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**VipakShrut- Ang-11- ShrutSkandh-1, Chapter-5**
Jambu! During that period of time there was a city named Kaushambi which was beautiful and prosperous in all respects. Outside this town was a garden named Chandravataran in which was a temple of Shvetabhadra Yaksh.
In that Kaushambi city ruled a majestic king named Shataneek. The name of his queen was Mrigadevi who was the daughter of king Chetak.
Shataneek and Mrigadevi had a son named Udayan who was perfectly proportioned and handsome. He was the crown prince of the kingdom. The name of prince Udayan's wife was Padmavati.
The name of the state priest of king Shataneek was Somadatt. He had mastery over Rigveda, Yajurveda, Saamaveda, Atharvaveda. Priest Somadatt's wife was Vasudatta. Sornadatt and Vasudatta had a perfect and handsome son named Brihaspatidatt.
During that period of time Shraman Bhagavan Mahavir arrived at Chandravataran garden outside Kaushambi city. During that period of time while returning after collecting alms in Kaushambi city Bhagavan Gautam came to the main road as mentioned earlier. There he saw many elephants, horses and foot soldiers duly equipped with armours and weapons. Amongst them he saw a prisoner being taken to the gallows. Gautam Swami was thoughtful (on hearing the announcement, seeing all this and the person in pathetic condition). He came to Bhagavan Mahavir and asked about it. In reply Bhagavan said:
Gautam, during that period of time there was a prosperous city called Sarvatobhadra in Bharatvarsh area in Jambu continent. A king named Jitashatru was the ruler of that city. King Jitashatru had a priest named Maheshvardatt who had mastery over Rigveda, Yajurveda, Saamaveda, and Atharvaveda.
Everyday priest Maheshvardatt would get a boy each from a Brahmin family, a Kshatriya family, a Vaishya family, and a Shudra family captured and brought to him. He would then get the hearts out from their live bodies and perform sacrificial peace-offerings for the well-being of king Jitashatru. The commentator (Tikakaar) has interpreted shanti-home (peace offerings) as: to throw butter, oil, barley etc. or lumps of human or animal flesh in sacrificial fire accompanied by chanting of mantras as offerings to some violence loving deity. It is hard to conceive what relationship the victory or well-being of a king can have with such a violent act.
Besides this, that priest would also perform the ritual peace-offerings of lumps of flesh from hearts of two sets of boys every eighth and fourteenth day of a fortnight, of four sets of boys every four months, of eight sets of boys every six months, and of sixteen sets of boys every year.
Whenever king Jitashatru fought a battle with some adversary, that priest Maheshvardatt would get one hundred eight boys each from Brahmin families, Kshatriya families, Vaishya families, and Shudra families captured and brought to him. He would then get the hearts out from their live bodies and perform sacrificial peace-offerings for the victory of king Jitashatru. This helped king Jitashatru destroy or trounce his enemy in the battle.
[28] Meaning- Ever involved in these sinful activities, accepting these activities to be ideal of his life and the best of conduct, Priest Maheshvardatt acquired extremely malevolent and pain causing karmas in abundance. After completing his life-span of three thousand years, he died and reincarnated as an infernal being in the fifth hell where the maximum life span is seventeen Sagaropam (a metaphoric unit of time). Aagam - 11 - Vipak-Shrut
Compiled by - Deepratnasagar
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