________________
DISCOURSE 66
"Where is my dear son staying?" "Mother, I am here!"
Aryarakshitsuri entered the house just at that moment saying this. Rudrasoma began gazing at her son with wide open eyes. Her eyes were full of love and regard for him. Rudrasoma was greatly thrilled to see her son as a Jain Sadhu.... at once she went into the house and brought Somadev there. Somdev saw his two sons in the dress of Jain Sadhus but he did not hate any religious guise (dress). His heart overflowed with affection for his sons and he embraced his son Aryarakshit. His eyes welled up with tears of joy and he said,
239
"Dear son! Why did you straight enter the city? I wanted to receive you into the city with celebrations and jubilations; but yes, you were eager to meet your mother who was agitated by your separation from her. I have understood it but now you please go back to the garden outside the city. I will go and make a request to the King. I will arrange for your reception. The people of the city will receive you with joy and enthusiasm but you must, after coming home, discard this dress of an ascetic and become a grihastha. I have chosen for you a girl of great purity and of noble birth. You must marry her and your mother also will be happy to see you married. You need not earn money because I have earnt such a lot of wealth as can support seven generations of our family. I will secure for you the position of the court-priest in the court of the King. You will be a greater priest than I. Your unexampled scholarship will make you famous throughout the country. You will attain and enjoy all the pleasures of worldly life. Your mother and I will enter the Vanaprastashram (an ascetic life preparing to leave this world for good)".
Jain Education International
NO RELATIONSHIP IS PERMANENT
Shri Aryarakshit heard his father's words expressive of his affection and attachment for him. He knew that his parental affection had impelled him to speak thus. With the purpose of dispelling his father's attachment and affection for his son and relatives, he said,
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org