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INTRODUCTION
49
prarnamakşara-racita are duly illustrated. She changed her mind and expressed her desire rather to know how he came to this far-off country and completed the verse than to spend time on these diversions. Kuvalayacandra narrated his tale right from his birth to his marriage with her, and incidentally the career of the Five ($ 281): he reminded her that it was his duty to enlighten her and that, therefore, she should accept samyaktva, which is rare and unique (illustrated with apt similes, $ 282). He further urged her to follow Jinadharma which is the shelter and rescue for souls wandering in Saṁsāra, and have the highest respect for the Tirthakara. He requested her to reco agreement in the past life, and follow the words of Jina. She accepted all that he said and felt enlightened in the religion of Jina (Pages 170.4-180.12; *65.36- *66.31).
[vi. Kuvalayacandra Starts Back for Ayodhya ]
KUVALAYACANDRA ETC. START FOR AYODHYA WITH AUSPICIOUS OMENS AND MEET A MONK: Kuvalayacandra received a letter from king Drdhavarman asking him to return to Ayodhyā at the earliest along with Mahendra. He consulted his beloved who agreed to his decision; and king Vijaya also felt that they should return home early. The necessary preparations for the journey were made, and the date of departure was fixed by the astrologer. Kuvalayamālā took leave of the trees etc. in the garden (180.31-181.13) and of the domestic birds and beasts (181.16-24) with a touch of sentiment. The rituals of the departure for the couple were gone through (181.25-27); and at the auspicious moment, they started. As the couple mounted, the triumphant elephant and proceeded along the road, the onlooking town girls entertained various thoughts and gave expressions to different views about them both (details given, 182.4-183.3). After leaving the metropolis, they camped at a distance. The prince offered worship to Jina; and, in response to his appeal, the Pravacanadevatā presented an auspicious sakuna simultaneously with which king Jayanta of Jayanti presented him with a prominent umbrella: the prince felt that all his desires would be fulfilled. Incidentally, he gave her an exposition on the sakunas, good and bad (183.24-184.20), and explained to her that they are after all consequences of one's own Karmas: the worship of Jina, in the samavasaraņa, leads to the fruit of Punya. From the next halt, the king, queen and the citizens (who were accompanying them for a distance) returned, at the prince's request, to the metropolis. The prince, in his onward travel, camped in the vicinity of the Sahya mountain. It was reported to him that there had arrived a Saint of charming personality, the hair on whose head was pulled out, who was wearing a white garment, and who had a piccha in his hand to be distinguished from a tāpasa or tridandin). The prince could see that he had recently entered the order and that there was something superhuman about him. On being saluted by the prince and his beloved, the saint blessed them with dharma-labha, and, on being inquired of, started narrating his biography (Pages 180.13-185.6; *66.36- *67.34).
SAINT BHĀNU'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH THE PAINTINGS OF SAMSĀRA-CAKRA: “In the country of Lāța, known for its dresses and
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