Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

Page 55

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NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
There also lived then in Vāniyagāma, a householder called Ananda, who was prosperous and (here the rest of his epithets to be given, down to) without any equals.
4. That householder Ananda possessed a treasure of four Kror measures of gold deposited in a safe place, a capital of four kror measures of gold put out on interest, a well-stocked estate of the value of four kror measures of gold, and four herds, each herd consisting of ten thousand heads of cattle.
5. That householder Ananda was a person whom many kings and princes (and so forth, down to) merchants made it a point to defer to, and to consult, on many affairs and matters needing advice when there was anything in their own or others' households which required to be hushed up or was merely of private concern or called for some important decision; in short on all sorts of business. He was also the main pillar, as it were, of his own family, their authority, support, mainstay and guide. In short he was a cause of prosperity to whatever business he was concerned with
6. That householder Ananda had a wife called Sivanandā, – a woman perfect in every way (and so forth, down to) beautiful. She was the beloved of her husband. Devoted, attached, and loving, and amenable, severally in speech and the other five ways to amorous enjoyment such as is usual among men, she lived happily with Ananda the householder.
7. Outside of the city of Vāniyagāma, in a north-easterly direction there was a suburb called Kollāga, which was large, strong (and so forth, down to) palatial, etc.
8. There in that station of Kollāga there lived a large number of friends, kinsmen, family members, relatives, connections and dependents of Ananda the householder. who were prosperous and (as above, 93, down to) without any equals.
9. At that time and at that period, the Samaņa the blessed Mahāvīra (as above, 92, down to) arrived on a visit, and a company of people went out to hear him. Then king Jiyasattū also went out to hear him, just as king Kūņiya had done on another occasion, and having done so (and so forth, see S2, down to) he stood waiting on him.
10. Then the householder Āņanda, having been