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INTERVENING STORIES
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practice and illustrate some moral point, and (B) stories of general prudence which impart worldly wisdom. The didactic stories of group A are generally the previous-birth-stories in which some instructions are brought home by co-relating the present and the past life of cause and effect or the law of Karma. They explain the truth of transmigration of soul in worldly life. They further bring to light the causes of suffering and happiness, misery and plentifulness, and rise and fall. They preach that one should lead a righteous life and tell us that non-attachment and non-aversion are the summum bonum of life. The didactic stories of group B are told to guide the characters in the ways of the world,
1-The informative stories number twenty. They can be accounted as follows :
A. Caritas of eminent persons :
This group contains 11 stories. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 narrate the lives of Rāvana, Añjanäsundari and her son Hanumat, and Nárada respectively who are associated with the main story.
Stories Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7 give in brief the biographies of four Tirthaikaras viz. Lord Mahāvīra whose chief disciple Gautama is the narrator of the main story; Lord Rşabha who is the usherer of the new era and is associated with the origin of social classes, professions and some dynasty; Lord Ajita who is associated with the origin of the Rākşasa dynasty; and Lord Munisuvrata during whose Tirtha Rāma and Rāvana are said to have lived.
Stories No. 8, 9, 10 and 11 relate the duel between the first Cakravartin Bharata and his brother Bahubali, the end of 60000 sons of second Cakravartin Sagara, the initiation of the fourth Cakravartin Sanatkumāra and the life of the tenth Cakravartin Harişeņa respectively.
B. Legendary kings of the Ikşvāku-vamsa :
This group contains four stories-i. e. Nos. 12, 13, 14 & 15 which explain the causes which led to the initiation of some Ikşvāku kings and illustrate the crude and wicked ways of worldly life. Thus the story of Vajrabahu narrates the cause of his initiation. The story of Kirtidhara and Sukošala relates how a mother takes her revenge in her next birth by killing her own son. The story of Naghuşa and Simhikā illustrates that even a faithful, courageous and chaste queen may be censured and deprived of her position by her own husband. The story of Sodasa explains the possibilities of a king going astray and invading his own son.
