Book Title: Jivandhar Champu
Author(s): Pannalal Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

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Page 17
________________ (6) marriage along with the parental gift of the bow and arrows. After some days, as already predicted in the contest of archers, Jivandhara dispatched an arrow in such a way that it turned round near the target and flew back as expected; and as a consequence of this successful feat, princess Hemābbā wis bestowed on him in marriage along with the gift of great riches. He instructed his brothers-in-law in various arts there, while, under instructions from Gandharvadattā, his fosterbrother Vandādhya visited him secretly by using the miraculous couch Smaratarangiņi. Princess Sricandrā, at the beginning of youth, chanced to observe in the courtyard of the palace a couple of pegions in intense love. She recollected her former birth and fell into a swoon. When she was brought back to consciousness, she confided to her friend what she recollected to the surprise of all. With a view to search her husband, her former births were painted on cloth and exhibited publicly; and in due course she was bestowed on Nandādhya who also fainted at the sight of the painting. In the battle that followed with a tribal chief, Jivandhara came out morally victorious. In course of narration, the earlier births of Jivandhara are disclosed. In a fight against the robbers, he found his kith and kin among the opponents; and they all formed a family group to their joy. Jivandhara was separated from his family for sixteen years, for, in one of his former births, he had separated the young one of a flamingo from its parents for sixteen months. Now in that hermitage he meets his mother whose joy knew no bounds. His friend Yaksa also joined him on that happy occasion. The mother spoke to the prince in secret as follows : 'Kāşthāngāraka has slain your father, the great king Satyandhara at Rājapura, and is ruling the kingdom. It does not become you who are high-minded to renounce your father's throne which is now occupied by your enemy. He assured the mother that he was awaiting a favourable moment for the enterprise. And when this plan is carried out, he would send an army under Nandādhya to fetch her; till then she should stay there. He made all arrangements for her comforts and reached Rājapura. By the power of the magic ring Jivandhara assumed the disguise of a Vaisya and resided with a merchant at Rājapura. His presence, the merchant Sāgaradatta thought, brought to him unheard of profit and bestowed his daughter Vimalā on him, because she was prophesied by an astrologer to be destined to be his wife.

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