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PRABUDDHA JIVAN
JULY 2013
Rup-Arup (Beautiful-Ugly
A Story From Aagam Katha
Gujarati : ACHARYA VATSALYADEEPJI . English Translation : PUSHPA PARIKH
Shankh a king of Mathura was a staunch Jain. He supposed to kill a non-poisonous serpant. Harikeshibal became a Jain Saint also. He studied a lot of philoso- heard these words and was astonished. He started phy and practised meditation and there by he achieved thinking about his own nature. He also realised that certain peculiar qualities also.
people will hit a person who possesses a revengeful Once while travelling during his Vihar-he visited nature. They will be good with god people. How is it Hastinapur city. One particular road in that city used to that nobody likes me? I think it is because of my nature be hot throughout a year. No body could walk on that only. Definately it is my bad nature and my mistake road. The saint (Muni) was unknown about the city only. I should improve. Henceforth he decided to live roads. There was one Brahmin who was against other such a life that people would honour him and love him. religions except Hindu. Muni asked him whether he During his thought process he happened to see one could go by that hot road. Brahmin being jealous said, muni passing by. He approached him and conveyed 'yes, you can very easily go by that road.' So muni his wish for improvement. Muni advised him in a right went by that road without any expressions on his face manner. Harikeshibal expressed his wish to become a and very easily also. Brahmin was surprised. He also sanyasi-a muni-but he was hasitating as he was born felt that the muni seems to be very powerful and he in a lower class family. The muni told him Religion has also ran after him. While running he also experienced nothing to do with caste or community. Anybody can that the road was not hot so he was more impressed become great by his own good deeds. Path of resitraint by the muni.
is open for everybody.' Somdev being repented asked the muni to forgive Harikeshibal also became a muni. He also started him. Muni also forgave him and gave him some good travelling (Vihar). While travelling he once happened advice which touched the Brahmin's heart and he also to visit the Tinduk Garden of Varanasi. Tinduk was demitold the muni to give him the diksha. (Coverting a man God of the garden. He had become a follower because in to saint) Somdev also tried his level best to achieve of muni's penance. He tried to spread muni's name in good qualities.
the world. Somdev was born in a lower class family after re- That time Bhadraa, the daughter of the king koshalik birth and the muni became God after death but he was visited the garden. She saw muni in dirty clothes, an born on earth as a very good man and in a very good ugly face, therefore she spitted on him. family.
This sight made Tinduk very angry and changed the There was a group known as chandals on the bank face of Bhadraa into an ugly one. Everybody was upof the river Ganges. Their leader's name was Harikesh set. The king tried all the possible treatments but of no who had two wives-Gori and Gandhari. Gori's son was use. Harikeshbal who was ugly but very brave.
At that time Yaksh Tinduk because of his special While playing he quarreled with the boys and hit powers entered the body of the muni and said, ooh! them. His father punished Harikeshibal and drove him king, if you give your daughter to me in marriage I will out of the group. So Harikeshibal went on a hill as he change her face in a beautiful one. The king agreed. In was very much disappointed. While he was sitting there no time the princess also became beautiful. a poisonous serpent was seen. The people aroud him The king was happy and was ready for his daughter's killed the serpant.
marriage and started working on that line. The king After some time another serpant with two mouths came with his party for the marriage. Tinduk Yaksh was seen. People did not kill the serpant as it was non- again came out of the muni's body. Muni coming out of poisnous. He heard somebody saying you are not the meditation saw everything and was surprised. He
