________________
250
JAIN RAMAYAN
After his release Sridhar became a Shraman renouncing worldly life. He carried out severe spiritual austerity and after his death he reached the heavenly world.
In course of time after the span of his heavenly life ended he was born again in Mathura.
At that time Chandrabhadra was the king of Mathura. His queen-consort was Kanchanprabha who possessed unexampled beauty.
Sridhar was born to Kanchanprabha and Chandrabhadra. The prince was named Achal. The king loved the prince greatly and the boy was the apple of the king's eyes. Apart from queen Kanchanaprabha King Chandrabhadra had six other queens. They too had given birth to eight princes. Banuprabha was the first among them. Those princes were worried because the king bestowed extraordinary affection on Achal. Whenever they met together they discussed the samething.
“Whatever our mothers may do our father is determined to make Achal his successor to the throne. Therefore, we should somehow remove this impediment that stands on our way to the throne.”
They carried out long and secret discussions and made a plan to kill Achal but somehow the Chief Minister sensed their conspiracy. In consequence, he cautioned Achal against the danger that was about to befall him. On a dark night, Achal ran away from Mathura. He went into dense forests to safeguard himself.
Achal was walking alone in the midst of a wild forest in the dense darkness of the night. He could not see any path in the forest; nor could he find a safe shelter in the night. He was running away barefoot and unarmed. While he was thus running away a sharp thorn pierced his foot. The thorn caused a great agony to him. Blood flowed profusely from his foot. not walk further and he sat there experiencing great pain. I wept bitterly. Just then the day dawned. A wood-cutter came along that road carrying a bundle of firewood. He saw the young
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
