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336 TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MANIPATI-CARITA 579. She replied: 'I will give you other meats,' but he in
sisted : Do it for me.' So at dawn Vajrā killed the
cock and cooked it. 580. Not knowing the real truth she gave the flesh of the
cock's head to her son as he came, crying for food,
from the study. 581. He ate it and went away and at once the brahmin came
along there. He did not find the flesh of the head
when he ate it so he questioned Vajrā : 582. The flesh of the head is not here, now where has it
gone ?' She replied: 'I gave it to my son.' Then
the brahmin proposed an evil action : 583. 'If you are ready to do something for me then kill your
son and give me his flesh.' Out of delusion she agreed
to that proposal. 584. By divine intervention their conversation was overheard
by the nurse. Picking up Sāgaradatta she went to
the city of Campā. 585. As the king of that city had died childless Sāgaradatta
was made king and through the accruing of merit
enjoyed the kingship and all that went with it. 586. Because he had been brought there in the lap of a nurse
the people gave him the name of 'Dhātņvāhana' as a
result of that circumstance. 587. Vajrā, infatuated with another man, ruined the house
hold property and the servants, suffering from this,
went away in all directions. 588. Then that merchant who had amassed wealth returned
to his home, but, finding the splendour of its affluence
gone, he asked : 589. 'Lady, where is my son, where is the nurse, where is the
mynah, where is the fine cock, where is the money,
where are the servants ?' 590. As Vajrā gave no reply though repeatedly questioned by
the merchant he asked the parrot who was in his cage.
