________________
NANDISEN
-a short story
GANESH LALWANI
After taking permission of his father Prince Nandisen came out of the palace to take initiation at the hands of Bhagavan Mahavira. The first light of dawn was just breaking. The sky was tinged with red by the kisses of red-lipped brides of the Eastern Region. In the first refreshing hour of the dawn Nandisen was proceeding on the road with his heart full of joy.
Coming out of the stone and iron rampart of the palace, crossing over the green strip of the woodland he stopped near a stream. That was the way to Gunasila Caitya.
Just as he wanted to put his leg in the stream to cross it over he heard some one's footsteps behind and looked back, but he saw no one by streching his eyes as far as they could go. He thought in his mind : How strange! He had heard the steps clearly.
Again he lifted his leg to move forward, he heard no more steps but someone's voice. That voice was speaking to him from very near: 'Nandisen, where are you going? Unsatiated are your desires. You should take initiation after satiating them, my boy.'
Standing on the bank of that stream Nandisen began to look in all directions, but, far or near, infront or behind, above or below he found no one. Then, what he had heard was not true? But he had heard it very clearly.
Again Nandisen lifted his leg to go forward. Again he heard that voice: 'Oh Wise, a thing done before its time never succeeds.'
Jain Education International
Nandisen turned back to see. But there was no one anywhere. But he could not but reply this time. He said: 'Oh Spirit, who ye are I do not know. I thank you for your advice, but I do not find any desire anywhere in my mind. So I think myself fit for initiation.'
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
