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trees, lotus pools, and vernal bowers. “There the travelers wear beautiful, unsteady wreaths of toy-lotus blossoms, and are protected from the sun by the shade of the leaves of the woodland trees alongside the roads. Their fatigue is removed by the breezes coming from the neighboring pools of water, full to the brim. Delighted with the flowers, and contented with the fruits, they indulge in sports in the waters."
In that country was the famous city of Ujjain were reigned a great king named Yahorgha. He had many fine qualities that were said to be given in the following way: "The Mandara mountain gave him the quality of firmness, the ocean give him depth, the god of love gave him beauty, the Earth gave him the virtue of forbearance, and the sky gave him dignity, the goddess of speech gave him eloquence, the goddess of wealth gave him success in the art of commanding, the Chintāmani gem gave him intellectual power, and the family goddess gave him physical fitness, while the god of death gave him the power of bringing all men under his control. In this way, other deities too, gave him their essential qualities, such as ancestral wealth.
[Pause for a while to make the story more simple, and add to it fascination. Yahorgha had a consort whose name was Candramati, who is no other that ascetic girl Abhayamati in her present birth. Yahorgha and Candramati had a son named Yaşodhara, and is none other than ascetic boy Abhayaruci in his present birth. What follows may be termed the Story of Yaşodhara. Throughout the narrative Abhayaruci identifies himself with Yaşodhara and speaks in the first person. Yaşastilaka is another name for Abhayaruci. How Yaşodhara becomes 'Abhayaruci' is explained as the story progresses.]
One day king Yaḥorgha happened to see a growth of gray hair on this head, and immediately his thoughts turned to renunciation of worldly ties. His mind reflected on the twelve topics of meditation prescribed by the Jaina faith, commonly known as the "Anupreksās". The king gave orders for the marriage and coronation of his son Yaşodhara. Thereafter he renounced the world and took the monastic vow under the direction of a learned Jain sage.
[Abhayaruci now relates an episode of his married life (when his soul was in the form as Yaşodhara), which is the
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