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appearance; there they also saw a man on the gallows who was bewailing piteously, miserably, and in a hoarse voice; being frightened and scared away, they approached that man on the gallows and said to him as follows:-"O B., whose is this gallows ? Who are you? From where did you come here ? And who reduced you to this plight ?” Then that man on the gallows spoke to the sons of M, as follows:-"This is O B., the gallows of the R. I hail, O B., from the Jambūdvīpa island, from Bhārata Varşa, from the city of Kākandī. I was a dealer in horses, and I launched my ship on the Lavana-Sea, loaded with plenty of merchandise. Then, with my ship wrecked and all my merchandise drowned, I happened to catch hold of a piece of plank. And then, being carried away, I drifted towards this Ratnadvīpa island. Then that R, saw me, took me (with her), and [P. 7] went on enjoying the various pleasures with me. Then that R. once lost her temper with me for a very trifling offence on my part and reduced me to this miserable plight. So you never can have any idea, O B., to what miserable state your bodies also will be reduced to 1" Then those sons of M. on listening to this from that man on the gallows were terribly frightened, and terrified, and spoke to that man thus:-"OB, how shall we rescue ourselves from the clutches of that R.?” Then that man on the gallows said to the sons of M. as follows:“Here, O B., in the eastern grove, in a temple dedicated to him, resides a Yaks'a, named Sailaka, who has the form of a horse. Now that S'ailaka Yaks'a, when the hour of his coming here has arrived and approached, viz. on the fourteenth, the eighth, the new moon, and on the full-moon (nights), (or coming there at a fixed hour)-says loudly :"Whom shall I save? Whom shall I protect?” Go you, therefore, O B., to the eastern grove and there worship that S'ailaka Yaks'a with plenty of flowers, and bending down on your knees before him, and with your hands folded, you wait upon him. When the S'ailaka Yaks'a would come at: his appointed and fixed hour, and would repeat— "Whom, shall I save, whom shall I protect ? "--you say unto him :--"Save us, protect us!” The Sailaka Yaks'a (alone)
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
