Lilavati Sara

Author(s): Jinratnasuri, H C Bhayani, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 28

Introduction
hell. When the king requested the preceptor to illustrate the point by concrete instances from actual life, he pointed out one- Kanakaratha, the son of Padmaratha, who was sitted in the assembly and narrated his story as follows (1-27) :
The Story of Yaśoravi (28-235)
In the city of Bhrgukaccha there was a businessman named Aditya, who had a wife named Sumangalā. Their son Yasoravi was a born miser, interested only in earning and storing wealth. Once he heard about the opportunity of making boundless profit in Ratnadvipa, and decided to make business trip to that country. Loading a ship with merchandise. be left. He safely reached Vijayapura, the chief port of Ratnadvipa. There he kept on hire a house of Vasumitra His goods were sold at great profit. Seeing Vasumitra's treasure of jewels he became covetous. So he induced the former to accompany him to Bbrgukacch, where jewels sold at a huge profit. Even though his parents were against this trip, Vasumitra left Vijayapura with Yośsravi, who persuaded him not to take any servants, and to declare to fellow travellers on the ship that he (Vasumitra) was making just a pleasure trip After five days of the voyage, Yaśoravi secretly poisoned Vasumitra, who died consequently.
Vasuniira was born as an Agnikumāra god in the heaven. Coming to know through his divine power about Yaśoravi's treachery, he produced a thunderstorm to drown Yaśoravi's ship The crew prayed to save them and punish only the culprit. So the god threw Yaśoravi into the sea, and took the ship to his earstwhile father in Vijayapura. Yaśoravi's companions returned to Bhrgukaccha and informed his parents about his fate.
Yaśoravi was picked up from the sea by a Bhāranda bird, which as it proceeded towards its nest on the seashore, was attacked by another bird. They began to fight with their beaks for the prey. Yaśoravi fell from the clutches of the bird and swooped. When he gained consciousness, he found himself all alone on an island. While he was thinking how to carry with bim camphor, cardamoms sandalwood etc., which he found alround there io abundance, he sighted two men. They told him they were there in search of a magic herb from which an elixir giving eternal youth and immortality could bo prepared. Yaśoravi was caught in their trap. They planned to sacrifice him