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NandiSootra
due repentance took the vows once again. Endowed with parinamiki buddhi the shravika re-established her husband on the religious path.
9. The minister - In ancient times a city named Kampilyapur had a king named Brahma. His queen Chulni one night saw dreams that augur the birth of a Chakravarti and in due course gave birth to a son. The prince was named Brahmadatt. King Brahma died when Brahmadatt was still an infant. At the time of his death King Brahma had given the responsibility of managing the affairs of the state to a friend Deerghaprishta, king of a neighbouring kingdom, till his son became major. After the death of King Brahma, Deerghaprishta and Chulni fell in love. King Brahma had a minister named Dhanu who was very able, wise and faithful. It was he who looked after the up bringing and education of the prince. When the prince matured, minister Dhanu discreetly told him about the illicit relationship between Deerghaprishta and Chulni and warned him about the impending danger to the kingdom. Brahmadatt was infuriated. But minister Dhanu advised him to resort to cunning rather than anger.
In consultation of minister Dhanu, Brahmadatt first decided to warn his mother. One day he put a crow and a cuckoo in the same cage and took it to her mother. Showing the birds he said in anger filled voice - "I will punish those who are found guilty of crossbreeding like these birds."
The queen was filled with fear and told everything to Deerghaprishta. He reassured her saying that she should not give heed to a child's comments.
Some days later pointing at a beautiful female elephant of good breed and an ugly elephant cohabiting together Brahmadatt told both Chulni and Deerghaprishta - "If I find some one having such illicit and mismatching relationship I will punish them with death."
He once again gave similar warning showing a swan and a stork.
After the third warning Deerghaprishta also became apprehensive. In order to remove this impediment to their lasciviousactivities Chulni and Deerghaprishta cooked up a conspiracy. They planned to secretly construct a beautiful house of shellac and send Brahmadatt to live in that house after his marriage. On the honeymoon night the house was to be set to fire burning the newly wedded couple. Blinded by her lust the queen also agreed to kill her own son.
Minister Dhanu came to know of this plan through his spies. He went to Deerghaprishta and said - "Sir, now that I have grown old and unfit to look after the affairs of the state, I want to spend rest of my life indulging in religious worship and charitable activities. Kindly grant me leave." Thus, getting permission from Deerghaprishta he went outside the city. On the banks of the Ganges he raised a large tent and started devotional activities including singing of hymns. There only, he opened a house of charity. Under the cover of these activities he secretly started digging an underground tunnel that was to open inside the house of shellac under construction.
A few days later when the house of shellac was ready, minister Dhanu's tunnel was also ready. Deerghaprishta and Chulni married Brahmadatt to the daughter of king Pushpachool. Minister Dhanu gave the responsibility of making all necessary arrangements for the comforts of the newly wedded couple to his son Vardhanu, who was now a minister. Vardhanu took the new couple to the house of shellac for their honeymoon. At midnight the spies of Deerghaprishta set the house to fire. When Brahmadatt saw the walls of his new palace melting, he rushed to Aagam-44 -Nandi Sootra
87- Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
