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JAIN RAMAYAN
and honoured him with royal decorations and titles. Just as he attained a high position and grandeur he bestowed a high position and honour on Prabhav. He shared his power and position with Prabhav. Their friendship remained unbroken in the midst of power, prosperity and grandeur. No differences or disparities appeared between them.
Once an incident occurred. A certain business magnate came to meet Sumitra. He had with him horses of excellent breeds. Each seemed to be superior to the other. His horses possessed the most excellent qualities and features. King Sumitra closely examined the horses and chose one of them which he liked most; and bought it on that very day. He sat on it; and began riding it in an extensive plain outside the city. The horse ran with the speed of wind. In a few moments, it rose from the plain and began flying through the air. King Sumitra, in order to stop it, pulled the reins; but instead of stopping, it doubled its speed. It began galloping. Leaving the boundaries of the city, it began gallopping through a dense forest. Whenever Sumitra pulled the reins to stop it, it ran with greater speed. Sumitra was taken aback; and he could not at all control it. The reins broke off; and darkness seemed to have covered everything. He could not see anything; but within a short time, the horse lost its energy and spirits. The wonder was as the reins broke off, the horse slackened its speed and after running a few steps, it stopped. King Sumitra alighted from the horse. He heaved a sigh of relief and then looked around. He found that there was a small village nearby. He felt extremely hungry and thirsty; and his throat was dry. He proceeded slowly towards the village. When he went near the village he found that the village consisted of huts and cottages built of straw, sticks and dry grass. The king went and stopped before a large and neatlooking hut. The hut was neat and tidy. The front-yard of the hut was covered with earth. A beautiful young damsel stood in the yard and kept looking at the king who was a total stranger to her. Seeing that the stranger who looked fascinating was coming towards her hut she shook like a frightened deer; but soon she experienced a nameless thrill as she contemplated on the appearance of the stranger.
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