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merit had no meaning and that one must try to avoid the enemy knocking at the door.8
The King :of Mālwā who invaded Gujarāta in Siddbaraja's absence was Narvarman and not Yašovarman. Moreover, Merutunga's statement that the lord of Malwā was induced to retire by making over to him the merit of Siddharāja's pilgrimage to the shrine of Somanātha is of doubtful validity; probably, it was gold that induced him to turn back. It must, however, be said to the credit of Sāntu that he knew how to avoid the enemy knocking at the door.
Merutunga tells a story which gives us an insight into the character of Santu. Once when minister Sāntu went to pray to God in a Jain temple built by him, he saw a Jain monk in the company of a prostitute. He paid obeisance to him according to the rules of his faith, sat near him for some time and went his way. The Jain monk was so much ashamed that he sincerely repented for his conduct, went to Pälitänā and practised austere penance for twelve years. After some years, when Santu went on a pilgrimage to Palitādā, be paid obeisance to the same monk and asked him who his 'Guru' was. The
8 Ibid, p. 142. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
