Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.431

c5.431

After the death of his father Guhasena decided to go to Kaṭahadvīpa for trade, and Devasmitā, a very suspicious wife, objected to it. When his other relations began pressing him to go to the dvīpa for trade and his wife not to go, Guhasena could not take a decision on the matter. He began a penance so that God might take the decision in the matter. Devasmitā also followed him. Then God appeared to them in their dreams and gave each of them a red lotus flower saying, “both of you keep one flower each with you, and while both of you are away from each other if either of you go astray the lotus flower in the hands of the other person will fade.” And, on awaking both of them had a flower in their hands. Guhasena with his flower in his hands started for Kaṭāhadvīpa, and Devasmitā stayed at home with her eyes fixed on her lotus flower. Guhasena reached the dvīpa and traded in gems. Everybody was surprised to find in his hands a lotus flower which never faded. Four Vaiśya youngsters wanted to understand the secret of it and one day they invited Guhasena to their house and treated him to liquor very liberally. When he got absolutely drunk they questioned him about the secret of the lotus flower, and he, though in indistinct words, explained it to them. When the secret was thus out all the four youngsters decided to seduce his wife. They extracted from him the information that he was not returning in the near future, and they then came to Tāmralipti.