Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.2461.3

c4.2461.3

The elephant was pleased at the virtuous character of the son of the Vaiśya. So taking him, as if he was God, placed him on its back and walked to the city. The people gathered round him and anointed him as their King. The son of the Vaiśya became King. He never even thought of women who are generally fickle and wicked. The wicked wife of the Vaiśya took the limbless man on her shoulder and wandered about saying, “The enemies of my husband have put him in this plight. Because of my conjugal fidelity I carry him thus and earn our daily bread. Please give us alms”. In this manner she spent her days in begging. Thus wandering from place to place she reached the city where the Vaisya’s son was the King. The people, seeing her loyalty to her husband, honoured and spoke highly of her. Hearing that a very loyal wife had reached his city the King sent for her. The King recognized her instantly. But she did not know him. The King reminded her of her deeds of the past one by one and began to tease and scold her. Finally when she understood that the King was her husband she was dumb-founded. The amazed ministers looked at each other. The King revealed everything to them. The ministers disfigured her and drove her away.