Jain Journal 1968 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 33

JULY, 1968
going to meet him. On the way he saw Soma, the lovely daughter of the Brahmin Somila and asked her hand for his brother and arranged to convey her to his palace. Now it so happened that on the same day Gajasukumala came very much under the spell of Aristanemi's words, renounced the world and sought his permission to practise a severe penance in standing posture for one night in a dreadful crematorium called Mahakala. He was so permitted. Now when he was in the midst of penance, the Brahmin Somila, while passing by that way, saw him and his malice against the new hermit for having neglected his daughter got the upper hand. He thought that this was the best occasion to take revenge. He looked around and seeing none within visibility he created an oven with clay on his head and placed the red burning coal in it. Then he fled unnoticed. As the fire burnt into the head, Gajasukamala felt tremendous pain but he moved not, bearing patiently the torture on the flesh, mute, and without malice and thus attained final liberation.
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Next day Krsna came again to Aristanemi and while departing enquired about his brother. Aristanemi conveyed him the end and on being further asked narrated the whole incident. When Krsna asked who the miscreant could be, Aristanemi mentioned not the name but just said that he would appear before him when he would enter Dvaraka and seeing him he would die on the spot. He also asked him not to bear any ill-will against the miscreant, because just as by placing a brick for an old man on his way here he had induced others to do the same to relieve his strain and labour, so the miscreant, too, had by thrusting so speedy an end on Gajasukamala, destroyed his accumulated karma and paved the way to his quick liberation.
3. Descriptions of Nisadhakumara's previous and future lives
Nisadhakumara was the son of Baladeva. His mother was Revati. He was deeply versed in seventytwo arts.
One day when Aristanemi has come to Dvaraka, the whole city turned out to pay respect to him. Nisadhakumara heard the tumultuous noise and knowing the reason thereof he too joined. Nisadhakumara came to the Lord, paid his respects and then returned to his palace by accepting house-holder's vows. The beauty and affluence of Nisadhakumara roused the curiosity of Baradatta, his first disciple, who enquired about him. The Lord told Baradatta that immediately before his present birth he was stationed in the fifth devaloka called Brahmmaloka and prior to that he was the son of king Mahabala of the prosperous city of Rohitaka in Bharataksetra by his queen Padmavati. He was an accom