Jaina Literature in Tamil

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

Page 99

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A. CHAKRAVARTI : diately ran towards the udayāna in front of the people returning home after the festival. Just then he saw Guņamālā returning home with her attendants. They were all frightened at the sight of the mad elephant. Jīvaka rushed to their rescue, subdued the king's elephant and made it return home quietly; and thus made the way clear for Guņamālā and her friends. While Guņamālā saw the beautiful prince, she immediately fell in love with him. This was reported to her parents who arranged for the marriage of Guņamālā with Jivaka, which was accordingly celebrated. But the king Kațțiyangāran came to know of the chastisement of his royal elephant and sent his sons and brother-inlaw Madanan to bring this chetty boy Jivaka. They, with a number of soldiers, came and surrounded Kandukkadan's house. Though Jivaka wanted to fight against them, he remembered his promise to his guru to keep quiet for one full year and therefore was not in a position to defend himself. Thus in difficulty he remembered his friend Sudañjaņadēva who immediately brought about a cyclone and rain and thus created confusion among his enemies. In this confusion Jīvaka was lifted and carried away by his friend Sudañjaņadēva to his own place. The king's officers, in their confusion, were not able to find out Jivaka. They killed some one else; and reported the matter to the king that they could not bring Jivaka alive and therefore they had to kill him in the confusion created by the cyclone. The king was very much pleased with this result and rewarded them all amply.