Vasudevahimdi Madhyama Khanda Part 1

SR No.: 002648
Original Sutra Author: Dharmdas Gani
Author: H C Bhayani, R M Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 422
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 22 MB

Page 45

36
Vasudevahindi : Majjhima-khanda
royal sandalwood forest the highly prized variety of sandal tree called Gośīrşa, which was declared by a divine voice to have been a gift from the Yakşini Arcimalini.
Once while V. lay in his bed, he heard some strange female voice saying something about his tarrying there for long due to his fondness for the sandal tree. The next day he heard a group of young girls in the vicinity of his quarters at the borders of the sandalwood forest, talking among themselves and joking about V.'s extraordinary beauty. The following night V. found himself being kidnapped by the leading girl from the previously seen group and deposited in a thicket on a mountain peak. The girl and his friend disappeared thereafter.
XVI Winning of Avantivardhana
(pp. 271-275)
While he was climbing down the peak at the day-break, V. heard cries of distress of some girl. He found her in the clutches of a Rāksasa. He rushed to rescue her. The Rākşasa attacked him. V. struck him on the head with a forceful blow. The Räkşasa crashed on the ground. Recovering after a long time, he disappeared. v. took the girl with him to a nearby hermitage, where the hermit-chief, Kaśyapa expounded to the hermits the deeper significance of non-violence as preached in Jainism. The hermits got convinced about the soundness of the Jain doctrine. From them V. learnt that he was on the Asitagiri mountain in the Avanti country and the rescued girl was the daughter of king Avantisena ruling from the city of Ujjayini, which was not far from the hermitage. A message was sent to Avantisena, whose ministers came to the hermit-- age and returned to Ujjayinı taking V. and the girl with them. V. was accorded respectful and warm welcome. The royal chamberlain informed V. that Avantivardhana's abduction by a Raksasa and rescue by a Great Man, who was destined to be her husband, were previously predicted by a Carana monk. Thereafter Avantivardhanā was married to V. with great pomp.