________________
Ujjain. The king went to pay homage to the ascetics. The ministers had to accompany the king, though unwillingly. Under the command of the Acārya all the ascetics were observing complete silence. The king returned just after paying homage. On the way back while the ministers criticized the ascetics they saw ascetic Śrutasagara coming. They engaged the ascetic in a debate but failed to counter his logic. To avenge this insult they set out with swords in their hands. Ascetic Śrutasagara went and reported this incident to his guru. He was asked by the guru to go back to the spot where this verbal altercation took place and perform condoning meditation.
Ascetic Śrutasagara came to that spot and sat in meditation. During the night the four ministers came there and in order to take revenge they all at once raised their swords to strike the ascetic. A jungle deity could not tolerate this atrocity on a helpless ascetic. With his megical spell he immediately froze them in the striking posture. In the morning the citizens saw this tableau. The king also came. When he saw all this he became furious and exiled the ministers after pubic disgrace.
The four ministers wandered around and finally came to Hastinapur. They pleased the king there and were appointed ministers. The king also wanted to reward them but they kept it pending for some opportune moment. Once Acārya Akampan's ascetic group came to Hastinapur. When these ministers got the news they decided to avenge their past insult. They approached the king and sought the reign of the kingdom for seven days as their pending reward. Immediately after this, they made an announcement about conducting a yajña involving human sacrifice (Naramedha yajña). Huge yajña pavilions and firesacrifice pavilions were made. To offer human sacrifice they collected heaps of wood and other inflammable rubbish around the group of seven hundred ascetics and set these to fire. Soon there were flames all around the group of ascetics. The Acārya addressed the ascetics, "Worthy ones! This is the moment of your test. The fire can burn the body not the soul and you are souls."
Seeing the trembling Śrāvaṇa constellation kśullaka Puṣpadanta knew about the predicament of the ascetics. He at once went to great ascetic Viṣṇukumāra (younger brother of King Padma) on Dharini Mountain. He told the great ascetic about the impending death of
271
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
