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The king was surprised to see the divine furnishing of the house. He was seated at the fourth storey. The sole thought in his mind was the owner of so much grandeur. Salibhadra was still in his own apartment. After the king had been received, Bhadrā came to her son and said,
"My son ! King Sreņika has come to see you. Come, meet the king and salute him".
Sālibhadra - "Mummy! Why do you trouble me? You are the mistress of the house. You pay the price and buy Sreņika".
Bhadrā - "My son ! You have not understood me,
ka is not a vendible commodity. He is our monarch, our master. He has been kind enough to respond to my invitation. So you come down and salute the king".
These words from his mother came as a shock to Salibhadra, Then he was not his own master ! thought he. There was someone above him who was the master ! He felt that he should look for the way where he could be his own master.
At the bidding of his mother, Sálibhadra came to Srepika and saluted him. The complexion, colour and youthfulness of Salibhadra was a fresh surprise for the king. When Salibhadra came near the king, he received him by the hand and made him sit on his lap. But so very tender was Salibhadra that the temperature of the king's body was too hot for him and he began to perspire all over his person., He felt extremely uneasy. The king understood this. Salibhadra was given a separate seat wherefrom he talked with the king.
Thrilled and surprised, Srenika returned to his palace. Sãlibhadra went back to his apartment at the seventh floor. His mind had been severely shaken by the words of his mother, '..... the king.... he is our master'. Then, was he not the master of his own self?
