Stories From Jainism

Author(s): Mrugendramuni
Publisher: Jain Yoga Foundation

Page 23

Hearing of the attack by the enemies, Malli, the king's daughter, went to her father and promised to find a way out of the predicament, with confidence. She asked her father to inform the invading kings, separately and individually, that Malli would be offered to each of them. Hence, each should go inside the fort. King Kumbh was impressed by her suggestion.
When these kings got the message of King Kumbh all the six of them agreed and went to the fort.
There was a golden statue of Princess Malli in the middle of the room. Then addressing them, she said "Don't you like this?" And then she opened its mouth. Soon, there wafted out a bad odour from the statue. Then closing the mouth of that statue, Malli said "Our body will betray us one day."
Why did the bad odour come? Malli used to put a spoonful of food into the mouth of the statue everyday, and hence the odour of decayed food.
A voice from darkness beyond was heard saying, "Outward beauty is deceptive. It veils only flesh, fat, blood and the dirty bones. All these give out bad odour."
All the six kings gathered in the room of the princess remembered their past birth. All of them took to the life of a monk. Now they were within reach of eternal bliss.
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