Treasury of Jain Tales

SR No.: 006762
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 1994
Total Pages: 468
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

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help they quickly managed to escape.
As they were going away they saw a charming girl worshipping at a shrine of a Yaksa amongst the trees. This girl was waiting for prince Brahmadatta as it appeared from the question with which she greeted then the question was why they were late. The two young men asked her who she was to which she replied that she was the daughter of a rich merchant in the town from where they came and the Yaksa she was worshipping had prophesied that her would-be husband would soon be coming with his friend and she should expect him here. He was destined to be a universal monarch and his name would be Brahmadatta. She would see him after the cock fight. She was also instructed to send the pearl necklace and the letter. Brahmadatta was pleased to hear all this and agreed to take the girl with them. With Varadhanu and the girl he started to proceed towards Magadhapura, the place where the youngest brother of her father lived. The way lay through a thick forest in a hilly terrain and as they proceeded in their carriage they were stopped by two notorious robbers that lived in that forest. But Brahmadatta put them to flight and drove on. Later when he was tired and slept while Varadhanu drove the carriage. But after some time when he woke up he saw that Varadhanu was missing. When he looked everywhere, he could see nothing around and when he tried to trace his friend still more scrupulously he noticed much blood sticking on the shaft (or yoke) of the carriage. Brahmadatta was sorry to conclude that his friend perhaps fell off the carriage and may be he died. He wanted to go back in search of the body but Ratnavati urged him to go ahead with the journey as it was getting late and perhaps the road was too insecure for them. So they proceeded and on their way came to a village where its chief welcomed him and his bride warmly. On being told of Varadhanu's mysterious disappearance the village chief offered to send a search party and suggested that Brahmadatta and Ratnavati stay overnight at his place. The search party brought back no precise information. They only brought an arrow that was found around the sight of the encounter Varadhanu probably had with the robbers. Brahmadatta forced himself to conclude that his friend was dead. He was also engaged in another encounter with the robbers whilst