________________
211
even as a serpent leaves a house. Then I died with my anger still more violently kindled against the hermits, and became a serpent in that very forest of ascetics. Once on a time, puffing out my hood, I rushed to bite you ;* but when you saw me, you recited the charm of the five chiefs of religion; the moment that charm reached my ears, my advance was checked, and I again entered my hole. One day I heard you teaching religion to the ascetics, to the effect that whoever, actuated by anger, pride, delusion, and greed, kills a living creature, suffers terrible agonies in a future birth. Then I said to myself: “Alas! what will become of me, since I live by destroying life? Moreover, I have seen these ascetics somewhere before.” While I was thus intently reflecting, there arose in me recollection of my former birth. I reprobated with horror my former evil deeds, and had recourse to starvation. I then died, and was born as a god in Saudharma, Kusumaprabha by name; and as it is owing to hearing your religious discourse that I have become a god, I have come here looking upon you 48 my benefactor. So I am your son in the faith.' He then said to the ascetics : 'Pardon my former anger against you.' He observed the vow of a layman which he had formerly made. He dragged out that body of a serpent from a mountain ravine, and suspended it on a tree, and said: "Whoever shall indulge in anger, he, like Karpara; shall become a serpent in a subsequent birth.' Then the abbot, being alarmed in mind, said to the kevalin : ‘Admit me to a vow, reverend sir.' Then the kevalin answered :: * This spiritual teacher Yacobhadra will admit you to a vow. The abbot said again: 'Reverend sir, how did you take a vow?' The kevalin said: 'I am the son of Kúvara, in the city of Koçalá, and Keçarin, the king of the city of Sangá, gave me his own daughter, Bandhumatí by name. By order of my father I went there and married that maiden. When I returned with her I saw on the way a teacher named Jayabhadra, who had arrived. I adored him with the utmost devotion, and I heard from his mouth
* I change the darçanártham of the MSS. into daçanártham.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
