brahmin who had become a god came into existence
in her womb. 887. At the same time that merchant's wife became pregnant
and wept exceedingly. When asked : Why do you
weep?' 888. she replied: 'Dear friend, I weep because I have still
born children.' The other replied : Do not say this,
my lady, 889. I will give you my own child, my lady, and you must
hand over your child to me and I will tell my husband it is dead.
