________________
Śútra 4 )
Compassion, Charity, Beneficence and the Like
165
The spirit assumed the form of a horse and carried them on the back. He, however, took an undertaking from the brothers that they must not be moved to pity at the entreaties of the demoness. The demoness returned and found the brothers on the horse-back and held out threats. Finding them unmoved she began ko lament. One of the brothers yielded to her plaintive cries and was moved to pity, and was therefore immediately overthrown. The demoness caught hold of him and cut him to pieces.
- Näyâdhammakahão, IX. The moral of the story is that the brother who was moved to pity of popular conception by the grief of the demoness cannot be supposed to have felt mercy in the true sense.
King Sreņika of Rājagsha had a queen Dbärani by name and Abhayakumāra as his Prime Minister. The queen was enceinte. She developed a queer desire that she would ride on an elephant with king sitting behind her holding the parasol on her head and go through the heart of the city when it would rain. But it was not the rainy season. She was, however, languishing as her desire could not be fulfilled. She kept her counsel. The king noticed her in distress and pressed hard for revealing her secret. On learning her caprice, the king promised to do his best. But he was at a loss. Prince Abhayakumāra came and saw him in a pensive mood. He entreated the king to acquaint him with his problem. The king gave the secret to the Prime Minister. The latter thought that it was not easy to bring about a rain-fall out of season. He, however, had a powerful god as his friend. He invoked his help by fasting for three days and observed strict continence. The god showed pity by sending down a shower and the queen's desire was fulfilled.
-Nāyādhammakahão, I. 32-71. Ariştapemi was a cousin of Sri Krşņa. One day he went in the armoury and blew the conch of Śrī Krşņa, called Pāñcajanya. The whole city of Dvārikā quivered as if an earthquake had occurred. Śrī Krşņa came to the armoury and found Ariştanemi in the act of biowing the conch. They were all pleasantly surprised to discover his wonderful prowess. They made a proposal for celebrating his marriage. After a great deal of persuasion, Ariştanemi accepted the proposal. The marriage was settled with a princess of Mathură. The bridal party went there in great pomp. Ariştanemi heard the pitious shrisks of birds and beasts. He made an inquiry and came to know that all those unfortunate creatures were kept in pen to provide food for the marriage party. He was stricken with mercy for the helpless mute animals and declined to marry.
-Uttarājjhayana, XXII. The mercy of Arişğanemi was genuine mercy since it was made for the purification of his own soul.
There was an elephant called Meruprabha, the leader of the herd, living in a forest near a hill. A conflagration broke out in the forest. The elephants of the herd ran helter-skelter, Meruprabha remained alone terribly suffering from hunger and thirst. He saw a tank but it was almost dry, full of mire and with a little water. He entered into it and was caught up in the bog. There was another young elephant who had been turned out by Maruprabha for some offence. The latter revenged upon the former. He battered and bruised him and the result was that he died of starvation and excruciating pain. Meruprabha was again born as an elephant on the
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
