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The circuitous wanderings through countless janmas
221
The news of the king's decision to become a Shraman spread like wildfire everywhere. Everyone who heard of it was stupefied. When Shrutirati heard about it, he, at once, went to the king; and said;
“Dear king! This life is not meant to be lost thus in the pursuit of Charitradharma. Moreover, this is not also in conformity with the Vaidikdharma. Therefore, do not be in a haste. Do not be impatient. If you are so greatly bent upon adopting the Sadhudharma, you may do so in your old age. Shrutirati's advice shook the king's determination. He fell into a strange conflict. "Now, what is to be done ?" The king fell into a deep dilemma.
Another unhappy event also occurred at the same time. The Queen had become intimate with a priest in the court and when the two lovers came to know that the king had decide renounce the samsar and to adopt the Sadhudharma they felt greatly delighted. Their elation knew no bounds because they could carry on their amorous activities, unimpeded. But Shrutirati's persuasions had shaken the king's determination to follow the path of the Samyamdharma. When the Queen Shridhama came to know of it a serious fear began preying upon her mind, "Has the king come to know of my illicit intimacy with the priest ?”
Therefore, as soon as she got an opportunity to meet her lover privately, she said to him in secret : "Dear, I fear; no, I am sure that the king has somehow come to know of our intimacy. Therefore even before he plans to kill us or to punish us openly, I will manage to make an end of him. Why should I not do so ?"
Accordingly, she one day mixed a dreadful kind of poison with the food that was served to her husband. The king, totally unaware of this heinous action of the queen, ate the poisoned food and died. Sometime later, Shrutimati also died.
Thus, the two brothers kept wandering through the circuitous mazes of the samsar, passing through the confounding cycle of births and deaths.
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