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Story of Bandhudatta's former lives
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Story of Bandhudatta's former lives 25 Twelve years later in the autumn of the year, Pārçva came to Nāgapurī. Bandhudatta went out to do him honor, and asked what karma of his had caused the death of his first six wives; why his separation from Priyadarçanā; and why his captivity. The saint narrated (199):
In the Vindhya forest lived a fierce Çabara chieftain, Çikharasena, who had a wife, Çrīmati. They entertained a Sādhu who had lost his way, in return for which he instructed them especially in ahińsā.28 Once the chief and his wife were attacked by a lion. The chief was about to discharge his bow, when he was reminded by Srimati of the Sādhu's instruction. He desisted; they were both devoured by the lion, being reborn in the Sāudharma heaven as gods who lived an enormous length of time (209). Çikharasena fell, was reborn in Cakrapuri in Videha as Mrgānka, son of the Bhilla king Kurumrgāñka; his wife, as Vasantasenā, daughter of Kurumrgānka's brother-in-law King Subhūşaņa. Again they were united in marriage. Mrgāñka's father turned ascetic, so that the son becanle king (213). His karma, left over from his Bhilla life, sprang up, to wit: A king, Vardhana in Jayapura, demanded Vasantasenā, his beloved wife, else he would wage war against him. They joined in battle, Vardhana was defeated, fled, but later on engaged Mrgāñka and killed him. Owing to his rāudradhyāna (fierce thought), Mrgāñka went to the sixth hell, joined on the funeral pyre by Vasantasenā (220). Rising thence, they were reborn on the island of Puşkara, in the homes of two laborers, and again married. Owing to
- This episode recurs in Samarådityasarksepa 8. 255 ff. * See above, p. 43.
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