________________
Then, in order to add to the knowledge of the king and to produce in him firm faith for the religion, the Guru read before lum Trisasti-Salākā-Pūrusa C'aritra in which the king heard the praises and importance of Satrunjaya and Raivatāc'ala with the result that a desire to see them arose in him Hence, accompanied by the Guru, and the great. Sangha' (a band of pilgrims ) he went on a pilgrimage to the above-mentioned places. He sincerely assisted the poor and the afflicted on the way and after finishing the journey and practising devotion in an unique way he returned and arranged a great festival to commemorate the occasion The more the King became inclined to the principles of non-violence, the more the Brahmins used to try to break the principles of the King When the bright half of the month of · Also set in, the priests of Kanti'swari and other goddeesses came to the King and said, “Your majesty, 700 goats and 7 he-buffaloes on the 7th day 900 goasts and 9 buffaloes on 9th day should be offered to the goddess according to the custom of the fore fathers. The King heard it and sent the priests away. He then consulted the Quru and requested him to show some way. The Quru whispered into his ears some things and the King got up. At night the beasts were carried to the temples of the goddesses and ordering them to be shut up in the temples, the King sent trustworthy courtiers to sit there as whichmen. On the next day the King himself went to the temple and its doors were ordered to be opened. The beasts were grazing in the central part of the temple to every one's wonder and being protected from wind they had been fresher than before. Calling the priests, the King then said, “I had offered these beasts to the goddess, but she does not seem to kill them for food, other wise she would have killed them all. From this it sums that you have thirst for blood, there fore never put forth such a request again." Regarding this incident it is also said that Kanteswari was the family deity of the C'aülekya race of the Rajputs, and on account of her sacrifices being stopped she appeared before the King, and struck her Tridūla to
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
