Jain Stories 01

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

Page 95

MUNIPATI
no reason why the boys should not agree They were happy to be freed from this burden But Seduka desired that before setting out, he must sacrifice a goat not only for his own welfare but also for the prosperity and well-being of the family and he wanted to know if the sons were able and willing to arrange it There was no reason why they should not
71
F
"The plan thus satisfied both the parties, the sons because they would get rid of an ailing father who, in all probability, would never return, and the father because he had some vile plans in mind of which the pilgrimage was only a convenient camouflage A goat was brought in and it was fed with some good green barley everyday so that it would put on flesh before it could be sacrificed The goat was left in the leper's home and none had occasion to know that the leper, out of sheer malice for his own people, mixed up his own pus with the barley which the goat ate so that it became infected itself The sacrifice was arranged on an auspicious day and the goat's meat was served on everybody's plate The leper then moved out
r
""The leper reached a dense forest As he was wandering, he became thirsty Just then he saw a tank which had many trees and herbs all around it on its bank In the scorching rays of the sun, the water boiled like decoction and had a bitter taste, but the leper was so thirsty that he drank a large quantity of water and lay down under a
tree
"As he woke up, he found himself fairly cured The wounds were rot oozing as before and there was very much less pa.n So he remained on the bank of the tank drainking water from it everyday, and taking bath in it In a few days, he was fully recovered, and his skin became brighter than ever before Now, the memory of his home came up, in his mind and he turned his steps homeward As he entered