Jain Story Book

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 34

Abhaykumar, who was there in captivity, got forewarned of the poison from the odor of the sweets. He therefore warned them not to eat the poisonous sweets. Pradyot was pleased with him for saving the life and offered him to ask for any boon except release from the captivity. Abhaykumar requested that he may be allowed to ask for it at any time that he may select later on. His request was granted.
Pradyot had a beautiful daughter named Vasavadatta. She had been adept in all the arts except music. He was very keen to get a capable music teacher for her. Udayan, the young king of Kaushambi, who also happened to be her maternal cousin, was known as expert musician. He could even lure elephants by his music. Under advice of his ministers, Pradyot arranged for preparing a big fake elephant that exactly looked like a real one. There were mechanical devices within its body that could be operated for causing different types of movements like a real elephant. It was let loose in the forest near Kaushambi with armed operators within. As Udayan's guards saw the elephant, they informed him about it.Udayan came there and started playing music. People within the elephant managed to show that the elephant was charmed with the music. Simultaneously however they contrived it to make movements away from Kaushambi.. Udayan followed and got separated from his followers. After a while he could notice that the elephant was under full impact of his music, He therefore jumped over it. Operators from within soon came out, put him in bondage and hurriedly carried him to Ujjayini.
Pradyot did not want his daughter to see Udayan who was a very handsome and attractive youth. He therefore told Vasavadatta that he had found an expert music teacher who unfortunately happened to be leucodermic. He therefore advised her to learn music from him sitting behind a curtain. To Udayan he said that his daughter wanted to learn music, but being one eyed, she felt very shy. If he taught her staying behind a curtain, she could learn at ease. If Udayan agreed, Pradyot would spare his life and make his stay comfortable in Ujjayini. Udayan had no alternative at that time. He therefore agreed and started teaching Vasavadatta. She was found very smart in picking up and her voice was very sweet. He therefore pitied that so smart and sweet girl had only one eye. Väsavdattä too was enamoured of his voice and cursed the nature for making him leucodermic. Once while she was thinking of him, she got inattentive to the lesson. Thereupon Udayan got wild and reproached her calling her one eyed. Vasvadatta was exasperated to hear that. She however guessed that her father might have deliberately lied to him about her. She also thought that her teacher being leucodermic could be a lie too. She therefore raised the curtain and saw that he was so handsome and strong. She got attracted to him. Udayan too was enamoured to see her beauty. Both of them fell in love and started meeting privately with the aid of a helpful maid of Vasavadatta.
Once the royal elephant Analgiri got out of control and started destroying every thing he came across. His keepers failed to bring him back to control. Pradyot was perplexed and sought advice of Abhaykumar who suggested that Udayan could control the elephant by his music. As Vasavadatta came to know about it, she urged Udayan to pick the opportunity to please her father. So Udayan brought Analgiri under control by his music. Pradyot was pleased with the performance of Udayan and started giving more latitude to him. He also got pleased with Abhaykumar for his right advice and again offered him to ask for any boon excepting the release from captivity. Like the previous one, Abhaykumar once again requested Pradyot to keep his promise in reserve. That way there were two other occasions when Pradyot promised him the boons. Then Abhaykumar asked for the following four boons: 1) The king and queen Shivädevi may sit over the elephant Analgiri along with Abhaykumar; 2) Lohjangh would ride the elephant; 3) Chariot Agnibhiru be set on fire and 4) The elephant may enter that fire with the four of them over it. As it was not possible for Pradyot to comply with the demands, he set Abhaykumar free. While going back to Räjgruhi, Abhaykumar stated that he was brought into captivity, because the city dancer deceived him in the name of the religion; but he warned that he would take Pradyot in captivity in broad day light.