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Jain Society of Greater Detroit
PRATISHTHA MAHOTSAV ASHADH 4-12 V.S. 2054 SUNANDA AND ROOPSEN
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Upon getting Sunanda's approval, her fa- "Without having consumed, without havther arranged ber marriage to the prince of ing indulged or gratified what unimaginable sufferKshitipratishtith and Sunanda moved there taking ings do lives undergo in this world. This deer, with her a hefty dowry.
Roopsen's soul, did not enjoy sensual pleasures Roopsen the snake after much wandering fi- and yet look at the unhappiness it has been expenally reached this kingdom and seeing Sunanda be- riencing over the past five lives. The woman for gan rocking back and forth in joy. Sunanda screamed whom he harbors so many passions is bappily and ran but the snake followed her until finally enjoying his flesh right now.” Such was one her husband killed it.
learned muni telling another muni, sbaking It was the summer season and Sunanda and his head, while passing by the palace. her husband were enjoying a night of music when
The king and queen became susRoopsen's soul, as a crow, began to caw. The servants picious at the exchange between the two munis tried to shoo it away but it kept returning to perch and the king rose and asked, "Maharaj, what itself in front of Sunanda and cawing. The king got makes you shake your head so in front of us?" angry at the ruckus that was spoiling the show and
"Nothing, it is just the oddities of the killed the crow:
deeds of the society" the muni told them in a Once the couple was sitting under a willow tree at somber tone. a lake. There, a swan, looking at Sunanda began to
"Is it the smell of the meat that we are sing beautifully in happiness. The king and queen dining upon that you were shaking your bead at?" were entranced when a crow's droppings fell on the the king asked directly. king. The king in anger tried to shoot the crow but he "Rajan, I shook my head at the thought missed and the bullet ended up killing the swan of how souls, enslaved to sensual pleasures and Roopsen. His soul then found life as a deer in the passions though they may only think about injungle.
dulging them, are creating such sins that like the Deep in the jungle some musicians were per- lowest forms of life, for lives together, suffer again forming for Sunanda and the king. The beauty of and again. the music drew all the animals of the jungle. The
"What about that struck you here?" the animals fled as soon as the music stopped, that is, king asked with immense curiosity. all except one young deer who did not move. The "Rajan! The lives wandering in this deer appealed to the king who killed it and had it world, just by thinking, without partaking, colsent to the palace. The deer was cooked for the king lect limitless sins, that is what I have seen." and queen's dinner, who exclaimed that though they "Maharaj, whatever you have seen had eaten deer before, never had they enjoyed deer here, please let us know so that we may be meat as exquisite as they were having now. enlightened" said Sunanda, imploringly.
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