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________________ SAMARAICCAKAHA (BHAVA-II) OF HARIBHADRASURI : A STUDY 405 concluded, induced him to adopt the yatidharma(83-88). (Main story continued) Dharmaghosa was initiated in the order by Amaragupta as he told the prince. The latter asked him to explain the nature of the samsara. In the course of his sermon, the saint related : The apologue or parable of the man in the well. A man, stricken with poverty, left his country and wandered about. Once he entered a huge forest, where he was pursued by a furious elephant while in front he was opposed by a dreadful Raksasi. For life he fled towards a banyan tree but could not climb it. Near it there was a well; desperately he jumped into it, and got hold of a clump of reeds which grew out of its wall. He perceived on the foursides of the well, hissing snakes; and at the botton of it a huge boa (Ajagara). At the root of the clump of reeds, there were gnawing in turn a white and a black mouse. The elephant, unable to reach the man, gave violent shocks to the tree, whereby a beehive on a branch just above the well was so shaken, that the bees issued from it and stung the man, while drops of honey fell on his face. He licked them up and was so pleased with their sweet taste that he forgot the dangerous position in which he was placed. The man is likened to the soul (Jiva); the forest to samsara; the Raksasi to old age; the elephant to death; the Banyan tree to moksa (liberation); the well to human life; the four snakes to four passions; the clump of reeds to the lengh or duration of human life; the white and the black mice to the bright and dark fortnights; the bees to the diseases; the huge boa to a hell, the drops of honey to the pleasures of sense (pp. 89-96). Dharmaghosa asked prince Simha to devote himself to Dharma and not to be carried away by trivial pleasures of sense, and then gave a short description of the yatidharma. Those who cannot follow it, should turn sravakas (pp. 96100). Simha as well as Kusumavali adopted the sravakadharma. About this time King Purusadatta took the vows after having installed Simha on the throne (100101). Now the soul of Agnisarman was conceived in the womb of Kusumavali. At the moment she dreamt that a snake had entered her body and issuing from it had bitten the king, who thereupon fell from his throne. Since then she began to dislike the King. Once she had a pregnancy-longing to eat the entrails of the King. This horrible desire made her hate her unborn child. She, therefore, tried to secure abortion, but in vain; she only grew worse every day. The King learnt from Madanalekha the whole truth of the queen's pitiable condition. The King Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 001868 |
| Book Title | Studies in Jain Literature |
| 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 |