Jain Stories 02

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

Page 67

LAKSMIPUNJA
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When Laksmipunja was eight, he was married to a beautiful damsel from a rich merchant's family. He was a happy young man enjoying all the pleasures of life One day, a thought came into his mind: 'Wherefrom has all this non-ending treasure come " On the same day, he had the following revelation about his previous birth
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There was a city named Laksmidhara where lived a merchant named Gunadhara He was rich but he was a man of very simple and unassuming habits One day, he went to the park, where a muni was giving a sermon on adattadana, 1. e, not to acquire unless a thing is bestowed or bequeathed. When the sermon was over, the merchant came near the muni, paid him homage and obeisance and took the vow of adattadana
The merchant started with a convoy of 500 carts loaded with merchandise for another country When the convoy reached a dense forest, the merchant felt that it would be risky for him to move with it, and so on horse-back, he separated from it, taking an obscure route made of footprints. On the way, he came across a costly necklace, which he did not even care to look at. As he wanted to proceed fast, he struck the horse with his heels and put it to gallop. At one place, as the earth was removed by the horse's hoof, the merchant saw a jar full of treasure, but, with perfect detachment, he put the horse to a still greater speed. But ill-luck prevailing, before the horse could go far, it dropped down exhausted and died on the spot. This was a great shock for the merchant, who felt that the horse had met with Its end prematurely because of him So he said aloud: "If anyone can restore the horse to life, I shall give him my whole treasure" But, as none came, the merchant discarded the dead horse and proceeded on foot.
The merchant was now proceeding alone through the dense forest He became very thirsty but there was no water to be seen anywhere in the neighbourhood. Soon he discovered a leather-jar full of water hanging from a tree.