Jain Stories 01

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

Page 80

56
JAINA STORIES
"Good man Who was this sechanaka elephant, and what ungrateful act did he perpetrate ?" The merchaht started,
"There lived some elephants on the bank of the Ganga. Their leader, an extremely stout fellow, was the very embodiment of desires and passions He was in the habit of killing all new-born elephants, so that he would have all the female elephants exclusively to himself One female elephant knew his habit and intention, As the time of her delivery drew near, she left the place and took shelter near a hamlet of holy men.
"The baby elephant was born and grew up into a fine animal, playing all the time and watering the plants with his trunk"
The merchant continued,
"Life has its rise and fall The leader elephant was now in his old age, deprived of vigour and strength Sechanak was in the very prime of youth So one day, he killed his aged father and usurped his leadership Now, thought he, some other elephant might be born under the protection of holy men, like himself, and become his rival some day, as he himself had been to his own father. To secure himself against that possibility, he destroyed the cottages of holy men under whose protection he himself had been born and brought up,"
Now, giving a twist to his narrative the merchant said, "Holy man I gave you shelter during the rainfall months and you have stooped so low as to remove my treasure. This has not been a behaviour befitting a monk I feel ashamed at your behaviour, which reminds me of another episode involving a minister named Krishnapaksika."
The monk was himself feeling very awkward but still he said, "Merchant ! Who was this minister, and what was his episode? How do you compare me with this man?"