Book Title: Two Prakrit Versions of Manipati Charitra
Author(s): R Williams
Publisher: Royal Asiatic Society

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Page 304
________________ 291 TRANSLATION 12. Then an idea occurred to her and by guile she devised such a means that Tilabhațța should never bother about the sesamum seed. 13. On the last night of the black fortnight she covered her body completely with feathers of various birds, and 14. taking in her hand a platter filled with khādira charcoal she set out to scare her husband who was at the threshing-floor in the field. 15. When she got near him she cried again and again in a loud voice : 'Shall I eat up Tilabhațța or all his store of sesamum seed ?' 16. Between her shrieks she blew on the embers in the platter she held in her hand and tossed her head letting her hair fall over her lotus features. 17. While Tilabhațța, watching her actions and hearing the aforesaid speech stood trembling in every limb from fear, 18. the wicked woman went up to him and said: 'You wretch, to-day at last, I have found you, I will kill you with my own hand.' 19. He answered : Do not do so, lady. I, unhappy creature, falling at your feet, await your command.' 20. To these and similar entreaties of his she replied : Do you not know that I am an eater of sesamum seed famed in the world of divinities? 21. So if you desire to live give me all your sesamum seed : so that no harm may come to your body : 22. nor is the name of this sesamum seed ever to be pro nounced by you.' She spoke and he gladly agreed to .. these words of hers. 23. She at once made her way back in gleeful mood, but he because of his alarm went home afflicted with a burning fever, 24. and in a minute or so he was dead. Straightway at her bidding he was borne away by her paramours and burned in the proximity of the muni Manipati.

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