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There is a city called Chandrapura, whose king was Vikramasena. A man of noble family called Haridatta lived there too. He had a wife named Śringârasundarî, and a son— Madana. Madana's wife's name was Prabhâvatî, the daughter of Somadatta, a man of importance in the town. Now Madana was a bad son. He was entirely given up to the pleasures of sense, and cared for nothing but gambling, drink, and women. His father and mother were filled with grief and anxiety at their son's evil courses. One day a certain Trivikrama, a Brâhman, who had observed Haridatta's affliction, went to his house to see him, and took with him a confidential friend in the shape of a parrot. "My dear Haridatta," said the Brâhman, "take