Jain Journal 1982 10

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

Page 20

56
'My name is Udayi.'
'Udayi! Our king!' Suddenly he remembered the proclamation of the new king. So he hurriedly entered into the kitchen and said, 'Do ye hear! He is Udayi. If ye give him shelter, you will be ruined. King's men will take you away. So what to do now ?'
JAIN JOURNAL
The potter was terrified but could not shut the door on Udayi's face due to his wife's fear. Now he thought that she would also be terrified and would say, 'Do whatever you like.' Then he would go and shut the door on Udayi's face. But there was no sign of his wife being terrified. Instead she said instantly, 'How is that king who does not give shelter even to a monk ?' Then addressing her husband, the potter, she said, 'Hear me please. This house is as yours so also mine. If you do not give him shelter, I will.'
Being terrified the potter said in his dilemma, 'Our house will be in ruins. They will carry you away.'
The potter's wife said, 'All rubbish! What will be in ruins? Of this wood-and-bamboo there will be a heap of ash. Let the king take it. He will rub the ash on his body. And what else he will take? This ass. Let him take it also. Such a king will ride on what else than an ass? And they will take me away? Let them. They have to feed me. They will kill me by putting yoke on my neck. Let them kill me. After all every body has to die one day. Let me die earlier. They won't be able to kill me twice. Then why shall I fear.'
Hearing her words, the potter regained his courage. Said he, 'You are saying rightly. Go and call the monk inside. We will serve him with everything in our possession. The king has come, O the king has come !'
The potter's wife called the monk in. She said, 'O monk, we have only a small room of mud and coarse bread. Hope, you will not feel inconvenient.'
But the face of Udayi was as calm as before. He had no inconvenience at any situation. One who is attached feels the pangs of injustice torture, etc. Such pangs do not touch him who after knowing the truth has become non-attached.