Jain Journal 1972 10

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

Page 28

OCTOBER, 1972
have you started this evil game with me? Come back to thy place. I can no longer bear thy absence."
Aramasobha was taken aback. She tried to free herself but failed. In a helpless tone she said, "Sir, there is some reason behind all this, and to-night you delay me not by asking about it. Tomorrow when I come at night I shall narrate the whole thing to you. If you release me not now, I shall have cause to repent
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The king said, "My dear! My eyes are pining with thirst for thee. Now that you are within my reach, how can I let you go? Tomorrow is far off. Even a moment's parting will be too much for me."
Armasobha was in a great difficulty. To narrate the whole thing would take a lot of time; and if she did not do so, the king would not release her. So she started her narrative. She tried to be brief, but still it took some time. Alas! the early rays of the sun had now reached the surface of the earth and the dead snake dropped from her braid. "How unfortunate am I! I am undone !" These words suddenly dropped from her lips and she herself dropped senseless on the ground.
When she was restored to her senses, she was only lamenting and bewailing. The king consoled her saying, "My dear! Who can avoid what is to take place? Whatever was lotted has now materialised. Forget the past and look ahead to a golden future."
The king was now all rage towards the false Aramasobha. She was handed over to the guards and would have been beaten to death. Aramasobha pleaded mercy for her sister and the king could not deny it to her. But she was expelled from the city and her father was deprived of the twelve villages and all his treasures. Agnisarma and Agnisikha were banished from the State.
Aramasobha was happy once again. One day the king and the queen were in conversation when Aramasobha thought within herself, 'My early life was spent is distress. This has been followed by happiness. These have been occasioned by my own righteous and nonrighteous karmas in previous life. I should know them.'
In those days Acarya Virabhadra with his spiritual family of five hundred monks was present in the city and the king and the queen thought of using the occasion. They visited the Acarya who narrated in details all that Aramasobha was keen to know. On hearing them