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(FOURTEENTH CHAPTER : TETALIPUTRA : INTRODUCTION
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2 Title Teyali-Tetali-a name. Even if he is virtuous, mundane pleasures and 2 conveniences can entrap man and make it impossible for him to make up his mind to step on 12 the path of spiritual upliftment. In the case of a righteous person this veil is very thin. Just a Z blow of sorrow is enough to destroy it and pave his way. The pious Karmas from the past 2 become the means of this change of direction. The absorbing story of minister Tetaliputra I effectively reveals this process of change of direction. 5 Gist of the story--King Kanakrath was the ruler of Tetalipur. Tetaliputra was his 5 minister. The king was so possessive of his kingdom and wealth that he used to mutilate his 5 sons as soon as they were born so that none of them could claim his throne. Queen 5 Padmavati was worried. With the help of minister Tetaliputra she made a plan. Pottila was
the wife of Tetaliputra. Once both the ladies, the queen and the minister's wife, gave birth at 5 the same time. The queen gave birth to a son and the minister's wife to a dead girl. As per 5 the plan the minister secretly exchanged the king's son with his dead daughter. He took the 15 prince under his care. 5 After some time Pottila lost the favour and love of her husband. She came in contact 5 with Shramanis and became detached from the mundane life. When she sought permission > to become a Shramani from Tetaliputra he consented with the condition that, if she
reincarnated as a god as a result of her penance, she would return to him and preach the
righteous path. Pottila got initiated and after prolonged penance reincarnated as a god, 2 When King Kanak-rath died, all his ministers approached Tetaliputra to suggest a 2 suitable heir to the throne. The minister presented Prince Kanakdhvaj and related the story Rof his birth and bringing up. When Kanakdhvaj ascended the throne his mother asked him Z to give due respect and honour to Tetaliputra as a gesture of returning his obligation. 5 Tetaliputra led a happy and contented life with all state honours. Time and again God 5 Pottil tried his best to inspire the minister to accept the spiritual path but in vain. At last he 5 decided that Tetaliputra could not be awakened without the blow of sorrow. He made the
king apathetic towards the minister. When Tetaliputra did not get the usual and due honour Kand respect from the king he was overwhelmed with sorrow. He tried to commit suicide 5 many a time but failed. Then the god appeared and showed him the right path. Tetaliputra 5 acquired Jati-smaran Jnana and remembered that in his earlier birth he was Mahapadma, 5 the king of Pundarikini city. He had become an ascetic and acquired the knowledge of the 5 fourteen sublime canons. After death he had reincarnated as a god and from there as
Tetaliputra. He remembered all the knowledge he had acquired during his earlier 55 incarnation and got initiated himself. After long spiritual practices he attained omniscience 5 and at last liberation.
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RCHAPTER-14 : TETALIPUTRA
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