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288
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
5 Nepal was famous during those days for her jewelstudded shawis Certain traders went to Rajgriha with these delicate fabrics They introduced themselves and their commodities respectfully to king Shrenik Each shawl cost one and a quarter lac of gold coins The king was unwilling to buy the shawls The traders were disappointed They had pinned high hopes on the famed generosity of the king of Magadha. Instead of buying their entire stock of wares he had refused to buy a single piece They came out of the palace with long faces They even commented in derogatory terms on the low norms of Magadha and Rajgriha while leaving the royal premises
A trader named Gobhadra lived at Rajgriha Bhadra was his wife and Shalıbhadra his son Bhadra was now a widow and the head of the household At the moment she sat in the balcony The traders passed under her balcony Bhadra overheard their low opinion about Magadha and Rajgriha. She felt maligned when such sentiments were expressed for her state and her town She called the traders and asked them why they had made such a contempt for her place The traders narrated to her their hopes belied by the miserly king.
Bhadra consoled them and bought all of their shawis The traders left lauding the great tradition of Magadha
Next day queen Chellana expressed her desire to the king to summon the traders to buy a shawl They informed him that the stock had been exhausted 'Who could buy all the shawls,' he asked
'One person has purchased all of our shawls' Who could afford it?' 'There is no paucity of aristocrats at Magadha' "Let me know the person's name, anyway'
'A woman has purchased our shawls Her name is Bhadra'
The king sent his emissary to obtain by some means a shawl from Bhadra.
