Book Title: Kathakoca or Treasury of Stories
Author(s): C H Tawney
Publisher: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation New Delhi

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 170
________________ 144 man of absclute knowledge, what course I ought to take. He said: “The man who shall subdue your mighty elephant shall inherit your kingdom.” So release me, and receive my kingdom, in order that I may take a vow.' Then King Ratnaçikha consented to the proposal of Vasutejas, and Vasutejas established him in his kingdom. Then King Ratnaçikha remained in that kingdom in the enjoyment of pleasures. In the meanwhile the Vidyadhara Çaçivega heard that Ratnaçikha had succeeded in obtaining the kingdom. So he came there in person and gave him his daughter Chandraprabhá, and the science named Invincible, with a thousand other sciences. When the Vidyadhara Suvega heard that circumstance, he came there in the form of an elephant, and remained in the garden of the city of Sugríva. Thereupon King Ratnaçikha came to that park, with a small escort, out of curiosity. After he had for a long time made that wild elephant run about, he tamed it. Then the king got up and sat on the elephant's back, and, lo! the elephant flew up into the air. Then the king struck the elephant on the head with a blow of his fist, which resembled a blow from a rod of adamant. Then the Vidyádbara, having his body paralyzed by this terrific blow, forgot his spells, and fell on the surface of the earth, displaying his real form. Then the Vidyádhárå rolled on the ground, saying: 'Honour to the Jaina saints!' King Ratnaçikha said to himself: 'Oh! he remembers the sacred formula when he is in difficulties, so he is fortunate.' Thereupon he sprinkled him with water. When Ratnaçikha had restored him with fanning, he said to him : Great sir, pardon my offence.' Then the Vidyadhara said: King, as you did not know my real nature, you committed no offence; it is I that committed an offence in this, since, though I knew the facts, I acted thus treacherously against a great brother in the faith.' The king asked the Vidyadhara : 'Great sir, who are you?' The Vidyádhara said: 'I am a Vidyadhara named Suvega, the lord of the city of Chakrapura. Through partiality for Súravega, the son of my sister, I drove Çaçivega out of his kingdom, and Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288