The Bhikṣuṇī Maṇimēkhalai

220
Book XX
[Kāñcana kills Udayakumāra]
By order of the king, and through the kindness of the beautiful
damsel, Maṇimēkhalai, what was a cruel house of punishment was
transformed into a house of charity, those of evil deeds, who, after
undergoing suffering’s [161] due, take their birth where the good life
is possible, the premises of the State prison were now occupied by a
shrine for the teacher of the truth, residential rooms for those that
practise charity, halls for cooking and dining, provided with
everything required for living and security.
Udayakumāra heard of all that took place resulting in this
transformation. He still held to his resolution to take possession of
Maṇimēkhalai when she should be out of the hall of guests, and then
learn from her directly the secret of her art and whatever of wisdom
she may have to impart to him while she should be in his chariot.
With his mind thus set, in spite of the fact that the wise might
disapprove and the king might get angry, he reached the guests’ house
where Maṇimēkhalai used to be distributing food.
About that time, the Vidyādhara Kāñcana, husband of Kāyaśaṇḍikai
noted that the day of redemption for his wife had already arrived,
and, seeing that his wife did not yet return to him, he started in search
of her. Having looked in vain for her in all the likely places of the
vast city, he at last found her in the act of feeding those that were
hungry. He approached her, and assuming the familiarity of the
husband to the wife, asked with a sense of grateful relief whether the