विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)
Vikram Charita or Adventures of Vikramaditya King of Ujjain
कवि हरिदास / परम्परा द्वारा
पृष्ठ 137, कुल 308 में से
संदर्भ में पढ़ें125
One day he arrived at a city called Vodajagonath,* which
is a very curious place. He resided there for a year,
during which time he met with the same wicked thief who
had deprived him of his affectionate Malattee. It happened
that as the thief and the prince were seated a little apart
from each other in a garden, near some mango trees, a ripe
fruit fell just at the feet of the thief, who, without cleaning
himself or rising from his seat, raised the mango to his
mouth with his hands, and ate it. Prince Soomunt was
much surprised at this, as their religion did not admit of
such a practice. He therefore addressed the thief. 'Well,
friend,' said he, 'you appear as a religious mendicant, and
yet have eaten the mango without cleaning yourself. How
unmeaning is your garb, then! You are a disgrace to the
whole race of mendicants!' The thief replied, 'Friend,
some time ago I had the unexpected good fortune of obtain-
ing from an usurper an inestimable jewel, in the shape of
the most handsome and amiable young lady my eyes ever
beheld. I conducted her to my own city, but, before I
could introduce her to my dwelling, she played me a sorry
trick. I was fool enough to believe all she said, and thus,
by my own folly, I destroyed all my hopes of future hap-
piness.' In short, he related the whole occurrence to
Soomunt, and in conclusion observed, 'I ate the mango in
the manner you observed, lest I should be deprived of it as
I was of my former prize.' The prince heard him out,
with every symptom of disgust and abhorrence, and the
thief, after he had done speaking, observing the manner in
which his explanation was received, thought it unsafe to
remain any longer in that place; he therefore arose and
departed on his journey. The prince remained for awhile
meditating on the ill luck that had befallen him, for, from
what the thief had just told him he was inclined to believe,
and did believe, that Malattee was the jewel he had spoken
of. He was now satisfied that Malattee had not returned
- The name of the celebrated idol worshipped in Orissa, on the
Coromandel coast.