The World of Courtesans c12.54

c12.54

The tenth story describes a Brahman named Vinayadhara of Kaushambi who while on a visit to the temple of Kalapriya Deva met a courtesan named Anangavati and fell in love with her. He began to frequent her house. When he had exhausted his money, he was driven out by the bawd. Undaunted by this action he tried to get in there again and again, but with no success. In order to punish the bawd, Vinayadhara picked up a dead snake one day. Then he borrowed some money and came to Anangavati's house. Finding everybody asleep, he dropped the dead snake on the bawd's body and punched her nose and lips just to show that the serpent had bitten her. When she saw the dead snake near her the bawd shrieked and Vinayadhara ran in with a stick and struck the dead snake. He also asked the servants to rub off the holes and get rid of the poison but the bawd fearing for her life, asked them to cut off her nose and lips. For this good deed he earned the thanks of Anangavati in the morning. She was grateful to him for saving the life of her mother