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queen all her lucky marks. Then Yogananda entered and saw that spot, and asked his chamberlains who had painted it. And they indicated me to him as the person who had painted it. Yogananda thus reflected while burning with anger; " No one except myself knows of that spot, which is in a part of the queen's body usually concealed, then how can this Vararuchi have come thus to know it?*[1] No doubt he has secretly corrupted my harem, and this is how he came to see there those men disguised as women." Foolish men often find such coincidences. Then of his own motion he summoned Śakatála, and gave him the following order: " You must put Vararuchi to death for seducing the queen." Śakatála said, " Your Majesty's orders shall be executed," and went out of the palace, reflecting, " I should not have power to put Vararuchi to death, for he possesses god-like force of intellect; and he delivered me from calamity; moreover he is a Bráhman, therefore I had better hide him and win him over to my side." Having formed this resolution, he came and told me of the king's causeless wrath which had ended in his ordering my execution, and thus concluded, " I will have some one else put to death in order that the news may get abroad, and do you remain hidden in my house to protect me from this passionate king." In accordance with this proposal of his, I remained concealed in his house, and he had some one else put to death at night in Border that the report of my death might be spread. †[2] When he had in this way displayed his statecraft, I said to him out of affection, " You have shewn yourself an unrivalled minister in that you did not attempt to put me to death ; for I cannot be slain, since I have a Rakshnsa to friend, and lie' will come, on being only thought of, and at my request will devour the whole world. As for this king he is a friend of mine, being a Bráhman named Indradatta, and he ought not to be slain." Hearing this, that minister said— " Shew me the Rákshasa." Then I shewed him that Rákshasa who came with a thought; and on beholding him, Śakatála was astonished and terrified. And when the Rákshasa had disappeared, Śakatála again asked me— " How did the Rákshasa become your friend?" Then I said " Long ago the heads of the police as they went through the city night after night on inspecting duty, perished one by one. On hearing that, Yogananda made me head of the police, and as I was on my rounds at night, I saw a Rákshasa roaming about, and he said to me, "Tell me, who is considered the best-looking woman in this city?" When I heard that, I burst out laughing and said— " You fool, any woman is good-looking to the man who admires her." Hearing my answer, he said— " You are the only man that has beaten me." And now that I had escaped death by solving his riddle, ‡[3]
