________________
198
JAIN RAMAYAN
Sagar raja entered his tent; prostrated before Parvat and said in a humble manner.
"Oh you great sage ! On account of your boundless grace my subjects are liberated from dreadful diseases. Many members of our family and many of our courtiers and officers were cured of their diseases. Oh lord! Be gracious towards me. I shall be a humble devotee of yours throughout my life”.
"Oh King! It is my primary duty to free people from their sorrows, agitations and diseases by eradicating those evils". Parvat said in a grave tone. Shandilya exercising his magical powers freed the Kingdom of Sagar raja from all diseases and agonies. In his kingdom, now, there was peace everywhere. All were happy. Sagar raja was immensely happy. At the same time, Parvat's fame and name spread all over the world. The number of his followers kept increasing by leaps and bounds. Shandilya and Parvat made a profound impression upon Sagar raja by means of their magical powers.
Poor Sagar raia could not realise that what was happening was the result of a well-planned conspiracy and that the conspiracy had been hatched by none other than his own enemies and that the conspiracy had its roots in his present and past lives. In order to take revenge against him, Madhuping who was a prince in his former life had been born as Mahakal, the
onster, or Shandilya and he had brought about all these thing using Parvat as a means. Actually ignorance is a dreadful enemy of man. On account of his ignorance Sagar raja who was himself a master of deception could not understand the secret motives behind the actions of Parvat and Shandilya. His ignorance prevented him from realising the evil designs of Mahakal, the monster and his own ignorance cast him into the jaws of death. It is for this reason that the supreme Jineshwar Bhagwans preach to people to attain Keval Jnan and to root out their ignorance. On account of his ignorance man cannot distinguish good from evil; a friend from a foe; not only this, on account of ignorance, man looks upon a friend as an enemy and on an enemy as a friend. Yes. On account of ignorance, man
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
