PÄtala
1. PÄtala.- A dancer. He lived in a village near Benares. One day, having earned some money in a fête in the city, he sat down on the bank of the river, eating and drinking with his wife. He became drunk, and fastening his lute round his neck, he went with his wife down to the river. The water filled his lute and he began to sink. His wife thereupon let go of his hand and came out of the river. Seeing him about to drown, the wife begged of him one song wherewith to earn her living. He sang her a stanza to the effect that the water of the Ganges, which was the salvation of many, proved to be his bane.
This story was among those related by the Bodhisatta in the PadakusalamÄṇava JÄtaka (J.iii.507f). The PÄrupanas made the use of this story in poking fun at the Ekaṃsikas, because the texts chosen by the Ekaṃsikas to prove their case proved just the contrary (see Bode, op cit., 76, n. 3.).
2. PÄtala.- A reservoir restored by ParakkamabÄhu I. Cv.lxviii.44.
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