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JAINA LITERATURE IN TAMIL
commercial magnates. His son was Kõvalan, the hero of our story. He was married to Kaņņaki, the daughter of another commercial magnate of the same city whose name was Mā Nāyakan. Kövalan and his wife Kaņņaki set up an independent home on a grand scale befitting their social status and were living happily for some time in conformity with the rules and conduct associated with the householders. Their happiness consisted in lavish hospitality to all the deserving ones among the householders as well as the ascetics.
While they were thus spending their life happily, Kõvalan once met a very beautiful and accomplished dancing girl by name Māhavi. He fell in love with the actress who reciprocated it; and therefore he spent most of his time in the company of Madhavī, to the great grief of his wedded wife Kaņņaki. In this erotic extravagance, he practically spent all his wealth ; but Kaņņaki never expressed her grief, and she was quite devoted to him as she was in the beginning of her wedded life. There was the Indra festival celebrated as usual.4 Kõvalan with his mistress also went to the sea-shore to take part in the festival. While they were
1. Silappadikāram, Canto 1: Mangala-vāļttu-ppāļal, 'The song of benediction'.
2. Ibid., Canto 2: Manaiyasampadutta-kādai, “Setting up home'.
3. Ibid., Canto 3; Arangērru-kādai, “The debut'. 4. Ibid., Canto 5 : Indira-viļāv-ūredutta-kādai, "I
utta kādai. The celebration of Indra's festival'.
5. Ibid., Canto 6: Kaļal-āļu-kādai, 'Sea bathing'.
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