Jain Stories 03

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

Page 50

JAINA STORIES
*This place will be wholeseme for you in all respects”
The deva disappeared and the hunchback moved into the town At that moment the town was in topsy-turvy. The people were aimlessly running about to save themselves The king's elephant had gone amock and was running about causing havoc The king announced a suitable reward for anyone who would bring the elephant under control The hunchback heard the announcement and was soon before the elephant People sought to prevent him but he would listen to none Now, as the elephant's eyes fell on the hunchback, he hurled his trunk at him in fury The hunchback stepped a little aside, and with a high jump placed himself on the elephant's crest Nala was a great expert in controlling elephants He uttered his magic words and patted on the animal's head, and the elephant was cured of luis fury
The hunchback was taken to the presence of the king The king received him and asked him about his identity to which he replied,
“I am the cook of King Nala, with specialisation, by the grace of my previous master, to cook in the rays of the sun From the day he has been exiled from his kingdom, I have also left Ajodhya Since then, I have passed through many places, but I have not been able to settle at any one of these"
The king at once appointed him to be the head of his kitchen He gave him a respectable place in the household Occasionally, he prepared food in the rays of the sun for the king, and the king liked him very much The intimacy between the two went on increasing
Elsewhere, Damayanti woke up at dawn, but she did not find Nala anywhere near her She looked for him all around and searched all the nearby bushes She came to the