Practical Path

SR No.: 006703
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown
Publication Year: 1917
Total Pages: 268
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 11 MB

Page 214

APPENDIX.
for while it meant suffering and pain to those innocent beings whose sacrifices were henceforth to be offered
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and although Vasu tried to avoid fulfilling his promise, she would not permit him to break his word, and held him fast to it. Next day the matter was referred to the rája, who gave his opinion in favour of Parbat. Thereupon Vasu was destroyed, and Parbat was turned out of the kingdom in disgrace; but he resolved to preach and spread his doctrine to the best of his ability. While he was still meditating as to the course he should follow, he was met by a demon from Pâtâla who approached him in the guise of a brahman saint. This demon, who introduced himself to Parbat as the rishi Sândiliya, was, in his previous birth, a prince known by the name of Madhupingala, who had been tricked into surrendering his would-be bride by an unscrupulous rival. It so happened that Madhupingala had the best chance of being selected at the svayamvara of a certain princess, Sulsa, having been privately accepted by her mother. His rival, Sagar, came to know of the secret arrangement, and, blinded by his passion for Sulsa, consulted his mantri (minister) as to what should be done to win the princess. This wretch composed a spurious work on physiognomy, and secretly buried it under the svayamvara pavilion ; and when the invited princes had taken their seats in the assembly, he pretended to divine the existence of an old and authentic shastra (scripture) underground. To cut a long story short, the forged manuscript was dug out and the man was requested to read it in the assembly.
He began its perusal, and soon came to the description of eyes for which Madhupingala was particularly noted. It was with great relish that this enemy of Madhupingala emphasized every passage of the forgery which condemned the type of Madhupingala's eyes, describing them as unlucky and their possessor as ill-starred, unfortunate and the cause of bad luck to his friends and family. Poor Madhupingala broke into tears, and left the assembly. Crushed, humiliated and defeated in this vile manner, he tore off his garments, and gave up the world to lead the life of a mendicant. Just then Sulsa entered the svayamvara, and accepted Sagar as her husband.
A short time after this, Madhupingala heard from a physiognomist that he had been tricked and taken in and deprived of the bride of his choice by unscrupulous means, and died in a paroxysm of rage