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KING HANSA
The robbers who were hiding in the bushes heard all this. They were amazed at the mercy shown by this stranger. They came out, thanked him for saving their lives, and told him that they were at his service. The King advised them, "My dear friends, give up harassing people and be good citizens." The robbers promised that they would not harm the monks anymore and would try to be good citizens. As if this was not enough, a group of soldiers came and asked him if he had seen King Hansa. The King asked, "What do you want from King Hansa?" They explained that they were the trusted men of King Arjun and they had been told to arrest King Hansa and kill him. If they did, they would receive a big reward. King Hansa thought for a moment and said, "I am King Hansa. Carry out your duty as told by your King." After saying that, he closed his eyes, stood in meditation, and started reciting the Namaskar Mangal Sutra. At once, a deva appeared and said, "Oh King! I am overwhelmed by your truthfulness and compassion. I have captured King Arjun, made him a prisoner, and have given control of your kingdom back to your ministers. Today is a great day for worship, but the temple is too far from here. There is no way you can reach there in time. My chariot is at your service. Please let me take you there." King Hansa was surprised by the miraculous turn of events. In the company of the deva, he reached the summit of Mount Ratnasringa in time to worship. The demigod then escorted him back to his kingdom. King Hansa pardoned King Arjun and released his soldiers immediately. The angel appointed four lieutenants to look after the safety of the King and his kingdom and then departed. King Hansa once again ruled the city of Räjpur, and the people were happy.
Moral: The main theme here is the importance of the Jain principles of truthfulness and nonviolence, and their interrelationship. Sometimes, following one Jain principle blindly can lead to the violation of another principle, which is what King Hansa was faced with on multiple occasions. He thought about each situation carefully and found a very creative, smart, and beneficial solution without violating any principles and without hurting anyone. This showed his devotion and adherence to Jainism. When faced with King Arjun's soldiers in the last situation, he told the truth since no other person or principle was involved, even though it meant the possible end of his life. He again stuck to his Jain principles, even though he could have been killed for it.
40 - Questions: 1. Where did King Hansa decide to go? What happened soon after he left his kingdom in the hands of his
ministers? 2. When he heard the news of his defeat, did King Hansa return to his kingdom? Why not? 3. Explain the incident with the deer? What did he do when the hunter asked him if he had seen the deer? Why? 4. How did he answer the policemen who asked him about the robbers? Why? 5. What did he tell the soldiers who asked him if he had seen King Hansa? Why?
JAIN STORY BOOK
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