Jain Journal 1992 10

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

Page 29

JAIN JOURNAL
that the great monk must certainly be treated by him but the lack of drugs was hindrance. He however admitted that he had laksapăka oil but he did not have gośīrşa-candana and ratna-kambala.
At this, the five friends of Jivānanda—Prince Mahidhara, Subuddhi, Purņabhadra, Guņākara and Keśava went to the market and enquired of an old merchant about the two things. He showed the objects and said that each of them would cost a hundred thousand Dinārs, and asked why they wanted such costly objects. On learning the noble purpose, the merchant said to himself "what a contrast between their youth intoxicated with wildess, joy and love on the one hand, and their thoughts that are very abode of discernment suitable for old age, worthy of a person like myself."22 With these thought, he handed over both the commodities and did not accept the price at all. He remarked, "I shall take imperishable dharma as the price. Well, you have allowed me to share dharma like brothers.''22
They took all these remedies to the monk, who was standing under a banyan tree in the käyotsarga posture. Bowing down to him, Jivānanda begged his pardon for disturbing him and took his permission to apply the medicines. Then, they brought a cow's body recently dead and started the treatment. First of all they anointed all his limbs with the lakşapāka oil which disappeared in the body. The patient became unconcious on account of the great warming power of the oil and the worms, confused by the heat, came out of the body. Jivananda then covered the monk with the ratna-kambala. The worms struck to it because of its coolness. Jivananda. then slowly shook off the ratna-kambala over the cow's body causing the worms fall down on it. He then, soothed the monk by rubbing gośīrşa-candana which gives life to the creatures like nector,28
Since only the worms from the skin had come out, the physician anointed the patient again with the oil and again many worms emerged out; which clung to the covering ratna-kambala, even as bacteria of curd, more than two days state, cling to a lacquered cloth.24 Again he laid it down on the cow's body, and then comforted the monk with
21 Ibid., verse, 753. 22 Ibid., verse, 755. 23 Ibid., verses, 761-67. 24 Ibid., verse, 770.