Jain Story Book

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 28

one of them was most suitable to be the heir to his kingdom. For this purpose he administered some tests. Once he invited all of them for a dinner. As they started eating, the king released royal hounds at them. All of them except prince Shrenik took to heels. Staying unscarred, Shrenik picked up the food from the plates left by his brothers and started giving that food to the hounds. That way he could keep the hounds at arm's length, while he ate his food. The king was pleased with his dexterity. He however felt that if he showed his favor for Shrenik, other princes would be jealous. He therefore outwardly remarked that it was not befitting a prince to eat by the side of the dogs.
On another occasion, the king presented to his sons sealed baskets of sweets and earthen pots of water and asked them to eat and drink without opening the baskets or pots. All others were non-plussed by these instructions and left without eating. Shrenik, however, broke the sweets into small pieces by knocking the baskets and started eating as the particles came out of the joints of the baskets. He also noticed that the water pots were new and water was oozing out of the pores. He therefore put a silver bowl below a pot. By the time, he finished eating, enough water had accumulated in the bowl out of the pores. He therefore used it for his purpose. The king was watching all this. He was pleased with the intellect and smartness of Shrenik. Once again however, he outwardly criticized Shrenik for eating particles of sweets like a beggar.
In Kushagrapur fire used to break out frequently. In order to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents, the king proclaimed that if fire breaks out any where henceforth, the owner of the house would be held responsible for the negligence and would be turned out of the city. Once it so happened that a wild fire broke out in king's palace on account of the negligence of some cook. The king announced that the princes could take out anything that they liked from the palace and they would be allowed to keep the same. Other princes took out jewelry and other valuables, while Shrenik picked up only the royal bugle. When he was asked to explain his choice, he said that he selected the bugle, because it was the symbol of royal victory and proclamations from the bugle are binding to every one. The king was again pleased with his selection and decided that Shrenik would be his heir to the throne. In order to save him from the envy of his brothers, he however did not announce his decision.
True to his proclamation, the king decided to leave the city, because he was supposed to be responsible for the fire in his palace. He then set up his camp a couple of miles away. People concerned with administration had to go there. Later on, other people too started settling in that place. It came to be known as Räjgruhi because of the king's residence there. Gradually that place grew to be the capital city of Magadha. It turned out to be one of the most well known and thriving cities of that age. As the princes grew up, the king sent them away as governors in different parts of his kingdom. Since he wanted to groom Shrenik as his successor, he did not allot any governorship to him and intentionally asked him to stay in Räjgruhi. Shrenik however could not make out his father's design. He felt insulted and thought that he was out of favor with the king. Getting frustrated, one day he left Räjgruhi without informing any one about his departure.
He proceeded eastward and after travelling for a few days he reached the city of Benätat in Bengal. There was a trader named Bhadra whose business had for some time been shrinking without any conceivable reason. Shrenik came to his business place and sat for a while for taking rest. It was a day of some festival. Almost every one was out for shopping. Many of them flocked to Bhadra's store. Rush was so great that it was almost impossible for him to cope with the unimaginably good demand. Shrenik thereupon volunteered to help him. On account of the smartness of Shrenik in doing the job, Bhadra could do lot of business that day. By the time he got ready for the lunch, he was done with most of the customers. He was overjoyed with the business that he could make. It was far beyond his expectation. He realized that he could not have made that much business, but for the help rendered by that unknown youth. He was highly appreciative of Shrenik and thought that the briskness of his business that day could be due to