Kuvalayamala Part 2

SR No.: 002778
Original Sutra Author: Udyotansuri
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 368
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 12 MB

Page 71

32
KUVALAYAMÂLÀ
enormous wealth. As it was the custom in the Native Traders Club (desiyavāņiya-meli), he went there with his host to narrate his experience and receive the formal presents (gandha, mālya and tāmbūla). Local traders started talking about their respective adventures: how different commodities brought them great profits. It was disclosed that neem-leaves could secure precious stones in the Ratnadvīpa, but the journey to it was full of risks; of course, risks and gains go together. The gains of Ratnadvspa captivated the mind of Lobhadeva who proposed to Bhadraśreşthin that they might sail thither for trade. The latter advised contentment to him, but he was firm in his adventure with which alone goes Laksmī (66.18-24). Bhadraśresthin narrated to him his past experiences, but at last agreed just to accompany him who alone would be the bhāndapati, the master of the merchandise. They arranged their fleet, and duly started on an auspicious day (described 67.1-7). After a rough sea journey, they reached the Ratnadvīpa. After trading profitably there, on their return journey, when their ship, full of exchange-commodities, reached the mid-sea, that avaricious Lobhadeva, fearing that Bhadraśreșthin would be his partner on reaching the shore, took him to the ante-room under some pretex, cruelly pushed him into the sea, and raised a cry of accident, rather too late. He pretended to jump into the sea to meet his friend; but the sailors dissuaded him, and that suited him well. Dying there under the waves, Bhadraśreşthin was reborn as a Rākşasa in the Vyantara region; and, when he reviewed his death, he realized how wicked it was on the part of Lobhadeva to have pushed him into the sea like that. His anger flared up, and he decided to ruin the fortunes of Lobhadeva: there he developed a fatal gale which made all the inmates of the ship nervous, and they began to seek divine grace. The Rākṣasa reminded Lobhadeva of his wickedness and tossed that ship up and down (described 69.1-7) till it was smashed to pieces. Lobhadeva, however, floating precariously with a plank touched Tārādvīpa almost unconscious. The cool breeze refreshed him. But he found himself in the hands of some fierce-looking persons whose apparent hospitality he could not understand. They fed him fat, chopped his flesh and took his blood; and then they healed his wounds with special medicine. This was repeated every six months; and his blood and flesh were used for alchemical experiment (69.24-28). After twelve years like this what remained of him was a skeleton. One day while he was yearning for death with his body chopped like that, he was picked up by a giant bhāranda bird which was attacked in the sky by another for this prey, with the result that he slipped down from its beak, fell in the ocean, and, suffering a good deal, reached eventually the shore covered with forest (described 70.16-18). When he was comfortable in that forest, a lovely spot reminded him of gods and their previous merits, of hell and sins leading thereto, and of his ingratitude to Bhadraśreşthin. He was overcome by remorse for his sin of having killed his friend, and wanted to purify himself: with these thoughts, he fell asleep. When he woke up, he heard a catching conversation which was neither in Sanskrit (described 71.1-3), nor in Prākrit (described 71.3-5), nor in Apabhraísa (described 73.5-7) but in Paiśācī in which the Piśācas were discussing as to what was a fine spot. Their decision was that the stream of the river Ganges was attractive; and the sin of a friend's murder could be washed off there.