The World of Courtesans c5.41

c5.41

A beautiful but tragic story of the courtesan Vasavadatta (of Mathura) is related in the *Divyavadana*. Once her servant went to Upagupta (who owned a perfume shop) in order to buy perfumes for her mistress. When she came home, her mistress told her that she had been cheated by the perfumer and that she should have got more perfume for the money she had paid. The maid praised the beauty and the upright conduct of Upagupta. The courtesan was attracted towards him and sent a message asking him to meet her. There would be love-making and no charge. His reply was that the proper time had not yet come for him to meet her, and there the matter ended.