Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

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NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
finally attain liberation. The royal priest Mahesaradatta celebrated human sacrifices so that the king's enemies might be destroyed. This sin took him to hell whence he was reborn as Bahassaïdatta, the family priest, with free access to the royal harem. On account of his vicious relation with the queen, the king ordered him to be impaled, publicly. Mahāvīra predicted that his soul would pass through various lower births, become a human being, practise asceticism and finally attain liberation. Dujjohaṇa was a cruel jailor that inflicted manifold tortures on the convicts. He went to hell and was thence born as prince Nandivardhana who tried to murder his father Siridāma through a barber but was detected and ordered to be executed. Mahāvīra foretells that he would migrate like Ujjhiyaya and attain liberation. The physician Dhanvantari enjoyed and prescribed meat-preparations, and this sin led his soul to hell. Thence he was born as a merchantprince Umbaradatta. He proved a bane to the family, and wandered in the town suffering from several diseases simultaneously. Mahāvīra prophesied that his future fate would be similar to that of Miyāputta. The cook Sirīya employed hunters, fowlers and fishermen to catch animals, birds and fish, and enjoyed and sold meat-dishes. In the subsequent birth, he was born as the fisherman Soriyadatta. Not only he sold fish to the public but also enjoyed fish-preparations. He suffered terribly on account of a fish-bone sticking in his throat. His future career, Mahāvīra said, would be like that of Miyaputta. King Sihasena burnt alive his 499 queens and their mothers who conspired against the life of Sāmā, his favourite queen. By this sin he was destined to go to hell whence he was born as a beautiful daughter Devadattā. She was married to Pusanandi who was very much attached to his mother. She did not like this and killed the mother-in-law with a hot iron bar. The king ordered Devadattā to be impaled. Her future career would be like that of Miyaputta. The courtezan Puḍhavisirī seduced many persons of different status in life. As a result of this sin, she went to hell and was further reborn as a beautiful girl Añjū. She became a queen but suffered a lot on account of her vaginal pain which was incurable. Her future career, Mahāvira
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