________________
life of a human being does not become praiseworthy just by earning unlimited riches. You want to take this gem of a boy home just to make him earn money and to become wealthy, that too at the expense of what, a noble cause like the path of salvation? Then I have heaps of gold coins. Whatever amount of gold you want, millions? Billions? Please take them."
The final words of Udayana hit directly to his heart and hurt his selfrespect. He said, "O Virtuous Minister! Listening to your inner feelings filled with immense devotion and concern towards Jina order and welfare of the society, I am fully aroused from my deep delusive slumber. If I compel my son to stay with me, he has to salute each and every one like the monkey of a juggler. If I leave him in the care of our preceptor, he will be acclaimed and honored universally. He will be honoured by the kings, the rich, commanders-in-chief, warriors and of course by one and all. Hence I am prepared wholeheartedly to give my son for the service, progress and prosperity of Jina order."
Then the three of them - Udayana, C ciga and Camgadeva reached the monastery on a fast moving vehicle and presented themselves in the service of Devendra s ri. After offering humble salutations, C ciga, bending his head in veneration and with folded hands requested
c rya r, “O Lord! My pious wife had already given our beloved son to you. And now, I too, happily leave my son in your care for ever. And from now on you are his mother, father, God and everything to him."
As soon as the boy listened to this, he could not control his boundless happiness. He placing his head on the feet of c rya tightly, held them with his hands. The entire atmosphere of the congregation was filled with joy and delight. An auspicious time was fixed for initiation. c rya initiated the boy Camgadeva into monkhood with five great vows, at a very auspicious time, on Saturday, bright 14th day in lunar month of M gha, in Vikram 1150. The ceremony was celebrated in the courtyard of Pr van tha temple in Stambha T rtha. He was given the ascetic name Somacandra. The minister Udayana organised a grand function and personally supervised the arrangements. The author of Prabandha Cint ma i in Kum rap la Prabandha clearly mentioned that in the initiation celebration of Hemacandra S ri, even his father C ciga also bore the expenses.
114
