________________ ANALYSIS OF THE WORK XXIII attracted the attention of the king who, on inquiry, was told that it was the picture of Prthvidevi, the daughter of the king of Girinagara in Saurastra who had expressed his willingness to marry her to him. On hearing this the king sent the merchant and his minister, with many presents, to Girinagara. They brought the princess to Kanakapur where the marriage was celebrated, 2. One day the king went to the pleasure garden with all the inmates of his harem. Both his queens came out with their retinue and Pothvidevi was dazzled to see the splendour of her rival's entourage. Being overcome with a feeling of jealousy she went to the temple to pacify her mind. There she worshipped the Jina and learnt from sage Pihitasrava that she was soon going to be blessed with a son. She returned to the palace feeling very happy. In the meantime, the king, during his water-sports, discovered her absence and, on learning the facts from a servant, went in search of her, first to the temple and then to the palace. The queen had already forgotten her woes in the hopes aroused by the prophecy of the sage about which she now informed the king. Both of them then revisited the sage in order to get themselves reassured. On this occasion the sage told something more about their would-be son, i.e. the steel-gate. of the temple would give way at the touch of his toe and he would fall in a well and be protected by a Naga and fondled by the Naginis. In due course, the child was born. When it grew up a little the parents went out with it to the Jina temple which, to their great disappointment, they found strongly closed. Eventually, the king remembered the prophecy of the sage and the gate was opened by the touch of the child's toe. While the king was engaged in worshipping the Jina and the nurses were indulging in sports in the garden, the child slipped from their hands and fell down in a well. An alarm was raised and the parents rushed to the spot. The mother even threw herself into the well. But the Nagas prevented all injury to the child and the mother. The child was named Prajabandhura by its father and Nagakumara by the Naga who adopted it. The prophecy of the sage was, thus, fulfilled. When the child grew up, the Naga took him to his home. 3. The Naga taught the prince various arts and sciences including politics. After his education he returned to his father. One pancasugandhini arrived at the palace in search of a divine lute-player who could tell the respective ages of her two daughters, Kinnari and Manohari, by observing their performance with the lute. Nagakumara satisfied her curiosity and won the hearts of the two girls by his skill. He later on married them by the advice of his father who said ''a gem of a woman should be acquired even though stockless." One day, Nagak. with his wives, went to a lake for water-sports. His mothor went forth to present him with garments for wearing after the bath. Her rival Visalanetra, saw her opportunity. Drawing the attention of the king she said "Look, my lord, your dear wife is going to her paramour." The king continued to watch the movements of the queen and when he saw her joining her son, he reprimanded Visalanetra for speaking ill of the virtuous lady. He, however, understood their jealousy and fearing danger to the life of Nagak., he instructed Psthvidevi not to allow her son to make any more rambles in the town. This the queen took as an insult, and, in a spirit of defiance, directly asked her son to have an elephant-ride round the capital. The king discovered the effrontery of his wife and punished her by the P.P.AC. Gunratnasuri M.S. Jun Gun Aaradhak Trust
