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JAINA STORIES
while the early rays of the sun burst forth on the earth and the dead spake dropped from her braid, as predicted. How unfortunate am IT Alas, I am undone !" These words dropped from her lips as she herself dropped senseless on the ground. When restored to her senses, she was only moaning and bewailing. The king consoled her saying "My dear! Who can avoid the inevitable? Whatever was destined has happened Forget the past and look forward to a golden future”
The king was now all rage towards false Aramasobha. She was handed over to the guards and was severely beaten. Aramasobba pleaded mercy for her sister and the king could not deny it to her But she was expelled from the city and her father was deprived of the twelve villages and the treasures bestowed on him The family was turned out from the kingdom for good
Aramasobha was happy once again One day the king and the queen were in conversation, when the latter thought, "My early life has been spent in distress followed by happiDess now These are all the outcome of karma, good as well as bad, acquired in previous life. I must koow them" In those days, Acharya Virabhadra with his spiritual family of five hundred monks was present there and the royal couple thought of benefitting from the presence of the celebrated Acharya After the queen had listened the Acharya, she fell down in a swoon When she recovered, she made the following submission : “Your Holiness' The account of my previous life as given by you is wholly correct. With my reawakened memory, I can fully testify it But I am now uneasy about the worldly existence With the permission of my husband, the king, I desire to be initiated by you into the holy order"
Needless to add, the king approved of her noble wishes. He, too, revealed his mind 10 the following words:
My dear! Once having known the worthlessness of the worldly life, who wants to remain any longer in it ? I too shall follow thee »
Then turning to the Acharya, he said,
