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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no longer run. It stopped, the prince dismounted, removed the saddle and the horse reeled and dropped and died. The prince went ahead. He was keen on getting some water which he could find nowhere around. He became extremely tired and fell nearly in a swoon under a tree. It was noon time and the wild wood almost burnt by the heat. At this juncture the Yakṣa who had his residence in that tree saw the prince and brought him to consciousness by sprinkling fresh cold water on all his limbs. When the prince was fully revived the Yaksa gave him water to drink. The prince asked him who he was who was so kind to him. It looked as it were the meeting with the Yaksa was a result of the good merit the prince had collected in his former existence. The Yaksa said that the water that the prince drank was from the famous Manasa lake. The prince expressed his desire to have a bath in the Manasa lake so that he would fully recover himself after the exhausting travels that he had. To his utter surprise, the Yakṣa promised to take him to the Manasa lake almost immediately. He held him in the scoop of his hand and lightly conveyed him to the lake where the prince was delighted to have his bath according to the usual ritual but the Yaksa Asitaksa who lived on an adjoining mountain felt angry with Sanatkumara whom he imagined to be full of vicious intentions. A fight broke out between the two and it was a very fierce fight. The Yaksa first emitted a wind that was filled with a mighty torrent of pebbles and broke the biggest trees. The heavens became dark with a dense dust. The Yaksa then emitted Pisacas, who uttered loud laughter, who had hair red as blazing fire and were terrible as they whirled flames. But Sanatkumara remained totally undaunted even when the Yaksa bound him all over with snakes that flashed flames and sparks from their eyes. The prince tore them like worn out ropes. The Yakṣa started hitting him with his mighty hands and the prince also retaliated with equal vigour.