Jain Ramayana Part 2

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 38

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JAIN RAMAYAN
The prince was named Kirthidhar. On a calm and serene night, when the whole universe was tasting the sweetness of dreamless sleep, when the millions of stars kept joyfully twinkling in the sky; when all the people tired of having worked throughout the day were sleeping delighted by the cool breezes that blew playfully over the world, King Purandhar revealed to his queen the anguish of his heart : "Dear goddess ! Kindly release me now. I desire to renounce the samsar and to pursue the path of spiritual elevation”.
"My Lord! I am not unaware of your thoughts and feelings and your attitude towards life. I know very well that in your heart the spirit of renunciation has been rolling like a river. You are a perfect Yogi eventhough you are physically existing in
Id. Will you go away from me leaving me alone to wander in this world ?”
"No, my dear goddess! That is not what I mean. I wish that you too should join me in the pursuit of the path of renunciation ...."
TE
ou desire my progress, you have to keep your decision in abeyance for sometime".
"Why ?"
“We have to wait until our son Kirthidhar is able to stand on his own feet and until he is able to distinguish between good and evil. We have to wait until we can make him educated and cultured and until the spirit of renunciation appears in his heart also. Until then, we cannot discard him. On the contrary we have to bring him up and educate him and make him a human being. After that, I will certainly act according to your desire. I am only a woman and you know a woman's intelligence is limited".
"My Queen! What you say is not improper. We shall adopt the path of Sadhudharma only after crowning Kirthidhar, King of our country".
Queen Prithvi was immensely pleased with the words of Purandhar. King Purandhar made all arrangements to educate