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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made an attempt to prevent Sthāpatyāputra from taking orders. He pointed out that his intention to give up the worldly life had been caused by the wind that was then blowing over every one on account of the presence of the sacred personality of Aristanemi. Krsna further said that no person in his kingdom should take resort to religion only out of fear of possible harm or misfortune that they might have to experience. They should trust him as their king who was capable of protecting them from all possible vicissitudes. Sthapatyaputra asked him whether he as their king could prevent imminent death or old age; he was willing to change his mind from becoming a monk only if he could be saved from old age and death. He told Krsna that no one, even a mighty god, was able to annihilate human karma. The only way to overcome karma was to get into the Jain discipline. Krsna could not but agree and Sthāpatyāputra was duly initiated. Many of his friends and followers also followed his example and were initiated by Aristanemi. The mother of Sthāpatyāputra advised him to exert himself most sincerely to be worthy of the new faith that he was embracing. In his own ways, he was sincere enough in his studies under the excellent guidance of Aristanemi and othe illustrious teachers of the eleven angas and the fourteen Purvas. He observed many of the fasts and one of these days, with the permission of Aristanemi, set out along with his own disciples to another region to live the strenuous life of a monk.
In the course of his wanderings, he came to a town called Sailakapura and set up his camp in an adjoining park called Subhumibhāga. His discourses were attended by a large number of people from the town and amongst them was the king named Sailaka. When Sailaka met Sthāpatyāputra, he confessed that he was not quite able to accept the hard life of a monk which imposed many fasts and other disciplines and therefore he would not take initiation at his hands but would willingly become a lay devotee and follow the five minor vows of the religion.
Sthāpatyāputra went to the city of Saugandhika where lived a prosperous merchant Sudarsana by name. In the same town lived Suka, an eminent scholar in the four Vedas and well accomplished
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