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RIŞABHA DEVA
younger brother from the throne. The incident merely filled him with renunciation; he was seized with the spirit of world-flight, and sought refuge at the feet of a Jaina Saint. He was duly admitted in the order, and earned much merit as a yogi (ascetic), by practising the twelve kinds of asceticism, internal and external. One day he was bitten by a serpent and died of the venom. Jaya Varmā did not attempt to kill the vermin and cherished no resentment in his heart. He reincarnated as a son to Atibala, king of Alkāpuri, from his queen Manoharā. The fruit of asceticism usually is a birth in the heavens; but Jaya Varmā failed to secure it, because at the moment of death he was swayed by the kingly pomp and splendour of a great Vidyādhar whom he had seen just about that time, which had made him long for similar conditions for himself in his next incarnation!
2. Mahabala Alkāpuri is situated on a hill in one of the distant Provinces of the Jambu Dvipa. Sahasrabala was at one time the king of this place. When he became old he took to sannyasa (asceticism), to look after his spiritual well-being. His son Satabala succeeded him, and, after a long and prosperous reign, followed in the foot
