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THE POPULAR TALE OF CANDANA-MALAYAGIRI : 227
sons, Naravikrama immediately recognised them. Thus, the two sons and the father were united after a great deal of hardship and anxiety.
Dehilla, the wealthy sea-trader, after kidnapping silavati in his ship tried very much to win her over both with persuasions and by torture. But Silavati, true to her name, did not yield to his evil desires. As if angered by the evil designs of Dehilla his ship was caught in a storm by the goddess of the sea. The power of her chastity was unassailable and a heavenly voice, Ākāśavāņi, warned him with dire consequences if he continued to harrass śīlavati. Dehilla came to his senses and the storm subsided. He begged the good lady's pardon and promised to set her free.
On its long sea-journey Dehilla's ship anchored at Jayavardhananagara, the capital of Naravikrama. Dehilla went to Naravikrama to pay his homage. Naravikrama liked his company and wanted him to stay at his palace. At Dehilla's request the king sent his two sons to guard his ship, where they met their mother.
Thus, all the four of them were happily reunited and Naravikrama punished Dehilla.
Because of such momentous results Naravikrama was much impressed by the greatness of the Jaina Dharma and became all the more religious-minded.
King Narasimha, Naravikrama's father, came to know of his son's adventures and immediately sent for him. Naravikrama, after making over his throne to his sons, went to Jayantinagari. Narasimha took pravrajyā and Naravikrama succeeded him.
After years of just and benevolent rule Naravikrama also took pravrajyā along with his wife and attained the position of a god (deva) in the Mahendra Svarga'.
The Purpose of the Story :
The narrator of this episode in the Fourth Prastāva of the Mahāvīracariya lays a special stress on the Parva-Karma-Phala-Paripäka. The calamities that befall a man's life are nothing but fruits of his own past deeds. These can be undone by his faith in the Jaina Dharma.
Along with this central purpose of the story, the author also aims to praise the importance of faminine chastity. Here, even the goddess of the sea comes to the resque of the princess, and paves the way for her ultimate reunion with her family. We may point out that
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