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NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
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the princes a powder which has the power to make people docile to one's wishes. The princes laugh, and say he should make the maiden Guņamālā, who has become a man-hater since Jivandhara declared her perfume to be inferior, docile. He boasts that he will win Gunamālā. He goes to her and announces his arrival. She asks: "Whence have you come, and whither are you going"? He replies : 'I have come afterwards, I shall go again before." As the waiting-maids laugh at this reply, he says : “Do not laugh, old age brings perversity in its train; will this not be your lot also?" Gunamālā asks again : "Whither are you going?" He answers : “I shall go so long, until I reach a worthy maiden." When she heard this, she said jokingly : “He is old in body and in years, but not in his heart," gave him a place of honour, ate with him and said : "Now go quickly where you want to go." He praised her, and said : “You have said well, my dear one," rose with an effort, supported by his stick, and sat down upon her couch, as if she had said that he was to do this. When the waiting-maids saw this, they exclaimed : "Just see this impertinence !" and were about to drive him away. But Gunamālā has a feeling tl this is no ordinary Brahman, and restrains the maids, saying: "What harm is there ? The Brahman is my guest, let him stay here." At the end of the night he sang sweet melodies, which reminded Guņamālā of Jivandhara's singing at Gandharvadattā's self-choice. Finally he discloses his identity, and receives Guņamālā as a wife from her parents. The merchant Gandhotkața arranges a feast.
Soon after this Jivandhara wins Ratnavati, the daughter of King Videha, as his eighth wife, this time again through his skill in drawing the bow. Kāşthāngāraka and other persons of evil intent, try to carry away his wife in a fight. Jivadhara notices this, reveals his identity to the former vassals of Satyandhara as the son of the old king, fights with them against Kāșthāngāraka, defeats his army and cuts off his head. After he has duly worshipped the Jinas, he is anointed king, celebrates his marriage with Ratnavati, crowns Gandharvadattā as first queen, and lives happily as a good sovereign with his mother, his wives and friends, enjoying the reward of his former good deeds. One day he
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