Life and Stories of Jaina Savior Parcvanatha

Author(s): Maurice Bloomfield
Publisher: Maurice Bloomfield

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Life and Stories of Pārçvanātha
begging alms from door to door. Overcome by pity, Lalitānga had him cited to his presence, and asked whether he knew him. Sajjana did not recognize him, but taking him to be a strange king, replied: Who does not know the sun, or the cloud high in heaven? '17 Lalitānga then recalled himself to his memory, by telling how he had plucked out his eyes, whereupon Sajjana stood with his face downcast, as if desirous to escape even into hell. But the king made him bathe, take food, and put on becoming clothes, saying: “To-day my kingdom has borne fruit, since in it you, my comrade in misfortune,18 have arrived. Therefore enjoy happiness with a mind free from care!! Sajjana then, in pretended humility and contrition, told a hard-luck story: how, after leaving Lalitāñga, he had been attacked by thieves, robbed, and beaten; and how he had come to realize with his own eyes the fruit of sin. He did not consider himself fit to associate with the king. But Lalitāñga generously pointed out that he would not have attained his own exalted and happy state, but for Sajjana's companionship. Sajjana had been the touchstone wherewith the gold of Lalitāñga's virtue had been tested (269-295).
Queen Puşpāvatī, suspicious of Sajjana, advised Lalitānga to treat him generously, but to keep him at a distance. They should no more associate than the swan and the crow (296-305):
Fable of the swan and the crow 19
A crow, while hunting fish, tumbled into a pool, and was rescued by a hansa-bird and his mate on the plan
17 For this trait see my paper on Müladeva, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. lii, p. 649.
1 Cf. this text 3. 321, and Müladeva, I. c., p. 643. 19 See additional note 7 on p. 187.