Lilavati Sara

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

Page 32

Introduction
The Story of Ka akaratha (396-522)
The soul of Vasunanda was reborn in the city named Kämpilya as Kapakaratha, the son of king Padmaratha and his queen Padrāvall. He was educated properly and married suitably. The king took out a procession, with the pricce in the forefront, through various parts of the city such as the shops of jewellers and mercbants, apartments of wealthy citizens and feudal lords and the main roads and bazars, with a vew to witness the prosperity of his subjects. But this trip aroused the innate instinct of greed in the prince. When at the end of the day the king, the queen and the prince were alone, the prince expressed his viess on the unde sirability of citizens possessing wealth in excess of their necessity. He pleaded for confiscating all the surplus wealth. This, he said, was absolutely essential for maintaining a powerful army, which only could make a king sovereign. The king said that it was their duty to protect the subjects, To confiscate the property of the subjects was against their family tradition. The prince expressed also the view that the feudal chiefs should be deprived of their riches and should be dispersed. The king agreed to give him a free hand in this matter. The king's chowrie-bearer reported this to her lover Devaraja, a feudatory chief. Another chief named Vatsarāja got this report through his wife, who got it from a merchant's wife, whose source was his son's favorite hertera, who overheard it near the kings bed-room. When Devarāja met Vatsarāja, the latter informed that the princc's plan was to put false charges, impose penalties and then return a part of the wealth as a fresh favour. This przcess was to be repeated periodically. The feudal lords were also to be sent a way to their respective territories, then to be called individually in the fuyal presence and to be chastened similarly. So both Devrāja aud Vatsarāja united all the feudal lords and the ministers, planned to arrest and disledge the king and the prince, and to eathione Arikesarin, the cousin brother of the king. The plan was executed perfectly. Kanakaratha fled.
This was how, said the preceptor, Kanaka: atha had happened to come to the assembly to listen to his discourse.
Thus reminded of his past lives, Konakaratha atoned for his misdeeds and was duly initiated as a disciple by the preceptor.
Canto 7
Consequences of Addiction to the Pleasures of ibe Sense of Touch
Next day on king Vijayasena's request, ite preceptor Sudharnen