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NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
85
with stories and pious instructions concerning the religion of the Jina. Two younger wives of King Satyandhara, and the wives of the four most faithful followers of the king, also bear sons, who are all brought up together by Gandhotkata, and Nandā also bears another son Nandādhya, who grows up with the seven boys. As he advances in years, Jivandhara evinces exceptional wisdom. For instance he weeps, as children do, because his food was too hot. When the ascetic who is present, admonishes him, telling him that a sensible child should not weep, the boy replies, asking him whether he is not aware that weeping has the following advantages : The mucus collected in the body flows out, the eyes become clear, and the food becomes throughly cooled. The ascetic, who had formerly been a king, becomes the teacher of Jīvandhara and the other boys.
In consequence of his good deeds in previous incarnations, Jivandhara after he has attained to manhood, wins eight beautiful women as his wives one after another. The Vidyādhara prince Garudavega wishes to marry his charming daughter Gandharvadattā, a pious devotee of the Jinas. He arranges a self-choice. The princess appears in the hall which has been erected for this purpose, with a lute, on which she plays beautifully, accompanying the music by song. Jīvandhara steps into the hall to take part in a musical contest. However, he returns as being unsuitable the lutes which are handed to him, and asks whether he may have the princess's lute. She hands it to him, and he now plays and sings far more beautifully, whereupon she hands him the wreath and selects him as her husband.
Jivandhara gives further proof of exceptional wisdom and bravery. He decides the quarrel between two maidens, Suramañjari and Gunamālā as to the goodness of their perfumes, by scattering the powders, whereupon it is seen that the bees swarm to the more sweetly scented powder that of Suramañjarī. He also tames a furious elephant. On this occasion Suramañjarī falls in love with the prince, and he accepts her as his second wife. He rescues a dog, which is being persecuted by bad boys, from it tormentors. The dog remembers its former incarnation, and transform
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