________________ 84 Notes (St. 140-142 disgusted with worldly life and by virtue of extremely pure thought arising, he obtained Kevala knowledge. The Shasana Devata gave him the ascetic garband he went to the abode of the Siddhas after destroying the four Ghati Karmas. The story of Ilaputra can be sketched as follows--In the city of Vasantapura, there lived a Brahmana named Agnisarman with his wife Somala. They took to ascetic life on hearing the sermon of a Sidhu. They went to Heaven by virtue of death by fast. Thence Agnisarman dropped down and was born in a Bania family in the city Ilavardhana. He was called Ilaputra. Somala also dropped down and was born as the daughter of an acrobat. Ilaputra saw Somala, his wife in his previous birth, dancing, and became enamoured of her. The father of the girl would not offer the girl to Ilaputra. He at last consented provided Ilaputra learnt the profession of acrobats. After Ilaputra did it, the father sent him with the girl to the king of Bennatata to show their performance and bring money. Before the King and 500 princes, he began dancing on bamboos, the girl sounding the drum at the foot of the bamboo. The King became enamoured of the girl and wished Ilaputra fell down and died. On the king asking Ilaputra to repeat his perform
