________________
177
was following the cup-board like expansive chest of the king, like a girl afraid of going to meet her lover on account of the darkness on a rainy day caused by showers of temple-juice constantly pouring from the temples of roaring intoxicated elephants, Royal swans used to run away to a great distance, on hearing the dreadful clatter of the weapons (of the four kinds) of the king, resembling the roaring of a mass of clouds Besides, on the battle-field, the eyes of the king, were red with anger; but towards warriors of the hostile army, his eye-sight was gentle as well as hot like a rosary of reflected and expanded flowers of Kanér. He had two queens named en Patralekha, and Manoramă, who by virtue of their beauty, loveliness, and youth, had discarded the fame of Rati, and who were chief among all the females. I was born as, a son named cera Vīrsóna to the first queen while the other queen Manorama had a son named for Vijayaséna. Both of us learnt the true secret about archery, became clever in painting and the cutting of leaves, became proficient in the use of the shield and sword, and we became brave in fighting in big wars. What more? We became very skilful in all arts
One day, King Avantiséna, thinking me to be a fit person, appointed me as his heir-apparent to the throne, and entrusted me with the income of Lata, Cola, Saurāṣtra, and other countries for my enjoyment. From that time I was known as Crown Prince. Troops of proud rutting elephants with a coteri of warriors, began to follow me brisk horses were running in my path-way, and I was surrounded on all sides by body-guards equipped with hatchets, spears, high bows, mass of arrows, lances, clubs, and other weapons. My step-brother was given several villages by my father. Enjoying pleasures of this world, we thus passed our days merrily.
One day, owing to the momentariness of the pleasures of this mortal world, to perishable nature of the particles of ang Ayu Karma (a karma determining the existence of life) owing to the irrisible chastisement of the God of Death, and
23
Jain Education International
For Private Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org