Jain Story Book

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 67

change his habits. The king ultimately banished him from the kingdom together with his friends. His wife and his sister also insisted on accompanying him and went along with him with the permission of the king. From that time Pushpachool got known as Vankchool.
Vankchool now got free scope for doing whatever he liked. He joined the company of a well known burglar and in due course became the chief. He formed a strong band of followers and started indulging in large scale burglaries. He set up a small settlement in a forest and lived like a dacoit king. Once a group of monks under the leadership of a learned Acharya got lost in that forest. Searching for the way out, they came to Vankchool's settlement. Since the monsoon was about to set in and there was no town nearby, the Acharya asked Vankchool to permit them to stay in the settlement during monsoon. Vankchool agreed on condition that the monks should not preach anything to his followers. The Acharya accepted that condition.
After the monsoon was over, Acharya got ready to leave the place. Vankchool was impressed by the promise that the monks had kept. He went along with them for a while and before leaving them, he showed his willingness to listen something from them. The Acharya said that he would like Vankchool to take some vows in token of their stay in his settlement. Vankchool said that he could take vows only if they did not come in the way of his life. The Acharya could foresee what Vankchool was to come across. He therefore asked Vankchool to take four simple vows. They were 1) Not to eat unknown fruit, 2) To step back a few feet before striking a blow, 3) Not to indulge in sex with any queen and 4) Not to eat flesh of a crow. As the vows were very simple and were not to interfere with his routine life, Vankchool showed his willingness to adopt them. The Acharya was glad to learn that, but he pointed out that once he took the vows, he must observe them without any lapse. Since taking of those vows could not any way affect his mode of life, Vankchool took the vows with an undertaking to observe them at any cost.
Shortly afterwards, Vankchool embarked upon a daring dacoity on a caravan very far away from his place. Collecting many valuables, Vankchool came to a nearby forest along with three of his principal colleagues. Since they had been very hungry, one of the colleagues looked around and chanced to see some ripe fruits on a tree. He plucked them and brought to Vankchool. They did not know what type of fruits they were, but the fruits were very pleasing and were full of juice. Remembering his vow, Vankchool refused to eat before he could know the name of the fruit. In fact, they were the fruits of Kimpak tree that could cause instant death. His colleagues could not resist the temptation of eating those fruits and died on the spot. Vankchool now realized how the simple vow that he had taken, had saved his life. He felt a sense of gratitude for the Acharya.
On another occasion, Vankchool had been out and came home after midnight. As he opened the door of his bedroom, he got shocked to see that his wife was asleep with a young man by her side. He could not face that sight and decided to kill both of them with his sword. As he raised his sword, he remembered his vow to step back. While doing so his sword touched the wall behind and created shrill sound. On hearing the sound, the youth got up and Vankchool could see that it was his sister in the male dress. Pushpachoolä had been to witness a fun show in the disguise of a male. On way back she was too tired; so instead of making her bed she had fallen on the bed along with her sister in law. Vankchool once again realized how the seemingly innocent vow had saved him from killing his own sister. He felt very grateful to the Acharya and repented that he did not listen to him for four months during which the monks stayed in his settlement. He thought that if he came across the Acharya once again, he would follow his advice in every respect.
He felt that for following the Acharya he should change his life. For that purpose he thought to undertake a daring burglary so as to gain enough wealth for the rest of his life. Ujjayini was a very prosperous city of that time. He therefore decided to burglarize the royal palace there. Accordingly he once came upon Ujjayini at midnight. Secretly approaching the palace, he climbed over a wall and happened to enter the royal bedroom. The king had been busy with some state affairs and his queen was waiting in the bedroom since long. As she saw Vankchool entering the bedroom, she was first taken aback. But looking at his handsome and youthful body, she got