Page Text
________________
CONTENTS.
xci
different from what he had been, she reclaimed him as her own. But the women to whom the Vajra had been entrusted, would not give up their charge, they allowed, however, the mother to see and nurse her boy in their own houses (45-68).
In the Acalapura district between the rivers Kanya and Purna there lived some Brahmanical ascetics of the Tapasa sect One of them, anointing his feet with a magical unguent which enabled him to walk on the water as if it were dry land, used to visit the town to the wonder and astonishment of the inhabitants On the strength of this miracle, the real cause of which he concealed, he maintained the superiority of his religion and abused Jainism Arya Samita, therefore, who discerned the nature of his deceit, was anxious to show him up as an impostor and to vindicate the true faith. On his advice a rich Śravaka invited the Tapasa to a splendid dinner, and in apparent devotion, begged to wash his feet. He rubbed the feet so thoroughly that no atom of the magical ointment was left on them Accordingly, when after the dinner the Tapasa, trusting that not all the ointment was gone, attempted to cross the river as usual, he at once sunk down in the water, hooted and laughed at by the crowd on the shore. Arya Samita then bade the banks of the river meet, and thus stepped on the opposite shore This miracle made such an impression on the Tapasas that they changed religion and became Jaina monks They are mentioned in the scriptures under the name of Brahmadvipikas, because they lived in Brahmadvipa (69-99).
During a visit of Dhanagiri to his native place, Sunanda reclaimed her boy who was then three years old But the father was not willing to surrender Vajra to her, as she had of her own will given up all rights in her child. The king, to whom the case at last was referred, declared that the boy should belong to the party whose call he would obey. The monks being placed on the right hand of the king, and Sunanda on the left, it was decided that the mother should first try her chance In vain she tried to allure the boy with playthings, promised him everything, implored him to come to her. Vajra
| SR No. | 010713 |
| Book Title | Sthaviravali Charitra or Parisista Parva |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Hermann Jacobi |
| Publisher | Asiatic Society |
| Publication Year | 1932 |
| Total Pages | 467 |
| Language | Sanskrit, Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 12 MB |