Jaina Literature in Tamil

Author(s): A Chakravarti, K V Ramesh
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 96

JAINA LITERATURE IN TAMIL
71
would recover his kingdom after that period and discovered to him his own identity. Afterwards the guru left him and went his own way to perform tapas and attain Nirvāṇa after worshipping at the feet of the 24th Tirthankara Mahāvīra. Thus ends the first chapter devoted to the education of the prince Jīvaka, hence called Nāmagal-ilambakam, Nāmagal meaning Sarasvati, the Goddess of tongue or speech.
2. Govindaiyār-ilambakam—While the prince was spending his time with his chetty cousins in the family of Kandukkadan, the hill tribes from the borders carried away the cattle belonging to the king. The shepherds in charge of the cows, being unable to prevent this, ran to the king for help. The king immediately ordered his 100 sons to go and fight the hunters and recover the cattle. But they were all defeated by the hill tribes. The king did not know what to do next. But the chief of the shepherds had it published in the city that he would give away in marriage his daughter Govindā to any one who could successfully recover and and bring back the king's cows. Jivaka heard this proclamation, went in pursuit of these vēdars, and recovered all the cows. Since it would not be proper for a kşatriya to marry a shephed maid, he, with the consent of Nandakõn, the shepherd chief, had Govindā married to his friend and associate Padumuhan. Thus ends the second chapter dealing with the marriage of Govindā.
3. Gandharvadattai yār-ilambakam-Gāndharvadattā was the daughter of a Vidyādhara king named