The World of Courtesans c5.42

c5.42

In the meanwhile, there came a horse merchant from Uttarapatha to Mathura. And when he heard that Vasavadatta was the chief courtesan of the city, he sent five hundred *Purana* coins to her to enable him enjoy her company. Unable to check her greed, she met her lover and murdered him and threw his body in the lavatory. The relatives of the murdered man found the body. When the king heard of this nefarious crime he ordered the mutilation of her hands, feet and nose, and she was abandoned near the burning grounds. When Upagupta heard about this he came to the conclusion that this was the time for him to meet her. He proceeded to the burning grounds and when he met her, he told her why he had not come earlier, it was not her beauty that attracted him but the ultimate results of passion.