________________
This is Samsar
333
Anjana walked slowly with staggering steps and with a broken heart along the streets of Mahendrapur and then proceeded towards the forest. She did not take any food or drink. She had entered the city of Mahendrapur with a hungry stomach and a thirsty tongue but she returned in the same condition. Her heart was full of grief. The tears streamed from her eyes. She began to weep aloud. Her heart seemed to be breaking. She felt her heart rushing into her month. Her anguish knew no bounds. On the way she sat on a stone.
Even the wild animals in the forest stood petrified by her loud and anguished cries. The birds stopped twittering. Their offspring stopped chirping in the nest. The birds that were sporting in the sky stopped their games as if shocked by her lamentation. It was as if all the animals and birds in the forest were grieved by her heart-rending cries. Vasanta Tilaka also was in deep grief. The tears streamed down her cheeks. She was greatly agitated by her friend's anguish. She could find no words to comfort Anjana. Like Anjana she too felt lonely, helpless and miserable.
Having rested there for a short while Anjana got up and began walking slowly. She was walking bare-foot exposed to the scorching sun-light. Sharp thorns pierced her feet, on account of walking bare-foot upon the fiinty road, her tender feet began bleeding. Her body was bathed in perspiration.
It was noon. The sun emerged from behind the clouds and began to shine overhead. They continued to walk in the scorching sunlight. The gusts of hot wind burnt their skin. Walking thus in that scorching sun, they reached the outskirts of a city. They sat in the shadow of a huge tree to take rest.
"Shall we take shelter in some choultry in this city ?" Vasanta Tilaka said in a tone of deep distress. Both were greatly tired. They did not have strength to place even one step more. They had not had even a morse of food for the last two or three days. They thought that if they could get a shelter they could think of food later. As soon as Anjana agreed to Vasant Tilaka's suggestion they began walking towards the city.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
