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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on the ground alone by himself but the marriage string was still to be seen on his wrist. He quickly decided not to feel dejected on any account and to keep cool. He went out and as he sojourned to the middle of the wild wood, he saw an enormous mountain on the summit of which was a heavenly palace which was supported by pillars of jewels. 'Another piece of trickery' he felt and still he dared go quite near it. He even entered the palace and insisted on climbing up to the seventh storey from where the sounds of a woman weeping in a pitiful tone reached him. On the seventh floor he saw a heavenly damsel weeping in a pitiful tone and addressing
erself surprisingly enough to Sanatkumâra himself whom she called the moon in the sky of the Kuru race. She ended her pitiful speech by expressing her hope: "Mayest thou be my spouse at least in another birth." Sanatkumāra was surprised at this and asked her who exactly she was and what had Sanatkumāra to do with her to which she replied:'He is my husband by virtue of my wishes alone'. She explained further that the king of the city of Saketa Suraprabha had formerly given her in marriage to Sanatkumāra by performing a small ritual of pouring water by way of finalizing it. She had become infatuated with the beauty of the prince whose picture she had seen; it was brought to her by one of her servants. The actual marriage did not take place. The princess was kidnapped from her own palace to the palace on the top of this mountain by a Vidyadhara who created it out of his magic but had himself disappeared. As Sanatkumāra was listening to the account of these extraordinary events, Vajravega, the vilest of Vidyadharas, the son of Asanivega rushed in and struck Sanatkumāra hard. The young princess uttered cries of wail and sorrow and fell on the ground in a swoon. Sanalkumāra however collected himself from the sudden blow and in a fierce battle killed the wicked Vidyadhara and brought the young princess back to life. He told her that the Vidyadhara was now dead and the princess was most willing to celebrate her marriage with Sanatkumara who said that she would be his pearl of women, named Sunanda.
Vajravega's sister Sandhyävali by name in the meantime came to know of her brother's death and felt furious. She decided to seek her revenge. She rushed to the palace that her brother had conjured