Note 4 — Chapter LXIII

He restrained his anger, when he beheld that student of the scripture, Yaśodhara, with his brother, and he said to him despondingly; “Out of jealousy I always keep these wives of mine in my heart. But still I have not been able to keep safe this wicked woman. Who can arrest the lightning? Who can guard a disloyal woman? As for a chaste woman, she is guarded by her own modesty alone, and being guarded by it, she guards4 her husband in both worlds, as I have to-day been guarded by this woman, whose patience is more admirable even than her power of cursing. By her kindness I have got rid of an unfaithful wife, and avoided the awful crime of killing a virtuous Bráhman.” When he had said this, he made Yaśodhara sit down, and said to him, “Tell me whence you come and whither you are going.” Then Yaśodhara told him his history, and having gained his confidence, said to him out of curiosity, “Noble sir, if it is not a secret, tell me now, who you are, and why, though you possess such luxury, you dwell in the water.” When the man who lived in the water heard this, he said, “Hear! I will tell you.” And he began to tell his history in the following words.