Note 5 — Chapter LXXVIII · (Vetála 4.)

Then Víravara went quickly in the darkness to his own house, and king Śúdraka, out of curiosity, followed him unobserved. There he woke up his wife Dharmavatí, and told her how the goddess Earth had directed him to offer up his son for the sake of the king. When she heard it, she said, “My lord, we must ensure the prosperity of the king; so wake up this young boy of ours and tell it him yourself.” Then Víravara woke up his young son Sattvavara, who was asleep, and told him what had occurred, and said to him, “So, my son, the king will live if you are offered up to the goddess Chaṇḍí, but if not, he will die on the third day.” When Sattvavara heard it, though he was a mere child, he shewed a heroic soul, and justified his name.5 He said “I shall have obtained all I desire, if the sacrifice of my life saves that of the king, for so I shall have repaid him for his food which I have eaten. So why should there be any delay? Take me and offer me up immediately before the adorable goddess. Let me be the means of bringing about the happiness of my lord.”