Jain Journal 1985 04

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

Page 20

APRIL, 1985
121
It was a happy union. But time has wings, and the moments of happiness are perhaps the shortest. The last two quarters of the night passed away like a minute. It was near dawn, time for Pavananjaya to depart. But before he left, he gave a ring with his name carved on it to Anjana as a proof of his having spent a night in her apartment.
News soon reached the palace that Anjana was carrying a child. There started a gossip all over the city. One day, queen Ketumati, Anjana's mother-in-law, came to her apartment to verify the facts herself. Anjana received her with due respect, but Ketumati burst out in great anger,
“Ye harlot ! What's this ? You have stained the family's reputation. What have you done when your husband is out of this city? I must report it to the king at once and get you removed from the palace right now."
Anjana tried her best to defend herself, but the lady would listen nothing nor look at the ring which belonged to her son. The ring only added to her fury.
"Get out of my sight, ye harlot, get out at once. Ye must have stolen it or picked it up somehow and now ye produce this as a proof of your chastity ! Do I not know what the attitude of my son has been towards you all these years ? And how did he behave towards you on the day of his departure ? And now do you mean to tell me that he loves you and he came to your apartment ? I don't want you to stay here even for a moment. You get out at once.”
All the entreaties and requests were curtly turned down and the queen only repeated,
"You get out at once. You talk of permitting you to stay at the palace, but I won't permit you to stay within the boundary of my kingdom even. I must now arrange for your expulsion.”
The queen went straight to the king and reported, adding
"I wish, Your Majesty, Anjana be deported at once, in a black veil and on a black chariot and dropped in some dense forest near her parents' home.”