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out for his robbery campaign, the body-guard Cilaya was put in charge of the village robbers. The robber-leader taught him various useful spells and incantations pertaining to robbery. In course of time, Vijaya died and Cilāya was consecrated in his place with great pomp. Once after consultation with his colleagues, Cilāya proposed to commit dacoity in the house of his previous master Dhanya. Receiving instructions from their leader, the robbers wore wet leather, clad in male coats, tightened the leather strap on hand, put on a chain around their neck and displayed other special marks. Thus getting ready with arms, weapons, arrows and quivers, with their shanks armed with hanging bells, they set out to their destination amidst the tumult of musical instruments and beating of drums. When they reached the city-gate, the ring-leader recited the spell which caused the door open. Then they entered the house of Dhanya in order to commit robbery. Dhanya was terribly frightened and he fled with his five sons, living his daughter Sumsumā behind. The robbers seized huge amount of wealth from his house, abducted Sumsumā and returned to the forest.
Next morning, Dhanya approached the city-police with a large amount of gifts and lodged complaint about the robbery in his house. The police officers clad in male coats, set out in serach of the offenders. In order to catch them they rushed to the forest. When the robbers came to know that they were being followed by police, they abandoned the wealth, and their leader Cilaya entered into the think forest, carrying Sumsumā with him. After a while when he was unable to carry her further, he behaded her and took her head away with him.
Now after a long hunt, Dhanya and his five sons were very tired. They were unable to get anything to eat in the forest. Having a pity on his sons, the father offered his own flesh and blood to his sons so that they could satisfy their hunger and thirst and return to the city safely. But how the sons could accept such an offer from their revered father? In return, each of them offered his own flesh and blood to their loving father, suggesting that his life was more valuable than theirs. In the end, at the suggestion of their father, they agreed to feed upon the flesh and blood of Sumsuma's corpse. Then all of them returned home.
In course of time, after listening to the religious discourse of Mahāvira Dhanya joined the ascetic order and after practising penance, got rid of pleasant and unpleasant karmas and achieved salvation.
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