Jain Journal 1970 10

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

Page 12

OCTOBER, 1970
sibility of the house, went on a pilgrimage to the Ganges. Nandini was a nice girl but he doubted her fidelity without any reason, and one day on returning from the theatre, where he heard some foul whisper, he hit in a fit of anger, his sister and brother, thinking that they were his wife and her lover. Seeing both of them killed by his hand, at his own door, he felt remorse for his sin, and wanted to die with them. People prevented him and brahmins prescribed various prāyaścittas; but he was in a mood of despair and repentence. So he came to Dharmanandana and wanted to know further how he could be free from sin. He was advised by Dharmanandana to practise penance and adopt code of virtues. When Candasoma's karmas were sufficiently quieted, he was duly given dikşā by the preceptor.
2. Māna (vanity)--Biography of Manabhata :
ad.
Dharmanandana continued:
To the north-east of Ujjayini in the heart of Malava, there was a rich village Kupavandra by name. There lived an old royal thākur Ksetrabhata who had fallen on evil days. He had a son named Virabhata whom he loved more than his life. Due to old age Ksetrabhata remained at home and Virabhata attended the king, and in due course his son Saktibhata, continued the service. Saktibhata was highly vain and haughty so he came to be known as Manabhata in the princely order. One day Manabhata found his seat in the darbār occupied inadvertantly by a Pulinda prince. Vain as he was, he took offence and hit that prince fatally on the chest inspite of the latter's apologetic promise that this would not be repeated. Though wounded Saktibhata came out successful in the fray that followed. But for safety he left that place along with his father and camped in a distant fortified village. One day, during spring sports, he happened to sing on the swing co plimenting a darkish beloved to the offence of his fair wife who felt humiliated and hanged herself, but was rescued by him in time He tried to convince her of his bonafides, but without success. His vanity surged up and he left home in sheer disgust. His wife followed him and she was followed by his parents. To test her fidelity, he threw a big stone in the well and concealed himself behind a tree. Thinking that he had jumped into the well, she threw herself in it ; his mother and father also did the same. Manabhata then realised that his vanity had led to this fatal tragedy of the whole family. He was full of remorse and in penitent mood, started out in search of a preceptor who would purify him. At Kausambi he heard that the purity of mind accompanied by penance and rules of good behaviour would wash the sins. Hearing this Manabhata came to Dharmanandana. He was advised to follow