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108
JAINA STORIES
the eyes of his friend. He felt no pity for him nor any penitence for such a vile act Lalitanga addressed the gods and goddesses of the forest as follows .
"I am firm and unshakable in my opinion that it is virtue that wins, not vice Virtue is the protector of man. May I be sheltered in virtue !"
He chanted the holy namokar, took out his eyes with his own haods and gave them to Sajjan Even this ghastly sigbt did not touch the cruel man's heart He picked up the ornaments and rode away Lalitanga lay alone under the banyan tree, He felt intense pain in the eye-pits, but continued uttering the holy nainokar almost in a state of trance.
The sun was reclining to the west Darkness crept all over the land-scape Grazing animals were returning homewards. Birds were flying back to their nests. For Lalitanga, the world had already become dark
In the evening, some bharanda birds came and perched on the branches of the banyan tree under which Lalitanga lay. They were talking among themselves Lalitanga knew the language of the birds So he began to listen attentively to their talk Said a bird,
"There's a city named Champa which is to the east of this place King Jitasatru of that city has a beautiful daughter named Puspavatı She is very dearly loved by his father Unfortunately, she has become blind and this has made the king very sad Many eminent physicians have been consulted but to no effect Seeing no way out, the king bas proclaimed that anyone who will cure the eyes of the princess and restore her vision will be given half the kingdom and will be married with the princess"
The second bird said
"Is there any possible way of restoring the eye-sight of the princess ? »
The first-"I think, there is, and it is very simple and easy too. If someone mixes the juice of the creeper that has grown round and hangs from this banyan tree with our
