________________
92
JAINA STORIES
But the king did not move and kept full control on his mind, not allowing it to be disturbed in any way by the events outside Failing in this plot, the yaksa then contrived a shower of dust on the king This was followed by the appearance of a snake, a scorpion, and poisonous ants one after the other They even stung the king Then came ferocious animals But the king remained firm in his triple VOW The paksa now admitted defeat and admired the king's steadfastness
After the vow was completed, the yaksa made the follosing confession :
“Worthy sie! There is no Srikanta here She has been carried away by a Vidyadhara of the city of Gaganaballava in the southern range of the Vaitadhya hills As the Vidyadhara was about to transgress the limit of decency towards her, she took the extreme course of beating him with a club, which she continued till the poor fellow died. Her puriety thus stands uostained which I happily confirm "
So saying, the jaksa arranged to procure ber from the Vaitadhya hills and restore her to the king
In the company of his consort, the king now returned to his city Ever sidce he had met the monk, he took the vow to practise pansadha on each relious occasion, and this he continued to fulfil throughout his life This earned for him a worthy life on earth, and thereafter a place in heaven
