As the grocer repeatedly inquired on what day he might come, Utpalavarṇā perceived that he had conceived a strong passion for her, and she resolved to carry out an elaborate piece of deceit. She made a man’s figure of grass, and had it taken to the cemetery and there burnt. Then she went, wailing and with dishevelled locks, close by the shop of that grocer, where he was able to see her. According to the words of Bhagavant, women enchain men in eight ways; by dancing, singing, playing, laughing, weeping, and by their appearance, their touch, and their questions. Excited by strong passion, the grocer said to the maid, “O maiden, now will I go.” The maid asked her mistress, who replied, “Go, maiden, and say to him, ‘The young man of good family died to-day, and the mourning is not yet over. How then can you pay me a visit?’ ”
When the maid had executed her commission, the young man’s longing to see Utpalavarṇā increased. Then she sent to tell him he was not to visit her in her house. But she made an appointment with him at a spot in the park. The grocer went to the park, taking with him quantities of food, drink, raiment, and garlands. After he had eaten and drunk for a while with Utpalavarṇā, and was no longer master of his senses, being overcome by the power of wine, she determined that she would let him be seen by the public. So she set a wreath on [[212]]his head, threw her arms round his neck, and convoyed him home. When the courtesans saw this, they were astonished and said, “This Gandhāra woman has splendidly beguiled the young grocer,” and they named her their mistress.
After having for some time led a life of pleasure in the company of the other courtesans, she became in the family way. Now there were two gate-keepers at Vaiśālī, one for the east gate, the other for the west gate. As they were on very friendly terms with each other, and they wished this state of things to be continued as much as possible, even after their death, they agreed that their children should be united in marriage. When at the end of nine months Utpalavarṇā had given birth to a son, she reflected that women who had young children were avoided by men. So she said to her maid, “Go, maiden, take this child and a lamp, and deposit them both at a certain spot by the roadside, and then wait till some one takes up the child.” The maid took the child, and laid it down at a spot near the abode of the eastern warder. Then she placed the lamp beside the child, and remained on the watch. When the eastern warder saw the lamp, he suspected what had taken place, and betook himself to the spot. Seeing the child, he took it up in his arms, and carried it to his wife, saying, “Good wife, there is a son for you.” Thereat she was greatly pleased. When the morning came, and found sounds of rejoicing still continuing, the neighbours asked one another why there was such rejoicing in the eastern warder’s house. Some said that a child had been born therein, others asked where the child could have come from, seeing that his wife had certainly not been in the family way. When the western warder heard of it, he reflected that, if a daughter should be born to him, the eastern warder’s son would become his daughter’s husband; so he sent a present of raiment and ornaments. As for the boy, he [[213]]throve apace, and when he was grown up he entered an association.
Some time after the birth of her son, Utpalavarṇā again became in the family way, and at the end of nine months bore a daughter, with whom she dealt just as she had done with the boy. Her maid abandoned the child by the roadside near the western warder’s house, and he took it to his wife, who received it joyfully. And the eastern warder, seeing in the girl the future wife of his son, sent her raiment and ornaments. The girl throve apace, and when she grew up also entered an association.
It happened one day that five hundred associates were going to visit a park, and as they took counsel together the idea occurred to them of taking a courtesan along with them, and they resolved to invite the Gandhāra woman, stipulating that if any of their number would have nothing to do with her, he should pay the associates sixty kārshāpaṇas. When they had agreed with Utpalavarṇā for five hundred kārshāpaṇas, and had taken her to the park, only the eastern warder’s son had no inclination towards her. Then Utpalavarṇā said to him, “Sir, take your pleasure, else must you pay the sixty kārshāpaṇas.” The fear of this penalty induced him to surrender himself to enjoyment. Afterwards an affection for Utpalavarṇā arose within him, and he made her his concubine. Thereat the Liććhavis were greatly angered, and they wanted to put him to death for having made a courtesan his concubine. Every one possesses in the world friends, foes, and persons indifferent to him. He betook himself to the eastern warder, and told him what had occurred. The eastern warder was terrified. He went to the Liććhavis, fell at their feet, and implored their favour for his son. As the eastern warder had for a long time been of service to them, they consented to give the courtesan to his son, in case he loved her. Thereupon the eastern warder’s son, their permission [[214]]being assured to him, was no longer alarmed, and made Utpalavarṇā his wife.
His father afterwards said to the western warder, “O friend, give your daughter to my son as his wife.” The other replied, “What does your son want with another wife, seeing that he is already married.” The eastern warder answered, “Inasmuch as we have already agreed thereto, give your daughter to him. As I have sufficient means, I will set the house of my son’s wife on an excellent footing.” So the western warder, in accordance with the agreement, gave his daughter to the eastern warder’s son as his wife. About that time Āyushmant Maudgalyāyana[4] came to the eastern warder’s house. And when he saw the warder’s daughter-in-law, he cried, “O daughter, your fellow-wife is your mother. Your husband is your brother. But be not over troubled, and entertain no thoughts about hell.”
When Utpalavarṇā had lived some time with her husband, there was born unto her a son. The daughter [of the western warder] used to set the babe in sport, before the door of the house. There came along the road a Brahman who, after looking at her, asked her in verse, how the boy was related to her. She answered him, also in verse—
“O Brahman, he is my brother, the son of my brother, my son [i.e., step-son], and my brother-in-law. His father is my father [i.e., step-father], my brother, and now my husband.”
Overhearing this, Utpalavarṇā asked the maidservant what those two were saying. The maid replied, “What those two are saying is the truth and no lie.”
“What then, is the truth?” asked Utpalavarṇā.