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159
INTERVENING STORIES
The MB (12.335-337) contains the story as follows:
Vasu, also known as Uparicara was a great king of the Satya age. He was a disciple of Bṛhaspati and a devotee of Visņu. He followed the tenets of Satvata and the Pañcarātra system. He performed an Aśvamedha without killing any animal. He offered the oblations with the forest-produce. Once he was appointed as an umpire to decide a controversy between the Gods and the sages over the interpretation of the word 'aja'. He showed partiality for the Gods and maintained that it meant a goat and not the grains of corn. Thereupon the sages cursed him to get born in a hellish region. While living in the hell, he was nourished by a stream of clarified butter. It was poured for him by the priests. It was an obtation offered in the sacrifices and was named as 'Nasordhāra'. Being advised by the Gods, he continued to worship Visņu. In due course he attained freedom by the favour of Visņu and ascended to Brahmaloka. The MB (13.6.342) also mentions that Vasu attained hell on account of being cursed by the Rṣis. The Matsyapurana (ch.142) contains the story. Here the controversy is between the Indra and the Ṛsis. The point is whether the 'jangama' creatures or the 'sthavara' objects should be oblated in the sacrifices. Vasu, the son of Uttanapada advocated 'himsātmaka' yajña i.e. the oblation of living beings. He attained hell on being cursed by the Rsis.
18. Srikantha and Puspottara:
19. Amaraprabha and Gunamati : 20. Sumukha and Viraka:
For stories Nos. 18, 19 and 20 see 'Origin of Vanaravaṁśa', "Adoption of Vahara-emblem" and 'Origin of Harivamsa' in the chapter "Origin and Genealogy of various Vamsas".
3. DIDACTIC STORIES
A-Religious cum Moral Stories.
21. Muni Sañjayanta's torture at the hands of Vidyadhara Vidyutdamṣtra:
While enumerating the names of the kings of the Vidyadhara Vamsa. Gautama relates the following episode illustrating the consequences of torturing a muni (5,20-26).
Once Vidyutdaṁṣṭra (Vijjudadha), the Vidyadhara lord of the Vijayardha mountain kidnapped muni Sñjayanta who was meditating
| SR No. | 022643 |
| Book Title | Critical Study Of Paumacariyam |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | K R Chandra |
| Publisher | Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology and Ahimsa |
| Publication Year | 1970 |
| Total Pages | 672 |
| Language | English, Sanskrit |
| Classification | Book_English & Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 18 MB |