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JAINA LITERATURE IN TAMIL
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5. Padumaiyār-ilambakam-Since Jivaka expressed his desire to return home, Sudañjaņadēva, before parting with his friend Jivaka, instructed him in three imporant vidyās which might be useful to him in life. These were: (1) the capacity to assume a beautiful form to be envied even by the God of Love, (2) to cure the effects of deadly poison and (3) to take any form desired. After instructing him in these three useful mantras, the dēva directed his friend the way he is to take to reach home. Leaving the land of his friend Sudañjaṇadēva, he roamed about in several places doing useful service to very many who were in suffering. Finally he reached the city of Candrābha in Pallava-dēša. There he became a friend of Lõkapāla, the Pallava prince. This prince's sister Padmā, one day, when she went to gather flowers, got bitten by a cobra. Jivaka saved her from the effect of poison through the mantra given to him by the dëva Sudanjaņa. As a reward of this good service, he had Padmā given to him in marriage by the Pallava king. There he stayed for a few months when he left the city in cognito all of a sudden. The princess was in great sorrow because of the disappearance of her hushand. The king sent messengers in search of his son-in-law Jivaka. They were told by Jivaka himself in disguise that there would be no use in searching for him now, and that he would of his own accord return after nine months. With this glad tidings the messengers went back and comforted the princess Padmā. Thus ends the Padumaiyār-ilambakam.
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