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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The candāla however came to an understanding with the offender; he would grant him life provided he agreed to remain in hiding and teach his two sons, Citra and Sambhuta to which conditions the Brahmin minister agreed. The two boys received excellent education from the teacher but unfortunately in course of time the teacher became involved in a love affair with their mother and naturally enough the candāla ordered the boys to kill him instantaneously. The boys by way of gratitude for their excellent teacher allowed him to escape to a far off land. He went as far as Hastināpura and succeeded in becoming king Sanatkumăra's minister.
The two boys grew into handsome young men accomplished in many arts like singing and dancing. But being candāla their merits fetched instead of appreciation jealousy of the upper class people who persuaded the king to prevent them from participating in any of the local festivals where they had so far shown excellent skills. In spite of the king's ban they were on one occasion seen taking part in a public festival and the people gave them a sound beating. In sheer fright they ran away though the punishment was not more severe than a simple beating but they were so offended that they seriously thought of ending their lives. They thought they should jump from the top of a mountain which was somewhere around that place. As they climbed up to the top, they met a Jain ascetic who dissuaded them from the foolish path of suicide and preached to them the Jain faith. They were willing to be initiated and accepted the new teaching very quickly. After their training was over, they came out of their isolation into towns and villages to preach their newly gained gospel. They wandered from place to place and once found themselves in a park outside Hastinapura. When they were preaching their popular sermons, the Brahmin minister Namuci recognised one of the two brothers. He felt worried that perhaps the two brothers would disclose to the king his earlier disgraceful misdeeds and so he ordered his men to drive them out of the town. Sambhūta felt so terribly enraged that he produced a devastating fire that consumed much life and property in and around Hastinăpura. Every one tried to appease his wrath. His brother Citra begged of him to extinguish this fire of wrath and