Studies in Jain Literature

SR No.: 001868
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 114
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Story
File Size: 14 MB

Page 422

404 STUDIES IN JAIN LITERATURE other on his death descended into hell (68). After a huge period of time, I was born in Ratnapura as Candrasara and my enemy as Anahaka. Once Vindhyaketu, the Sabara chief, abducted a number of people among whom was my wife. With a view to ransom my wife, Anahaka and I started to go to the Sabaras (68-70). Meanwhile, my wife afraid of being ravished, finding an opportunity jumped in a well. Luckily she did not die; she found a shelter in a recess of the well. Shortly we arrived at the place, I carrying the provision for the journey and Anahaka the valuables. Anahaka desirous of having the valuables to himself, asked me to look into the well to see if it contained water; and as I was leaning over it, he pushed me in. As luck would have it I met my wife. We were saved by a caravan on its way to Ratnapura. On our way back we found Anahaka killed by a lion. My sad experience concerning Anahaka induced me to take vows. After his death he became a denizen of hell and I, a god. (70-76). We were reborn in Rathavirapura, I as the merchant Anangadeva and my enemy as the merchant Dhanadeva. Once we had amassed wealth in Ratnadvipa and were on our way home when Dhanadeva resolved to poison me. He prepared cakes and put a strong poison in one of them. But through mistake he ate the poisoned one and died. Although I got all the wealth, I became averse to wordly life and took the vows. After my death, I became a god and Dhanadeva a denizen of hell (7679). In the next birth, we viere born as Jain merchants in Hastinapura. My name was Viradeva, his Dronaka. I lent him capital trading on which he became very rich, and built a fine mansion. In the uppermost story a projection was so constructed that it should crash when somebody was on it. His guile was that I should enter it and meet my death. He however got into such a confusion when he showed me over his villa, that he was the first to enter the projection. It crashed and with it Dronaka. I was so affected by this accident that I turned a monk. After my death I was born as a god and he as hellish being (79-83). Descending from heaven, I was born in Campavasa, as the son of Manibhadra and his wife Harini. I was named Purnabhadra but I was also called Amaragupta, because the first word I uttered had been Amara. Dronaka was born as Nandayanti a merchant-daughter. I was married to her. Once she pretended to have lost a most valuable pair of earrings. I presented her with new earrings and consoled her. Once I happened to open her jewel-box, when to my surprise, I discovered in it the lost earrings. Just then Nandayanti entered the room, and knowing that I had detected the earrings, she was confounded with shame. In order to avoid disgrace she prepared a poisonous charm for me. But before she could administer it to me she was bitten by a snake, and passed away in spite of my best endeavours to save her. Grief and despair, Amaragupta