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MADAN AND DHANADEVA
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tackle such a situation None of the tricks of my co-wives will be effective with me'
"On being repeatedly pursuaded by Srimati, Dhanadeva returned home with his wife When his previous wives saw him come back in his true form, they expressed superficial joy and made preparations to receive him back At the direction of his elder wife the younger one began to wash Dhanadeva's feet At this moment, the elder wife took some water from a copper jug and sprinkled it on the floor, At once, the floor was flooded from all directions. Dhaoadeva looked at Srimatı She only made a sign«'Don't be afraid. I shall deal with it? As the water came rushing up, he was drowned upto his throat, and now upto his nose He cried out,
'I am drowned Won't you save me yet ?'
"Srimati was well-versed in enchantments She drank all the water at one sip The two co-wives were very much puzzled at this feat They fell on their knees before Srimatı and acknowledged defeat This also brought about a change in their behaviour They devoted themselves whole-heartedly to the service of their husband and began to be more friendly with Srimatı But one cannot save himself from the influence of the company he keeps This happened to Srimatı. She could not avoid the influence of the two-co-wives, but fell a victim to their evil designs Dhanadeva became isolated The three Co-wives now made a group of themselves Utterly tired of them, one day Dhanadeva fled from the house”
Now giving a twist to his account, le said,
"Now tell me who is more miserable--you or I. You can imagine how very miserable I was as a bird"
Thus they were comparing the experiences of their life with each other, but their bad time was nearing its end. Acharya Bimalbahu came there. Being inspired by his sermons, both of them were initiated into the holy order They practised sundry penances, and after death, they attained a celestial abode each in Saudharma-kalpa.
Having completed his life-span in heaven, the soul of Madan was born as son to King Samarsen of Vijayapur and
