Jain Journal 1985 04

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

Page 21

122
The king agreed. He did not think it necessary even once to look into the matter himself before passing such a cruel order.
JAIN JOURNAL
When Anjana came to know of the further worsening of her luck she nearly broke down. She had suffered misery for long twelve years when she was neglected by her husband; but she never could guess that half-anight's meeting with him could be so very pernicious for her. She felt most miserable but she must get ready to face the situation, however bad. She gathered courage, covered herself with a black veil and sat on a black chariot.
She was taken to a dense forest and asked to alight. It was no easy job even for the charioteer to check his tears. But he was a slave unto the king's order. He expressed his sense of horror and regret, but at the same time he confessed his utter helplessness.
Anjana calmly alighted from the chariot and thanked the man for his kind words. She asked him to entertain no fear or anxiety on her own score. For, she would henceforth be under the protection of the Five Great Divinities.
"Noble lady!", said the charioteer. "This road leads straight to Mahendrapur. You may like to take this road."
The charioteer went away. Anjana and Vasantatilaka spent the night in the forest, and in the morning, they took the road leading to Mahendrapur. But when a woman has been turned out from her own home, she rarely gets a shelter in her parental home. When king Mahendra heard the full story, he became extremely angry.
"She has stained her own family line and now she comes to seek shelter with me! She should have been ashamed even to think of coming here."
Her own brother Prasannakirti went a step further,
"A finger bitten by the snake must be amputated at once. It deserves no protection."
But the minister tried to argue,
"Your Majesty! A girl who is turned out from her father-in-law's house normally expects shelter with her own parents. In my humble