“One day, as if in all simplicity, she said ’Surely people are very wrong in reckoning virtue, wealth and pleasure as the three great objects of life?’

“‘Tell me,’ he answered, ’how far do you regard virtue as superior to the other two?’

“‘A very wise man like you,’ she replied, ’can hardly learn anything from an ignorant woman like me; but since you ask, I will tell you what I think.  There is no real acquisition of happiness or wealth without virtue; but the latter is quite independent of the other two.  Without it, a man is nothing; but if he fully possesses it, he is so purified by it that he may indulge in pleasures occasionally, and any sin connected with them will no more adhere to him than dust to a cloud.  Look at all the stories of the amours of the gods.  Are they the less worshipped on that account?  I think, therefore, that virtue is a hundred times superior to the other two.’  With many such specious arguments as these, and by her winning ways, she contrived to make him madly in love; so that, forgetting all his religious duties and former austerities, he thought only how to please her.

“When she perceived this, she said to him ’Let us stay no longer in the forest, but go to my house in the town, where we can have many more enjoyments.’  Utterly infatuated, he was ready to do her bidding; and she, having procured a covered carriage, took him in the evening to her own house.

“The next day there was a great festival, at which the king was accustomed to appear in public and converse familiarly with his subjects.  On such occasions he would often be surrounded by actresses and dancing girls.

“On that day Kamamanjari persuaded the muni to put on a gay dress and accompany her to the park where the festival was held; and he, thinking only of her, and miserable if she were away from him even for a short time, consented to go.  On their arrival there, she walked with him towards the king, who, seeing her, said, with a smile:  ’Sit down here with that reverend man.’  And all eyes were directed towards him.

“Presently one of the ladies rose up, and, making a low obeisance to the king, said:  ’My lord; I must confess myself beaten by that lady; I have lost my wager and must now pay the penalty.’

“Then a great shout of laughter arose; the king congratulated Kamamanjari, and presented her with handsome ornaments.

“After this she walked away with the astonished muni, followed by a great crowd, shouting applause.

“Before reaching her own house, she turned round to him with a low obeisance, and said:  ’Reverend sir, you have favoured me with your company a long time; it will be well for you to attend now to your own affairs.’

“Not having his eyes yet opened, he started as if thunderstruck, and said:  ’My dear, what does all this mean?  What has become of the great love which you professed for me?’

“She smilingly answered:  ‘I will explain it all.’