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CHAPTER V.
A War Between Haunika And King Cheda
uring his wanderings Lord Mahavira again came to the city of Champa which was under the rule of King Kaunika at that time. Queen Kali, the step-mother of Kaunika, heard the news of the Lord's arrival in her city. Her son Kalikumara had gone out to fight in a battle, and she had not received any tidings from him for a long time. She, therefore, went to the Lord with the intention of ascertaining from him whe ther her son was still alive or not. When she put this question to the Lord she was told that her son had been killed by the first arrow of the enemy. The queen fell senseless on the ground to hear this; and when she regained her senses, she begged the Lord to consecrate her, for the world appeared full of darkness to her then. She obtained the permission of Kaunika and accepted consecration at the feet of the Lord. Nine more queens accepted consecration in a like
manner.
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