________________
THE PRINCE AND THE LION
Ghost stories are based upon a dualistic metaphysics of spirit and matter, body and soul, the astral body and the physical body. Ghost stories are as commonplace in India as perhaps anywhere else. In this story, Guruji repeats the third of the stories told to him by his friend, the judge. The story concerns an experience that the judge had while lion-hunting and the meaning of that experience.
In one of the villages, a lion was attacking and killing
I livestock. Since the judge was well-known as a lion-hunter, the villagers went to him and asked if he would hunt the lion and kill him. The judge agreed to the request and on the first night, the judge hid himself in the forest surrounding the village, with his gun and a torch.
Lions, of course, are very superior hunters and they have very keen senses, enabling them to see, hear and to smell their prey from great distances. The judge knew that he would be detected by the lion, so he took few precautions to conceal himself. His first thought was to protect himself against a possible charge from the lion. So he positioned himself on top of the ruins of a great wall that once surrounded an old castle. From there, he could see the village and the forests as well as feel rela
157
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
