Jain Stories 03

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

Page 61

4. MRIGANKALEKHA
Abantisena was the king at Ujjain. In the same city, there lived a merchant named Dhanasar The name of the merchant's wife was Rambha and that of his daughter Mriganhalchha. The girl was pious from her childhood, and had acquired at quiic an carly age 64 arts So she was loved by all in the houschold. Dhapasar crected a Jina temple in his garden where hc used to go with his wife and daughter for worship Onc day, Mrigankalekha worshipped the imagc with various offerings, and then to worship in a subjeclivc form, she stood in meditation in the presence of the image in the kayotsarga posture Just then, Sagarchandra, the son of a merchant named Sagardatta came to that temple in the company of his friends. He worshipped the image of the Jina, and then mistaking Mrigankalckla in her kayotasarga posture for a statuette, he touched her fect. At thuis, his friend gave him a gentle push and burst out laughing The young man was puzzled, when the friend told him that the statuette whose feet he had touched was no stone image but a living person, named Mrigankalekha
Now the young man was keen to get her as his wife, but he did not know how In severe anguish, he became greatly reduced, which become a cause of worry to bis parents When the parents came to know the reason thereof from the said friend, they were not at all angry with their son, but they assured him that they would do their best in this matter Now, in the same garden, Sagardatta erected a temple and dedicated it to Arhat Risabha A very elaborate ceremony was arranged for dedication which lasted for 10 days On the 10th day, a banquet was held in which all the important people of the town were invited Dhapasar too was present After the banquet, as the people relaxed in the hall, somebody suggested that the day was auspic