Life and Stories of Jaina Savior Parcvanatha

Author(s): Maurice Bloomfield
Publisher: Maurice Bloomfield

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Life and Stories of Pārçvanātha
he might further test the queen. When the queen awoke, and saw the parrot still, she tried to rouse him with tender words and endearments. Failing to do so, she fell into a faint, and, when she came to, mourned the parrot piteously, but finally bathed and anointed his body, preparatory to his funeral rites, in the course of which she would, as a faithful wife, commit her body to the flames along with her spouse.
When the fake king heard this he exclaimed in con-' sternation, · Alas, alas, this kingdom, without Kamalāvati, will be profitless to me: I must restore her to life.' He left the body which he had usurped, and entered that of the parrot. The king promptly left the lizard, and resumed his own body. Resplendent, like a mighty mass of glowing clouds, Vikrama quickly went to the presence of the queen (305). At the sight of him Kamalāvati grew radiant as a garland of lotuses. Having perceived that his speech, his gait, his habit, and his regard were just as before, she fell at his feet and clung to him. The king teased her about her love for the parrot, but she averred that the parrot was now violently repulsive to her (312).
The king took the parrot in his hand and said: "What have we here, O Brahman?' The parrot replied: "That which befits them that deceive their teacher, their king, and their friend.' The king, recognizing his contrition, consoled him by pointing out that his companionship had enabled him to pass the troublous experience of the science.13 Then the Brahman showed that he was fully penitent: 'Full well thou knowest, О king, what sort of companionship thou didst enjoy with me, that has strayed from my own house and body-tricker of friend, sovereign, and teacher. It does not befit thee to see and to
" See the note 18 above on p. 32.