Jain Stories 01

Author(s): Mahendramuni, K C Lalwani
Publisher: A B Jain Shwetambar Terapanth Samaj

Page 55

AMVADA
31
going to the palace with two flower garlands, Amvada enchanted them with a magic powder and asked her to give these to the king and the minister, and none else The lady went out Amvada then sprayed some magic powder at the city gate, at the palace gate and at the gate of the minister's house Now, all started quaking severely Some took it to be a depredation by ghosts and evil spirits, others openly forecast from the rumblings that the city would go underground Terrified, people rushed to the king As the king was about to say something, he and his chief minister both fell unconscious on the ground
"There started a panic in the town Doctors were called in to attend the king and the minister, but they could not be .cured On the second day, they regained consciousness no doubt, but began yelling like jackals On the third day, -they were dancing stark naked and talking relevant things On the fourth day, they were rolling in the mud, dust and ashes and hurling them on the bystanders On the fifth day, the king was dancing and the minister was playing on the instrument On the sixth day, both started crying bitterly On the seventh day, Amvada enquired from the gardener about the prevailing turmoil and confusion in the city The gardener's wife smiled Soon it became known in the town that all this was the doing of a holy man living at the moment in the gardener's house So all flocked in there and requested Amvada to withhold his charm, which he agreed to do on the promise of a suitable reward Amvada sought half the kingdom, the princess and the Ravı-Chandra lamp from the house of the minister. The demand was heavy, and in the absence of authority, the people were hesitant to commit But Amvada refused to do anything to save the city till the award of things asked for was duly committed So they reluctantly agreed Amvada then performed certain ceremonies and soon everything was all