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TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MAŅIPATI-CARITA
901. Metārya remained there in dejection when the god arrived
to ask him : Will you not take the vows now ?'
Falling at his feet he said : 902. After I have enjoyed pleasures for twelve years I will
take the vows.' The god replied: 'If so what shall
I do?' 903. Metārya said : Make the king give me his daughter to
wife so that, cleansed from the stain of being a meda
I may enjoy pleasures.' 904. The god undertook to do so and brought to him a goat
saying that it would excrete weighty jewels of great value. 905. Take a dish full of them to the king and ask for his
me daughter ' so saying, the god went to his divine abode. 906. Metārya's father filled a plate with very exquisite jewels
and gave them to the king, who said: “Tell me your
business'. 907. Your majesty, give me forthwith your daughter as wife
to my son. The king said : You are saying something
preposterous in my presence.' 908. So he made the same speech on the second and third day.
"This man must be kept out,' said the king to Abhaya.
Prince Abhaya thought : 909. Where does he get these jewels from ?' so he put the
question to him. The meda replied: 'My goat
excretes them.' 910. Abhaya took his goat and brought it to the king's palace
where it excreted evil-smelling dung. “It will ruin
my palace' thought the king and 911. restored it to him where it again provided jewels. Abhaya
thought. This is an illusion created by a deity; now
I will test him.' 912. He said to the meda : With difficulty the king climbs
the Vaibhāra mountain ; make the mountain accessible
to the passage of five chariots abreast.' The god 913. did this and then Abhaya said again : 'Bring hither the
ocean; when you have bathed your son in it the king will give him his daughter.'
