Chapter 216 - The story of a gṛhapati and his son

bhūtapūrvaṃ bhikṣavo'nyatamasmin karvaṭake gṛhapatiḥ prativasati, āḍhyo mahādhano mahābhogaḥ; tena sadṛśātkulātkalatramānītaṃ; sa tayā sārdhaṃ krīḍati ramate paricārayati; tasya krīḍato ramamāṇasya paricārayataḥ kālāntareṇa patnī āpannasatvā saṃvṛttā; sā aṣṭānāṃ va nāvānāṃ vā māsānāmatyayātprasūtā; dārikā jātā; tasyāstrīṇi saptakānyekaviṃṣatidivasān jātāyāḥ jātimahaṃ kṛtvā valayeti nāmadheyaṃ vyavasthāpitaṃ; bhūyo'pyasya krīḍato ramamāṇasya paricārayataḥ putro jātaḥ; tasyāpi kulasadṛśaṃ nāmadheyaṃ vyavasthāpitaṃ; sa saṃlakṣayati: jāto me ṛṇaharo dhanaharaśca; gacchāmi paṇyamādāya deśāntaramiti; bhūyaḥ sa saṃlakṣayati: iyaṃ mama patnī rūpavatī; yadyahamasyāḥ prabhūtān kārṣāpaṇān datvā gacchāmi, sthānametadvidyate yatparapuruṣaiḥ sārdhaṃ vikariṣyati; yannvahamasyāḥ svalpān kārṣāpaṇān datvā gaccheyamiti; sa tasyāḥ stokān kārṣāpaṇān datvā, avaśiṣṭaṃ suvarṇakalaśe prakṣipya, grīvāyāṃ muktāhāraṃ baddhvā śmaśāne aśvakarṇasya mūle nikhanya paṇyamādāya deśāntaraṃ gataḥ; tasya tatra prabhūto lābhaḥ saṃpannaḥ; sa tatraiva dārasaṅgrahaṃ kṛtvā avasthitaḥ; tasya ca bahavaḥ putrā jātāḥ; tatastayā pūrvikayā patnyā valayā sa ca dārakaḥ hastabalena jñātibalena ca pāyitau, poṣitau, saṃvardhitau; tau kathayataḥ: amba pitā asmākaṃ kva gataḥ? sā kathayati: putra asmin deśe amukamadhiṣṭhānaṃ tatra tiṣṭhati (a 458 ) tasya ca mahatī dhanasaṃpattiḥ śrūyate, gaccha yadi kiṃcidasyojjīvanopāyaste bhaviṣyati iti; sa pitaraṃ samanveṣamāṇaḥ anupūrveṇa tasya sakāśaṃ gataḥ; sa vīthyāmanvāhiṇḍamānaḥ pitrā mukhabimbakena pratyabhijñātaḥ; śabdayitvyā abhihitaḥ: kutastvamihāgacchasi? kutra vā gantum? iti; tena vistareṇa samākhyātaṃ; sa saṃlakṣayati: eṣa evāsau mama putraḥ iti; sa tena svagṛhītaḥ uktaśca: putra na te kasyacidākhyeyaṃ, mamāyaṃ pitā iti; sa tasyātyarthaṃ snehaṃ kartumārabdhaḥ; (i 92) tatastairanyaiḥ putrairucyate: tāta kasyāyaṃ dārakaḥ? sa kathayati: mamāyaṃ vayasyasya putraḥ iti; taiḥ saṃlakṣitaṃ: yathāyamasyātyarthaṃ snehavānnūnamasyaiva putraḥ iti; te parasparaṃ saṃjalpaṃ kartumārabdhāḥ: ayamaparo bhrātā iti; sa saṃlakṣayati: preṣayāmyenaṃ; pratikruṣṭametadvairāṇāṃ, yaduta sāpatnyakaṃ; sthānametadvidyate yadenaṃ praghātayiṣyanti; yadi ca kiṃciddāsyāmi antarmārge dāyādyakāraṇādghātayiṣyanti; yannvahamevaṃ preṣayeyamiti viditvā cīrikā likhitvā dattā:
grāmaśmaśāne hayakarṇamūlaṃ prāgbhūmito yojanamantareṇa |
tasmin khanan vai nipuṇo'pramatto dāyādyamātmīyamupaiṣyasi tvam ||
kaṇṭhe tu yattadvalayāyā deyamiti.

sa cīrikāmādāya saṃprasthitaḥ; antarmārge bhrātṛbhirgṛhītaḥ; uktaśca: kiṃ tvayā pituḥ sakāśāllabdhaṃ sa kathayati: na kiṃcidiyaṃ cīrikā; te saṃlakṣayanti: vyaṃśito'yaṃ pitrā; gacchatu iti; sa tairmuktaḥ; anupūrveṇa svagṛhe praviṣṭo mārgaśramaṃ prativinodayati; mātrā abhihitaḥ: kiṃ tvayā pituḥ sakāśāllabdhamiti; sa kathayati: na kiṃcidapi, kiṃtu iyaṃ cīrikā; sā kathayati: vyaṃśitastvaṃ tena, mārgaśramaśca jāto, na kiṃcitsaṃpannamiti; sa kathayati: amba mahātmāsau; na māṃ vyaṃśayiṣyati iti; sa tāṃ cīrikāṃ vācayitumārabdhaḥ: grāmeti, yatra jāyate so'tra grāmo'bhipretaḥ; śmaśāneti, yatra mṛto (i 93) dahyate; hayakarṇamūle iti, hayā ucyante aśvāḥ; tatkarṇanāmā vṛkṣaḥ; aśvakarṇamūle ityuktaṃ bhavati; prāgbhūmita iti, pūrvasyāṃ diśi; yojanamantareṇeti, yugamātramantarena iti; sa evaṃ gāthārthaṃ vicārya niḥsaṃpātavelāyāṃ śmaśānaṃ gataḥ; tatsamīpe paśyati, aśvakarṇavṛkṣaḥ, sa tasya pūrve digbhāge yugamātraṃ māpayitvā khanitumārabdhaḥ; yāvatpaśyati suvarṇakalaśaṃ; grīvāyāṃ cāsya hāraṃ baddhaṃ; sa tamādāya āttamanāttamano gṛhaṃ gataḥ; muktāhāraṃ cāpanīya valayāyaiva dattavān.
kiṃ manyadhve bhikṣavaḥ? yo'sau gṛhapatirahameva saḥ tena kālena tena samayena; yo'sau tasya putraḥ eṣa evāsau jīvakaḥ tena kālena tena samayena; tadāpyanena mama saṃdhāya bhāṣitaṃ vijñātaṃ.