Stories From Jainism

Author(s): Mrugendramuni
Publisher: Jain Yoga Foundation

Page 43

While hearing these words, Sanatkumar found that the gods were somewhat agitated. When he asked them the reason for their uneasiness, they said, “Your Majesty, indeed your beauty is unrivalled. But then, you have an earthly body. It is made of flesh, blood and bones. And a kind of bad odour comes out of it."
The king was surprised to hear of the bad odour. He said, “Well, I don't experience any smell coming out of it."
The gods said, “You don't realise it. It is because you are used to it." Then, the gods retired to their place in heaven.
Now, the king felt uneasy. His pride had been dashed to the ground. He thought now of the worthlessness of his beauty. His beauty was due to his body which was after all made of dirty things like blood, flesh and bones. Not a pence would be paid for this body. The body dissolves and then all its beauty vanishes. Time does not respect it and it gets old and disintegrates. It is true that we do not realise its disintegration but, then, disintegration takes place gradually and steadily. A dry leaf falls down into a pool of water. But it had been gettingyellow from the day it came into existence. Our human life and youth are also like this leaf.
Days passed swiftly and the idea of disintegration began to gnaw at his mind. He could pay no attention to the administration of his kingdom. He was ill at ease.
One full moon night, he got up from his bed and went out of his palace. He saw the full moon in the sky and walked on the road that led to the forest and the mountains beyond.
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