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JAINA LITERATURE IN TAMIL
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this animosity these two were born as enemies in several successive births. This wicked Vidyadhara whom you want to punish at present was that Satyaghoșa, the minister, who was disgraced on account of his dishonesty. The king Simhasana, after a series of births and deaths, appeared as Sañjayanta who just attained mukti. We are all assembled here to offer pūja to this Sañjayanta who was in his former birth Simhasana-mahārāja. The queen Rāmadattādēvi is myself, I, born at present as Ādityapadēva, and you are the younger brother of this Sañjayanta for you, because of your longing for deva-glory, became Dharaņēndra. Hence it would be advisable on your part to give up this hatred and pursue the path of righteousness. Dharaņēndra accepted this advice given by his brother dēva, got rid of this hatred, and began to meditate upon dharma. The wicked Vidyadhara Vidyuddanta, who was listening to this story, was also ashamed of his past and resolved to lead a better life thereafter. Then the two dëvas, Adityāpadēva and Dharaņēndra, who were formerly the queen Rāmadattādēvi and her son respectively, after a period of dēvahood, were born as sons to the king Anantavīrya who ruled Uttara-Madurā. This king had two queens, Mērumālini and Amstamatī. Ādityāpa was born as a son to Mērumālini and was named Mēru. Dharaņēndra was born to the second queen Amstamati and was named Mandara. Just about that time Vimala-Tīrthařkara appeared in an udyāna adjoining Uttara-Madurā with the object of teaching the dharma. These two princes, Mēru and Mandara,
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