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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of playmates in the village. Cānakya asked Candragupta what gift he would give him to welcome him home, and the boy readily pointed to a herd of cows and told Cānakya to pick up as many as he liked. He was sure no one would question him. The whole world after all, belonged to the mighty. Canakya was quite pleased with the boy for the wisdom that he had shown. He told Candragupta that one of these days, he would make him a mighty king. When Cănakya had collected enough men for his purpose, he left the village with Candragupta. They attacked Pătaliputra but were routed by Nanda's army. They were all forced to flee from the battle field but Nanda's horsemen chased them. Chandragupta jumped into a lotus pond to evade his pursuers and Canakva disguise himself as a washerman working at the pond. The horseman questioned where Candragupta was and Cānakya told him that he was hiding in the pond. The horseman left his horse in charge of Canakya, unbuckled his sword, took off his armour to jump into the
nd. Canakya was quick enough to seize the sword and cut him into two. He and Candragupta fled away on the horse.
As they were riding away Canakya asked Candragupta what his reaction really was when he had revealed to the soldier Candragupta's hiding place. The young man's reply was that he was quite confident that whatever the master said or did could not be wrong. This assured Canakya that Candragupta, would really stand by him in all his plans for the future. On the way when Candragupta felt hungry, Canakya went on to procure food but he was really afraid that Nanda's soldiers might recognise both of them and arrest them. Cánakya had to go a little awav in search for food where he met a Brahmin who had just finished eating rice and curds. Canakya ripped open his belly and removed the food from inside it and carried it to Candragupta. Then they reached a village. The search for food was still on. They saw a poor old woman who had just prepared rice gruel for her children. One of them out of impatience put its finger in the steaming hot gruel and got it scalded. It began to howl and the old woman made a remark which very much caught the attention of Canakya : she scolded the child, "You are a big fool like Cānakya." Cānakya asked her why she considered him a fool to which she replied, "Because he had not
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