A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s2.41

v2.c19.s2.41

The town of Rājagaha vies with the great city of Vesālī in renown and splendour. The magnificence of the latter is not a little enhanced by the famous courtesan Ambapālī, who demands fifty florins for one night. In order to make Rājagaha, too, as flourishing as Vesālī, the beautiful and well-educated Sālavatī is installed there as courtesan at the command of the king and she demands a hundred florins for one night. She becomes pregnant, but on account of her profession keeps her pregnancy secret and after she has given birth to a child, she has it turned adrift in a little basket. The child is found by Prince Abhaya, who has it brought up and gives it the name of Jīvaka.