The Bhikṣuṇī Maṇimēkhalai

202 - Adirai’s Eminence in Chastity
accustomed to giving explanations of such phenomenal occurrences.
The statue sure enough gave them the explanation that the
phenomenon that caused them surprise was due to the appearance of
Āputra in another birth, and directed them to the sage Aṟavaṇa for
further details of his history.
The king of [149] Śāvakam at the time, Bhūmicandra by name, had
for long been exercised in mind because he had not the fortune of an
heir. In one of his visits to the Rishi he was presented with the child
that was born of the cow, and he since then, brought it up as his own.
‘That boy has now come of age and he is ruling over the land.’
Addressing Maṇimēkhalai, the sage said:
‘While the great river Kāvēri flows with water and provides the land
with that much-needed element, living beings suffer for lack of food
for some cause as yet not understood. Therefore there is no use that
you keep this boon unused as if the Gods should keep the vessel
containing the celestial ambrosia, after they had taken their fill,
unused for others.’
On hearing this Maṇimēkhalai paid her obeisance to the sage, and
assuming the form of a bhikṣuṇi, and with the bowl in her hand,
passed into the streets.
Immediately on seeing her, there gathered round her a crowd, much
like the crowd that had collected round Yaugandharāyaṇa when he
assumed the disgusting disguise of a man suffering from disease, and
entered the streets of Ujjain for the purpose of releasing Udayana, his