Jinamanjari 2001 09 No 24

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 62

and corruption for allowing her simple-minded son to associate with the Digambaras, who like magicians, were so skilled in deluding the world!
An animated discussion ensued between mother and son on such controversial topics as animal sacrifice and various other Brahmanical tenets and practices, all of which were subjected to adverse criticism by Yasodhara. While Candramati exhorted her son to worship Hindu gods such as Siva or Vishnu, or the sun, he picked holes in the Brahmanical religion and sought to establish the antiquity and prestige of the Jaina faith by citing various texts in support of his thesis. Candramati felt herself to be worsted in the argument,
and ultimately persuaded Yasodhara in the name of filial piety to accept a compromise whereby he would sacrifice to the tutelary goddess a rooster made out of wheat flour; and partake of the offering, imagining it to be the bird's flesh.
While orders were given to make such a figure and decorate the temple of the goddess, Amrtamati came to know of the happenings at the court and at once understood that the story of the dream was only a feint. She also realized that she had been detected in her escapade of the previous night. She decided to act quickly and made up her mind to strike Yasodhara before he could strike her. Accordingly, she sent to him her chief minister with a message declaring her willingness to sacrifice herself before the goddess in order to counteract the evil effect of the king's dream and ensure his safety. Furthermore, she begged that should the king decide to renounce the world she might be permitted to accompany him to the woods, like the devoted wives. Then, she invited Yasodhara and his mother to a banquet in her house after the worship of the goddess was over. Yasodhara accepted the invitation and sent back the queen's minister. The treachery and hypocrisy of Amrtamati served only to deepen Yasodhara's hatred of her, but still he decided to abide by his promise to eat in her house. Meanwhile, the sound of music accompanying the dance of courtesans in the streets announced to the citizens that Candramati and her retinue were on their way to the temple. Yasodhara also started for the same place on the back of an elephant amidst a host of evil omens. Arriving at the temple he severed the head of the rooster made out of flour dough with a knife, according to the instructions
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