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________________ 37 King Hansa In the city of Rajpur, there lived a king named Hansa. He was a fair and just king, known for his devotion to truth and non-violence. On top of Mount Ratnasringa, there was a beautiful temple dedicated to Rishabhadev, the first Tirthankar. During the month of Chaitra, on the day of the full moon, people came from far to visit and worship at the temple. Once, the king decided to visit the temple. He asked his council of ministers to look after the kingdom during his prolonged absence and left with members of the royal household on this spiritual mission. A few days after king Hansa departed, king Arjun attacked the city. In spite of putting up a strong fight, king Hansa's army was defeated, and many of the generals lost their lives on the battlefield. King Arjun gained control of the palace and the treasury. King Arjun occupied the royal throne and enforced his authority over the entire kingdom. KING HANSA King Hansa heard the story of their defeat on the way to the temple. The king's courtiers were very upset and advised him to return to the city. The king said, "I have given up control of the kingdom, and we are on a spiritual mission and that is what we should be thinking about. So let us keep going to the temple." The king's courtiers were unhappy about the king's decision and worried about the safety of their families at home. One by one, they all dropped out until only one umbrella bearer was left with the king. On the way to the temple, they had to pass through the forest. The king took off his royal dress and jewelry and gave them to his servant. While passing through the forest, the servant was separated from the king. As the king was walking, a deer ran in front of him and disappeared. Right after that, a hunter came running with a bow in his hand and asked the king if he had seen the deer. The king knew that if he told the truth, the deer would be killed. He decided not to answer the question and instead kept talking about irrelevant things. He said that he came from Rajpur. The hunter asked him again about the deer, and he answered that he was the king. The hunter was very upset with his answers and left in anger. King Hansa avoiding the hunter's question to protect a deer JAIN STORY Book 151
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________________ MORAL STORIES By now, the king was tired and decided to rest under a tree. He overheard a discussion in the bushes about robbing some monks who would pass that way in the next two days. The king got concerned about the safety of the monks. While he was thinking about what he could do, some policemen approached him and asked if he had seen any suspicious people that looked like robbers. They said, "These people are very dangerous and we have heard that they harm holy people. We are here to arrest them or even shoot them if necessary to protect the holy people." King Hansa overhearing the robbers secretly talking in the bushes The king was in a dilemma again whether to tell the truth or not. He was concerned that if he told the police about the robbers, they would be harmed and if he did not, the monks would be harmed. He thought, "If by telling the truth someone gets harmed or killed, then telling that truth is not the best choice. Truth is supposed to protect and not harm anyone. He said, "My friends, you are asked to guard the monks. Why not go and look after the monks and worry about the robbers if they confront the monks." The policemen agreed and left to join the monks. The robbers who were hiding in the bushes heard all this. They were amazed at the mercy shown by this stranger. They came out, thanked him for saving their lives, and told him that they were at his service. The king advised them, "My dear friends, give up harassing people, the fugitive life you lead and be good citizens." The robbers promised that they would not harm the monks anymore and would try to be good citizens. As if this was not enough, a group of soldiers came and asked him if he had seen king Hansa. The king asked, "What do you want from King Hansa?" They explained that they were the trusted men of King Arjun and they had been told to arrest King Hansa and kill him, and if they did they would receive a big reward. King Hansa thought for a moment and said, "I am King Hansa. Carry out your duty as told by your king." After saying that, he closed his eyes, stood in meditation, and started reciting the Namaskar Mantra. 152 Jain Education international JAIN STORY BOOK
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________________ KING HANSA King Hansa disclosing the truth despite of danger to his life At once, a dev (demigod / angel) appeared and said, "Oh, king! I am overwhelmed by your truthfulness and compassion. I have captured King Arjun, made him a prisoner, and have given control of your kingdom back to your ministers. Today is a great day for worship, but the temple is too far from here. There is no way you can reach there in time. My chariot is at your service. Please let me take you there." King Hansa was surprised by the miraculous turn of events. In the company of the dev (demigod / angel), he reached the summit of Mount Ratnasringa in time to worship. The demigod then escorted him back to his kingdom. King Hansa pardoned King Arjun and released his soldiers immediately. The angel appointed four lieutenants to look after the safety of the king and his kingdom and then departed. King Hansa once again ruled the city of Rajpur and the people were happy. The main theme here is the importance of the Jain principles of truthfulness and non-violence, and their interrelationship. Sometimes, following one Jain principle blindly can lead to the violation of another principle, which is what King Hansa was faced with on multiple occasions. He thought about each situation carefully and found a very creative, smart, and beneficial solution without violating any principles and without hurting anyone. This showed his devotion and adherence to Jainism. When faced with Arjun's soldiers in the last situation, he told the truth since no other people or principles were involved, even though it meant the end of his life. He once again stuck to his Jain principles, even though he might have been killed for it. JAIN STORY BOOK 153