Jailer

Author(s): Abhayshekharsuri, Sujata P Kapadia
Publisher: Harshadray Private Limited

Page 50

yaksha's beard. Seeing this, the executioner knew he could not commit the sin of killing this child and fled leaving Aghat Kumar engrossed in play, all alone in a terrible jungle.
The unfortunate people without 'punya' may lose sleep worrying whereas the fortunate ones, due to the power of their merit, cannot be hurt even by evil supernatural beings, let alone humans. Therefore, the learned advise you to stop committing sins. Once you have collected a treasure of merits there won't be room or need for worry. Nature will take care of you. Demi-gods are generally so engrossed in their own world that for thousands of years, their attention is not drawn to their own temples on Earth. Aghat Kumar was a virtuous person and had lots of merit to his credit. In his case, nature was ready and eager to serve him and it drew the demi-god's attention to the temple. The demi-god, with his 'Avadhi-jnana', saw that the child was all alone in the temple.
In this version of the story, it is shown that the executioner does not kill the child but just leaves him to his own device in the jungle. In another version, it is shown that the executioner, at the cost of his own life, not only decides not to kill him, but also raises and protects him secretly. It is the same executioner who does not have any kindness in him. When he was reproached for making killing his profession, he would show off his atheism, and announce that he had no belief
Punya = merit
Avadhi jnana = clairvoyance
36