Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

Page 80

NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
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duly observed in his body the eleven standards of an uvāsaga, now mortified himself by a course of emaceration continued through one month, during which he deprived himself of sixty meals, remaining entirely without food. At the end of the month alloted for his death, having made confession of sins and promise of amendment, and being sunk in deep spiritual abstraction, he attained his death, and was re-born as a deva in the Aruņābha abode, situated towards the north-east of the grand abode of the Sohamma paradise in the Sohamma heaven. There a certain class of devas is ordained to enjoy an existence through four paliovama periods. There Kāmadeva also is ordained to enjoy an existence through four paliovama periods.
125. Then Goyama enquired of Mahāvīra : “Reverend Sir, that Kāmadeva, on making his descent from that world of devas, after the termination of his alloted life, existence and period, - where will he go to, where will he be reborn?"
Mahāvīra replied : "O Goyama, in the Great Videha country he will attain perfection."
[Taken from the translation of Uvāsagadasāsutta by A.F. Rudolf Hoernle, The Asiatic Society, Calcutta, 1888]