Life and Stories of Jaina Savior Parcvanatha

Author(s): Maurice Bloomfield
Publisher: Maurice Bloomfield

Page 18

Life and Stories of Pārçvanatha
under magnificent auspices King Aravinda with his wife Dharaṇī. Aravinda has a Purohita, Viçvabhūti, whose wife, Anuddhara, bears him two sons Kamatha and Marubhūti. Kamatha has for wife Varuṇā; Marubhūti's spouse is Vasumdhara. Viçvabhūti retires from active life to pious contemplation, dies, and goes to heaven, followed there by his desolated widow, Anuddharā. Kamaṭha and Marubhūti remain behind, sorrowing for their parents. A great Sage, Hariçcandra, preaches the Law to such purpose, that Marubhuti is weaned from all terrestrial attachments and becomes a disciple, whereas Kamatha, whose heart is not pierced by the Sage's instruction, remains a slave of his passions. Owing to Marubhuti's abstention, his wife, Vasumdhara, lives in enforced chastity, and becomes love-mad. For a time she repels Kamatha's advances, but finally submits to his unbridled lust. Blinded by love, they live in incestuous adultery. Varuņā, Kamaṭha's wife, observing, reports the affair to Marubhuti. Whereupon he goes to a distant village, returns in the guise of a holy beggar, and asks Kamatha for shelter. Kamatha permits him a nook in his house, so that, while pretending sleep, he becomes witness to the misconduct of his brother with his own sister-in-law. He reports the affair to King Aravinda, just but stern monarch. The King has Kamatha mounted upon an ass, marked with many insignia of shame, and expelled from the city.
Kamatha, disgraced, deprived of wealth and relatives, roams solitarily in the forest, broods revenge, and bides his time. He happens upon a hermitage in the forest, takes sacred vows, and practices asceticism upon a moun
L: Anudari.
First pre-birth of the pair.
'For Bh.'s gṛhakone L. has caturhastamadhye.